by bret Wellman
Walking the small aisles, in-between the students, were hulking over-grown men. Their arms were as thick as elephants and legs even thicker. They had huge round bellies that fought against the restraint of chain mail. All their faces were the same, long with large, over-grown features, blond hair and blue eyes. But they weren’t what frightened me.
The man that dragged me by my shoulder was smaller. No more than five feet tall with pale white skin. His blond hair and blue eyes were the same as the others but that was all that was the same. He was an agent from the Kingdom. I feared this man because he was smarter than the others. Not smarter than Adrian and Lillie but a lot smarter than the average person. He was stronger too, strong enough to rip one of the over-grown soldiers in half with his bare hands. Suddenly the crow bar felt useless in my hands. I could hurt a soldier with it… but not an agent.
The agent placed me in a row toward the center of the group then went to go get the next student. For the first time I was thankful my powers were gone. If that agent had seen my eyes before the blue glow had faded he would have struck me down and called President Mead. For that same reason I was glad physical users eyes didn’t glow as brightly as mental users.
That thought made me panic. The soldiers were sifting through the crowd searching for objects of their desire. Where was Brianna? My eyes glanced anxiously back and forth through the gym.
One by one the soldiers were leading the students of their choice away. I watched in horror as terrified student after terrified student was dragged kicking and screaming out the front door of the gym. How could the Kingdom ever be allowed to rule after such crimes were committed against its people?
The soldiers paced back and forth, savoring their prize to come. One stopped to look over the girl to my left. I debated cracking him with the crow bar but decided that would help no one. He moved on before I could change my mind. Slowly the amount of soldiers pacing the aisles started to dwindle. Something inside of me felt relieved.
Then something happened. I could feel my own face mirror the terror in the chosen students, the terror that should have been on Brianna’s emotionless face. A large hairy hand squeezed her elbow as the soldier led her toward the door. I could barely breathe. My heart started to race.
The time to take action was now. I glanced around until I found what I was looking for. Two rows away one of the students was wearing a winter cap, the kind of cap that would hide one's hair and make it harder for that person to be recognized later.
I waited until none of the soldiers were looking and started sliding from row to row until I was next to the kid with the hat. A fresh wave of fear swept through my body. I waited for somebody to call me out. No one but the students had noticed and they ignored me to the best of their ability.
I was afraid to talk but wanted to get out of the gym as soon as possible. So without warning I ripped the hat off the lanky kid next to me and put it on. He flinched but otherwise ignored my actions. I would have to thank him or give him some money if I ever survived the coming hours.
As quiet as I could, I started hopping from row to row toward the back of the room, the whole way not one student made a sound. The only thing I was concerned about now was the agents. They could run twice as fast as any known person. If I was discovered too soon I would never make it out of the room.
I couldn’t see past the next row at any time. I was depending on sheer luck to not jump across right onto a soldier. I kept the crow bar ready to slide out at all times. Just in case.
When I reached the last row I caught a break. As I pondered on how to cross the twenty yards to the back door, one of the chosen students broke free from a soldier’s grasp and sprinted up the bleachers. All eyes were on the small dark haired boy as he dodged his pursuers. I feared what would happen when they caught him. If they would kill him here in front of the other students or take him back and torture him. I didn’t ponder his punishment too long. I was quickly sprinting across the open space to the door and before anyone had noticed, I silently slipped out.
I worried I was taking too long as I ever so quietly closed the door. Brianna might already be loaded up.
The bright sun stung my eyes making me squint. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. How could something so horrible happen on such a beautiful day?
It felt off, sneaking around the edge of the field house. There was no shrubbery to hide me. If anyone had been on this side of the building they would see me plain as day. When I reached the final corner of the building I peered around uneasily.
Ten soldiers gathered around the military truck standing lazily in an unorganized line, slowly dragging their chosen kids into the back with them. They didn’t seem like they were in too much of a hurry. Joking and shoving the kids to the ground. Second from the last in line I spotted Brianna. Her face was blank and she stood still unlike the other students who begged and pleaded to be let go. Seeing her in that over grown monsters grasp made my temper flare. I prepared to jump from hiding and sprint forward. The crow bar slid out of my sleeve and into the palm of my hand. How could she be so calm? I wondered just before I was about to spring.
The sound of a gun being cocked behind me drowned out my plan to attack. Someone had seen me. I calculated my chances of getting a swing in with my crow bar and figured it slim to none. So this was it. The crow bar in my hand was more than enough to figure out my intent. The only question was whether they would kill me now or bring me out in front of the others to do it. I half wished they would kill me now so no one would have to bear witness. Death was a sight nobody needed to see.
“And what the hell kind of crazy stunt do you think you’re doing?” Adrian’s angry voice came from behind me. I twirled around in surprised as I realized it was him, then froze in shock as I realized his pistol was aimed at my head.
“They have Brianna.” I said.
He started to laugh. “Good! Maybe that slut will learn a lesson.”
“She’s done nothing but try to protect herself from us.” My anger rose. Was Adrian going to try and stop me? “And she has every right. She thinks we're still with the Kingdom.”
