The Truth About The War
We talk about the fight against Sorcerers like it’s a children’s bedtime story, with traditional values, good VS evil. But we need to pull our heads out of our asses and accept that that isn’t what happened.
It all started with the discovery of a flower. Not very exciting, right? The flower tasted of nothing but was used by poorer families to fill their stomachs. Then, PLOT TWIST! It caused their DNA to mutate. The families who ingested it started exhibiting strange powers. They were able to refine metals from ores, mess with cell regeneration and separate molecules in the air. When their powers started to show, some thought they were sick and so they checked into hospitals. In hindsight that probably wasn’t the best idea because it alerted the authorities to these strange powers. They stepped in and took them to a testing facility.
This is when it gets depressing. I believe the government thought they could keep this all a secret. They sent teams out to destroy the flowers so the mutation couldn’t continue. They disposed of the victims in the testing facility. They tried to erase all evidence of the mutation.
Now obviously people noticed. But the government put themselves on mute, even while the surrounding countries closed their borders. Meanwhile, the mutations continued to spread. Whole families were exhibiting powers and people were freaking out. They began ratting out neighbours, friends, significant others, anybody and everybody.
The government knew that this couldn’t be swept under the carpet anymore, not that they did a good job of sweeping in the first place. The president released a statement stating that everyone who was showing signs of powers was required to join the military and fight for the country. Now obviously this didn’t go down well. Those with powers titled themselves as Sorcerers and banded together to fight against this order.
This was the start of our society collectively losing their minds. Sorcerers became the enemy. Ordinary people were attacking anyone who they suspected to have powers. Society crashed and burned. After months of absolute chaos, the government found a solution, a way to put an end to the violence—or so they thought. They created a law that stated Sorcerers were banned from using their powers, and in return, no one could harm them and they could lead a normal life. But there was a catch… there’s always a catch. If they used their powers, they would be killed.
So why am I telling you all of this? Well, I’m a Sorcerer supporter. Dun, dun, dun. And if you have more than one brain cell, you’ll agree that Sorcerers aren’t a threat if they’re treated right. They deserve to use the powers the earth gave them or that were passed down to them, we shouldn’t be killing them for it. The government treated them like lab rats, so they fought back. It’s been years since they hurt anyone, move the fuck on. They’re still human beings, just like you and me but slightly cooler.
I’ll admit, I never thought twice about Sorcerers until recently. What changed my mind? I spoke to a Sorcerer named Charles Boman. He told me the history I’d never read about in school, and convinced me that Sorcerers shouldn’t be punished for being who they are.
One week after we talked, he was shot in the head for using his powers to defend himself against attackers.
This is what he told me, “The world is always going to be against us, and sometimes it’s easier to carry on with our lives pretending it’s not. But we can’t just accept it. We need to do something about it even if that’s the harder of two options.”
Readers, you now have a choice. Ignore the injustices of this world and turn a blind eye while it carries on. Or fight for change.
The choice is yours.
And that was it, the missing piece. It all made sense. Her mind whirled, anger exploded inside her. Her toes curled into her feet. She didn’t know whether to cry or laugh.
Of course, Rufus would be stupid enough to stand up against the whole fucking government!
Anja was certain why Rufus was taken, but she still couldn’t find the confirmation that he was the boy in the cells. No matter how hard she looked nothing came up about any teenage boy being held at all. But that couldn’t be right, because Katie had said that there was a boy in the cells. How could she find out if it was her brother or not?
Usually finding nothing made people want to give up, but Anja saw it as a positive. The more hidden the information was the more important it would be. She just needed to keep on looking.
Chapter Fifteen
Without an ID card, there was no point leaving the government building. If she did, she’d be stuck wandering around Okland, unable to go anywhere, or even to get back in. In essence, she was just as much a prisoner as her friends.
The second night after her arrest, Anja was still up working. Her mind shutting down, her body aching from sitting in the same position for hours. She decided to go to the vending machines and grab a snack. She was turning a corner when her body froze. Her mind recognised Saskia straight away, it was the two guards beside her that took a second longer to process. They had a tight grip on Saskia’s upper arms, their backs turned away from Anja.
“Wait!” Anja cried as she sprinted towards them. “You can’t take her.” Saskia turned and locked her watery eyes on Anja.
“And why not?” The guard to the right of Saskia raised his eyebrows.
Anja stumbled on her reply.
The two guards began to turn back around, forcing Saskia to turn with them. Anja stepped forward, but as she caught sight of the person down the hallway she froze. The guards halted.
Jabez strode towards them and stopped in front of the small group.
“What’s going on here?” he asked, his eyes skimming over the scene and landing a fraction too long on Anja.
One guard nodded a greeting to Jabez, while the other answered, “We’re transferring Miss Davis to her father’s custody.”
“But you can’t,” Anja sputtered from behind them. All heads turned to her, but Anja didn’t pay them any attention. She was staring at Jabez, silently pleading with him.
One of the guards rolled his eyes, “Sorry love, but we don’t take orders from you.”
“But you do take them from me,” said Jabez firmly. “And like Miss Scravers is here to tell you, I need Miss Davis to be returned to her cell.”
