He Who Strikes First: REBELLION | Original Version

Chapter XV

Jian looked at the wall. He was in deep thought about the past week, all he asked about was if Shang could give section F some more portions of food. After all, they were the hunters; and they hunted most of the meat. He worked for Li, whom was twenty or so. They were extremely close, and Li was amazing at hunting. Jian wasn't the best at it, but he knew how to set a good trap. There wasn't much use to the traps on bigger animals like deer, but it caught rabbits, rats and other smaller mammals or birds that were good for snacking on. He sighed, wondering what Li would do without him. Jian was the brains behind everything- being only seventeen he was incredibly smart, and skilled. He could make good weapons for hunting, like bows and arrows, spears and fishing rods. Jian remembered the last time he saw Li, they were fishing for section F. Shang only let section F have 2 portions of the meat per family, and lots of the families had more than 2 people in them. The portions were small, and Jian thought it was unfair. They also got half a loaf of bread per family. It seemed better than section G, but Jian could see that lots of parents went without food, so their children could eat. He rolled over, so he was looking at the top of the cave. He gasped. "Wow..." He muttered, as he sat up. There were thousands of small lights over the ceiling, scattered from the front to the back of the cave. Glow worms. He was sure of it. They covered the ceiling like small lights. He'd never seen so many. "Byung Ho!!" A voice called from the outside. Jian couldn't recognise the voice and he shook Byung Ho awake, and made him listen. "Someone is calling for you." He whispered.

"Come on!" Tao exclaimed, sneaking around the corner. "Li told us they went this way!" He jogged slightly through section G, with Boa and Muta following behind. He was sure that Li had seen them drag Byung Ho this way, and he knew Li well. "But... Tao... this is almost the end of section G, and there's no more caves after it." Boa said, putting her hand on Tao's shoulder. He gasped. Muta and Boa looked to where he was looking, and both gasped as well. "Section H?!" Tao questioned. There had never been a section H. He quickly ran to the closest cave. No one was in there. "Byung Ho!!" Tao called loudly. Boa clasped her hand over his mouth. "Shut it, you don't want the guards coming here do you?!" She exclaimed. "Byung Ho!! Where are you?!" Muta shouted, and Boa quickly turned and looked at him. "Are you crazy?!" She exclaimed, frowning. Muta looked at a large rock. "Was this here before?" He asked. Tao nodded. "This cave section use to be part of G, but I think he must of-" He was cut off. "No... this rock!" Muta exclaimed, patting the rock surface. He poked an eye into the top crack. "Byung Ho!" He called into the crack. Boa shook her head in disbelief. "Muta, stop it-" She quickly turned her head to the rock as a voice was coming from inside it. "Hello?" It called back. Muta put his hands on his hips, and looked at Boa. She crossed her arms. "My golly..." She walked up to the rock. "Byung Ho! Is that you?!" She called at the rock. She was feeling stupid for talking to the rock. "No! But he's here!!" The croaking voice called back. "We're trapped!!" Another voice called out. All three of them looked at the rock. "Alright, who's doing the pushing?" Tao asked, walking to the rock. "Byung Ho!! It's me Tao!! Muta, Boa and I are going to get you out!!" He shouted, putting his hands against the rock. "Well?" He looked at Muta and Boa.

Byung Ho smiled, and looked to Jian. "Byung Ho!! It's me Tao!! Muta, Boa and I are going to get you out!!" Jian chuckled. "You knew they'd come didn't you?" He patted Byung Ho on the shoulder. "Byung Ho?" Jian looked at him, and could see the horror on his face. "No!!" He screamed. Jian was confused. Did Byung Ho not want to get out? "Please!! If you do, and Shang hurts you I'd never forgive myself!!" He called, standing up and walking to the rock in front of the cave mouth. Jian looked down. He now understood, and he could relate to it himself. Byung Ho didn't want his family to get hurt. Byung Ho was suddenly crying, as he heard another unfamiliar voice. "No... No!!!" He started screaming, and hitting the rock. "Jian- We- My friends...!" He was speechless. Jian looked at Byung Ho. "Push, on three!" He exclaimed, standing up. Byung Ho looked to Jian smiling a little. His big green eyes were sparkling in the small light that was coming through the cracks. "One!" Jian shouted, putting his hands to the rock. A scream from the other side of the rock made Byung Ho quickly put his hands on the rock too. "Two!! Three!!" He shouted, and with all his strength pushed against the rock. It moved slightly. "Again!!" He shouted. Byung Ho gave it his all. He needed to save his friends, and knock Shang out of his position as leader. Jian pushed, and the rock moved slightly out of the mouth. "Look!" Byung Ho exclaimed, as a big enough hole appeared at the side of the rock. "Come on, Jian!!" He shouted as he crawled out through the hole. Jian nodded, and followed.

As Tao could hear Byung Ho shouting something his voice became muffled. "What?!" He looked at the rock confused. "Hey!! Get away from there!!" A voice shouted. Tao quickly turned, and gasped. A guard was walking towards them, with Shang following. "Execute them!! In front of the rest of the pack!!" Shang ordered, as the guards grabbed all three of them, and dragged them to the meeting circle. Tao squirmed as the big guard flung Tao over his shoulder. "Let me go!!" He screamed, hitting the guard's shoulder. Boa was crying, and Muta just let them take him. Tao looked at them, and stopped squirming. They were going to die.

"What's going on?" A short stubby young man with brown walked up to Shang asked. "Go to the meeting circle and you'll find out!" Shang growled, spitting in the man's face. Tao looked at the man. "Run Li!! And take Jian with you!! Go far away!!" He yelled, starting to squirm again. Shang grabbed a piece of wood, and wacked Tao across the head with it. "Shut up!!" Li put a hand to his face in horror, and quickly turned around running. He was scared. Tao couldn't blame him, as Tao was scared too. He closed his eyes as he was flung back over the guard's shoulder and onto the ground. He winced in pain as he landed, and was pushed to the centre of the meeting circle. Shang walked over to Muta. "To bad I have to execute you, Muta. You would've been of use!" He laughed, as he walked back over to the weapons in a cave. "Stop!!" A voice called. Shang quickly turned around. "Who...?" He questioned, and wasn't about to stop the execution. "Byung Ho..." He snarled walking toward the boy.