Taken anw-4

by John O'Brien

  * * *

  Bri feels something tapping against her cheek and hears her name being called. It seems from so far away but becomes clearer with each call. Pain in her arm flares and the dull throbbing pulses her head in rhythm with her heartbeat. She opens her eyes and sees Gonzalez above peering down at her. The fear of the chase and waking with a different view causes a jolt of adrenaline. Seeing Gonzalez above her calms her to an extent but her mind fills with questions.

  “What happened?” She asks.

  “I’m not exactly sure. Are you okay? Anything hurt?” Gonzalez asks.

  “My arm hurts,” she answers.

  “Which one? And where?” Gonzalez asks looking down.

  “My left arm. On the forearm,” she replies.

  She watches as Gonzalez unbuttons the sleeves of her top and gently rolls the sleeve up. The left forearm is swollen and red at about the midpoint.

  “Flex your fingers for me, Bri,” Gonzalez says.

  Bri brings her fingers to a fist but it’s difficult and increases the pain to the point that beads of sweat break out on her forehead. She groans as she brings her fingers to a fist once again.

  “That’s okay, Bri. Relax them. You may have a fracture so don’t move your arm,” Gonzalez says beginning to unlace her boots.

  “Hey you! What are you doing?” The guard asks once again.

  “This girl may have a broken arm and I’m making a splint for her. Can you see if there are any rulers in the desk I can use?” She asks the now standing guard.

  He eyes her suspiciously for a moment and then reaches down to open a drawer. Rummaging around, he places two long rulers on the edge of the desk.

  “You can come up and get them but if you try anything, I won’t hesitate with this,” he says waving his gun.

  The guard backs away from the desk and motions for Gonzalez to approach the desk. She rises feeling the sharp pain shoot through her head. Nausea grips her. She pauses to get her balance and waits for the feeling to subside. The guard gestures impatiently and Gonzalez holds out a hand asking him to wait a moment. Her equilibrium restores and she walks slowly to the desk retrieving the rulers.

  Removing her socks, Gonzalez has Bri hold the rulers in place making sure the ends extend past the wrist in order to keep the forearm as immobilized as possible. Bri grimaces as Gonzalez ties the socks tightly against her arm.

  “If you feel your fingers go numb or tingly, tell me or, if I’m not around, loosen the socks and retie them looser. How does that feel?” Gonzalez asks.

  “It’s still throbbing but better. Thanks,” Bri says giving Gonzalez a smile which she returns.

  “Where are we?” Bri asks looking around.

  “I’m not sure to be honest,” Gonzalez answers.

  “Where is everyone else?”

  “Michelle is here behind me but I’m not sure where Robert is.”

  Bri sighs and stares at the ceiling. What she took to be an adventure at the start, with the exception of not knowing where her mom is and the possibility that she turned into a night runner, has turned into anything but that. First her mom, then Nic, and now Robert. She feels a terrible sadness thinking she is the only one left. A tear runs down her cheek. Gonzalez gently wipes it away.

  Gonzalez looks to the guard, who is staring out at the sunny day, and whispers, “We’ll get out of here, you have my word on that.”

  “It’s not that. I’m the only one left,” Bri says as another tear follows the first.

  “Now Bri, I’m sure Robert is fine. I think they segregated us. Look around, there’s only women here,” Gonzalez whispers. Bri turns her head and looks around slowly. A small vestige of hope rises as she verifies Gonzalez’ words.

  “How are we going to get out of here?” Bri asks focusing once again on Gonzalez.

  “We’ll worry about that when we rest up and feel better. And, don’t forget, there are the others. They’ll find us,” Gonzalez says.

  “How will they find us?”

  “I was able to get a radio call out and your dad’s a very resourceful man,” Gonzalez answers to which Bri smiles. The tears clear up but her thoughts still remain on her mom and Robert. Looking around further, a light bulb goes off in her head.

  “I know where we are,” she says quietly. “This looks like Mrs. Watford’s classroom. I think we are at my high school.”

