“Yeah, I do. How old was he?”
“Sixteen.”
“Then you didn’t kill someone my age because I’m only fourteen. How about you?”
“I’ll be fourteen in one day and a few hours, not that birthdays matter much anymore.”
“Maybe we can still celebrate. I probably shouldn’t even say anything, but this place could be ours by tomorrow.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Some of the men have been talking about rushing the gates. There are so many of us that they couldn’t possibly take all of us down. We’ll climb the fences and jump over. From there, we can take down people by hand until we get weapons. After that, the place will be ours. My dad says he’s not going to participate, and he’s convinced that he can stop me from helping them, but I’ve got to do something,” he whispered.
“Are you crazy? Do you see those guard towers in the distance? There are men with automatic weapons in them who won’t hesitate to cut you down. There might be two to three thousand people waiting outside these camp walls, and maybe half of them will participate in this plan. They’ll have rocks and fists to fight with. Meanwhile, our enemies will have enough guns and ammo to take out a well-trained army. Everyone who participates will die, even if the fences do come down. Your dad is right to keep you away from it.”
“So what if we do die? At least the people who don’t participate will be able to sneak through the fence afterward.”
“Anyone caught doing that will probably be killed, too. It’ll be suicide. Given, that’s actually not the craziest idea in the world right now. It seems more insane to want to live than die.”
“Tell me about it. We have to do something, though. You haven’t been here from the start. We’re starving, and in these conditions, we’ll die even if we can find food.”
“I get it. I don’t know you, but I can already tell you’re not a bad person. You’re brave to even consider a plan that’s suicide . . . or stupid. I can’t figure out which. Regardless, I don’t think you should throw your life away. There are people this world is better off without. You’re not one of them. Do you mind if I tell Max about this?”
“Not at all. Just don’t let on that I want to participate in it. That’ll make my dad completely flip out.”
Zoe told Max everything, and then he thought for a second. There had to be a way to use the situation to their advantage.
“It’s a dumb plan, isn’t it?” Eddie asked.
“Yeah, and I’m not going to be a part of it. There must be a way we can use the chaos it’s going to create to our advantage, though.”
“What do you mean?”
“Bear with me here because I’m just making this plan up on the spot, so there might be some holes in it. We can observe what happens in the morning. If they manage to get over the gates and cause the soldiers to fall back temporarily, we can sneak in there but not to fight. All we’ll be doing is stealing a vehicle. From there, we can drive it out and pick up everyone else. It all hinges on them being able to do anything against automatic weapons, but I think it’ll work. They only have a couple dozen men patrolling the gates. Even with superior weaponry, they’re not going to be able to take more than a couple hundred out before they have to fall back and take a defensive stand with the others.”
“It might actually work. Where would we go once we had a vehicle, though?”
“We were on our way to Texas to see a friend who might be able to help us. Your family is welcome to come. What do you say? Will you help me do this?”
“Definitely.”
“I’ll go, too,” Zoe said.
“No. You’re staying here with Rebecca,” Max said.
“You’re crazy if you think I’m staying behind. You might need help.”
“And Rebecca might need you, too. We’re not discussing this. If we run into trouble, we’ll deal with it ourselves.”
“What about me? Can I go?” Liam asked.
“No. You’re my son, and I’m not risking your life for something that’s nowhere near a sure thing,” Eddie said.
“I’m fourteen, Dad. Let me go.”
“No, and that’s final.”
Liam and Zoe looked unhappy about their role, or lack thereof, but they did the only thing they could. They accepted it and lay down for the night. Soon after, Max and Eddie followed suit. Max started to simply lie back and try to sleep through a cold that was eating away at him, but then he saw Rebecca shivering. She was awake, and she looked exactly like he felt. They were both freezing, and she had enough blankets for two. He lay down beside her and asked if it was okay if he shared the blankets with her.
“Do you even have to ask after you saved my life? Come on,” Rebecca said.
“Thank you,” he said and covered up.
“Why did you dig me out of that? In the same situation, I might have left you. I wouldn’t have thought anyone could survive that earthquake,” she said.
“I didn’t think you could be alive either. Zoe wouldn’t accept your death, though. I didn’t have much choice in the matter. I’m glad I found you. I can’t believe you’re still with us after all that. Then again, I don’t know how any of us are alive.”
“Me either. Don’t get the wrong idea or anything, but I think we should definitely share body heat tonight. I feel like I’m dying out here,” she said and wrapped her arms around him.
As he did the same, his hand bumped her ribs and she winced in pain. He had been able to help with her leg, but without x-rays, he had no idea how bad her ribs were. He just had to hope nothing was seriously wrong.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you,” he said.
“It’s okay. Everything hurts right now. I’ll be all right, though.”
“You better be. We’ve gone through too much for you to check out now. We’ve got a plan to get a car in the morning, so we won’t have to be here long.”
“What kind of plan?”
Max recapped the plan, but Rebecca looked skeptical about it.
“What? It could work. We’re going to let these people draw them away and take what we need. From there, we’ll start driving to Texas again,” Max said.
