by Jen Naumann
A tear falls from my eye when I reach out to touch Chance’s arm. “I’m so very sorry.”
His eyes scrunch together in confusion. “You are?”
“Of course!” I answer, surprised. “She was my friend! I loved her too, although probably not as much as you did. That’s why I’m so sorry. I know what it’s like to lose a loved one.”
Chance’s eyes turn soft, despite the hard lines and his tough appearance. All at once he pulls me to him for a suffocating embrace, sobbing in my ear with a sound unlike anything I have heard before.
When I glance over at Zeke in the darkness, he looks to be in complete shock.
* * *
While waiting for their plan to take shape, I shift my weight. All the eyes burning into me remind me of the first day I entered the school. Why are these Rebels staring at me and not Zeke?
“We’re sorry to have interrupted your evening,” I offer. “But again, we are very thankful that you’re helping us like this.”
One of the girls, who forcertaincannot be over eighteen, rolls her eyes. Dark clusters of hair stand out against her head and like Kai, piercings of metal pepper her face. “Don’t besorry. Helping all of you out tonight has been a real joy. We don’t have anything better to do with our lives. Lighting cars on fire and setting off fireworks are exactly how we want to spend the wee hours of morning.”
Chance explained that they try not to use the same distractions too often, but he hadn’t mentioning lighting cars on fire. The Rebels are even more dangerous than I had first thought. But who else have they helped tonight? Could it be my friends?
“There were others just tonight?” I ask.
Again, she rolls her eyes. “Yeah. First it was the guy who looked like a Future but wasn’t one, then the girl whowasone.”
“Harrison and Tayrn?” I ask excitedly. “Did they come here separately or together?”
Another girl pushes her way through the crowd. She is short with purple hair that is styled in the most unusual crown around her head. “It was them. They didn’t come together, but we got them each over safely. They’re waiting for you on the other side.”
I holler out and jump into Zeke’s arms. “They’re okay! They made it!”
Moaning, Zeke presses his hand over the spot where his communicator had been. I had to look away when Chance held his knife in the flames of the fire and Zeke waited quietly at his side for the procedure. They both insisted it was necessary to remove the communicator as the government could track us with it.
My wild hug must have jarred the fresh wound. “I’m sorry,” I say, resting my hand over his. “I forgot.”
One of the older boys frowns at me. “You’re a bit squeaky for a Shymer. They’re usually pretty quiet. Are you sure you’re not really a Future here to turn us in?”
Chance stares him down. “Quiet the hell down. Kai told us about Olive and we knew this would happen one day. Now is a good time for them to leave, before things get ugly.”
I tilt my head. What could he mean by things getting “ugly”? Then I realize he just used old world sayings. “Where did you learn to say things like that?” I tease.
Chance chuckles. When relaxed, I can see how Kai was drawn to him. He has a good sense of humor and even a bit of charm. He’s even attractive in a rough sort of way. “Kai comes from a long line of Rebels. We used to read their books from the old world.”
I am reminded of the comment Kai made one day to Bree when they were discussing Rebels.I think there are a lot of things about me that would surprise you.Now the conversation makes total sense. Not only was Kai secretly raised by Rebels, but she was dating one. I wonder if the book was anything like the one Harrison’s family has.
The purple-haired girl looks over at the horizon. “All this is really sweet and everything, but we have to hurry before the sun comes up. If daylight hits, you’ll have to wait until after the first shift again to cross.”
Chance nods in agreement. “Just remember, hide in the patch of blackberries by the first waterfall you find. The Rebels on the other side check that patch every afternoon for any refugees.”
Although I know exactly where to find the patch of blackberries he speaks of, I am still terrified by the thought of being discovered at this point. Yet it’s too late to turn back now. They may already be searching for me at the orphanage.
And Harrison is waiting on the other side.
“Don’t be nervous,” Chance says with a soft smile. “We have helped dozens of people over this wall. Once our friend on guard sees our signal, he’ll power the system down just long enough for you to pass over. Then you’ll be home free.”
