Claiming Innocence [#wattys2015]

Twenty

The silence seemed to last forever. 

Each of us filled with dread about the whereabouts of our two friends. My foot was tapping restlessly against the mahogany floorboards, anxiety creeping through my skin more and more.

Axel's hand was rubbing my back in small circular motions, comforting to some degree, but nothing could get the knot out of my stomach.

Jasmine- Brax's girl- had jointed us at some point, trying to comfort him as much as she could. She wasn't that close with most of us, as she had another group of girls she was closer with in the group, but she still felt bad for Luke and Ema and cared for Brax enough to show support.

Minutes past, which felt like hours on end.

Everyone was in complete silence that when the loud noise of the intercom radiated through the room, we all jumped in slight shock.

"All house members are required to make their way to the oval within the next five minutes" was all that was said. Of course it was Dakota.

"What the hell does that mean?" Hunter said with a curious expression.

By the looks on everyone's faces, something like this hasn't happened before . . . or at least not in this house or generation.

The first thing I noticed walking onto the oval was the two tall posts that was set out in the centre of the field. They were the size of the football posts, but as wide as an old telephone pole. A black box stood off to the side. Men dressed in black instructed us to line up in a line twenty metres in front of the set up, with them all standing directly behind us, almost as if ready to jump into action if anyone dared to step out of line.

I glanced at the scrawny man behind me, probably between 25-30 years of age. His gaze was set forward in a professional soldier stance like all the men were. Gaze's forward.

Dakota walked onto the field, looking as snobby as ever, but instead of her usual cold glare, she had some form of spark in her eyes, like she was about to enjoy what was about to happen.

"You're all well aware of why you are here right now. You know the rules, there is to be no girls in boys rooms, vise versa, and they is definitely no form of sexual relations allowed unless it is after the claiming to your chosen partner. But, it seems, some of you didn't listen. This defiance will not be tolerated, and now, you will be shown an example of what will happen to you if you chose to follow after Emalia and Lucas."

No one dared to speak a word, all of us watched in silence as Dakota signaled behind us.

A black van drove through the middle of our parted group. Parking next to the black box.

The doors slided open by two of the men opened, what we saw next made gasps brake out as we watched Ema and Luke being dragged towards us all.

I felt like I was about to be sick on the spot.

They were held by two men each, barely able to stand up on their own. Hands and feet shackled to one another. They wore a pair of shorts- Ema of course had a short-cropped top on- so that their torsos were exposed. That's not what shocked me though. What had the tears pouring from my eyes, the queasy feeling in my stomach and the pure rage that began to fill my body was the state they were both in.

Blue and back bruised covered their skin, some raw cuts, blood and dirt could also be seem on them.

Luke had a blank expression plastered on his face. He was either trying to be strong for the both or him or they broke him. Ema, on the other hand, looked like she has been crying for hours on end, tears falling down her bruised face.