Anja stared at him. The guards hesitated. The one on the right opened his mouth, but Jabez cut him off.
“That’s an order. I have just heard that there was a mix-up and Mr Davis is coming to get her in the morning. I sent Anja—Miss Scravers,” he corrected himself, “to tell you, but apparently I need to do everything myself around here.”
His lie was quick and simple, and it went unchallenged. When the president’s son gave orders, you didn’t argue. After a moment, the guard on the right nodded.
“We’ll return her to her cell until morning then.”
Jabez waved them off. “I’m sure Miss Scravers could do it, as Miss Davis is handcuffed. I’ll assign someone else to the cells. You two should get planning, Levi’s unit is returning in the morning and they’ll expect a welcome party.”
The two guards chuckled. The one on the right turned to Anja, his grip still firm on Saskia.
“She’s all yours. Just next time tell us the orders are from Jabez.”
Anja nodded, stepping forward to take hold of Saskia’s arm. The guards walked away, clapping Jabez on the back as they passed him. When they were out of sight, Jabez turned towards the two girls. Anja held her breath.
“Why are you helping us?” Saskia whispered.
“I’m not. That would be very wrong.” But Jabez’s wink said the contrary. He looked straight at Saskia as he spoke. “I understand what it’s like to have a difficult father. You shouldn’t have to go back to him. I can reset the surveillance system which will give you time to get to the cells without being watched. Those guards,” he indicated to the end of the hall, “are the only people assigned to the cells at night, so you should be in the clear. Oh, and you’ll need your hands free if you’re going to break your fri
ends out.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out his ID card. He placed it across the red scanner on Saskia’s handcuffs and then held the card out to Anja, who took it with shaking hands.
“Just drop it on your way out. I’ll say you pickpocketed me.” He smiled at them. “Good luck.”
He turned and left. When he had disappeared, Anja turned quickly to Saskia, releasing her hold on her arm. By the look in her eyes, Saskia could not believe what had just happened any more than Anja could.
“We haven’t got long to break everyone out and find my brother,” Anja told her. “Are you ready to do some running?”
“Not usually, but I’ll let today be an exception.”
They sprinted to the cells. Anja didn’t have a plan, but she was sure that any plan she made wouldn’t work. If they had any chance of making it out of the building alive then they needed to wing it.
They stopped at every corner to check it was clear.
Finally, they made it to the steps that led them down to the cells. They peered into the small window set in the door of the first cell in the narrow corridor.
Faye leant against the wall, staring at nothing. Anja scanned the ID card against the door.
Faye’s head snapped up when the door slid open. “What the fuck?” She jumped nimbly to her feet.
Saskia pushed forward. “We’re getting out of here. Shut up and come on.”
Faye obeyed without a word. They continued down the corridor to the next occupied cell along. Faye was at the front of the small group and peered into each cell.
Saskia was panting as she spoke. “I’m feeling the girl power right now.”
Faye peered into another cell, “It’s Miles!”
Anja passed Saskia the ID card, who unlocked the door and ran inside.
She and Miles emerged a moment later, hands intertwined.
“About time.” Miles chuckled, releasing his girlfriend’s hand to hug Anja. He attempted to hug Faye but she recoiled as if she’d been burnt.
“It was worth a try.” He shrugged as he went back to stand beside Saskia.
“Now we need to find Kano’s cell,” Saskia said, wiping the remains of a tear from her cheek.
“It’s down here.” Anja ran up to Kano’s cell. Saskia’s hand shook as she scanned the card.
Kano was already standing by the door. He grinned when he saw them.
“You guys are so damn loud.”
“It’s nice to see you too, Kano,” laughed Miles.
“Alright, shut up, we need to go,” Faye snapped, already moving back down the corridor.
“No, we can’t leave yet,” Anja said, “I think my brother is down here.” Every head turned towards her. Kano was the first one to speak,
“Let’s go find him then,” he said. “Any idea where he’ll be?”
She shook her head. “No, and we don’t have long to find him and get out of the building before the cameras turn back on.”
Saskia nodded, “Let’s split up. You two check that way.” She pointed to Faye and Kano, “Look for the red hair.”
Faye and Kano ran down one tunnel. Anja, Saskia, and Miles remained, peering in every cell. At the end of the corridor, they stopped. Miles didn’t look at Anja as he spoke, “We’ve run out of cells.”
Anja felt tears forming in her eyes. They were out of time. Rufus wasn’t there.
Kano came running up to them. “Nothing,” he said. Unlike Miles, he looked at Anja as he spoke. “But Faye’s looking again.”
Every emotion Anja had been trying to keep suppressed finally broke free. Her fist hit the nearest wall, again and again.
Miles shouted.
She kept hitting. Her fist left blood smeared on the brick.
“Someone stop her!” cried Saskia desperately.
Strong hands gripped Anja’s arms, she kicked and thrashed but Kano didn’t let her go. He spun her around so she was looking straight into his eyes, locking her arms by her sides. “Anja, stop,” was all he said, his gaze unbreaking.