Zeke and I crouch behind a tree near the wall as instructed. The purple-haired girl stands close, ready to throw a makeshift ladder they fashioned from twine and wood. A hook is attached to the end so it will catch on the top of the wall. The last one of us to crawl over is to unhook it before jumping down so they can use it again. The ladder looks rough and fragile. It worked for the others, so I have faith that it will work for us. I have no other choice.
Far enough away that we can barely see them, Chance and another Rebel crouch near the ground, preparing to light the signal.
“I still don’t understand where they got thosefireworks,” Zeke whispers in my ear. “They sound unsafe.”
“They don’tget them anywhere,” I answer. “They make them with a special powder. They were used in the old world. Every July they would have a big celebration on our country’s birthday.”
“Why would anyone want to celebrate this place?” Zeke grumbles.
I don’t answer. The book from Harrison’s grandfather and the stories my parents told made the old world sound like it had been a happy place, when people were free to do what they wanted. I have kept hope all these years that my parents told me the truth about the old ways, and weren’t just repeating another fairytale to help me to sleep at night.
Near Chance, a small dot of red light glows and quickly becomes a sputtering fuse. Seconds later, there is a loud whistle followed by an equally loud pop. An explosion of white streams burst through the sky. More explosions go off, and more loud whistles ring through the sky. Zeke and I are in so much awe by the magnificent sight of it that we don’t see the purple-haired girl throw the ladder over.
“Hurry it up!” she cries. Soldiers begin yelling out from the lookout tower on top of the wall. We watch as they scramble around.
“You first!” Zeke insists, holding the ladder for me.
The purple-haired girl’s hand suddenly clamps over my wrist. Her gaze is intense and her Shymer mark flashes in the darkness. “Keep an eye on Tayrn for me.”
I frown back at her. How does she know Tayrn? Finally, I nod. “I will.”
“Now hurry!” she urges.
I smile back at her. “Thank you.”
She motions for me to climb, so I do. Each wooden step creaks when my weight settles onto it. Zeke begins climbing up behind me and the ladder buckles. The backpack he carries—filled with enough supplies to get us by until we meet up with the Rebels on the other side—seems to make his balance uneven. He wobbles back and forth. Seeing him directly under me makes my heart pump even faster. If I fall, I will land on him and injure us both.
When I am a few feet from the top of the wall, the ladder bows down. I grip the rope tightly, fearing the ladder is going to break. Suddenly, the wall vibrates. Snapping my head to the side, I see the movement of soldiers returning to their post. We are somewhat concealed by distance, but the sky is getting lighter by every minute. Before long they may be able to see us.
A surge of energy passes through me. This may be my only chance to see Harrison again. I propel myself as much as I can, grabbing the top of the metal wall as I approach it. The wall is still very warm from the intense daytime temperatures, but not quite hot enough to burn my skin. My arms have never been the strongest, and it takes extra effort to hoist myself up.
“Hurry!” I call out to Zeke.
>
He is still having difficulty in climbing the sagging ladder. Either the rope has worn thin from too many escapes, or the purple-haired girl should have made Zeke wait until I was totally off. With the orange glow spreading across the sky, she may be more worried about how much time we have before becoming discovered with the daylight.
“It’s not going to work,” Zeke calls back to me. He is still a few feet down from where I wait. A step breaks, dropping him even farther. I try to reach down with my hand to help him, but it’s no use. There is still a gaping distance between us.
“Try again!” I say, still hoping I won’t have to leave him behind.
“No. I’ll have to try again another time. It won’t hold me. You have to go now before it gets too light!”
“I’m not leaving!” I say. My weight shifts as my body threatens to drop from the wall.
“You have to go now!” the purple-haired girl tells me. “Once the sun is fully up the helicopters will be out. You have to run!”
