27 | Near the End
In the morning there is wailing. This crying comes from deep within: a trembling, moaning weeping. And it’s this crying that awakens Sera from her sleep, blinking. For moments she just lies there attempting to understand what is going on: it’s a woman’s voice who is sobbing, and immediately she thinks of Teran, and the severe injury that had been inflicted upon him last night, because of her stupid decision to go out into the woods alone. No! It can’t be! The thought rings inside her head relentlessly.
She rises, and finds that Brielle is looking into her eyes, with her big brown soft ones; her face is unreadable. “Are you okay Sera?” she whispers hopefully. “I heard about last night.” Oh, that’s right, Sera thinks, she had been asleep. Meaning Brielle. Sera instantly nods, but her mind is elsewhere as she is searching for Teran, and at to her much relief find him lying against the same tree he had been at the previous night, his eyes closed still. He isn’t dead is he? No, just sleeping, she thinks, because Teresa is just clutching his hand; her eyes are noticeably bloodshot and exhausted, but not watery, and she’s not the one crying out. Then who is?
Sera looks back to Brielle, baffled. “What’s happened?” she mutters.
“Isolde died in her sleep last night,” Brielle says in a small voice. “Reina’s only found out now.”
“Oh,” Sera says, looking past Brielle to the clenching scene beyond, where Reina sits beside of the motionless body of Isolde, eyes shut, near the burnt-out campfire, rocking back and forth her eyes clenched shut as she holds onto the lifeless hand of the white-haired woman. Gil is sitting close by, his eyes despondent; he’s staring down into the grass. Poor Gil, she thinks. That had been his grandmother. She feels tight emotions pull at her stomach sharply; but with this disheartening news none of them have an appetite. “What are they going to do? Bury her?”
“I don’t know,” Brielle says softly. “They’re discussing it now.”
There’s shouting, and both Brielle and Sera, along with many of the others of the group look toward Hyde and Manu who are standing near Reina, facing one another. “What are we supposed to do with her?” Hyde hollers, his temper rising.
“Why are you talking of this, now?” Manu responds, furiously. He extends a muscled arm to Reina, who lets an upset sob escape from her. “Can’t you see she’s grieving: she needs time!”
“That’s just it!” Hyde counters, losing it. “That’s exactly what we don’t have enough of—There is no time! We have to keep moving.”
“Then what do you want us to do? Bury her now? We can’t just leave her!”
“Of course not! That would be too much of an alert to anyone who could be following us, especially the Enforcers…And how do you expect us to bury her? With what, our hands!?”
Manu groans, and Reina’s bemoaning has quieted to a softened crying, her forehead crumpling. “Then, I suppose, cremation? Reina,” he speaks to her kindly, looking toward her direction. “Are you opposed to this?”
She only shakes her head, meaning no.
“Alright, then we do that…But not now,” he says, staring around at all of their hopeless eyes. “Now, we try to think of other things, and eat what we can, to have energy to walk…How far is this place from now, Derik?”
“What? Oh…Not far now. A few more hours, tops.”
“Are you sure?” Slade speaks up, his glare threatening. “Somehow, I get the feeling you’re leading us around in nothing but circles!”
“Now, now!” Hyde cries his narrowing eyes defiant. “I certainly am not! We’ll be there soon enough, I promise.”
“In enough time to save the boy?” Manu looks to Teran, and Hyde replies quietly, his eyes gleaming:
“Yes, in enough time to save the boy.” He’s smiling, but it’s an eerie smile. Only Sera picks up on this, but she says nothing, afraid Manu—or anyone else won’t believe her.
Manu instructs Sera and Gil to go in search for as many rocks as they can carry, and then to continue to bring them in, until he thinks enough; he makes them promise they won’t go too far. They’re needed for Isolde’s makeshift bier. Brielle says she can help too, and Slade reluctantly allows it. Streak also decides to pitch in, wagging his tail excited. Manu then begins to start another fire; he and Teresa assist in warming up the kept venison meat, pass it around, and it’s nibbled: many of the group members offer Reina their sympathies for her and Gil’s loss. So together the four go out in search for as many as they can find, mostly around the campsite.
As they collect them, scattered here and there: some long and flat, others sharper and larger, Sera notices how quiet Gil is, and attributes this to the death of his grandmother. Noticing them collecting rocks, Streak even picks up a couple, which makes Sera smile, and she pats him on the head telling him, he's a good and smart dog. But Gil's taking it better than she thought he would; she hasn’t seen him cry, although his eyes are slightly watery, although that may only be the sunlight reflecting tricks. While they are bent over, gathering near the outcropping of a few scraggily-looking trees, offering little shade from the morning sun, she takes this chance to tell him her condolences:
“I’m sorry, about your grandmother,” Sera says softly.
