Untold Truth

Chapter 26

It's cold. The air is musty and dense. I wave my hand in front of me but I see nothing. "Zumie." I whisper, sticking a hand in the open.

Another hand grabs it. "Right here. We have to go down this hallway if we want to get back above ground. Stay quiet." I am about to say something but she did say stay quiet. Her hand pulls me forward and we walk. I see nothing but Zumie certainly knows where she's going.

"Zumie..." A door opening stops me. I am pulled forward and I can only assume I went through the doorway. She let's go of my hand and I hear he fumbling around for a minute. A light pops on taking me off guard. It looks like we're in a basement, but not just any basement. The churches basement. I remember playing hide and seek down here with my Sunday school group.

How did we get here? The church isn't anywhere close to my dad's "office". I look around the room and see a desk with a computer. The computer is on and has a list of something on it.

Before Zumie can say not to touch anything, I take advantage of that and go over to the computer. It's a list of names. More then half of these are people I know. In fact a lot are my fathers friends. Maybe it's a list of the Yuris? I read more on the list but I see people that were not with my father. This isn't a list of the Yuris, it's a list of the fallen. Everyone who's died the last few days is on this list. I look down it my eye catching on the one thing I wish I could unsee. Bobby Grent and Donna Shang. In quotations next to it says "innocent, make up story".

"Make up story?!" So what they'll just act like they weren't murdered. They'll tell everyone they weren't murdered.

Zumie comes rushing over. "What's wrong? What is it?" She asks looking at the computer, trying to figure out what it means. I wonder if she had someone on that list.

"They're dead. They're all dead." I say shaking my head and backing away. Zumie looks over the list. Her eyes linger on one name more then any.

"My father is dead." She states. Not with joy, and not in remorse. Mr. Clark is dead? She looks down the list more. I don't know if I should comfort her or congratulate her. How would I feel if my father died? Happy? Sad?

Suddenly she let's out a loud gasp. "No no no no. No. NO! This can't be a list of the dead. It's not. One of these they have wrong. He's not dead! I told him not to join the Surge, I told him." Zumie looks into my eyes searching them for answers. She looks down, knowing I have none.

"Who?" I ask. Her eyes are glossy like they are holding back so much pain. A family member? "Zumie who is is?" Jack... She starts crying hysterically. She falls to the ground and puts her legs to her chest.

10 minutes later she answers in a quite voice, "My... My... boyfriend. D-Dylan." And she breaks into heavier sobs. I sit down and throw my arm around her. What if Jack had died? What if I had lost him? I push the thought out of my head knowing that my 'what if's' are reality for Zumie.

"How could they know Karlie? How would they know! Did they see his body? Maybe he ran off into the woods. He's alive he... he has to be." She wipes her nose and puts her head on my shoulder. I need to save Jack, although I know it's wrong I need to do that, not hug this girl.

I pat Zumie on the back. "Zumie I'm really sorry but, listen I need to keep going. They have Jack. The Surge has him. I have to get back to my fathers office and get a map and some money. Otherwise they'll give Jack to his dad." I explain. She straightens up and wipes her tears away. Her face hardens.

"Okay. You're right." She says in a steady tone. "You have to go. But not alone, we stick together now. If we split up then we may not find each other again. Let's go." She says surprising me by standing up and heading towards the stairs that lead out of the basement. I wish I could be that strong. I get up and follow her up up up.