The Dagger Society

Chapter 4: The Dagger Society

"Wake Up! Wake up wake up wake up!" I jolt awake as Marley jerks me back and fourth vigorously. "Gosh Marley I'm up I'm up." Sitting up I realize I really over slept. "Wow I must have been tired! It's so late." It was ten o'clock and I had literally just woken up.

I notice Tyler sitting on his blankets in the corner on the left hand side of the platform. Our blanket walls sway in the gentle breeze and sunlight peeks out under them. "Time to go?" Tyler nods and gets up from his spot on the platform. "We need to get there as soon as possible to go over the plan." I nod my head, "Yeah, we need to pack first though." I just notice Marley at the other side of the platform, with our bags already packed. The two tote bags are filled with clothes, and our backpacks I'm assuming has our food and other supplies. "Where's the last bag?" We have two backpacks, two tote bags, and one bag that is sort of a large black purse. Marley smiles, "I didn't want to take down the house so I thought we could use it as a safe house." Her chin is in the air with pride.

"Wow, great idea!" Standing up, I begin folding the big red quilt I was laying on top of. "Tyler, does your base have extra blankets?" He walks over to help fold the big quilt. "Yeah, so you could leave all your blanks, but it would be good if you could bring some food and supplies, it's always helpful." I carry the blankets over to the back corner of the platform and grab some of the bags from Marley. "Well, I guess we should head on out." Stopping at the edge of the platform, I turn around to see Tyler helping Marley with the rest of the bags. "Thanks." Marley gives him one of the tote bags and she carries her backpack. I hoist the second tote bag over my shoulder, my backpack already on my back. "You both ready?" Marley nods her head, "yup." She skips over to my side, the floor creaking under her feet. Tyler brings up the rear as we climb down the tree.

"I'll lead the way from here." Tyler walks up ahead and me and Marley trail behind him. "I'm excited!" Marley shouts all the sudden. She shrugs, "sorry I couldn't help it." She smiles, her arms swinging back and fourth as she strolls through the snow. The sun shines bright overhead, "why are you so excited?" I have to jog for a second to catch back up to Marley. "Cuz we get to see more people like us." She turns to me and walks backwards.

My sister turns back around as we veer left. "Are we there yet?" Marley is practically bouncing up and down with anticipation. "Not quite." Tyler takes a right along a wide creek. "How about now." Marley pesters Tyler for another fifteen minutes until we finally reach a large wooden bridge stretching across the creek. The bridge looks as if it had been abandoned years ago, and probably hasn't been used since the end of the rebellion.

We approach the bridge and go down the edge of the creek bed. Tyler leads us under the bridge where there is a stone wall. In the center of the wall is a latch, which Tyler knocks twice. It takes a few seconds before the wall is pushed from the inside. The center of the wall is actually a hidden door. "Woah." I attempt to peek around the door but Tyler is blocking me, when he speaks, "Welcome to the Dagger Society." He side steps out of my way and I walk through the door.

Inside is a massive tunnel with stone walls. Lights at the top if the tunnel shine down, leading the way. When we get to the end of the tunnel I gasp. It opens up into a large room with wooden walkways along the walls. Hundreds of people are moving around, making preparations for the revolution. Guns are being carried in loads and handed out among the people. "We are planning a war." Tyler leads us up one of the walkways. "Here is our weapon room and right next to it is where we keep other survival supplies." He points out two large rooms, one filled with guns and explosives, the other filled with rope, blankets, and other supplies.

Tyler takes us up another walkway. "Here is the residence corridor. We make a left into a huge tunnel with doors along both sides. Continuing down the hall, we pass tens of doors when we finally stop. Tyler turns to a large wood door on the right hand side of the tunnel. "Here is where you two will be staying." He pulls on the latch and the door slowly creaks open.

"Wow!" Marley squeals and shoves through me and Tyler to get inside. I follow Marley into the bedroom. "Meet me in the dining hall in an hour. You can unpack your things and rest." Nodding my head, taking the tote bag from Tyler as he closes the door. "I like this place already." Marley flops down onto a cot in the center if the right corner of the room. Another cot sits next to Marley and I lay down next to her. "Me too."

The hour flies by and me and Marley get ready to go down to the dining hall to meet Tyler. I take our bags to sort our supplies into a large wooden chest on the opposite side of the room. Before about it away, I pull out a brush and get rid of the tangles in my line black hair. Then, I toss the brush to Marley, who puts her hair in a long ponytail that falls down her back in waves. Marley walks over to the trunk and helps me finish putting away our supplies.

"Ready to go?" Marley stands up and heads towards the door, "yup." Together we pull open the heavy door and step out into the residence hall. Making a left, Marley and I walk side by side, our feet hitting the stone floor in unison. "What do you think I'll get to help with?" "That's a good question. I don't really know."

I guess I haven't really thought much about what Marley would be doing. Tyler told me she would be able to help in a nonviolent way, but how? Where? With who? Well, I guess we are about to find out. Maybe she could help with healing? She's kind and smart but could she handle it? I don't know. All I want is for her to be safe.

It's not hard for Marley and I to find the dining hall. On the bottom floor there are rectangular tables with a long line of people leading to a few tables pushed together that are lined with food. There are three people, each behind one of the tables, passing out food to the people in line. Marley goes ahead of me and I follow her to the back of the line. I'm looking around for Tyler and I spot him at a table in the back corner, sitting next to a girl with short brown hair and a boy with a dragon tattoo snaking up his arm. Tyler notices me looking at him and he turns and smiles. I quickly glance away and pretend to talk to Marley.

"What are you gonna get to eat?" Marley looks very happy to be eating warm food other than what I catch back in the woods. "I don't know! It all looks so good!" She squeals with delight and I laugh, "I don't know about you but I'm gonna grab some steaming hot mashed potatoes." Marley smiles with glee, "Yes! And some chicken nuggets, oh and the cooked carrots with that sauce! Ohh it all smells so delicious!" She's practically bouncing as we go down the line.

It feels as if it takes hours to finally be standing in front of the tables if food, even though in reality it only took seven minutes. A bald man wearing a white apron pours gravy over my mashed potatoes as I go down the line. "Thanks so much." The man smiles, "No problem." We finish going past the tables and I get some chicken nuggets, steamed vegetables, and a slice of sourdough bread. Both Marley and I pour a glass of lemonade and head over to Tyler's table.