  “That’s enough! I said no talking unless I can hear you. Back to your cot,” the guard says coming out of whatever reverie he was engaged in.

  With a gentle touch on Bri’s shoulder, Gonzalez retreats back to her cot. They are held in the room for the rest of the day, the only break coming when meals are brought. They and the others in the small classroom eat their meals quietly. Sitting in the classroom, Bri verifies they are in fact in her “old” school. Michelle is withdrawn but when Bri tries talking to her, she finds that Michelle is also worried about Robert. She repeats Gonzalez’ words about the appearance of being segregated. Bri watches as she sees the same hope, which she had upon hearing those words, leap in Michelle’s eyes.

  Another guard joins them in the classroom for the evening. Bri hears a few night runner shrieks erupt during the night along with a gunshot. Her fears come alive knowing there are night runners about and she hopes those that have taken them know how to handle them. She realizes she feels naked and vulnerable without the familiar feel of her M-4. The feeling that she has become so used to it surprises her. Not that she’s been in any firefights like Robert and her dad but she likes the feeling that she could attempt to defend herself if needed. The training Lynn gave them and their solo training times with her dad has elevated her confidence to a great degree. She holds onto the reality that she can’t storm a night runner domain by herself, but the confidence is there.

  She has a sleepless night. Her arm throbs throughout the whole time; sometimes intensely and other times settling down to a low ache. Her mind also races; her mom, Robert, how to get out of this place, the night runners she assumes are outside, along with remembrances of Nic. Her feelings follow these thoughts and tears silently form remembering Nic. She feels like a hand is gripping her heart tightly. She wants to wake up from this horrible dream and find herself tired but rising to her alarm to get ready for school. The reality that this isn’t going to happen settles and her mind heads back to thoughts of escaping.

  She wakes to Gonzalez lightly shaking her shoulder. Apparently I did fall asleep, she thinks opening her eyes to a room lit by the sun cresting the eastern horizon. Her arm still aches and she repositions the makeshift splint with help from Michelle. They are guided into a cafeteria and are the only ones seated. Afterwards, they are brought into the gym and allowed to shower. Bri dons her black fatigues afterwards wishing for a change but knows there’s nothing she can do about it. She slowly pulls them back on being careful with the rulers tied to her arm.

  They are then led outside, the bright light blinding her momentarily. Standing, her arm throbs even more with it below her heart. With her good arm, she cradles it against her chest. She sees they have been joined by others but stays close to Gonzalez and Michelle. Bri eyeballs the fence across the fields and feels a yearning to be on the other side; yearns to be free. The guards seem much too aware for her to make a break for it. Plus, the distance she’d have to run and the fact that her arm wouldn’t allow her to climb the fence once she arrived keeps the desire in check. She notices the wire stretched across the top of the fence. That’ll slow me down a bit, she thinks focusing back on the others in the yard with her.

  She notices they are all inter-mixed; men, women, boys, and girls. A familiar dark blond, short-haired head rises above several others a short distance away.

  “Robert!” She cries and takes off towards the familiar head. She is instantly reminded of her arm and, with a cry of “Ow,” slows to a brisk walk.

  Robert turns at the sound of his name and walks towards her. She sweeps her good arm around him as they come together and feels his strong
arms tightly envelop her pulling her close.

  “I’m so glad you’re okay,” she says sobbing slightly as she presses into his chest. “I was so scared something happened to you.”

  “I’m so happy to see you too, Bri,” she hears him say. They pull away and he turns to embrace Michelle. She watches as Robert and Michelle hold each other tightly and each with a big grin.

  They quickly catch each other up on their previous day and evening with not much having to be said. It’s apparent they’ve been captured and are being held. Robert shares that the guys are being kept in the gym with at least one guard looking over them at night from an upper gym balcony.

  “We need to get out of here,” Robert says. “Bri, how is your arm?”

  “Gonzalez thinks it’s broken or fractured,” Bri says. “But I’ll manage. Do you have a plan?”

  “Look everyone, we’re not going to do anything right away unless the optimal opportunity comes up. Bri is in no condition to move like we’ll need to and we don’t know what the others are up to,” Gonzalez says.