“It’s not that. It’ll probably work, but my parents are here. I wonder if they made it inside, and if they didn’t, are they going along with this plan? It might be ridiculous at this point, but I need to know that they’re alive. Who knows what could happen tomorrow? They could be killed in all of this, and we’ll just be driving away.”
“I didn’t think about that. I’m sorry. I could try to find them, but I don’t really have any idea what they look like, and there are a lot of people here. Odds are that I won’t be able to. I want to make this better, but realistically, we have to make a choice tonight. We can stay here and hope you find your parents and the military won’t continue to leave us out here to die, or we can go our own way.”
“It’s not that easy.”
“I know it’s not. I can’t tell you where my dad is, and it’s the hardest thing in the world.”
“Your dad is still alive? I figured he was dead because you never mentioned him.”
“No. He’s still around, or at least I think he is. After I went to prison, he never talked to me again. The police came in to find me with a dead wife and baby. He assumed I killed both of them, so my dad saw me as a monster. I probably would’ve thought the same thing in his shoes. Even if I had my reasons for snapping when I saw my little girl dead, maybe I am a monster. Who kills the woman they love and can say they’re still human?”
“You’re not a monster. A bad person wouldn’t have pulled me out of that debris. You could’ve left Zoe and me to our fates, but you didn’t. In the midst of the worst event in human history, you’re doing everything you can to keep the people around you safe. That says something about who you are. Your father really missed out on knowing you for the past few years.”
“Thanks. I thought you would be scared of me when I told you what I did.�
��
“Not at all. As a matter of fact, I want to properly thank you for saving my life,” she said and leaned in to give him a peck on the lips.
“No. I can’t,” Max said and moved his head back.
“I’m sorry. You’re right. I was being stupid. This isn’t the time, and even if it were, you wouldn’t want me. I’m bruised all over, I’ve got a bad leg, and I’m not exactly the best catch.”
“Who in the world told you that? You’re gorgeous. Anyone would be lucky to have you, and it has nothing to do with timing for me. I killed the last woman I loved. There are just some doors that shouldn’t be opened again. I don’t deserve that kind of happiness.”
“Yes, you do. It’s almost too late for anyone to have it. We’re probably all going to die from this eventually. Why wouldn’t you give yourself a break at the end?”
“Because I don’t deserve it, and this isn’t the end. Now, get some rest before tomorrow, and know that you’re beautiful. It’s me and not you,” he said and kissed her on the forehead.
As they lay there, Rebecca slowly drifted away in his arms. Max couldn’t sleep, however. It was freezing, they might not make it until morning, and he was as confused as he had ever been. Since he was imprisoned, he had been a social pariah. Even the worst of prisoners didn’t understand how you could murder your own family. How had he found two people who trusted him so much, and did he deserve any of it? Maybe it didn’t matter what he deserved. In a world so messed up, all that mattered was what could help you survive. Could opening himself up to Rebecca help him get through this? He didn’t think so, but it might just give her a reason to continue on. She was hurt, and they were about to leave her mom and dad. Even if they were pretending like they were family, the fact remained that they barely knew each other. She needed one good thing to hold onto.
In that moment, he held her a little tighter than he had before. The good things in the world were few and far between, and as he looked over at Zoe and felt the woman beside him, he knew in the back of his mind that they might be the last good he would ever have. Max made a decision right then to never let go of that light.
Chapter 10
Death And A Kiss
The following morning, Max woke up to the sound of people talking. There was a large group near the fence. At least two thirds of the people were preparing to charge the fence and try to bring it down. He heard an army guy with a bullhorn warning them to back away. They didn’t listen, however. Max looked over at Eddie to see if he was ready. He was. In the instant it took him to confirm that his new friend was good to go, the people charged the gates. The men in the watch towers opened fire, cutting down dozens of them in seconds. It was a disaster. The first people who reached the fence weren’t able to budge it, and the people who followed only crushed them against it. Between the bullets spraying and the men and women being crushed by others, it didn’t look like things were going to end well.
When all seemed hopeless, one part of the fence finally came down. Max had no idea how many people had been lost, but he would guess at least a quarter of those who participated. At least they were inside now, though. They watched as the fighting began on equal ground. Many were cut down, but the citizens were at least able to take a few soldiers out before they fled. They would regroup further in and likely annihilate everyone opposing them, but that wasn’t any of Max’s concern. It was time to move now. He signaled for Eddie to come with him, and they ran toward the newly downed fence. Once they were through it, they stealthily made their way further into the base while making sure to keep a safe distance from any rebels. It would be a shame if they got this far only to die because someone thought they were with these people.
After searching for a while, Max finally spotted an unattended Humvee in the distance. It would make an excellent getaway vehicle.
“That’s where we need to be,” he said and pointed out the vehicle.
“Let’s get there then,” Eddie said.
As soon as they started heading that way, they heard vehicles and saw several Humvees coming toward them.
“Get down, and don’t move,” Max said and dropped to the ground.
