fallen | ✓

Chapter 39: "Deep Freeze"

There were many fearful mutters amongst the crowd. I stared up at the frightened person when he finally said with a huff, "That is all.." And headed back down the stairs. To my surprise, he was actually in our group. He sat, not far from me. "New recruits. That's always good." He chuckled. "I'm Sam." I nodded.

"I'm Carmen, and this is Mitch," I explained. A girl walked over to me.

"You got any alcohol?" She asked politely. "Mika said she got some from you." She explained. I reached down into my backpack, pulling up a bottle of whiskey, handing it to her. Her eyes lit up and she smiled. "Thank you." She gave a nod, walking back to her group of friends. I stretched out with a yawn, hugging my backpack.

"Carmen, I'm starving.." Mitch whispered to me. I burrowed in my pack and pulled out a can of peaches, handing them to him. He nodded his thanks and opened it, scarfing it down in no time. I rolled over, hugging my pack again, quickly falling asleep into a nap.

I woke up, a foot colliding into my shin. I yelped, struggling to get up. I looked up and saw the Box Headed dork. "You stole my stuff!" He yelled, throwing his finger in my face. I jerked back as he pointed at me. I felt a pang of hurt in my chest. I tried to help him earlier.

"I didn't.." I frowned.

"You did!" He screamed. Then he pointed at Mitch. "And he was there with you!" Sam glanced over his shoulder and scowled at him.

"Lay off, pal." He said in a biting tone. The Box Headed man threw up his arms and walked away, screaming. I really didn't steal his things.

"And to think, I actually tried to help him," I muttered, rolling back on my side. Mitch sighed.

"There's some people who are not meant to be saved, Carmen. People like him." He told me. I nodded and closed my eyes, struggling into sleep again.

~~~

I was awoken again by that Block Head's screams of agony. I stood up in attention, as did a lot of other people. I glanced at Mitch and he glanced at me. I unsheathed my cutlass and ran up the ramps, going to where I heard the screaming, Mitch close behind me. I finally got to my destination and saw Block Head, dead in the elevator.

Sam finally got to the top and yelled, "Who's responsible?!" We all looked at a trio of men, trying to hide the body.

"I swear, he was like this when we found him!" One of the men said. Another slowly ripped his knife out from Block Head's back and put it in its holster.

There was a heck of a lot of arguing. I stood there, staring, Mitch scowling behind me. I hated Block Head, but he had nothing and was forced underground with a bunch of thick-skulled maniacs. I wouldn't want that either. But now he was dead. Finally, Sam growled, "Back to our spot before all of our stuff gets stolen." And turned on his heel, going back. I ran ahead and sat, guarding the spot. The rest slowly gathered back, and the tension in the atmosphere almost disappeared. But then an idiot in our group held a gun to his head and pulled the trigger. This caused more yelling.

Many people rushed over, most of them smacking into me or my back. Mitch muttered next to me, "Suicide.." I stared, many people hovering over the body. A lot ended up going back to their spots, but a peculiar few stayed.

"We should eat it.." I heard a mutter.

"Whoa- Hey!" I said, sitting up. "Spare the fucking body, I'll give you cans of food, alright? Just leave it be!" I growled.

"Cannibalism?" Mika asked quietly with a shudder.

"Eating it will save recourses!" One of then argued. Sam stood up and shook his head.

"We're going to bury it. Save the corpse." He said. I instantly relaxed with a nod.

As they moved it for its burial, a man walked over with a gun in his hand. He muttered to Sam, "There were eight casualties over at the bar.." A fire boiled up inside of me and I scowled. I knew exactly what he meant.

"Casualties?" I growled. "Is a living breathing person that died a casualty to you?" I asked in disbelief. Mitch frowned.

"It's not worth getting worked up over, Carmen.." He said calmly. My shoulders dropped and I sighed. I'd be damned if he was wrong.

~~~

Months passed. Every time I thought of Joao my gut tightened in fear. Was he safe? Because I sure as Hell wasn't.

One particular day, there was an audible thump outside, and the hatch had opened. I instantly stood in attention. Mitch woke up, looking around. "Something's going on," I muttered, grabbing my cutlass and running to the stairs. I almost got up when Sam shouted to all of us,

"Help is here!" My breath hitched with excitement. Finally! I thought. The two men walked forward, guns in their hands.

"Women and children first! There are only eight seats!" They shouted at us. I felt a rush of relief and I nervously stepped forward with Mika and the woman I gave alcohol to. One of them said, "One at a time. Fur coat, go." She then walked with the second man to the hatch. He then ordered, "Blonde, go." then finally, after a while, he said, "Eyepatch, go." and I followed the man outside. He helped me up into the hovercraft, and I buckled myself to my chair.

They also allowed Sam and Mitch to come aboard. Then there where the other three strangers. One of then men ordered us to all buckle up and I gripped my straps. He went to the main controls with the other man and shut the cockpit door behind him. The core doors shut and the hovercraft slowly began to rise from the ground. The ride was considerably long, but all I could think about was the people that were left behind.

When we finally arrived, they landed on the top of the crane and let us get off. We all thanked them and they returned to the craft, flying off once again to return it to its base. And I was safe. Traumatized, but safe.