Just an Echo in the Darkness

~Chapter Seven~

Ambria woke, her head covered in sweat. She had the same dream she has always had for six years now, but this time it had changed.

She had always dreamt of Jax's and her father's kidnapping and their deaths, but this time she was with them. She was drugged and had disappeared within minutes.

Her mother and sister were crying back home, calling her name. Just like what happened the night Jax's and Ambria's dad went missing.

Five minutes after Ambria had woken, a loud buzzer went off. And the cells opened all at the same time. Ambria climbed down the ladder and peaked outside the cell like if Ambria crossed it she would die.

Brielle and Harlee joined her a minute later. The men came walking by and one man tossed them three pairs of tan jumpsuits. They quickly got changed into the ugly jumpsuits and copied everyone else. Ambria, Harlee, and Brielle walked out of the cells followed by Bryce, Brayden, and two other older looking dudes. They followed everyone else, and it seemed to have about a thousand people ranging from ages about fourteen to forty.

The floor looked like a dance floor, with its white marble tile.

"It collects your friction," a random guy whispered in Ambria's ear. She looked over and it was a man about thirty years old. He had a large beard, black hair with strips of grey in it, and grey eyes.

"How did you know?"

"Been trapped here for most of my life," the older man said.

"Who are you?" Ambria asked, confused why he was speaking to her.

"The name's Trace."

"Well, thanks, Trace."

She followed everyone else, catching up to Brielle and Harlee. Brielle was still talking to Harlee and asking questions. Apparently she hadn't figured out how much danger they were in and was still meeting new friends.

More soldiers gathered the newer people around. Which included the seventeen people trapped in the van last night. The soldiers came around and shoved a needle into each of their arms. Ambria was fifth to get the shot, Brielle the seventh, Bryce the eighth, and Harlee and Braylen twelfth and thirteenth.

"Get to work," a soldier said, shoving her and her friends into a work yard. Ambria looked around. She was being forced to be a slave.

.- -- -... .-. .. .-

Ambria started to get to work, pulling ropes, shoveling gravel, walking around, and building things. She just went copying people around her. She had to mop the floor, sweep, and several other odd jobs.

She went around, always staying with someone she knew whether it was Brielle or Bryce. Ambria tried to follow instructions but the workload never ended.

They had started to work at five in the morning, and haven't even been able to sit down for a break.

Ambria saw many people start collapsing and according to Ambria's counting in her head it was around five in the evening.

Ambria looked around for any signs of stopping the work soon, but it seemed like they weren't gonna stop any time soon. A person about twenty people away had collapsed and Ambria walked over to help.

She had felt drawn to this person. She wandered over to him and helped him up.

"Thanks," the man said, looking up. She stared into his eyes and he stared right back. Ambria recognized the warm shade of blue, even though they were darker and didn't have as much hope in them.

She had recognized them. He had recognized her too.

In the crowd of a thousand people, how was it so possible to find one person who hasn't been seen for six years?

Ambria stared into the eyes of her best friend. The person who allowed her to cry on her shoulder the time she scraped her knee on the side walk when she was six.

The person who cracked a joke every time she was clumsy and slipped down the stairs when she was ten.

The eyes that were in front of her face to face belonged to her brother.