Dakota? The Levis Have Me.

Chapter 6- Black Room

WARNING: It gets really intense. Also, swears ahead. You have been warned.

It has been almost two months before I was really healed. The doctor has determined that all of the essence of the djinn has dissipated. I was allowed to play sports again, and the doctor only had to see me once a week. I still think that Peter is out there. They sent out search parties but came back with things like they 'lost his trail' or 'there were his tracks... then they muddled'. I knew they all thought that he was gone for good. They all thought that he had been captured. If that was the case, then I figured I would have to go myself. The only problem was that I was not certified yet. I had to complete my monster hunting training first. I was sixth in my class, and in order to pass as a hunter, I needed to step up my game, big time.

It was the eighteenth of the month, and I had moved up to fourth in my class. I could now pass the class as a hunter. But Mindy wanted me to try harder. She was tired of having people ask her what was wrong and she had wanted me to be first in my class so I had to work even harder. I felt bad for Mindy though. She believed that Peter was gone, and put the blame on herself. I would wake up to her crying in the other room and whispering that it was all her fault.

Suddenly an idea occurred to me. I could call Peter on his cell phone! He always had that with him, and the recent technology he upgraded to, would allow him to have cell service anywhere he went. It was a brilliant idea. I don't know why no one had thought of that before. Now the only thing I had to do was find a phone.

People under the age of eighteen weren't allowed to have cell phones. I wasn't sure why, but I knew that if I was caught with one I would be punished.

I remember when Augustus got punished. It was last year, and he was caught with some food from outside the encampment. That's one of the minor rules. No food from the outside. The truth of it was that his brother gave it to him, but that didn't matter. Augustus was the one caught with the food.

I remember there was commotion outside of his house. There were big men in black coats with a lot of weapons. They were banging on his door. Yelling his name and telling him to get outside immediately. I watched from our window. Once he opened the door three of the men grabbed him and threw him out in to the street carelessly. With such force, Augustus just flew like a rag doll. I remember him crying out. His leg was twisted in the most unnatural way. I wanted to go out there and help him, but I knew that if I helped him, I would be suspected of helping him in crime.

I looked away from him and towards his house. His brothers, sisters, mother, and father were being held at gunpoint against the outside of their home. Four men emerged from searching his house. They determined no more illegal things were in the house. Augustus's brother, Dez tried to tell them that it was him, but they wouldn't listen. He and his family were pushed back into their house, with the door slamming shut behind them.

Augustus was dragged by two of the men into the Black Room, screaming in pain all the way. The Black Room was the place where interrogations and punishments took place. The walls were soundproof. Only the people who had been put in the Black Room knew what happened in there. They were sworn to secrecy upon exiting. If they spoke of what happened in the Black Room they were punished again.

Augustus came back a week later with bruises and cuts. He looked like he hadn't slept in days, and he couldn't walk. He was another public example of what would happen if you broke the rules. He has a cut up his right arm from his wrist to his shoulder. It's a constant reminder to him and anyone who sees it.

I decided no matter what happened, I couldn't get punished. I wouldn't be able to pass my class this year or get a permit to leave the camp. Mindy would be so disappointed in me. I'd never be able to find Peter! That was a chance I couldn't take. How was I going to call him if I couldn't get to a cell phone? I need to contact Peter.