The Liberation

Teaser

After all I've seen and done, maybe I shouldn't be afraid to die. I am. My destiny is right there in front of me, a stone's throw away, but I can't move forward.

"I can't do this." I drop to my knees, letting my head fall into my hands. If I'm going to surrender, it might as well be right here.

"And what exactly are you doing?"

The voice sets dread loose in my stomach. "No..."

I hope I imagined it. But when I slowly turn to see, there he is, staring me right in the face with his matching set of ice-blue eyes. It's Blaze. And he's angry.

"No." He voice is low and angry. "You were going to leave? Just like that? Start a rebellion, and then abandon it? I thought you were better than that."

"Please," I beg. "Go back. He'll kill you, or worse. I don't want to lose you too."

"Shut up." He glares at me. "I'm over the pity party. On your feet. If you're turning yourself in, have the dignity to do it standing. And you aren't alone. He's my father too. You're my sister. We're a deranged, broken family, but we're all we have."

I bite down on my lip, frustration and agony at war in my gut. I came here to spare the people I love, not to drag them down with me. But what I forgot to consider is that my brother is just as stubborn and bitter as I am, and he won't be shaken off so easily.

"You know that twin telepathy crap?" he says, his anger waning for a moment. "Well it's real. I could feel when Wes was having a bad day. Sometimes it was horrible. I'd be pissed for no good reason. I'd want to cry even if I wasn't sad. But I don't need that with you. You're an open book, Ero. I know you're doing this because you're under some misguided belief that you're doing the right thing, but I promise you, this is a trap. And if you're fine with that, then we'll go in. And if you're not, we'll go back right now. Say the word."

"That's not fair." I swallow the anger down, and in its place is only sorrow. "I have no choice."

"Ryker can kill anytime he likes! You think you arriving on his doorstep will make him less likely to do it? Use your head!"

His voice echoes through the woods a few seconds before I hear the click of a gun being cocked.

"No." My voice is a whisper as they descend upon us in full riot gear, two of them blindsiding my brother before he even knows they are there.