Year 6 (First Draft) #Wattys2016

-Chapter 13-

  Kane called an early meeting this morning. The pounding sound of a fist on my door woke me up at six this morning, leaving me bone tired. Even in this state though, I feel like a force to be reckoned with. My tiredness brings that out in me. I left Amelia with a little boy by the name of Timmy, who promised me he wouldn’t let her out of his sight. I trusted him. A child isn’t so quick to betray, yet they are easiest to manipulate. That worries me, knowing that boy runs with Kane Porter.

  I slowly made my way down to the meeting, my feet dragging as I walked. I’m much more awake now, though. I had been the last to show up, my tardiness obvious in the large main room. Everyone had turned, their eyes focused on me, the girl who they are learning to trust. The girl who will destroy them.

  I sit on a small flimsy cushion now, trying to get comfortable for the tenth time, listening to Kane’s words.

  “For the time being, we are safe,” He says. His voice sounds hopeful, as if he can feel their safety withering, but he feels the need to hold on. “The Government believes our little scenario. As far as they know, Kane Porter is no more than a pile of ash, buried under a pile of rubble.”

  A few men around me sigh, and some of the more boisterous men cheer. They had been worried people wouldn’t believe the story. They hadn’t been entirely sure of themselves. I can’t blame them, though. Their plan wasn’t exactly Grade-A. A bomb that wasn’t even entirely real, gave away their home base. They are so very lucky that the Government didn’t send Agents in to investigate the rubble. They wouldn’t have found much. Certainly not the remains of their most wanted man. Not only that, though, but they would have been discovered.

  I feel my own type of relief wash over me. If they had been discovered, I would have been too. I try to imagine how that conversation would go. No Mr. Government Agent, I was going to turn them in! You can’t arrest me! Something tells me that would have gone over as well as an offensive joke.

  “But eventually,” Kane continues, his voice wavering ever so slightly. “We will have to fight back again, and they will know we are here! They will know that we are alive, well, and powerful. And that is a combination they shouldn’t ever try to go against!” Kane’s voice is deep, and his battle cries crack through the air like a whip.

  Men all around me stand, raising their fists. Kane moves up to a higher point, stepping onto a metal chair. Cheers erupt around him, and a sneer appears on his face. He is too confident. His plans with all fail. They will be the end of him and his followers. I stand too, but I keep my hands down by my thighs, not willing to cheer a battle cry that is not my own.

  I feel a hand on my shoulder, and spin around, glad to see it is only Charlie. He too, isn’t cheering, but I can see the need for change in his eyes. He may not be cheering, but his motives match Kane’s. They both want to defy the Government and take their place in a society they see fit. Part of me wants to congratulate them on their bravery and commitment to their cause. But most of me just wants to use them and their cause to get me back to where I want to be. A week ago I had no interest in going back, but once I discovered hope, it was like a fire ignited. And only my family can help me put it out.

  “You don’t seem to agree with Kane,” Charlie says, taking a seat next to me, pulling a cushion over next to me. He crosses his legs, and puts his elbows down, settling his chin in his flat palms. He turns, looking at me, waiting for me to defend myself. I don’t know if I can.