Gil nods, and thanks her. “At least she’s no longer in pain now…”
Sera gives him a warming smile. “That is true. She’s in a happy place now: far from here.”
“You’re right, Sera,” he says. “A lot better than we are here…”
“Yeah,” she says, and she begins to feel the weight of the astounding amount she has already collected. Brielle’s just beyond her, adding to her heap as well.
“I worry though about Teran,” Gil says. “What were you two talking about last night? I kind of dozed off…”
Oh, Sera thinks, should I tell him? And wanting to cause less trouble, drama really for him now, she withholds, and says, “Well, recently I saw he was becoming, I don’t know…Angry with me. And I told him that he’s like a brother to me…And yeah…The beast sort of ambushed us around then.” Well that was the truth. Sort of.
“I see,” Gil says, a line presses in his mouth. He isn’t entirely convinced, as Sera knows she isn’t the best liar around. “Well, I guess we should getting back. I can’t hold anymore.”
Sera nods to this, agreeing, and calls for Brielle; and, together, they make their way back to the camp. After a couple more trips, they have plenty; and Manu tells them to arrange them into an oval large enough to place Isolde within, and make a bed of the rest with dry leaves, and brush. They do exactly this, watched by Teran, who’s half-awake with drained features. Sera notices him a few times, and once they’re finished, she makes her way over to him, plopping down at his side.
“How do you feel?” she asks him.
His forehead wrinkles, as his face winces in pain. “I guess a little better.” Sera can see though, he’s lying. He’s obviously in terrible pain; he just doesn’t want her to think it that bad. Sera can see that his mother has done an excellent job of wrapping up his wounded leg with white cloth tied tightly about his lower calf, all the way to his ankle. There’s slight staining of dried blood, but it’s only minimal because of how many times the cloth has been wrapped around his leg. There’s sure to be more the deeper it goes, but Sera doesn’t want to concentrate on that.
“I know it may not mean anything now, but I’m sorry,” she says, and leans in to plant a kiss on his forehead. Teran manages to let a smile escape him, the mood being lightened, and he’s taking Sera in with an appreciative expression.
“Thanks,” he says, and continues after clearing his throat like before, “but you didn’t attack me. That dog did…And you didn’t know it was going to happen either. So, it’s not your fault…It’s okay.” He smiles again, reaching over to pat Sera’s hand. She takes his, clenching it, and returns the grin with promising eyes.
“Alright, you get some rest, while you can,” she says. “You’ll need it.” Teran is nodding, then reposes his head against the tree trunk, closing his eyes. Sera forces the dismal thoughts of them not finding this place in the north soon enough, because of where these terrible men were taking them…What if they are taking them into the opposite direction? What if this place is now even further away? She can’t let these thoughts cause her panic, not now; it’s irrelevant. Whatever happens, happens. It is what it is.
Soon though, with the bier ready, Manu and Slade gingerly pick up Isolde, after Reina has said her last goodbye and lays her on soft bedding of brown grass and leaves. Everyone has congregated about the old woman, whose face to Sera looks serene, lost in a tranquil fix, perhaps even dreaming. And this comforts her. Gil at her side, and she’s holding his hand, who is holding Reina’s. Soft droplets of tears mark his cheeks. Even Streak is among them, bowing his head sadly. Sera wonders if Teran will see her holding Gil's hand and think something of it? But he’s asleep, so she worries of other things. Beside of Gil is Reina, who has a balled fist beneath crumpled lips, and she has her eyes wrenched shut. Tearstains are evident.
Manu says some comforting final words of the longevity of this elderly woman, celebrating it, of eighty-seven year; for there are select few now that do live to such a long age, to her endearing kindness, and value to the group. Then he lets Reina speak:
“She was my mother,” she says in a wavering voice, “and I loved her dearly. I am happy that she survived as long as she did, and that she didn’t die at the hands of those who have forced out into these woods. I’m glad she died as who she was: a beautiful, caring, loving, and a happy woman. She no longer feels pain, and for this I am also glad; she’s at peace now.” Reina smiles through a teary look down upon Isolde, and the group mutters kind words for Reina of “rest in peace,” and “goodbye,” before Manu lights the fire with a flaming piece of wood he has taken from the campfire. They watch as the fire slowly begins to burn, and soon it consumes her entire body, pitching a plume of smoke upward; and, they must be off at once. Manu extinguishing the campfire by kicking dirt upon it, reducing it to nothing but hot, blackened dry wood and ashes. Hyde notes that this will immediately alert any Enforcers or followers around the premises, and together, Manu carrying Teran, who still cannot walk properly, they set off led by Hyde.