“You’re not going out there!”
“What are you going to do, shoot me?” I turned back toward the corner of the building. He wasn’t going to stop me no matter what he said. Brianna was still outside the truck. I couldn’t think of a good escape plan. There wasn’t much to work with. The best I had was to tell Brianna to run while I fought the rest of the soldiers, giving her a chance to escape. There wasn’t any time to think of something better. That is what I would do… No matter what it cost me.
“No. It would be too loud.” I heard Adrian say, then take off in a dead sprint in the opposite direction. I paid him no attention as I took my first step into the open.
I closed the distance in-between me and the truck in seconds. Adrenaline ran through my veins pushing my body to its limits. I was glad to see no one notice my approach until I was already close enough to swing. The soldiers were easily twice my size, each one strapped with a machine gun.
With a long stride I jumped into the air and smashed the crowbar into the back of the nearest soldiers head. The other soldiers heard the nasty thud and whirled in my direction. They glanced around at each other not quite sure what to do. Before anyone could decide to shoot I dove at the soldiers holding Brianna.
He didn’t defend himself very well.
His hand to hand combat skills were slow and unpracticed. His size made no difference. I swung the crowbar at his head and his defense was practically nonexistent. The bar struck him unopposed.
It felt wrong to strike down another human being. No matter how evil the enemy was, but this is what I was trained for and I didn’t hesitate.
For the first time today I saw horror in Brianna’s eyes. So she didn’t mind being taken by the soldiers but when I tried to rescue her it was wrong? What was with this girl?
Before I had time to turn to the next soldier a loud engine revved up just a few f
eet away. I turned to swing at the loud noise. Adrian held his hand out from his crotch rocket.
A bullet flew over my shoulder, missing me by inches and hitting the side of a parked car. It whistled as it passed my ear.
“Get on!” He yelled. I was surprised to see him. I was so caught up in my rampage that I hadn’t heard the crotch rocket pull up.
I grabbed Brianna by the arm and forced her onto the back of the bike. Adrian pulled out his hand gun and fired it into the air. It stung my ears. What was he doing?
When I looked back I could see the soldiers all diving for cover. That would buy us a few extra seconds. There was hardly any room on the crotch rocket but we managed to squeeze on. Before I even had time to realize it, we were going faster than I ever wanted to go on a crotch rocket. The sound of machine gun fire started as we tore out of the parking lot.
Adrian never slowed the whole way home. I was terrified. My eyes never came open once. I could feel Brianna’s warm back trembling under my body and wondered what could possibly be going through her head. Did she finally understand we were on the same side now?
Adrian pulled right into the yard and hopped off. I tried to think of the best way to calm him down. I tried hard but couldn’t remember a time when he was ever this mad. Before I could say one word his fist came flying into my jaw, knocking me off the bike, flat on my back.
“I’m sorry!-“ I started to say. My words broke off as he kicked me in the side. A sickening thud filled the air. How could he do this to me? No matter what I did.
“What is wrong with you?” I yelled through the pain.
“Do you know what you almost did?” He yelled back. I tried to speak but his foot came crashing down into my side again. I thought it hurt the first time but the pain of the second kick was unbelievable. I struggled to get back up to my hands and knees.
“You’re lucky we can fix this.” He was still yelling.
“We can?” I coughed out. Before I could wince he swung his fist into the side of my head. I fell to my stomach, this time not bothering to get back up. My ears were ringing and I had a headache that made me want to puke. He was going insane.
“No one saw who you were, and I don’t think those half brained soldiers could pick Brianna out of a line-up.” He said, finally starting to calm down. For a moment I wondered if he was ever really mad to begin with. If this was all just a show, an excuse to beat the crap out of me... “Lillie is erasing all the schools surveillance tapes and marking you two as present in all your classes today. They’re not going to have any indication of who you are.” He pulled off his helmet and held it by the chin guard. I could see it in his eyes and the way he wound up. A knot formed in my stomach as I prepared for another attack. I didn’t want to see it coming so I closed my eyes.
“Drive her home.” His voice was hard.
The whole world around me shook in a violent confusing earth quake. It took me a second to realize he had thrown the helmet into my head. He started to laugh and strolled up to the house. I had never seen this side of Adrian before and it frightened me.
I tried to get to my feet. Between my spinning head and burning side I had to stop and catch my breath on my knees. Blood trickled from a gash the helmet had made in my forehead. How could Adrian just snap like that?
I turned my head slowly and for the first time saw Brianna’s horrified expression. She looked like she had just witnessed a murder. I didn’t know what to say. I just stared at her and she just stared right back. There was no way of knowing what she thought of all this mess.
I sighed and without grabbing the helmet climbed up onto the seat of the bike. Blood dripped off my face onto its clean surface, staining it red. Good, Adrian deserved it.
Brianna squeezed my side as I turned the bike toward the driveway. The pressure on my ribs hurt horribly but I didn’t dare object to her.
“Where am I taking you?” My voice betrayed no emotion. Her arms slid around me as I sped up. The pain in my ribs spiked and yet I didn’t let on.
