Who We Really are

Chapter 16

"You cannot win without sacrifice." -Charles Buxton

Chapter 16

We got into another tent and with four beds, they were wooden and looked terribly uncomfortable. On the side of the tent there was a table with four chairs. It looked like a breakfast table. I went straight to that and sat down. I put my arms on the table and buried my face in them.

I started to silently cry. I can't do this. I can't go into battle. I'll probably be asked to lead it and I just can't do that. I was worn down and tired. And I needed new clothes. Mine were so ragged and frayed that they had faded with no sun to fade them. My boots had holes in the bottom and every time I stepped on a rock it would hurt like stepping on a Lego when you were barefoot.

Someone came and rubbed my back to try to comfort me but nothing could ease me. Not even Kennan. At first I thought the hand was his but it was to small, and even through my shirt I could feel how soft the hand was. I barley raised my tear stained face to see. It was Jessica, of all people. "I can't do this." I said barley a whisper.

"You have to. Your the savior." Ollie said. Can't she see I'm not. I'm just a girl who had the unfortune of cheating death. More than once. "Rehyn you are much more than you think you are." Ollie said again.

"Ollie's right," Jessica started. I don't want to hear it. I don't need to hear it. I know that I'm not the person that they want to believe I am. I know that I will never be capable of saving the world so why are they so confident I can?

"I'm done." I said sounding ruder than I thought. I stood up and slammed my hands on the desks. Jessica recoiled and backed away from me. "Ollie I want you to stop calling me the Savior because I'm not.I can't do this and all of you know that you just can't afford to lose me. I'm done trying to act like I'm so full of hope when I'm not!" They all just stood there looking guilty. Jessica opened her mouth to say something but immediately shut it. "Look, " I started as I calmed down a bit. "I had a plan when I believed I could change this world. When I believed in myself as much as you guys do now. But all that's gone and you know who's fault that is." I crossed my arms ready to chew out Jessica. I wanted her to know that the fault was hers. But was it? No. It was my fault and it always will be.

I didn't finish my sentence I just stormed out of then tent hugging my chest.

"Rehyn, wait!" Jessica came yelling, running after me. I turned around and looked her dead in the eye. She was right next to the tent opening and I was closer to the town center. People kept gathering around us. I just stared at her I didn't do anything else. I turned back around getting the point across.

As I walked people kept backing away from me like I had the plague. I just kept walking. I felt like to much of an outsider to even care.

My vision was starting to blur and I didn't even hold the tears in. I hate to say it, but honestly I've given up. I'm too far down to get up.

I couldn't see and the next thing I knew I had collied with another person. I wiped my eyes. But honestly I didn't care if this person saw me crying or not. I'm not the savior so why should I care. "Whoa watch where your-" The girl had stopped herself once she realized who she was talking to. "I'm so sorry ma'am." I realized it was Lauren.

"It's not a big deal."

"Ok thanks have a nice day." She said walking off. She was scared of me but not scared of Ollie. What type of madness is this.

"Hey wait, Lauren. Is there a place we can talk in private real fast."

"Um... yea sure. Yea." She said walking to a tent. "Oh here this is my tent. Come in." I walked over to her tent. Everyone was still staring at me but they eventually went back to their respective tents. "So um. How do you know my name."

"That's not the biggest concern." I told her while walking in. Her tent had a queen bed and four twin beds. She must have a big family. There was also a table and chairs. She offered me a seat but I didn't take it. I wouldn't be here long anyway. "Why aren't you scared of Ollie? I saw the way you addressed her today and was curious."

"Oh. You noticed that?" she chuckled. "Ollie's my aunt. On my dad's side."

"Oh okay. Well that's all I was curious about." I started to walk out of the tent.

"Wait," Lauren blurted. I stopped in my tracks. "Are you really going to save us?" I thought she didn't trust me.

"No." I said weakly and disappointed.

"Oh. Well." She looked like she was going to ask something but stopped "Ok." She looked really sad and her beautiful emerald eyes were rimmed in red. "Rehyn. If you aren't going to save us can you save me?"

"What? what do you mean?" I asked confused.

"If your not going to save all of us can you save me. Please."

"What do you need saved?" Oh Lord I hope it's nothing big. I don't want to give false expectations.

Again.

"Well everyone hates me here. I don't know why or what I did they just do. My only friends were my brothers. Can you be my friend? Please I know that's a lot to ask and I don't even know if you were going to stay but if you do please consider it." She started babbling on. I partially heard it but my mind was wrapped around one word in particular she said.

"Lauren. What do you mean were. What happened to your brothers?"

"Oh." She got quiet and looked at her hands. She started to fidget. I kind of felt bad for her. "Well..." she started to get chocked up. That probably was not a good idea to ask her that question. "You know how 85 people died. Well... I have four brothers and one dad. Um I guess you could say that 80 of the people weren't related to me."

My heart broke. I could hear it shatter. Yesterday, her whole family, excluding her mother, died. Trying to save me. I couldn't even start to imagine her pain and heartache she must be going through.

"Lauren, I'm so so sorry."

"Please, I don't want my families death to mean nothing. Please stay and save us. You can do it. I know you can."

"I'm sorry, I can't." My voice broke and my throat started to constrict.

"Then leave." Her mood totally changed from scared, sad teenager to angry, unpleasant adult.

"What?"

"Leave and never show your face here again. There are to many people who count on you and if you don't go now they will keep trusting you and we don't want that." I could see how her and Ollie were related. "You're no better than Jessica." She said, that was my queue to leave.

Those words were like I was hit in the head, with a brick. I was exactly like her. I didn't know what else Lauren had known about Jessica but what she did must've been bad.

I honestly have no clue what's wrong with me. I'm going crazy. I remember when I knew that I could save the world and I had hope and faith but what they say, or used to say, prison changes people.

What am I supposed to do. I can't be a savior when I have no idea what being the savior even means.

I didn't even realize I was running until all of the sudden the little town looked like an ant kingdom with all of the streets that where made of ice. That was a cute, quaint, little town.

I stopped running and turned around to give the town one last look. I was going to miss the town. Not necessarily the people.

I turned back around and started walk. I only took four steps until I ran into an invisible wall.

The Dome.

I completely forgot about it, but that hurt so I'm not going to forget again. I looked up to see if I could see inside the Dome. I could, and the person that was standing right in front of me was the last person on this Earth I would want to see. It was Torrent.