…
It is now late afternoon, and Sera is weary of walking, and keeping her secret is no easy task. There had been many times throughout the day where she had so desired to tell, but the piercing gaze of Hyde, watching her like a ravenous vulture, had kept her at bay. Instead, she tries to think of other things, and she clutches at her stomach, feeling more than just the perpetual hunger festering inside. She can no longer take any of this anymore. She’s come to the realization that Manu will protect Teran; he’s carrying him, anyhow.
And she can’t wait until the last moment, then, it would be too late. It’s now or never, she thinks. Sera stops, takes in a deep breath, and she moves from where she is walking beside of Gil to her uncle. He looks at her, questioning her beleaguered look. “We’ll stop in a few, okay?” he says, offering a small smile, and looks down Teran who has again dozed off.
Sera shakes her head. “That isn’t it,” she whispers.
“What is it?”
“It’s about Hy—I mean Derik,” she says, and Hyde who’s only walking a bit ahead, stops perking up. He spins around, his face boiling in anger, and he points a finger at the girl: “Don’t you say a word!”
A confused scowl troubles Manu’s brow, and fiercely he inquires, “What is it? What’s going on?” He looks from Sera to Hyde in bewilderment; the rest of the wandering group takes a few moments to come to a full stop, hovering about them: all of them wondering what is going on, just as much as Manu. Teresa’s face is full of concern; she narrows her eyes at Hyde.
“Why are you talking to Sera like this? Derik!?” Manu demands an answer.
“You weren’t supposed to tell, you filthy little—” His true colors blazingly show themselves as he steps forward to strike Sera, who steps back raising up her arms defending herself, but Slade intervenes quickly, pushing off Hyde, his dark eyes casting a spiteful glare onto Hyde. Streak has bolted through them all and is barking madly at Hyde. Slade shouts over him:
“Don’t you dare speak to her like that!”
“She had it coming it to her!” Hyde bellows. “She will not mess up—” He kicks at Streak, who is now tuggling at Hyde's pant leg, and the dog yelps as his foot catches him in the throat, and Sera cries out for Streak, her face flushed. Streak scampers back in the crowd growling. Brielle holds on to him, lovingly.
“What the hell is going on!!?” Manu shouts; he gives Teresa, Teran to hold, and he steps forth to Hyde, who has purposefully cowered back, and is sending his fat counterpart, Nord, nervous glances. He has also stopped in his tracks, and is idiotically spluttering.
Hyde’s eyes light up startled by the glare Slade is giving him. “Speak now,” Slade orders, “or so help me, I’ll throttle you here and now!”
“For what?” Hyde snarls, twisting his lip nastily. “I’ve done nothing!”
“Liar!” Sera screams at him, and suddenly flings a rock at him from nowhere. It pelts him against the head, and he growls at her, rubbing his forehead. “You were planning to have us all turned in and killed! All for money!” Manu, Teresa, Gil, Reina—all of their faces, everyone’s except Hyde’s and Nord’s share the same stunned and disgusted look.
Manu is staring at Sera in disbelief. “Is this what you were trying to tell me Sera? How do you know this?”
“One night, I saw them sneak out,” she says pointing to both of the betrayers, “and I heard them talking…And they’ve been lying to us the whole time! About everything…Even their names. His name isn’t even Derik, it’s Hyde…The other one is Nord or something…They weren’t taking us to this Hope place at all…But an Enforcer’s Encampment…Turning us all in for money!” There is a collective gasp throughout the crowd, as she sees Manu’s face change from an incredulous nature, to a burning aversion toward Hyde who is sneering at them all, his snakelike eyes gleaming.
Manu frowns and he steps forward to Slade, taking his side, as both of their veins are bulging, Slade is baring his teeth. “Is this true, Hyde? Were you to have us killed?” Manu bellows. Sera has never seen him this angry before, in fact it’s scaring her; and she also knows that her uncle would believe her, but she guesses he wants to hear it from the snake’s very mouth before they kill him.
There is a trickling moment of silence, as Hyde’s glinting eyes narrow; and then an evil smile twists his thin lips. “Yes,” he mutters. “But I’m afraid it’s too late…The Enforcer’s Encampment is nearby—they should be on us anytime, with all this yelling, and you all will be dead and my partner and I paid in the hour!” He’s cackling manically as if he only just won a monumental amount of gold.
“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t rip out your throat right now!” Slade barks at him, furious. Manu holds out an arm to Slade, pushing him back, shaking his head, and Hyde swallows again hesitantly. “B-because, I’m the only one who can negotiate with them!”
