I Pledge My Love (Revising)

Prisoners

"Ally let us out! Tell them to let us out!" Lukkas yelled through the bars.

"Ally! Ally how could you!" I screamed down the dark hall.

"Would you two shut up?" A gruff voice growled.

We both went silent. We had thought we were alone and had been yelling for nearly an hour.

"Who are you?"

"Me? I don't have a name. I don't have anything anymore."

"What do you mean?" Lukkas said, voice resounding off the walls.

"I watch kids like you come here and suffer. All day until they're sent off. I hate myself for doing this for others. Its messed up." Came a sad response.

"What are they going to do?" My voice quivered.

"A lot kid. A lot."

"I'm scared Lukkas." I whispered, my hand reaching through the bars of our cells, intertwining on the damp cement.

"I know."

"What if they kill us? What if they kill our families?" My voice was small and full of worry. "What if they hurt you?"

"It'll be okay. You just have to pretend like you can't feel the pain."

A moment of silence passed. I could hear running water through pipes and boot shuffling and whispering of the few other down here with us.

"Is that what you did Lukkas?" I asked. I waited a beat. "When he hit you?" I clarified.

"Yeah. That's what I did." He leaned his head into my shoulder and I could feel his heart beat fall into rhythm with my own.

"I'm sorry Lukkas." I squeezed his hand.

"Not your fault Rain." He muttered and I could tell he was falling asleep.

I remained silent as I felt his heart rate slow and rested my head on his. "It'll be okay." I whispered to myself.
. . .
I woke up to heavy footsteps thudding on the floor.

"We need Lukkas." A voice ordered.

"No!" I said loudly, startling myself and waking Lukkas up. "I'll go, he stays."

"Be quiet Rain. I'm going." He said, voice hardening as he stood.

"Lukkas please!" I protested.

I heard heavy hands grab his shoulders and through the darkness I saw them yank Lukkas off the ground.

"Stop! Stop, I'll go!" I yelled, running to the front of my bars. I tried to keep my tears hidden but couldn't.

"Shut up would you?" One of the guards shoved me down and away from the metal bars. My elbow scraped the floor, but I didn't care.

"No!" I yelled again, struggling to stand.

"Rain." Lukkas' voice echoed softly and seemed to overpower all other sounds and thoughts in my head. "It'll be okay. I'll be okay."

A door opened at the end of the hall and I squinted from the light. I could see two bulky men carrying Lukkas out, hands wrapped around his forearms. I saw Lukkas' head hanging in defeat, barely moving.

He looked back once more, smiling through his tears. "I'll be okay."

"No you won't kid." Muttered the guard as Lukkas was shoved out of view.
. . .
All I could do to pass the time was train, or at least try to. I quickly lost track of time as my meals were sparse and random.