The Hunt for Freedom

Chapter Eleven

We all huddled close to the fire and told the horror as we recalled it. The entire group had been brought back to Grandfather's estate and parents had been called.

No one wanted to leave, we were all in some stage of shock. I felt so foolish for endangering my family and friends over some ice cream. The whole trip to town had been my idea. I never wanted to believe that someone or something would actually harm me, or harm others trying to get to me. Now two of the local kids were dead and guards were fighting for their lives.

Grandfather either read my mind or sensed my mood. He came and sat down with me, pulling me into him on the beige leather couch. He smelled of cologne and salt water, and I inhaled it, anxious for comfort. It felt so good to be held. I put my head on his shoulder and let the tears flow. I was trying so hard to be strong but with his arms around me I let down my guard and sobbed.

Mom was in the kitchen busy readying food for all the unexpected guests. Everyone claimed they were too upset to eat, but I think Mom needed something to do. When we first had returned, Mom ran for me and gave me a fierce bear hug. I knew she was thinking that this is exactly what she was afraid of having the black panther for a daughter.

"Don't beat yourself up over today." Grandfather said, rubbing my hair and kissing my head. "It was a tragedy for certain, but you did not cause it. No one could have prevented this, if those drones had not found you on the road to town they would have found you on the beach, or tried for you here. These are the birth pains of the prophecies, and sadly, they will be fulfilled. Have you ever seen drones before?"

My mind jumped to the first time we were here. "Yes,". I paused trying to remember. "The first time I was ever in the room that you keep for me. I was out on the balcony and a drone came right up to me. It was circling the house and as I stood watching, it made a beeline for me. It was no more than three feet away from my face. I was so new here that I thought it was part of the security on the island so I just turned and went back inside. I never thought to ask about it. In all honesty, I completely forgot about it."

Grandfather shuttered. "I'm sure that was a scout, but when I think of what could have happened..."

Mom and a few of the kitchen staff came in with hot chocolate, cookies, pastries, and the fixings for s'mores. Someone nodded and the fire roared higher. Even though I wasn't hungry, the comfort food went down well. I saw Jade and another girl I didn't know grab prongs to roast some marshmallows. Leave it to Mom to make a horrible situation a little easier. Before long the group bonded together over sickly fingers and messy faces. Even Dalya joined in and was one with the group.

Grandfather stood up to address the group. Somehow he looked as if he had aged in the two hours since dinner. "We have been through a horrible night. Those who lost their lives will not be forgotten. We will do our best to memorialize them on the beach at sunrise in two days."

He paused, and reaching for a pitcher, filled a tall glass with ice water. He drank that water like he had been in the desert for three days surviving on the morning dew to quench his thirst.

"I have to speak to all of you of things to come. This was not an isolated incident. There is a force brewing that wants to harm us, in fact they want to rid the world of our kind. They see us all as an abomination of the offspring of a witch and a cruel god."

At this there were looks of anger from my friends. We were proud of our origins, the thought of someone wanting to destroy us simply because of the way we were born made no sense.

Grandfather continued, "I do not know who is responsible for this yet. I do know that measures here will be taken to prevent any more violence from taking place on the island. I urge you all to train harder than ever because the time is coming that we will have to defend what is ours."