“Go. I’ll find you,” Zeke insists. My leg slips from the wall just as the next step snaps. Zeke falls to the ground, landing awkwardly on his back. He looks up at me and waves his hands. “Run!”
My hands, slick from perspiration, threaten to drop me. The new daylight is suddenly harsh to my eyes. If I don’t make it now, I have lost my chance for the day. I reach up to hoist my entire body higher. My legs kick around to the other side before I let go.
The feeling of nothing around me but air is unsettling. I grasp for something—anything—although I know there is nothing I can hold on to. My body hits the hard dirt with such force that I make an “oomph” noise when the wind is knocked out of me.
Everything inside aches, feeling broken from the fall. For one painful, awkward moment, my lungs can’t seem to fill back up with air. Once they finally do, I shut my eyes and let the pain rush through me. Twisting my head to the side, I find myself surrounded by very tall grass.
I made it.
I am in the Free Lands.
15 – Are You a Soldj’a?
Although I want to yell out in victory, I remember what the purple-haired girl said about needing to hide from the helicopters. I’m not safeyet. The sun has almost peeked over the horizon, and the glow of early dawn is bringing color to everything around me. The helicopters will be here soon.
My body throbs in protest when I crawl through the tall grasses. I am not able to see anything around me at this point other than the wild grass, so I blindly crawl in the opposite direction of the wall and the soldiers. Clenching my jaw tight, I refuse to cry out when the pain in my ribs becomes sharp.
The air is already different on this side of the border. There is a cool dampness to it, probably from the lack of cars, concrete and solar-paneled buildings. Although there are just as many birds in Society, the ones in the Free Lands can be heard more clearly. I tear up when it really hits me—I made it.
I am home.
All at once, a low hum vibrates through the sky. The helicopters are coming. I spring to my feet and sprint ahead. The lush, green forest comes into full view. Fire burns in my chest each time my feet hit the ground, but I manage to run faster than ever before. I dive into the safety of the forest grasses and trees just as the first helicopter penetrates the sky above me.
Everything becomes a dark shadow under the hulking metal machine when it closes in. I duck behind a large bush seconds before the wind kicks everything into the air, stirring the leaves and dirt. I cover my hands with my ears to muffle the loud chopping of a second helicopter flying directly overhead. The invasion reminds me of the day my mother was taken away.
My thoughts rush together. What if Harrison and Tayrn didn’t find the other Rebels? What if they haven’t found each other and they’re each wandering around alone? How will I ever find them? They have never been in the Free Lands before. What would look safe to them?
Trying to keep my panic under control, I concentrate on my breathing. The helicopters don’t stay long, just as Chance had promised. He said they run on some kind of crude fuel that is considered rare in Society, made with corn that is grown in greenhouses. I strain after the sound as the very last of their chopping blades fades away.
Before long, my body burns in pain from the fall. My empty stomach grumbles, and my tongue cracks with thirst. The nearest stream is at least an hour’s walk away. If Zeke had made it over with the backpack filled with food and water, I would have more energy. Even if Harrison’s plan to bring supplies into the Free Lands had worked, I would be stronger for the hike ahead of me.
Then again, if everything had gone according to plan, I would be with Harrison now.
The morning drags on, bringing an even stuffier quality of air. I move quietly through the trees and bushes, trying my best not to be seen or heard. I find a few nuts to snack on that give me more of the energy I need. While the intense temperatures of the forest are familiar to me, we always had a constant supply of water. The burning of my throat is almost more severe than the burning in my chest from my fall.Almost.
Early evening is near when I hear the loud crack of a big tree branch behind me. I twist around to find a figure off in the distance. Diving into the nearest cluster of bushes, I wait with my breath held. A high voice cuts in and out my hearing range.
“…seriously don’t know…Shymers…”
Pushing aside a small section of the bush, I steal a glimpse. Three soldiers walk together with large guns resting against their shoulders. Their white-blond hair is all tucked neatly inside their hats, but they could not be mistaken as anything other than women with their striking features.