“You fool!” Slade shouts. “You’ve been greatly deceived…No one negotiates with Enforcers; all you’ll get with your partner is a bullet in the head. Mark my words.”
“How would you know?”
“Because, I once was one!” Slade reveals, snarling, and this to Sera takes her aback. Slade? An Enforcer? “Because I saw that we all had been terribly deceived as you are being now…I escaped with my daughter…I had enough of the killing and bloodshed; so I know from first-hand experience.”
“You lie!” Hyde shouts at him, spit flying.
“SAY THAT AGAIN!” Slade bursts forward, grappling, but Manu has to severely hold him back, as Hyde stumbles back afraid. “No! Do not kill him!” Manu says fiercely, now holding Slade’s face with both of his hands. “Don’t do this! He isn’t worth it! You hear me? Killing will only make you just as him, or the Enforcers…Listen to me!”
“Yes, listen to him!” Hyde echoes in the background.
“And you!” Manu fires, turning around pointing a finger at him, leaving Slade momentarily who’s breathing raggedly, his eyes gleaming bloodlust for Hyde. “Why? Why do this? Why would want to put the lives of children, children at risk of death!?” he shouts, his voice tangled with vehement, gesturing toward Sera and Brielle who have become shadows of Slade, absolute fear taking their large eyes. “Do you really want the blood of innocent children on your hands?”
Hyde makes a distasteful, vile face and leers in his direction. “They’re money all the same!” he spits. Suddenly, there’s strident sounds of firing in the air, and both Brielle and Sera are screaming, as a brace of Enforcers appear from the thicket, padded in their black armor carrying their deadly weapons, approaching them all with a quick pace. For Sera and Gil, both of their hearts are beating wildly, untamed; and, Hyde is smiling awfully. Sera sees that Streak has completely disspeared. Good, she thinks, she didn't want him hurt by those men in black armor or Hyde, or anyone else for that matter. He's safe, while they aren't.
“Get on the ground! ALL of you!” One of the Enforcers shout, the taller of the too stocky-built men. “On your knees NOW!” They shout, and instantly all of them obey even Slade, and Manu; there’s whimpering throughout, and Sera is clutching at Brielle’s small, shaking hand, as they share horrified looks. She can see Brielle’s crying, and Sera’s eyes are watery. I don’t want to die; I don’t want to die, the thought bleeds through her mind over and over, and she’s quietly sobbing. Before her she can see her uncle stooped to the ground, beside of him is Teresa, trembling, still holding her dying son.
Hyde with his partner though are still standing, the only ones, and they're glaring at the Enforcers. “I thought we had a deal!” he cries outraged. The taller of the Enforcers purses his lips, and looks to the other, ordering: “Give them both their money.” This one smiles amusedly, and approaches Hyde, lifting up his gun. Oh no, Sera thinks, and she quickly looks down to the ground, wrenching her eyes shut.
They can hear Hyde’s sudden cries of anger that are melting into pleading for his life; the other is babbling off unintelligible nonsense, gone completely mad, before there are sharp, clear sounds of firing, and two loud thumps of mangled bodies colliding to the ground. Sera winces, and feels tears of her own sliding down her face: not for the loss of these terrible men’s lives, but of those to come. Theirs. If only she had told Manu sooner, they wouldn’t be in this terrifying mess…This could be it, she thinks. The moment when they all would die. And it was all her fault. All her fault. Now, in the heated thick of things it couldn’t matter less. If only, isn’t reality. Reality is now.
She can see their blood now even with her eyes lowered, pooling, and inching toward her. Oh no...No...She wants to do nothing more than shriek and flee, but she knows that will only end up giving bullets in her back. There's no way out of this.
“No, please,” she whispers painfully to herself, feeling as she is about to vomit. “No…”
“Sera?” She hears Brielle’s frail voice shattered with the same fear eating her alive. “Sera, will we die?”
“I don’t know,” she says, and she hears one of the Enforcers shout:
“QUIET! All of you! You all are traitors to the New American government as runaways, and for those consequences you all receive the punishment of death under the Father's decree of law!”
Find your happy place, Sera thinks, attempting to remove herself from here, this terrible reality. She thinks of their Unit far away, of the garden of flowers she kept, the yellow blossoming roses in the summer sunlight, the feelings of security of home: Manu’s laughing like a chorus of bells, him holding her, and through that glistening day dream she hears the sounds that clatter through, bringing her back:
The unmistakable sounds of the booted feet of these Enforcers walking toward them, and the metallic clinking of them raising their guns. “You will all die, here, and now,” the taller one says with a lasting air of finality.
Sera sucks in a quick breath of air that she knows could very well be her last.
