So close...

The image belongs to Orvieto. You can found de original photo in this link
https://www.flickr.com/photos/miemo/7334151324/in/photostream/

We just kept running through the alleys of this subway until... BANG! Another shot resounds through these tunnels of death.

"I think that's it for that guy," said the woman running next to me between breaths.
"Better her than us," replied Dennis, the only surviving friend of those of us who ended up here.

I didn't think that a vacation in Italy would end so badly, a few days ago I was drinking cheap beer in a tavern next to the Veneto with my friends and now I'm running for my life through the dark streets of this subway hell that has become the grave of so many people.

Everything seems like a dream and although I still can't finish believing it, the bodies, the smell of blood and the sound of screams and shots only make me understand that it is not.

It all started three days ago, we were walking in the sunny streets of this city when a beautiful girl with red hair stopped me and handed me a flyer of what was going to be "the event of the year" the entrance would be free and we would all be taken to the surprise place where the party would be. As the hours passed and we saw the publicity in the streets and the beautiful women who delivered the publicity, we decided to go with the idea of getting lucky with some of them.

"Come on Tommy" I told my brother "don't be boring and come with us, it will be fun"

"Okay, I'll go. Let's be clear that nothing that happens here will be repeated by Lauren if she finds out." He said with laughter, he was the only one who didn't want to go at first. It is too late to say that we should have listened to him, now he, like so many others, will never see the light of day again.

The hours passed and when we realized it, it was time to go to the meeting place, like so many other tourists we went to him to find the buses, all with drawings in red and black of a palace and with the inscription "Per la libertade" on its side. I only cared at that moment about the girls that were getting on the nearest bus and like zombies, we went after them.

The trip was harder than I expected and during the course I could only think about how far we were from any city on the map. We all laughed and drank as we prepared for what would be the best party of our lives. Everything went like this until we reached a clearing, with a lot of banners and a huge entrance to what looked like a cave.

"Come on in, everybody!" A man was shouting over some boxes using his megaphone: "Don't miss the start of this great show! Don't miss the chance to be free tonight!"

We like many others just followed the path they marked out in the cave and quickly realized that that path was only one among many who were going to who knows where, but at that moment I only cared about going to the front. As we got closer to our destination, I could hear the music that little by little became louder, until we went out to a place that opened up and created a great space where there were torches, bugles and lights that gave the best atmosphere for a party. People were already dancing in the middle of the big circle that had been drawn by the torches. Everything was fun until, on the stage that gave life to this party, a great man walked up to the tip of it, dressed in an elegant way and at the moment of touching a microphone, the music died and we all looked at him.

"To all of you, I welcome you to this little event" his voice was deep and reached everyone "for those who don't know me, I'm Arlo and I'm the organizer of this great night and I want to thank you for coming? The crowd breaks the momentary silence to offer their applause to this man, I was doing the same until I realized that among the many entrances shadows were beginning to move, more people arriving late to the party I thought but there were some movements and a certain metallic shine that distracted me more than usual. I decided to stop and pay attention to the man again "but the truth is, my children, you are not here just to be at a big party. No, you are here, to be the proud participants, of the ritual that will give us all freedom and I am not the only one grateful for that, right brothers?

"FREEDOM!" It was heard from all sides, my blood ran cold when I saw the shadows taking the form of men who, besides shouting euphorically, carried shotguns, pistols and some axes "Hail Behemoth! Hail Arlo!"

I was frozen, either by panic or by the heavy presence of only Arlo could look at his followers "The revolution for freedom will soon begin, but to complete what we need, it takes... Blood sacrifices and what better way to get so many people to come voluntarily to this place than by having a big party? Without further ado, my brothers, let it begin! He never got to finish that sentence, a deafening sound came through the cave.An American had pulled a gun out of his pants and hit that damn man in the chest. I had never loved American culture so much as I did at that moment.

That sound woke us all up from a dream. On one hand, the armed men began to shoot, but on the other hand, hundreds of drunk young men ran for their lives or fought for them in all directions. As we ran, my friends and I split up unintentionally and I could see how some of them were hit by bullets or the fight that others provoked to save themselves: Hanna and Rico were the first to fall by the bullets, Simon trying to run was used as a shield by some idiots and Daniel, only knew he was dead when two of those men threw him to the ground so that a third one could pierce him with a spear. When we got to one of the many caves, only Dennis, Tommy and I were left. We were entering the cave when suddenly one of those men came out of nowhere. Before thinking about anything else we threw ourselves at him and despite the shot that rang out, I just thought about using the rock I found to hit his head over and over again. It was when I heard Tommy's sobbing that I realized that that shot did hit the target.

I approached him and could only say "I'm sorry, you were right, we shouldn't have come" as I touched his face and detailed the bleeding hole in his chest
"It doesn't matter anymore, Lucas, just leave me and..." He coughed blood. "Get out of here."

"No, I can't leave you here!" I would say between sobs "I'll take you if I have to"

"You know we can't do that, hurry up, before another one of them sees us" Dennis said that even though it hurt me to hear it, he was right. I couldn't say anything else, I just let myself go and ran and ran and ran until I forgot who I was, passing around bodies and scared people without being affected by anything anymore. Who knows how much happened between that and this moment, I only know that many others did not make it and we did, of the 20 people we were when I came to my senses, only 6 remained and although it seemed impossible, I felt closer and closer to the warmth that guided me to the exit.

"I can see a way out" said the man at the front of the group, ahead of us.

"Finally" said a tired Dennis
We were already walking through tiredness and hunger to a small break in the land that overlooked a lighted city street. Soon we could escape from this damned hell... Or so I thought.
Suddenly from among the dark zones those damned men came out and before reacting they began to shoot again, Dennis crossed with him had to find one of them before dying, but he ended up just like the rest. I fell feeling only pain in my torso but I was looking only at the street, so lit up... So beautiful. I knew it was the end of me but I would not give him the luxury of looking at him and asking for mercy, at least for a moment I would be free and I would take that illuminated street to eternity with me.
"So close..." I managed to say before closing my eyes and preparing for my end.

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