The Center

Chapter 20 - to say the 'I.' "

From the outlying forest, the crunch of running boots ricochets against the canyon walls. The guards. I push off the tree and search for a place to position myself. Pines and aspens aren't made for climbing. Not that I've ever climbed a tree in my life. Better stay on the ground.

Across the creek, a rock wall rises to a sheer cliff about thirty feet high. I can at least prevent myself from being surrounded. I limp toward the stream as blood trickles from my ankle. The cold water seeps through my shoes and stings in the open wound. The sound of heavy breathing and thick boots echo like an approaching army. How many guards will an event like this bring?

Unlike the situation with Fisher and Mario, the guards don't have a Bracelet to tame me. They have lost their upper hand. In the growing darkness, I gather a few dozen rocks big enough to throw and a tree limb big enough to swing.

"Courtney!" Jackson's voice comes through the trees first. The light of three flashlights bounce toward me. A sense of terror rises from my soul, lifting the hair on my scalp. I lean the stick against the wall and palm a stone. I'll use the rocks first. When I run out of them, I'll use the branch on the first jerk that gets close to me. I will lose this fight, but that doesn't matter. I've lost everything already. For now, I can make sure some creep gets a little of his own before the larger group drags me to The Bunker. I'll fight. They can't hurt me now. My dark soul never possessed enough sparkle to drain.

Jackson steps into the clearing. He points the flashlight to his face. I refuse to be fooled by his concerned look. He stops ten feet from me and wipes the sweat from his forehead. I lift the rock in my hand as a warning. He stays out of my range.

"Go away."

"You know I can't do that." He signals with his left hand, stopping two guards who followed him. "Why don't you put the rock down?"

"Not on your life." I pull back my arm like a trigger. I'm not afraid to shoot.

"Come on, Courtney. We can talk about this."

"There's nothing to talk about."

He flashes that Ashton Kutcher smile at me. It only makes me want to break all of his teeth. "There's always room to talk."

"Not for me."

"Why not?"

I know what he's trying to do. "I'm not stupid."

"No one said you were."

"Then don't act like we're friends and that I'm not in trouble."

"You are in trouble." He brings his hands together in front of him then points them at me like a plea. "But you're not without hope."

"Shove your hope." The rock rolls around in my hand.

"Drop it."

"Yeah, right. So you can shoot me?"

Jackson shakes his head at the other two guards. Twigs snap on the hill above me. That's when I notice the light covering me from above. Great plan. I'm surrounded after all. The guards above me would be foolish to jump two stories to get me. Wouldn't they? I inch closer to the wall.

"Shoot me and get it over with."

"We don't carry guns." Jackson remains the spokesman. His hands open next to him in surrender.

"Liar!"

"We've never shot anyone."

"You tasered the mess out of Mario."

Jackson's mouth wrinkles sideways before he nods an acknowledgement. "Is that what this is all about?" He lifts his eyebrows to emphasize the question.

Dirt rains down on me. Next to Jackson, the two guards move closer. Jackson lifts his hand and shouts to them. "Give me a second, guys."

"Yeah," I shout. "Give him a second." I lean forward. Rowena's face glows demonic in the artificial light. She and a fifth guard glare down at me. Great. This might get more violent than I planned.

"Look, Courtney, those boys are okay. The shock doesn't do any permanent damage."

"How would you know?"

"Because I had them put one on me."

"Right." I'm not falling for that.

"I did." He points his flashlight at the guy next to him who nods a confirmation. "I wouldn't take this job until I knew that all the kids in this place were treated right." The light returns to his face.

"That's your idea of right?"

"No." Jackson shakes his head. "In my idea of right, boys wouldn't try to kill each other over a girl, Courtney."

"It wasn't like that." I refuse to tell him more. He has no permission to climb into my head and trick me. "If you're so kind and generous then back away and leave me alone."

"This is a waste of time, Jackson." Rowena's voice has moved over toward the shorter edge of the cliff. The jump from there would be less dangerous.

"Go ahead if you want to. Take your best shot." I back up and throw a stone. It bounces off the rock wall near Rowena's foot.

"You little brat."

"Rowena, that's not helpful." Jackson sighes.

"Neither is your little patty-cake game." She jumps to the shore beside me. I reach for the stick and point it in her direction. Jackson and his two buddies scramble across the creek. Water splashes wildly around their feet and knees.

"Get away from me." I swing the branch hard and fast. Rowena backs away. Her eyes widen like the cow she is. Another arch of my weapon whishes past one guy's head, he ducks just in time. It bangs against the mountain behind him sending a violent vibration through my arms. The impact scratches bark into my palms. The scrapes burn, but that won't stop me.

I wave the branch back and forth screaming, "Leave me alone. Leave me alone. Leave me alone." My voice cracks. I've run out of power. My throat and hands and ankles ache. I'm tired of screaming and fighting, but I can't stop.

"Get back." I aim the limb at Jackson. "Go away. I'm done listening to you." No one presses close enough to grab me. They are smarter than I thought. They wait in the distance for me to wear down. But I refuse to give up. I face Jackson, raise my weapon, and run toward him. He takes a step back, but not fast enough. His knees buckle for a second as the branch makes full contact with his shoulder. The top of the limb scrapes the side of his face and blood flows from the welts.

"Shoot me, you idiots. Shoot me."

A pair of arms lock around mine, pinning them down around me. I try to swing, but whoever has me is strong. "Shoot me now!"

"No one's going to shoot you." Rowena's voice sounds distant. I kick at the person behind me. The guard turns and pulls me to the ground on top of him. He exhales a puff of air and his grip loosens. Before I can respond, Jackson grabs my hands and holds tight.

He must have figured out I want to scratch more skin from his pretty face. A sting pierces my left thigh. I've been shot, but not with a taser or a gun. I turn my head. Rowena pulls a syringe from my leg. A chemical tingling crawls up my veins and steals my strength. I sink into the shadow of my dark life.