27 | Near the End
In the morning there is wailing. This crying comes from deep within: a trembling, moaning weeping. And it’s this crying that awakens Sera from her sleep, blinking. For moments she just lies there attempting to understand what is going on: it’s a woman’s voice who is sobbing, and immediately she thinks of Teran, and the severe injury that had been inflicted upon him last night, because of her stupid decision to go out into the woods alone. No! It can’t be! The thought rings inside her head relentlessly.
She rises, and finds that Brielle is looking into her eyes, with her big brown soft ones; her face is unreadable. “Are you okay Sera?” she whispers hopefully. “I heard about last night.” Oh, that’s right, Sera thinks, she had been asleep. Meaning Brielle. Sera instantly nods, but her mind is elsewhere as she is searching for Teran, and at to her much relief find him lying against the same tree he had been at the previous night, his eyes closed still. He isn’t dead is he? No, just sleeping, she thinks, because Teresa is just clutching his hand; her eyes are noticeably bloodshot and exhausted, but not watery, and she’s not the one crying out. Then who is?
Sera looks back to Brielle, baffled. “What’s happened?” she mutters.
“Isolde died in her sleep last night,” Brielle says in a small voice. “Reina’s only found out now.”
“Oh,” Sera says, looking past Brielle to the clenching scene beyond, where Reina sits beside of the motionless body of Isolde, eyes shut, near the burnt-out campfire, rocking back and forth her eyes clenched shut as she holds onto the lifeless hand of the white-haired woman. Gil is sitting close by, his eyes despondent; he’s staring down into the grass. Poor Gil, she thinks. That had been his grandmother. She feels tight emotions pull at her stomach sharply; but with this disheartening news none of them have an appetite. “What are they going to do? Bury her?”
“I don’t know,” Brielle says softly. “They’re discussing it now.”
There’s shouting, and both Brielle and Sera, along with many of the others of the group look toward Hyde and Manu who are standing near Reina, facing one another. “What are we supposed to do with her?” Hyde hollers, his temper rising.
“Why are you talking of this, now?” Manu responds, furiously. He extends a muscled arm to Reina, who lets an upset sob escape from her. “Can’t you see she’s grieving: she needs time!”
“That’s just it!” Hyde counters, losing it. “That’s exactly what we don’t have enough of—There is no time! We have to keep moving.”
“Then what do you want us to do? Bury her now? We can’t just leave her!”
“Of course not! That would be too much of an alert to anyone who could be following us, especially the Enforcers…And how do you expect us to bury her? With what, our hands!?”
Manu groans, and Reina’s bemoaning has quieted to a softened crying, her forehead crumpling. “Then, I suppose, cremation? Reina,” he speaks to her kindly, looking toward her direction. “Are you opposed to this?”
She only shakes her head, meaning no.
“Alright, then we do that…But not now,” he says, staring around at all of their hopeless eyes. “Now, we try to think of other things, and eat what we can, to have energy to walk…How far is this place from now, Derik?”
“What? Oh…Not far now. A few more hours, tops.”
“Are you sure?” Slade speaks up, his glare threatening. “Somehow, I get the feeling you’re leading us around in nothing but circles!”
“Now, now!” Hyde cries his narrowing eyes defiant. “I certainly am not! We’ll be there soon enough, I promise.”
“In enough time to save the boy?” Manu looks to Teran, and Hyde replies quietly, his eyes gleaming:
“Yes, in enough time to save the boy.” He’s smiling, but it’s an eerie smile. Only Sera picks up on this, but she says nothing, afraid Manu—or anyone else won’t believe her.
Manu instructs Sera and Gil to go in search for as many rocks as they can carry, and then to continue to bring them in, until he thinks enough; he makes them promise they won’t go too far. They’re needed for Isolde’s makeshift bier. Brielle says she can help too, and Slade reluctantly allows it. Streak also decides to pitch in, wagging his tail excited. Manu then begins to start another fire; he and Teresa assist in warming up the kept venison meat, pass it around, and it’s nibbled: many of the group members offer Reina their sympathies for her and Gil’s loss. So together the four go out in search for as many as they can find, mostly around the campsite.
As they collect them, scattered here and there: some long and flat, others sharper and larger, Sera notices how quiet Gil is, and attributes this to the death of his grandmother. Noticing them collecting rocks, Streak even picks up a couple, which makes Sera smile, and she pats him on the head telling him, he's a good and smart dog. But Gil's taking it better than she thought he would; she hasn’t seen him cry, although his eyes are slightly watery, although that may only be the sunlight reflecting tricks. While they are bent over, gathering near the outcropping of a few scraggily-looking trees, offering little shade from the morning sun, she takes this chance to tell him her condolences:
“I’m sorry, about your grandmother,” Sera says softly.
