Break and Burn

Chapter 7

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                               Kara
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    As Taron and I walk hand in hand, we reach a small stone house. It clearly only had one room. There were no windows, and the door lay off its hinges. Inside, the floor was wood, the walls bleak, and grey. A hole in the roof illuminates the small room, and the fire place had wood, but no fire. The man turned to us just as Zane and Krista walked in, arm in arm. I shot them a suspicious look, but didn't say anything. The man walked to the fire place. He leaned down, and lifted the fire place grate. After setting it down, he slid his hand into a crack in the tile on the fireplace floor. When he pulled the tile lifted, leaving a small hole, big enough for one person. He looked at us and said, "Who goes first?"

   Zane stepped forward, releasing Krista from his hold. He turned, and began to climb down what seemed to be a ladder inside the hole. Next went Taron, then Krista, then me. The ladder didn't go very far, only a few feet below the surface, but underneath that, a spiral staircase led down. The stairs were made of rusted metal. The rebel man followed me down, pulling the grate and tile over his head, closed. The stairwell led down about one hundred steps. At the bottom a door leads into a well lit room.

     Inside, people stood talking. The walls were decorated with silk curtains. Large pillars held burning fires, high above the ground. All the people wore suits and dresses. As soon as the door opened, silence fell over the room, and the guards, the only people dressed in solid black uniforms, pulled out a gun and pointed it at us. They saw the rebel man's face, and their aim shifted to Zane, then me and Taron. Last they all pointed to Krista. I heard gunfire. Taron tackled me to the ground. Zane dove in front of Krista. Before I hit the ground, I felt a burning sensation in my chest. When I hit the stone ground, I hear another gunshot, and Krista screams. The last thing I see is three bodies hitting the ground. My friends, all shot. Then, my vision is black.

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                           Krista
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    My eyes open to Zane. He's standing in a courtyard, inside the Capitol. A metal mermaid spews water into a fountain. Zane's smile is bright. He holds his hand out to me, and his green eyes began to fill with fear. I feel something cold and metal press into my temple. Gun. Someone laughs, cold and loud. The gun goes off, but I feel no pain. I watch helpless as Zane falls to the ground, bleeding. I didn't want to believe his heart has stopped, but I knew. His blood turned the stones red. The fountain spit blood.

     I woke with a start. Something told me not to open my eyes. It was because of the voices. Two people. "One of them is a fugitive," said a man's voice. "We have to turn him in."

    "No," said a women. "We're double agents, we can't blow cover." Her voice was firm. "The president chose us for this and we can't fail. We have to kill the rebel leader, and now we have to kill Zane. Without breaking cover!" She added quickly. I clench my fists. Something falls and shatters. My eyes flutter open. A glass vase lay shattered at my side. I am on a table in white room. The woman has blonde hair, and dark eyes. The man beside her is taller with blue hair, brown eyes, and dark skin . They both wear rebel clothes, clearly unwillingly. I look at the women and my heart drops. My mother stares back at me. Her jaw set, her eyes watery. Her hand was on the man's cheek. His hand was on the back of her neck. They separate and she walks to my side. I turn away and try to stand. Pain shoots through my leg. Laying back down I spit one word at my mother. "How?"

     "I know you always thought I was a part of the outer city levels, but it has always been way more than just a simple low standard. When you were born the president picked me from his cabinet. He posted me out to the city, to try and get the rebels attention. To become a double agent." I stare at her blankly.

    "You can't kill Zane." I stated. She looked at me, obviously confused.

     The man behind her turned to me. "We shall do what we must and we will not let you get in our way." 

    "Michael don't," my mother said.

    "Katerina we must," he said his face blank. "The president gave orders." He turns and leaves. My mother looks back at me. Then, she stands, walks to the door and follows Michael out.

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