The Future's Mine by L J Leyland

with fury and charged at Noah who lightly sprung out of his way.
    ‘Run! Go!’ Noah yelled at me as he launched himself at Perkins, trying to prise him off Flora, who was writhing on the ground.
    Survival and evasion. My speciality. This is what Matthias had taught me to do. My brain kicked into automatic and I sprinted for the glass doors.
    ‘Stop her!’ the Mayor bellowed as a handful of Parrots began to yank the doors closed, sealing off my escape. I grabbed a chair and charged at them with the legs pointed outwards. I hit the first Parrot and he toppled backwards, knocking the others down like dominos, but it was too late. Twenty other Parrots rushed towards the Hall from the Complex, like army ants defending their nest. I skidded to a halt and wiped away the sweat that had started to bead on my neck. I’d have to find another way out.
    I dropped the chair and leapt onto the dining table. Running down the centre of it, I kicked off plates, glasses, and dishes, aiming at the Parrots and the Metropolites who cowered behind the little boy in the ruff and his harp. The sounds of smashing objects joined together in a cacophonous riot that made my head pound. Oh dear, I don’t think Brigadus made a very good impression on the Metropolites. This would only further confirm their suspicions that we were savages. The thought filled me with glee.
    Out of the corner of my eye, I saw that the serving girls had happily grabbed serving implements and were swinging them with such joy at the Parrots that they seemed unconcerned about the repercussions. I even witnessed our tutor Sal engaging in her own brand of rebellion when she threw a slippery fish under the feet of a passing Parrot and then added, ‘Oh my, it seems you’ve slipped.’ My heart swelled as I realised that we might actually win this. I might actually escape.
    My eyes found Noah. He was trying to fight the Parrots off Flora but he had been backed into a corner. I hesitated for a moment, wondering whether I should risk helping him. After all, he’d helped me. But the moment’s pause cost me.
    There was a swipe at my ankle and I crashed down onto the table. Pain shot through my back. ‘What the – ’
     I felt myself being yanked from the table onto the ground with such force that I thought my ankle had disconnected from my leg. My head hit the hard gold rim of the table and I saw colours and patterns bloom in my sight. I touched the back of my head. A hot, sticky puddle of blood was seeping over my hair. An unrelenting boot to my shoulder, then to my legs, kicked me under the table. I tried to roll away further under the table but my resistance waned as the colours and stars returned at every movement I made.
    There was a heavy panting close to my ear and a bead of someone else’s sweat fell on my cheek.
    ‘I’ve got you now.’ His beery breath was so heavy and pungent that it settled around me like fog. ‘No audience, no escape, no chance.’ He laughed. 

Chapter Ten
    The Mayor was kneeling next to me under the table, trying to cram his bulk into the small space. ‘No need for confinement, we’ll just finish this here, where no-one can see. They won’t know it was me.’
    Then he stopped himself and laughed again. ‘Although, it wouldn’t matter if they did know it was me; what can they do? Who can stop me? Unforgivable, what you did . They’ll only find you under here when they come to clear up tomorrow. No-one makes a fool of me. I’m the Mayor. Do you know what that means? It means I’m better than you in every way. It means I’m important. It means I’m respected –’
    ‘Ha! Like the Metropolites respect you, you mean?’
    A burst of anger registered on his face and he grabbed my neck, easily encircling it with one hand. ‘ They do respect me. Everyone respects me. ’
      I couldn’t stop myself from laughing, although I knew it was probably shortening my life span. ‘You sad old man. Look at you. Did you really think for one