Life As We Know It

9

I stand there frozen for what seems like forever. Time stands still as guns are trained on what seem to be foes. All of the sudden the first shot is fired and that starts a frenzy. I drop to the ground in hopes of not getting hit, but before I can reach the bottom someone lifts me up and drags me away from the chaos. We burst out the door into Charles's car and drive off. I'm so disoriented, I don't even see who takes me. By the time the tears clear, I see a stranger driving the car.

I let out a shriek, but he quickly covers my mouth. So much runs through my mind as he tries to soothe me. My life has changed so fast- literally in the past fifteen minutes. I went from being happily engaged to afraid for my life. I begin to hyperventilate as I think about my family that was left behind at City Hall. Are they dead? Or are they still fighting? Did they flee? Was my stalker in there?

I begin to let my tears flow and I look back at my kidnapper. He is grotesquely pale with jet black hair. He is wearing a suit that is way too baggy for him and he has dark circles under his dark eyes. The sight of him frightens me more and I begin to scream again.

"JUST SHUT UP AND LET ME EXPLAIN WHAT IS GOING ON!" he yells at me, trying to drive while still covering my mouth. I decide to be quiet and listen. I take a few deep breaths and he removes his hand from my mouth. If there is anytime to get answers, now is the time. I need to put on my brave face and figure out what happened in there and why it did. "Thank you for finally relaxing," he says. I can't help but come back with a remark.

"Any natural person would be screaming if they were about to get married then all of the sudden guns go off and they are kidnapped by a complete stranger."

"I didn't kidnap you. I saved your life in there," he says.

"I gathered that much, but I still don't know who you are or where you're taking me. Seems a little bit like kidnapping to me," I say. He lets out a sigh.

"Do you want to know what is going on or not? Because I can take you back to City Hall where your life would be over in an instant." I shudder at the thought and decide to keep my mouth shut. I think I picked a bad time to be a smart ass. "I know Charles briefed you on the way to City Hall, even though he shouldn't have," he begins. Now I am afraid Charles has lost his life for trying to help me. I shake my leg nervously thinking about an endless list of possibilities.

He then starts telling me everything that Charles told me on the car ride over.

"Why not tell me something I don't know?" I interrupt. "Like why people were shooting people back there? Why it seems like my whole family knows what is going on but me? Why even Jackson knows? Or even what your name is?" I say.

"My name is Todd. Everything else is classified information that will be granted to you once you show us cooperation." Since all of this is concerning me, I feel like I should be a little more educated on what is going on. I'm afraid and lost and I have the right to know more. Maybe I can get away with asking one more question.

"Who do you work for?" I ask, with hesitation. He looks at me.

"Legally, I work for The Association. Secretly, I work for the rebels out West. I know you're getting frustrated, but I really can't tell you more other than that you can trust me. I wholeheartedly promise that much."

On that note I stay quiet for another thirty minutes until we pull into what seems to be an abandoned building. "No talking," Todd says. He gets me out of the car and we walk towards the building. Instead of walking into it, we walk around the back and head down steps which leads us to a maze of underground tunnels.

He walks me down the terribly lit hallway and through the door at the end. After taking a few twists and turns, we walk into a common room where he waves someone over. He accompanies us as we walk through the lounge area, where all the eyes are on us.

We finally approach large double doors with guards on either side. They open up the doors for us without hesitation and it seems like I entered a cliche movie set. There is a large wooden desk in the middle of a great room with ornate objects cluttering almost every square inch and fantastic paintings hanging on the wall of iconic people in history. Sitting behind the desk is another man who has a receding hairline and wrinkled skin. He's probably in his sixties. There is nothing but males here. I feel like the only woman for miles.

The man behind the desk looks up from his paperwork and gives a half smile. He sets down his pen and stands up to greet me. He extends his hand for me to shake. I reject it and keep looking at him. He looks all too familiar to me. "Welcome back. It sure has been a while."