Before I was taken to Society, we always knew what time of day soldiers would be patrolling the area. Apparently, things have changed. I drop the leaves of the bush and dip my head lower, hoping I am well hidden. Suddenly, I feel very vulnerable.
And all alone.
I stay crouched in the brush until I’m sure the three soldiers are long gone. I peer off into the distance and realize with a pang of excitement that I am close to our last home. Between that and the diffused twilight, I find a new sense of security, making it easier for me to navigate through the forest.
Not only do I know there is a creek nearby, but I also know every dip and bend of the area. My old home is far off the path to the blackberry patch. Yet stopping to see if any supplies remain will be worth the extra time. If there are any more soldiers to come by, I will know where the best places are to hide.
When I reach the creek, it is trickling quietly. There have only been a few days of rain since I was brought to Society, and this forest looks like it hasn’t seen much either. Although the heat of the day has been much more tolerable under the cover of the trees, the mist created by the water is much cooler than the air. I quickly drink in as much as I can from my scooped hands until my stomach is full. The stop is a delightful treat.
My stomach rumbles angrily, wanting something of more sustenance. Maybe there will be some canned food left behind in our abandoned home. At least I know my fishing pole will be there. Maybe I can even stay long enough to rest. My muscles and chest still ache painfully from my fall off the border wall, and my legs throb from all the walking I’ve done.
I anxiously scurry up the last hill to climb before our house, even though my sore body screams in protest. Thoughts of all the things I may be able to find and the excitement of having something that ismineonce again fill my head. It doesn’t matter what is left, as long as it holds memories of the life I once shared with my parents.
At top of the hill, I peer down at the familiar surroundings and nearly choke on my breath.
The house is gone, burned to the ground.
“No!” I cry out, falling to my knees.
I knew that I may never see my mother again, but now the only hope I have at salvaging any physical memories of her has disappeared as well. My grandmother’s paper books…her box of keepsakes…everything is gone. I cover my face and sob. My body shakes, making
me painfully aware of every injury. What have I gotten myself into? What will I do now?
All at once, my grief morphs into a stifling panic. Where are Harrison and Tayrn? What if they gave up on me and continued on? What if they discovered a way to escape to the islands as we planned?
The overwhelming sadness and realization that I may be forever alone in this swallows me whole. I settle on the ground, not caring if the soldiers find me in the morning. If I lay here long enough, maybe my body will starve to death and I will fall into a deep sleep, never to wake up.
The sun gradually drops from the sky and the night air turns a few degrees cooler. My breathing becomes slow and even until the sound of cracking wood stirs me. I dart upright with my heart beating wildly in my chest. The darkness is too thick to see much of anything.
I take back my thoughts from earlier—Idon’twish for the soldiers to find me and Idon’t wish to be thrown in suspension.
But I’m trapped. It’s too dark to run. The moon is covered with a cluster of dark clouds, and everything around me is almost completely obscured. The typical chorus of nighttime bugs and even a few owls make me somewhat comforted. Although the house I once lived in is gone, the forest is still my home. I remind myself of this and slow my breathing, waiting for another plan to form in my head.
Another stick breaks loudly then there is a shift in the shadows off to my right. I whirl around, waiting for someone to pounce onto me, only to find no one there. Prickles of fear erupt all over my skin. My father used to tell me stories of ghosts that would come back to visit their loved ones. Could they possibly be real? Could it be the spirit of my dead father, trying to comfort me?
I lay on the ground with my arm under my head and hold my breath, waiting for another noise other than the pounding of my own heartbeat. Other than the sounds of the forest, it is silent.
The world around me fades slowly until I am asleep.
* * *
Something tugs at my hair. Thinking I’m dreaming, I don’t try to stop it at first. Then the tug becomes painful, pulling at my roots. I wince and bring my arm out to swat the source of the discomfort away. Once I am able to adjust to the harsh morning light of dawn, I find a pair of green eyes staring down on me.