  “We don’t know if they even know where we are,” Robert says. “We have to do something.”

  “Give it a few days until Bri’s arm is better and we’ll know if the others are around by then. Until then, we don’t make any waves,” Gonzalez says.

  “I think I can get out of the gym anytime,” Robert says.

  “Okay, we’ll use that if we need to,” Gonzalez replies.

  Bri notices a guard making their way through the people gathered. “A guard is coming.”

  “Say what you need to and quickly. We’ll talk when we can,” Gonzalez says.

  Bri notices Robert looking off toward a tree-covered hill in the distance. “What are you looking at?” She asks as the guard nears.

  “Looking for dad,” Robert answers.

  “Break it up. You know the rules, no gathering,” the arriving guard says.

  They split and soon their time outside comes to an end. They are shepherded back into the classrooms and Robert disappears into a set of doors leading to the gym. Just before entering the classroom building, Bri glances back towards the hill Robert was looking at and smiles thinking her dad might indeed be sitting there watching them. She’s been very surprised in the last months at just what her dad is capable of.

  The day comes and goes. They are allowed another hour outside around noon and talk quietly amongst themselves until they are broken up once again. With her arm bothering her, Bri thinks of taking a towel if they are allowed to shower to make a sling. She wants to be as ready as she can if an opportunity arises. If Gonzalez sees a chance for them, or Robert for that matter, then she doesn’t want to be the reason they don’t take it. She, Gonzalez, and Michelle are moved into another classroom in the afternoon.

  She hears the sounds of vehicles arriving through the partially open windows of the classroom. They are soon moved to the school cafeteria and join others being held in the camp. She sees Robert and they all sit together. They whisper amongst themselves about escaping and how to do it but nothing clearly presents itself. They have to stop talking every once in a while as guards make their way near the tables. Bri looks over the large gathering hoping to see one of her friends.

  Her glance passes many faces, stops, and backtracks to one in particular. Her mind and her eyes aren’t in agreement with what they see. Her mind tells her that what she sees is impossible. But there it is, right in front of her. Well, almost. Sitting four tables away, a very familiar length of blond hair hangs over a tired face with an almost lifeless expression; the hands appear to be just going through the motions of eating but Bri’s heart jumps at the sight.

  Robert is engaged in a whispering conversation with Michelle. Bri elbows him and whispers briskly, “Robert! Robert!”

  “In a minute, Bri,” he says turning back to Michelle.

  “No, Robert. There’s Mom,” she says elbowing him once again.

  “What?!” Robert says turning and looking to where Bri is nodding her head.

  “Be careful you two,” Gonzalez says listening to their conversation and nodding towards the guards scattered around the room. “I am so happy for you two but be careful.”

  Bri barely hears Gonzalez. “Mom!” She calls out loudly.

  The woman looks up from her tray and searches about. Bri waves her good arm. The woman focuses on her and stares. Recognition flares in her eyes and her face lights up. The tiredness and long face vanishes as if it were never there. Tears form and run down her face in streams. The woman rises and begins to rush over. A guard grabs her shoulder and tells her something. She elbows the guard and continues her dash. Bri and Robert rise and they each hug their mom tightly as she arrives. The guards rush in their direction but stop when they see what is going on. They remain close but see it’s not someone trying to escape and leave them in peace.

  Bri sobs in her mother’s arms and hears Robert crying as well. She feels, on her fine blond hair, the drip of her mother’s tears as they fall. She doesn’t ever want to let go. Her heart lightens to a considerable degree. She hadn’t even realized she was carrying so much anxiety and stress. Her heart feels so full that it may explode from joy and happiness. Her arm hurts from the pressure against it but she doesn’t care and continues to grip her mom.

  “I was so worried I’d never see you again,” her mom says as they finally separate.

  Gonzalez scoots over to make room and they sit. The guards, seeing all is well, leave to continue their watch over the tables.

  “We thought you had turned into a night runner,” Robert says finally able to find his voice. He is still choked with emotion.

