The Rebels

Chapter Two: That's One Way to Put It

That's One Way To Put It

Family appearances are the worst. Not only were they usually filled with bad news. But my parents had to act all friendly with me. It's not like I want to be away from them but it's so abnormal and scary being hugged by my mother while Elliot pats my shoulder. My parents were not soft, warm people. They were better at an arm's length distance. Yet, no matter how weird it is for me, we must give off a perfect family image. My parents always said that if anything, we must be perfect and something strong for the public to look up to. I loved my family a lot. I honestly did; having Elliot for a father had its perks and my mother had raised me to be perfect. However they were strict and everything must be perfect, and sometimes it scared me.

The public appearances were always on a balcony on the south side of the house facing the city. There were three wicker chairs one the balcony, one for my mother, one for father and one for me. We never tell the public about the appearances. They usually expect one or they just notice us sitting up there and then gather.

"Welcome!" announced Elliot; he had a strong voice that made you want to listen but always remind you of your place. "I'm here to announce a huge surprise!" I tried not to look confusion as Elliot gathered the crowds' attention. I knew now was not ask questions. This was being broadcasted all over the world; or at least to all The Gardens. I knew that asking questions about Elliot's dissections would make him look weak so I couldn't ask.

"We all know about the rebel's latest attack to get the cure." The crowd rumbled and yelled in agreement at Elliot's statement "We all know that they must pay for the cure like the rest of us did, we all know that they are being stupid and foolish, they are wasting lives, from both ends, trying to accomplish something that they will never achieve!" The way Elliot talked to the crowd it was like he was talking to each one individually. He made the rebels sound like petty little first graders that were trying to steal cookies instead killers trying to steal a thousand dollar cure. The crowd rumbled with distaste for the rebels as Elliot continued on.

"We must put a stop to these little attacks; lives are valuable and must be saved. Therefore I have come up with a plan, a perfect plan." As Elliot delivered the news to the crowd it was getting harder and harder not to ask questions and show confusion.

"I'm sending my son, Jason, into The Ruins to find the rebels and bring down their leader and to bring back the news of their defeat." Shocked was one way to put it. All I could do was gap at him, he had lost it. I was sure. There was no way I could go into The Ruins. The Ruins were the exact opposite of The Gardens. They were the place that the infected had stayed while the rest of us stayed in The Gardens. They were a mystery for most, they were told to be dangerous and a hazardous. You could get lost in all the ruined and destroyed old cities and settlements, and dead bodies of the infected were said to litter the streets. It was told to be a nightmare. Somewhere that not even the bravest of people would go.

I felt my mother gasp from behind me, she hadn't known just like me. Again shock wouldn't even begin to cover it. Confusion, hatred, disgust. I couldn't place which was most prominent. Why would Elliot do this and not tell me and my mother? This was insane. The crowd was also in an uproar.

"Are you sure?"

"Is he ready?"

"He's going to die out there!"

"Who will replace you after?" Each question lead to more shouts and roars from the crowd, however I agreed with the crowd, I've had classes I've been taught to fight, find my way by the stars, and live on my own with few supplies. I've been trained for these things. But was I really ready? This would be more extreme and harder than anything I had been trained for. It was The Ruins after all.

"Of course Jason is ready! How could you doubt him? He is my son, is he not?" Elliot yelled down to the crowd in fury. He grabbed my arm and pulled me forward to emphasis his point of me being his son. The crowd was completely silent "He will do fine. Now that is enough, Jason will find the rebel's leader and he will kill him. End of story!"

And with that me and my parents quick left.

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I traveled to school the same way I did every day on the bus. On occasion I would walk but that was only if I had the time. I sat down in the same seat and watched as the same people that usually rode the bus and sit down in the same seats. It was a boring day for The Gardens the same as always. Yet this time I couldn't pull out my book and read like I usually did. There was too much on my mind.

Traveling The Ruins all by myself was a common topic on my mind.

No one has gone into The Ruins since The Gardens were fully established. If you left you had a chance of catching The Illness, running into rebels, getting lost, and the list just goes on and on. We had everything we need here in The Gardens so what was the point of leaving them.

Elliot was right though, the attacks were getting bad. More and more people were dying as the attacks continued. The attacks were getting more frequent. The rebels were getting closer and closer to the hospitals and labs that held the cure.

I looked up from my feet and saw that half of the bus was looking at me; they weren't even trying to hide it. An old lady in the corner looked at me with pity. Another younger man with a child hanging onto his arm looked at me with curiosity. I hated their looks.

Everyone thought I couldn't do it. Then again, I couldn't argue. I agreed with them. Sure I was a good fighter but the rebels were better. Sure I had been training since before I could remember, but that doesn't cancel out all the other dangers in The Ruins.

There was just too many possibilities.

Bad possibilities.

A small girl stood up and left her mothers side, the shuffled over to me and sat down on the empty seat beside me.

The whole bus waited to see what she was going to say to me.

"Are you scared?" she asked in a sharp whinny voice. Her mother gasped and got up from her seat but didn't near us.

"Wouldn't you be?" I replied it was hard not to tell her off and shove her back toner mother "I'm going to the most feared place in the world"

"My mommy says you have no hope" the girl stated like it was nothing. but of course it was something.

Her mother sat back down and clutched her chest, her eyes were wide open and filled with fear.

A man beside the girls mother shot up and started towards us. He had to be a the girls father. However before he made it half way I replied to the small girl.

"Your mother says that? Well, I agree with her."

By then the girls father had come and picked her avoiding all eye contact and totally ignoring the fact I was sitting there.

When the girl and her father sat down. both of the girls parents started scolding her. I could see the mother sneezing glances back at me while years built in her eyes.

Once the bus came to a halt and I grabbed my stuff then walked to the doors of the bus. I felt all eyes on me as everyone was just openly staring. That is except for the girl and her parents.

The small family all had their heads bowed and were all trying not to be noticed

I nodded to the driver in thanks and hopped out, immediately all heads snapped in my direction and all eyes were trained on me.