Rebellion

Chapter 9

When we got back, Caleb was taken to our medical team to bandage his shoulder and make sure he didn't have a concussion. Bree went with them. I put my weapons in my tent and took a couple deep breaths before going outside again.

I decided that I should talk to Phoenix. This was bothering me more than I expected.

I walked over to Phoenix's tent. He was loading his gun. I winced slightly as the image of the dead Guard appeared in my mind again. I hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Phoenix, can I talk to you?" My voice was barely above a whisper.

He looked up at me and set the gun down. "Of course. What is it? Sit down."

I nodded and sat in a chair across from him. "Well... While we were on the scouting mission, you know that Caleb got hurt."

"Yes. I'm aware. What about it?"

"I killed the Officer that hurt him... I-I've never killed anyone before, and... well... I feel bad. And kinda sick."

A look of understanding crossed his face and he took my hands. "The first time is always the hardest. It's perfectly normal for you to feel this way. It doesn't get easier, but it hurts less after a while." He paused. "But we're all here for you. We'll help you get through it. We'll protect you, just like you protected Caleb. We're a family here. Don't be afraid to come to any one of us. You are not alone."

I felt tears stinging my eyes and I wrapped my arms around Phoenix, hugging him tightly. He was right. We were a family. He felt like a father almost, or maybe an uncle. Either way, I was glad I had him. I don't know what I would do without him. "Thank you so much, Phoenix."

"You don't need to thank me." He rubbed my back comfortingly before letting go.

I smiled and stood. "I should go see how Caleb is doing."

Phoenix nodded and I turned to leave. Caleb and Bree were walking back from the medical tent. I waved to get their attention and they came over to me. "Hey, how you feeling?" I asked Caleb.

"I've had better days. I've got a killer headache and some new stitches."

"He's gonna go lay down in his tent," Bree said, more directed at him than me.

He groaned, and she smacked his un-injured arm lightly. "Now," she said firmly.

As Caleb walked to his tent, I could see the worry in Bree's eyes.

When he was gone I smiled reassuringly at Bree and hugged her gently. "He'll be okay."

"I know... I just hate seeing him like that."

"You really care about him don't you?" It wasn't really a question. I knew she did.

"Yes. We grew up together. I've never cared about anyone like I do him."

"Are you... you know, together?" I asked, grinning teasingly in an attempt to lighten the mood."

Her face turned almost as red as her hair and she stuttered, frustrated. "N-no! Why would you even say that? We're just friends."

I laughed. "If you say so."

She attempted to respond, but stopped herself before walking away, clearly embarrassed.

As I was walking towards the center of the camp where most of the other rebels were gathered around, the quiet of the woods was suddenly broken by the sound of gunshots and a scream.

I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and a chill ran down my spine. The others tensed and looked around as well. Many took out weapons.

A female rebel ran towards us through the trees, two City Guards following her, guns aimed. The other rebels shot at the Guards, killing them almost as soon as they were visible, but the woman had been shot by the Guards. She collapsed to the grass, bloodied and broken.

Phoenix called for the medical team and they hurried to tend to her. I don't think she was alive. I couldn't tell. I seemed to be frozen in place. My heart was racing and I realized that I was breathing too quickly, but I couldn't control it.

Someone wrapped their arms around me and I faintly heard my name. After probably a couple minutes – it was hard to tell the time – the dizziness faded and my breathing slowed.

Bree was sitting beside me, looking worried. "You okay, Xan?"

"Yeah I'm fine." But my voice was far too shaky for that to be believable.

"Phoenix has decided to postpone getting Landon because of what happened today. Caleb is hurt and we lost the whole other scouting group. The City has either gotten better Guards, or they were expecting us. We have 24 hour watch around the camp now in case they come to us before we can get them. It's okay though. You should take this extra time to lay down and relax. You've had a rough day."

As she spoke, she slowly led me to our tent. I obediently lied down in the tent, too exhausted to resist. I was asleep before she had even left.

I awoke in the middle of the night screaming, with Bree's hand over my mouth. When I was fully conscious I stopped screaming, and Bree slowly moved her hand. "Sorry," she said quietly. "We just can't let them hear us or we'll be found. Are you okay?"

I nodded, though I wasn't really sure. "Just a bad dream..." I still felt the fear in the back of my mind, the racing of my heart. But I couldn't remember the dream.

Bree nodded, understanding, and hugged me. "Try to go back to sleep."

I lied back down and closed my eyes. I could feel the heat of Bree's body beside me. Grasshoppers and frogs filled the night with noise. Sleep didn't come as easily as it had earlier that night.

I laid there for hours before finally falling asleep again.

When I woke up not long after, I looked around to see if Caleb was awake yet. Bree and Dominic were eating breakfast with the rest of the group, but I didn't see Caleb.

Even though we hadn't gotten off to a great start, I figured I should at least see if he was okay. Bree cared about him a lot and Phoenix trusted him, so he had to be a good guy. I hadn't really had a chance to get to know him before he nearly died.

I entered his tent as quietly as I could, in case he was asleep, but he apparently heard me anyways because he turned his head to look at me.

"Oh, you're awake," I said lamely, struggling to find a proper greeting.

"Yeah. I am. And so are you. Now that we have that established, what do you want?"

I bit my lip and looked down, embarrassed. I didn't know how to respond to that.

He seemed to notice and he cleared his throat before quietly saying "Sorry."

I looked up then. "You don't need to apologize. I was just gonna check to see if you were okay. And it looks like you are, so I'll just go."

"Wait," he said suddenly as I turned to go. "You don't have to leave. You were just trying to be nice and I've been nothing but a jerk to you. So I'm sorry."

I turned back around and looked at him. He had his eyes directed away from me, and I could tell that it was hard for him to admit his faults.

"You don't need to apologize, Cale. It's just how you are. I know you don't mean it when you joke around. Don't worry about it."

"Thanks... And Xandia?"

"Yeah?"

"You're a good fighter. If you hadn't shot that Guard we might all be dead right now. I'm sorry for underestimating you."

"It's okay. I was underestimating myself too." I laughed nervously. "I was just as surprised as the rest of you when I pulled that trigger. Anyways, I guess I'll see you later." I got up and opened the entrance to the tent.

"See you."

He was a good guy after all. I was glad I had him on my side. With Caleb, Bree, and Dominic with me, I don't think I have anything to be afraid of. At least, that's what I thought. Until the real fight began...