Gil nods, and thanks her. “At least she’s no longer in pain now…”
Sera gives him a warming smile. “That is true. She’s in a happy place now: far from here.”
“You’re right, Sera,” he says. “A lot better than we are here…”
“Yeah,” she says, and she begins to feel the weight of the astounding amount she has already collected. Brielle’s just beyond her, adding to her heap as well.
“I worry though about Teran,” Gil says. “What were you two talking about last night? I kind of dozed off…”
Oh, Sera thinks, should I tell him? And wanting to cause less trouble, drama really for him now, she withholds, and says, “Well, recently I saw he was becoming, I don’t know…Angry with me. And I told him that he’s like a brother to me…And yeah…The beast sort of ambushed us around then.” Well that was the truth. Sort of.
“I see,” Gil says, a line presses in his mouth. He isn’t entirely convinced, as Sera knows she isn’t the best liar around. “Well, I guess we should getting back. I can’t hold anymore.”
Sera nods to this, agreeing, and calls for Brielle; and, together, they make their way back to the camp. After a couple more trips, they have plenty; and Manu tells them to arrange them into an oval large enough to place Isolde within, and make a bed of the rest with dry leaves, and brush. They do exactly this, watched by Teran, who’s half-awake with drained features. Sera notices him a few times, and once they’re finished, she makes her way over to him, plopping down at his side.
“How do you feel?” she asks him.
His forehead wrinkles, as his face winces in pain. “I guess a little better.” Sera can see though, he’s lying. He’s obviously in terrible pain; he just doesn’t want her to think it that bad. Sera can see that his mother has done an excellent job of wrapping up his wounded leg with white cloth tied tightly about his lower calf, all the way to his ankle. There’s slight staining of dried blood, but it’s only minimal because of how many times the cloth has been wrapped around his leg. There’s sure to be more the deeper it goes, but Sera doesn’t want to concentrate on that.
“I know it may not mean anything now, but I’m sorry,” she says, and leans in to plant a kiss on his forehead. Teran manages to let a smile escape him, the mood being lightened, and he’s taking Sera in with an appreciative expression.
“Thanks,” he says, and continues after clearing his throat like before, “but you didn’t attack me. That dog did…And you didn’t know it was going to happen either. So, it’s not your fault…It’s okay.” He smiles again, reaching over to pat Sera’s hand. She takes his, clenching it, and returns the grin with promising eyes.
“Alright, you get some rest, while you can,” she says. “You’ll need it.” Teran is nodding, then reposes his head against the tree trunk, closing his eyes. Sera forces the dismal thoughts of them not finding this place in the north soon enough, because of where these terrible men were taking them…What if they are taking them into the opposite direction? What if this place is now even further away? She can’t let these thoughts cause her panic, not now; it’s irrelevant. Whatever happens, happens. It is what it is.
Soon though, with the bier ready, Manu and Slade gingerly pick up Isolde, after Reina has said her last goodbye and lays her on soft bedding of brown grass and leaves. Everyone has congregated about the old woman, whose face to Sera looks serene, lost in a tranquil fix, perhaps even dreaming. And this comforts her. Gil at her side, and she’s holding his hand, who is holding Reina’s. Soft droplets of tears mark his cheeks. Even Streak is among them, bowing his head sadly. Sera wonders if Teran will see her holding Gil's hand and think something of it? But he’s asleep, so she worries of other things. Beside of Gil is Reina, who has a balled fist beneath crumpled lips, and she has her eyes wrenched shut. Tearstains are evident.
Manu says some comforting final words of the longevity of this elderly woman, celebrating it, of eighty-seven year; for there are select few now that do live to such a long age, to her endearing kindness, and value to the group. Then he lets Reina speak:
“She was my mother,” she says in a wavering voice, “and I loved her dearly. I am happy that she survived as long as she did, and that she didn’t die at the hands of those who have forced out into these woods. I’m glad she died as who she was: a beautiful, caring, loving, and a happy woman. She no longer feels pain, and for this I am also glad; she’s at peace now.” Reina smiles through a teary look down upon Isolde, and the group mutters kind words for Reina of “rest in peace,” and “goodbye,” before Manu lights the fire with a flaming piece of wood he has taken from the campfire. They watch as the fire slowly begins to burn, and soon it consumes her entire body, pitching a plume of smoke upward; and, they must be off at once. Manu extinguishing the campfire by kicking dirt upon it, reducing it to nothing but hot, blackened dry wood and ashes. Hyde notes that this will immediately alert any Enforcers or followers around the premises, and together, Manu carrying Teran, who still cannot walk properly, they set off led by Hyde.