The Humvees passed right by them. Just as he expected, they believed they were simply dead bodies lying in the field. There were plenty of them, so Max didn’t see why it wouldn’t work. Even if they were safe, there was still a problem. Why were they sending men out to the civilians who didn’t fight? He could hear screaming from the core of the base. It sounded like a massacre. Were they actually planning to kill the civilians, too? It made sense. These men only had room for so many, and anyone on the outside was a threat. Max and Eddie needed to get that vehicle quickly because the people they cared about were in for the fight of their lives.
“We’ve got to hurry. I don’t know what those guys are going to do outside, but it can’t be good,” Max said and ran toward the vehicle.
Once he reached it, he was disappointed to find that no keys were inside. It seemed like they were screwed, but then he realized something that fixed everything. This type of vehicle didn’t even operate with keys. It had a switch that turned it on. Max had never been around military types much, but he had heard that most of the Humvees the military ordered only used starter switches, so it made sense.
“Get in. We’ve got to get back there as quickly as possible,” Max said.
Once they were inside and on their way, Eddie started to panic. Was his family all right, and even if they were, how were they going to get away? The military would figure out that they had stolen the Humvee and gun them down. He was sure of it.
“Relax. We have tinted windows to hide our appearance. They’re going to think we’re with them until we stop to get our loved ones. At that point, we’ll be sitting ducks for a second, but I’ll find a way to get us out of here. Trust me,” Max said.
“Okay. I do. How are you so calm through all this? This seems like the type of situation where most people would panic.”
“Let’s just say I’ve already been through a lot in my life. I’m still here somehow, so I know I can get through this. Just turn your mind off for a minute, and do what has to be done. That’s what I do.”
“Got it.”
Max drove straight through the newly opened gates to see men gunning down innocent civilians. He looked over at where they had made camp. He didn’t see anyone. Still, they had to stop and make sure. He pulled through the camp until he was right beside their area. Then they jumped out and found Eddie’s wife lying there. She was dead. She had been shot twice in the chest. There was no sign of the kids, but as Max looked toward the blankets, he saw the outline of a person. He ran over and threw them off to see that Rebecca was hiding under them.
“Thank God you’re here!” she exclaimed.
“Don’t thank Him just yet. We’ve got to get out of here,” Max said and scooped her up.
He carried her back to the vehicle and placed her inside. As he was getting in, shots cried out. The soldiers were now turning their attention toward them.
“Come with us now, Eddie, or you’re going to die here,” Max yelled.
Eddie was frozen. His wife was dead, and his children were missing. For a brief moment, he had lost it. That would cost him. As Max turned away, he saw a bullet rip through Eddie’s chest. It was over. All Max could do was save the woman next to him. He started driving. He cut through the camp and went straight for the road. As bullets bounced off the vehicle, they were able to make it to the road, and he sped away from the area.
“Where did Zoe go?” he asked once they were a safe distance away.
“She and the other kids went for the woods. She wanted to stay with me, but I told her to go. I knew I wouldn’t be in good shape to run with my leg the way it is.”
“Okay. That’s good. They might still be alive. You’ve still got one leg that’s not hurt. Can you drive?”
“If I have to. Why?”
“There’s a town about twenty miles up the road. It’s
a small place, so it’ll be easy for us to find you there. You need to find a house with a fireplace or at least some way to stay warm tonight. I’ll get the kids, and we’ll meet you there.”
“Are you nuts? I’m not letting you go into the woods alone. When they finish off the people outside the gates, they’re going to sweep those woods. They’ll find you, and you’ll die.”
“No, I won’t. I’ll get Zoe back and see you again. I promise.”
“You know you can’t . . .” Rebecca managed to say before he leaned in and kissed her.
“I wouldn’t do something like that unless I had full intentions of coming back to you. Now, let’s switch.”
Rebecca nodded and took his place in the driver’s seat. Then Max started walking toward the woods. Rebecca stopped him, however.
“Please, don’t die. I’ve got no one now. If you and Zoe die, I’m just on my own with a bad leg and no idea what I’m doing, not to mention that you’ve got to explain that kiss a little more,” she said.
“No worries. I’ll be back for many more kisses. Trust me,” he said and walked into the woods.
Rebecca cranked the vehicle and started driving into unknown territory. Somehow she was going to have to find a place to survive and manage to start a fire all while she could barely move. The worst part was that her troubles would be nothing compared to Max’s.
* * * * *
When everything fell apart, Zoe and the others ran into the woods. Liam and Emily were pretty torn up. They had watched their mother get gunned down as they tried to run away together. It had been nothing short of a miracle that they made it to the woods. In the middle of running, Emily suddenly collapsed. They were well out of range from the camp, but they still needed to keep moving. Liam went back for her, and Zoe temporarily paused.
“What are you guys doing? We’ve got to get as far away from this place as possible,” Zoe said.
“Then just go. Dad is still in that war zone. We’ve got to go back,” Emily said.
The Divide: Origins Page 9