Her mind cleared and she was able to pull her emotions back in.
Rufus needs me and punching a wall isn’t going to help him.
“I’m staying. But you guys need to go.” Anja knew they didn’t have time, but she needed to find him.
Miles glared, “Leaving you is not an option.”
“Well I’m not leaving him,” she said, falling back against the wall. Anja glanced up and cursed loudly when she saw the small black camera begin to move. The system had started up and it wouldn’t take long for someone to find them. They had to go now or they’d all be caught.
At that moment Faye ran up to them, her breathing rushed, sweat coating her bruised face.
“I found something!” Anja jumped to her feet. “There was a door we missed, it leads to another tunnel.” Faye didn’t get a chance to catch her breath before she was running back down the tunnel to the door she’d found, while the others followed behind.
Saskia swiped the card so fast that it didn’t work. It took three attempts before the light flashed green. She gripped the handle and slid it to the side.
Anja’s eyes strained in the darkness, the cold of the tunnel nipping her skin.
When her eyes adjusted to the light, Anja saw one cell at the end. There was a small glass window set into the door, Anja attempted to peer inside but the cell was pitch black. She grabbed the ID card from Saskia and ran forward to unlock it. The door clicked. She dropped the card on the floor as Jabez had instructed her to do, and rushed in.
The cell was stuffy and the smell of vomit overwhelmed her senses.
Rufus was curled in the corner. He was breathing but it was laboured.
She collapsed down beside him, her knees scraping the cold floor. He didn’t wake up when she shook him. His face was carved out and his cheeks hollow. He looked malnourished. Maybe that was their torture method, slowly starving him into telling them the truth.
Pure hatred rose up inside her at the thought.
“Kano!” she shouted. He came rushing into the cell. “Help me lift him.”
They grabbed Rufus over their shoulders and lifted him to his feet. He was still unconscious, his head rolling to the side. They managed to drag him out of the cell.
Progress was slow. Rufus was heavy and Miles had to take over from Anja when she couldn’t support his weight anymore. Cautiously they made their way up the stairs, careful to keep quiet in case guards came down. They emerged into an empty hallway.
We don’t have any more time. And still, so many things could go wrong. What if the guards come back and check the cells? Or someone finds the camera footage? Jabez could change his mind about helping us… All this only made Anja move faster.
She ran ahead of the group, checking every corridor before running back to tell the others that it was safe. It gave a chance for the boys to rest before moving again. When Anja was checking the last corridor before the exit she saw a uniformed guard walking towards her. It was Carl, his gun slung by his side and his greasy hair flopped over half his face. He saw her and stopped.
“Anja, what are you doing here?”
She had never been a natural at lying. “I’m working as a coder for the president and needed to get some food from the machines as I’m working late,” she sounded like a machine.
“Why do you look like that?”
Anja knew what he meant, her hair was a mess, sweat was coating her forehead, and she was very out of breath.
“I’ve been in the gym.”
“I thought you said you were working?” His eyes grew suspicious. He took a couple of steps forward.
“I took a quick break to use the gym here, while it was quiet.” At a sudden idea, Anja flashed him a smile. “I mean you of all people should understand that it can get busy in the day. You must be in there all the time.”
For a moment, her flattery seemed to be working. But then Carl’s smile faded as his eyes narrowed. He strode towards her as he spoke. “What are
you up to Anja? What are you hiding?”
Five criminals, she thought to herself, her face seemed to reveal something because Carl held his hand up. “Don’t move. I’m calling in backup.” He grabbed the walkie-talkie on his belt and spoke roughly into it, “I need assistance in corridor 4B, now.”
Anja used that time to come up with an action plan. It was risky but she had no other option. Carl placed the walkie-talkie back. Anja looked pointedly over his shoulder, causing him to turn to see what she was staring at. She took that second of opportunity to slam the palm of her hand into his nose. A loud crunch could be heard as his nose broke. Blood flowed down his face. Carl staggered back.
“Woah, what the hell?” he yelled, covering his face. “You’re crazy!”
“Never call a girl crazy, it just makes her crazier.” She took aim and kicked him below the belt.
He collapsed onto his knees, screaming. The screams turned into whimpers of prolonged pain.
She raised her voice, causing Carl to jump.
“Guys! It’s safe!” The others appeared. “Faye, the exit is around that corner, go through it into the car park and jump-start a car. Can you do that?”
“Duh,” Faye said before vanishing around the corner.
Kano and Miles were breathing heavily next to her. The boys began moving slowly past Carl, hauling Rufus along between them. They were struggling to keep him upright.
That’s when Anja noticed Carl. His hand was out of sight. She knew something was wrong. He had fallen silent. His movements were precise. Before she could warn the others, Carl spun around, facing the group of boys retreating down the corridor.
Anja’s heart hammered in her chest. Everything slowed down when her eyes focused on the gun in his hand.
The sound of the gun firing echoed around the long corridor.
Rufus fell to the floor, blood spraying from his side.
Saskia’s scream drowned out the sound of the gunshot.
Anja was paralysed. Every muscle in her body was frozen in place.
One Wish, One Choice Page 11