TAKEN

[26]

"No!" Carlos shouted, retrieving the gun from me. "What have you done?"

My foot shoveled off the general's body slowly, my eyes glazed with unshed tears when I beheld the amount of red liquid on the floor. A sense of foreboding suddenly filled the room. I staggered back, arms dangling on my sides like a log.

"What have you done?" Carlos's words swirled in my head, again.

It didn't help that the voices of our captives filled the room with more wails and sniffles. Who knew that life was this precious? My head continued to nod as I took in my actions. These people who hunted us were now the hunted.

But I wished it wasn't me who pulled the trigger, I had no plan to kill. Hurt maybe, but kill? No, never!

I stared down at the floor, at the man who tormented me more than the others, he was still there, out cold, still staring at nothing.

"I'd just a taken a life! A human life." I heard my voice whimper. It came from me quite alright but echoed back at me from a distance.

"Life, Death?" I whispered to myself, counting my fingers as though I'd temporarily eaten the bread of madness. Those were two important words to any living thing, without those two realities, existence was useless.

And then, suddenly, I felt cold, chilled to the core of my being. My knees buckled and I wobbled to the floor right by the General. My chest tightened, stifling my breaths then forced a whoofed breath out of me. I was reeling, shackled by the guilt of taking a life.

"Up!" Carlos hissed and pushed me to my feet. "You must pull yourself together. I know it's hard but, I'm sure you have your reasons." His gaze went up and his eyes rolled, followed by a deep sigh. "But that's what we will discuss later, not in the middle of this battle." His focus was back on me.

I dangled like a piece of paper in his hands, staggering as if I'd drank a full Jerry can of alcohol. I could see him all right, but something had left my body...maybe my mind was also totally lost.

He shook me and snapped his fingers in my face. "Hey! Look up!" He barked.

His face came at me blurred, forcing my stomach contents to race out of my mouth.

"Hey, hey? Linda?" Someone was calling but I was passing.....away, maybe. I just didn't know. I'd never felt good with dizziness. It was one thing that overpowered me like nothing else.

"Are you there?" Carlos made a second attempt.

I mumbled something that didn't make sense even to me. "The deed is done okay? I need you to focus." He was still talking but I was out of it.

Another hand and another held me and engulfed me in a much-needed hug. I felt warm, relieved, and alive. Instead of hugging them back, I broke down in tears. "I killed him! I killed someone. A human life!"

"It's alright." Dima's soothing voice padded my broken soul and carried it to my heart. I breathed, snuggling into that hug.

"We don't have this time!" Carlos was restless, glancing over his shoulders. Those guards will soon be up here. He stared at us sternly.

Then one of the team spoke. "I understand how you'll feel, but this is a battle. Every minute counts.

I too nodded and disengaged from the rest. I was better now, I could wallow in my pain later.  While we were still trying to re-strategize, Another four freed kidnapped victims joined us, bringing our number to seven.

But then, the remainder of the captured associates of Mama cried out in the room, pleading for mercy. Carlos had a military guard keep an eye on them. I hadn't even seen where he'd come from.