Her warm breath on my ear made my hart race. “Go through town.” She said.
I tried to keep quiet while we drove. Before long I couldn’t help myself. “Why didn’t you try to defend yourself?” The question had been bugging me and I couldn’t help but ask.
“What do you mean?”
I scanned the road before pulling out, her question slightly frustrating me. “The Kingdom’s soldiers were going to hurt you and as far as you know, Adrian and I were coming to take you back.”
She was quiet for a while before she spoke. “I would do anything to keep my family safe, even if it meant surrendering myself to the Kingdom’s soldiers.” She paused again. “And if you and Adrian are here to capture us there is no use in fighting… we would lose before we began.”
My next words came out in a rush.
“Why do you think we are here to capture you? We are just trying to hide, like you. I would never do anything to harm you. This is stupid, you need to understand.”
Her grip on my waist tightened. The pain in my ribs doubled though I don’t think her intention was to bring me pain.
“I didn’t ever mean to scare you.” My voice was quiet. I wasn’t sure if she had heard me.
“I’m not supposed to believe you. The others will be furious.” Her lips skimmed my ear. It made it hard to concentrate on the road.
I strained to keep my focus as I followed her directions through town. “Then don’t tell them.”
“No.” She snapped. “I could never lie to them.”
“Then tell them the truth.”
“I don’t know the truth.” She whispered.
“Yes you do. Are you ever going to give me a chance?”
“No. why should I?”
“Because I haven’t done anything to make you think otherwise.”
We rode for a while in silence. She did no more than point me in the right direction until we stopped in the middle of a trailer park. All the trailers were old and run down. I couldn’t picture Brianna living in a place like this. She hopped off the bike but paused before walking away and turned to me.
I noticed a curtain pull back in one of the broken trailers. Blue eyes peered out in our direction, the others.
“Was this all one big plan to figure out where we live?” She stared, her eyes piercing right through me. How could she say that? Did she not know what I went through for her today? This girl was making me so angry.
“You caught me.” My voice was cold. I didn’t bother to see her reaction before I floored the bike away.
I drove home in silence. I was so wrapped up in my thoughts, I barely noticed the drive. I was positive Brianna believed the truth. No matter what she said.
When I got to the house Adrian was watching TV in the living room. He made no attempt to acknowledge my existence so I walked straight past him to my room.
If only I still had my mind, I would confront Adrian as an equal. I would explain that it was useless to keep going for the others. Brianna, Spencer, they were just a waste of our time and it would be better to just move on.
But I didn’t have my mind and I was nothing more than a bug under Adrian’s foot. My word didn’t count anymore. So instead I went to my room and stared at the ceiling trying to fall asleep.
Chapter 5
I couldn’t sleep a mix of memories kept me from relaxing. The screams of students being dragged away by hulking soldiers, agents ready to pounce on anything suspicious, Brianna’s lack of common sense. Even the idea of Adrian being in the same house kept me awake. From that night on I never had a good night’s sleep.
The next morning after saving Brianna, at school the soldiers returned to publicly execute the principle in front of the student body. No one screamed, we were all being held to watch at gunpoint. There was a giant rock by the field house, I passed it every day on my way in. The firing squad painted it red. I couldn’t wait for the first rain, to wash the sick reminder away.
I tried to push the
image out of my head but the fact that it was my fault wouldn’t let it leave. This too added to my lack of sleep. After the execution the entire next week the halls were patrolled by soldiers. None of them recognized me. I was thankful Adrian hadn’t been lying.
The students walked from class to class wearing solemn expressions. Some tried to act like nothing had happened, most didn’t talk at all. No one dared protest, or even try to complain. They didn’t want to end up being just another stain on the rock.
To my horror, from time to time I would catch the wandering eye of a student watching me as we passed in the hall. I never exchanged words with them but I could tell they knew what I had done. My life now hung in the balance of what they were willing to tell the government. Thankfully they kept it to themselves. For how long, I couldn’t be sure.
I wondered why they would do that for me? Not turn me in and get the soldiers to stop patrolling. I guess people under the Kingdom’s rule stick up for each other more than the government knew.
Brianna slipped from class to class avoiding me as much as possible. When gym class came she fell quickly into her old habit of not looking in my direction. At least this time I would catch her sneaking a peek every now and then.
Part of her believed I was telling the truth. That is what I finally decided.
I wanted her on my side so badly. When I left her at the trailer park I was furious. I was mad that after all I had done to protect her she still didn’t trust me. If I couldn’t get her to believe, then I probably wouldn’t get Spencer to either. No Spencer, no rest of their family. I had to find a way to show her the truth.
It was a little over a week before students started talking again. It wasn’t the same as before, but things were improving. One day, I decided I was going to try and talk to Spencer. I took one step in his direction and stopped. The way he looked at me, I wasn’t so sure he wouldn’t kill me right there in the hall. Best to keep working on Brianna, that’s what Lillie was telling me every night at least.
Eight days after the principle’s execution she was shooting baskets in the gym, by herself, before class. She made no attempt to acknowledge my approach.