  “A what?” Their mom asks.

  They begin to tell their story, each breaking in to tell their version of a particular instance and events. They catch her up on the world in general and what they’ve been through. Their mom doesn’t have much to offer as her memory of the events of hasn’t returned. She is surprised to hear about the long time frame of her memory gap.

  “So, your dad is still around, huh?” Their mom asks.

  “Yeah. He is. Robert thinks he is nearby and will be here with the other soldiers soon,” Bri answers.

  “Ma’am, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Corporal Gonzalez,” Gonzalez says introducing herself.

  “Call me Julie,” she responds taking Gonzalez’ outstretched hand.

  Julie looks around the table after their stories are finished. Bri knows exactly who she is looking for. Tears come to her eyes thinking both about Nic and how this will devastate their mom. She doesn’t want this happy moment to have unhappiness intrude but knows the next question.

  “Mom,” Bri says sniffing, “There’s something…” She doesn’t finish as she feels Gonzalez touch her good arm.

  “Julie, I have some news that Robert and Bri didn’t share with you. I hate to bring sorrow into this happy moment,” Gonzalez says staring into Julie’s eyes. Gonzalez sees Julie’s eyes tear up once again as she knows the words that will come next, “but, I don’t know how to say this, as if there’s really any way to say it.” Gonzalez sighs heavily. “Nicole died saving one of the soldiers.”

  Julie stays silent a moment and then erupts in a keening wail that pierces the heart of everyone hearing. She grips her stomach and folds over crying so hard that she has a hard time catching her breath. Robert wraps his arms around her and Bri her good one as they join her; crying for the loss of Nic.

  Into the Lion’s Den

  Lying on the dry ground under the trees, shielded by bushes, the sound of vehicles in the distance intrudes upon my thoughts as I run through various scenarios. I picture in my mind the buses arriving, proceeding through the gate, and shoveling everyone out for the evening routine. I’m assuming it is a routine as we’ve only monitored them for a very short time, but the process did seem to flow smoothly. The smoother something like that happens, the more likely they’ve done it that way for a while. I don’t want to make any assumptions about a
nything but I like to keep all of the players in my mind as to their possible locations at all times. Noting routines, where people go or should be at a particular time, helps keep situational awareness. That, however, doesn’t make everything written in stone.

  My chief apprehension centers on the night runners behaving themselves. Yeah, when have they ever done that? I don’t want to be caught outside with a horde of night runners closing in. I’d rather have a prostate exam although it really amounts to the same thing.

  The noise of air brakes squealing, people gathering, and doors opening in the distance goes on for some time and settles down as the sun sinks behind the hills. It’s as if the day waits in hushed anticipation of the night to come.

  The sky above darkens to a deep blue and the first stars shine. Generators start up in the compound and the perimeter lights flash on; flickering at first and then coming on with their full intensity. Armed guards walk across the fields in the gathering gloom, mount ladders leading into the towers, and, just as last night, pull the ladders up with them. I see the gap I noticed from the overlooking hills just off to my left almost in front of the third tower. I pull back into the trees and move over adjacent to the gap.

  Aside from being out in the gathering darkness, I am also not so keen on having to traverse open ground in front of a guard tower. Guards typically tend to focus their lights on the area immediately in front of them. It’s a psychological thing; that’s where they think the greatest danger lies. Hopefully they sweep their spotlight over a wider area. I take the remaining grass talks I gathered and quietly tape them along my arms and legs so they are pointing to my rear. Lying down, I want to look as much like the grass field as I can. Luckily, they haven’t cut or burned the tall grass. This will give me a little advantage should a spotlight come across me.

  The twilight deepens into the darkness of night. A few faint shrieks sound in the distance as the night comes on fully. They seem as if they are coming from the south, in the direction of the main town. Nothing too close. The stars are out, twinkling brightly across the black sky. I wait a moment for the guards to get settled into a routine. Spotlights from the guard towers move erratically through the night air. The one in front of me transitions slowly from left to right and back again without any noticeable pattern. I lower my NVG’s. It’s time to move.