…
It is now late afternoon, and Sera is weary of walking, and keeping her secret is no easy task. There had been many times throughout the day where she had so desired to tell, but the piercing gaze of Hyde, watching her like a ravenous vulture, had kept her at bay. Instead, she tries to think of other things, and she clutches at her stomach, feeling more than just the perpetual hunger festering inside. She can no longer take any of this anymore. She’s come to the realization that Manu will protect Teran; he’s carrying him, anyhow.
And she can’t wait until the last moment, then, it would be too late. It’s now or never, she thinks. Sera stops, takes in a deep breath, and she moves from where she is walking beside of Gil to her uncle. He looks at her, questioning her beleaguered look. “We’ll stop in a few, okay?” he says, offering a small smile, and looks down Teran who has again dozed off.
Sera shakes her head. “That isn’t it,” she whispers.
“What is it?”
“It’s about Hy—I mean Derik,” she says, and Hyde who’s only walking a bit ahead, stops perking up. He spins around, his face boiling in anger, and he points a finger at the girl: “Don’t you say a word!”
A confused scowl troubles Manu’s brow, and fiercely he inquires, “What is it? What’s going on?” He looks from Sera to Hyde in bewilderment; the rest of the wandering group takes a few moments to come to a full stop, hovering about them: all of them wondering what is going on, just as much as Manu. Teresa’s face is full of concern; she narrows her eyes at Hyde.
“Why are you talking to Sera like this? Derik!?” Manu demands an answer.
“You weren’t supposed to tell, you filthy little—” His true colors blazingly show themselves as he steps forward to strike Sera, who steps back raising up her arms defending herself, but Slade intervenes quickly, pushing off Hyde, his dark eyes casting a spiteful glare onto Hyde. Streak has bolted through them all and is barking madly at Hyde. Slade shouts over him:
“Don’t you dare speak to her like that!”
“She had it coming it to her!” Hyde bellows. “She will not mess up—” He kicks at Streak, who is now tuggling at Hyde's pant leg, and the dog yelps as his foot catches him in the throat, and Sera cries out for Streak, her face flushed. Streak scampers back in the crowd growling. Brielle holds on to him, lovingly.
“What the hell is going on!!?” Manu shouts; he gives Teresa, Teran to hold, and he steps forth to Hyde, who has purposefully cowered back, and is sending his fat counterpart, Nord, nervous glances. He has also stopped in his tracks, and is idiotically spluttering.
Hyde’s eyes light up startled by the glare Slade is giving him. “Speak now,” Slade orders, “or so help me, I’ll throttle you here and now!”
“For what?” Hyde snarls, twisting his lip nastily. “I’ve done nothing!”
“Liar!” Sera screams at him, and suddenly flings a rock at him from nowhere. It pelts him against the head, and he growls at her, rubbing his forehead. “You were planning to have us all turned in and killed! All for money!” Manu, Teresa, Gil, Reina—all of their faces, everyone’s except Hyde’s and Nord’s share the same stunned and disgusted look.
Manu is staring at Sera in disbelief. “Is this what you were trying to tell me Sera? How do you know this?”
“One night, I saw them sneak out,” she says pointing to both of the betrayers, “and I heard them talking…And they’ve been lying to us the whole time! About everything…Even their names. His name isn’t even Derik, it’s Hyde…The other one is Nord or something…They weren’t taking us to this Hope place at all…But an Enforcer’s Encampment…Turning us all in for money!” There is a collective gasp throughout the crowd, as she sees Manu’s face change from an incredulous nature, to a burning aversion toward Hyde who is sneering at them all, his snakelike eyes gleaming.
Manu frowns and he steps forward to Slade, taking his side, as both of their veins are bulging, Slade is baring his teeth. “Is this true, Hyde? Were you to have us killed?” Manu bellows. Sera has never seen him this angry before, in fact it’s scaring her; and she also knows that her uncle would believe her, but she guesses he wants to hear it from the snake’s very mouth before they kill him.
There is a trickling moment of silence, as Hyde’s glinting eyes narrow; and then an evil smile twists his thin lips. “Yes,” he mutters. “But I’m afraid it’s too late…The Enforcer’s Encampment is nearby—they should be on us anytime, with all this yelling, and you all will be dead and my partner and I paid in the hour!” He’s cackling manically as if he only just won a monumental amount of gold.
“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t rip out your throat right now!” Slade barks at him, furious. Manu holds out an arm to Slade, pushing him back, shaking his head, and Hyde swallows again hesitantly. “B-because, I’m the only one who can negotiate with them!”
“You fool!” Slade shouts. “You’ve been greatly deceived…No one negotiates with Enforcers; all you’ll get with your partner is a bullet in the head. Mark my words.”
“How would you know?”
“Because, I once was one!” Slade reveals, snarling, and this to Sera takes her aback. Slade? An Enforcer? “Because I saw that we all had been terribly deceived as you are being now…I escaped with my daughter…I had enough of the killing and bloodshed; so I know from first-hand experience.”
“You lie!” Hyde shouts at him, spit flying.
“SAY THAT AGAIN!” Slade bursts forward, grappling, but Manu has to severely hold him back, as Hyde stumbles back afraid. “No! Do not kill him!” Manu says fiercely, now holding Slade’s face with both of his hands. “Don’t do this! He isn’t worth it! You hear me? Killing will only make you just as him, or the Enforcers…Listen to me!”
“Yes, listen to him!” Hyde echoes in the background.
“And you!” Manu fires, turning around pointing a finger at him, leaving Slade momentarily who’s breathing raggedly, his eyes gleaming bloodlust for Hyde. “Why? Why do this? Why would want to put the lives of children, children at risk of death!?” he shouts, his voice tangled with vehement, gesturing toward Sera and Brielle who have become shadows of Slade, absolute fear taking their large eyes. “Do you really want the blood of innocent children on your hands?”
Hyde makes a distasteful, vile face and leers in his direction. “They’re money all the same!” he spits. Suddenly, there’s strident sounds of firing in the air, and both Brielle and Sera are screaming, as a brace of Enforcers appear from the thicket, padded in their black armor carrying their deadly weapons, approaching them all with a quick pace. For Sera and Gil, both of their hearts are beating wildly, untamed; and, Hyde is smiling awfully. Sera sees that Streak has completely disspeared. Good, she thinks, she didn't want him hurt by those men in black armor or Hyde, or anyone else for that matter. He's safe, while they aren't.
“Get on the ground! ALL of you!” One of the Enforcers shout, the taller of the too stocky-built men. “On your knees NOW!” They shout, and instantly all of them obey even Slade, and Manu; there’s whimpering throughout, and Sera is clutching at Brielle’s small, shaking hand, as they share horrified looks. She can see Brielle’s crying, and Sera’s eyes are watery. I don’t want to die; I don’t want to die, the thought bleeds through her mind over and over, and she’s quietly sobbing. Before her she can see her uncle stooped to the ground, beside of him is Teresa, trembling, still holding her dying son.
Hyde with his partner though are still standing, the only ones, and they're glaring at the Enforcers. “I thought we had a deal!” he cries outraged. The taller of the Enforcers purses his lips, and looks to the other, ordering: “Give them both their money.” This one smiles amusedly, and approaches Hyde, lifting up his gun. Oh no, Sera thinks, and she quickly looks down to the ground, wrenching her eyes shut.
They can hear Hyde’s sudden cries of anger that are melting into pleading for his life; the other is babbling off unintelligible nonsense, gone completely mad, before there are sharp, clear sounds of firing, and two loud thumps of mangled bodies colliding to the ground. Sera winces, and feels tears of her own sliding down her face: not for the loss of these terrible men’s lives, but of those to come. Theirs. If only she had told Manu sooner, they wouldn’t be in this terrifying mess…This could be it, she thinks. The moment when they all would die. And it was all her fault. All her fault. Now, in the heated thick of things it couldn’t matter less. If only, isn’t reality. Reality is now.
She can see their blood now even with her eyes lowered, pooling, and inching toward her. Oh no...No...She wants to do nothing more than shriek and flee, but she knows that will only end up giving bullets in her back. There's no way out of this.
“No, please,” she whispers painfully to herself, feeling as she is about to vomit. “No…”
“Sera?” She hears Brielle’s frail voice shattered with the same fear eating her alive. “Sera, will we die?”
“I don’t know,” she says, and she hears one of the Enforcers shout:
“QUIET! All of you! You all are traitors to the New American government as runaways, and for those consequences you all receive the punishment of death under the Father's decree of law!”
Find your happy place, Sera thinks, attempting to remove herself from here, this terrible reality. She thinks of their Unit far away, of the garden of flowers she kept, the yellow blossoming roses in the summer sunlight, the feelings of security of home: Manu’s laughing like a chorus of bells, him holding her, and through that glistening day dream she hears the sounds that clatter through, bringing her back:
The unmistakable sounds of the booted feet of these Enforcers walking toward them, and the metallic clinking of them raising their guns. “You will all die, here, and now,” the taller one says with a lasting air of finality.
Sera sucks in a quick breath of air that she knows could very well be her last.
YOU ARE READING
Experiment X
Teen Fiction13 Abducted Teenagers. Genetically Enhanced. One Deadly Experiment. And Only One Means of Escape. Being the last one standing.
