I Am Annika

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The rumble of the tires on the broken streets turns quiet as the truck rolls onto the new pavement of the compound.

I jump from the back of the truck, landing lightly.

The initiates watch me with drawn eyes and tight mouths. I know why. They are afraid.

"Come on, I'll show you your dorm." I said, jerking me head towards the metal buildings. They were long, and not that tall. Glass solar panels shone on the roofs, and small windows with dark, tinted glass lined the sides of the buildings.

One by one, the initiates slowly jumped from the truck, a kind of fearful awe dawning on their pale faces as they looked around.

I started walking, not looking back to see if anyone was following. But I could hear their footsteps behind me, a tentative sound.

I approached the nearest building and nodded to the guards which stood on either side of the large metal door. They straightened, wanting to look impressive to the initiates with their flawless uniform and large guns.

I pushed against the door. What the initiates didn't know was that it was thick- nearly as thick as them. Layers of thick, heavy metal. Vanessa had had them installed. Their purpose was to let only those strong enough, like those of the government, in, and those who had never had the training, like rebels, out. I thought it was silly. There weren't even any locks on the door.

The metal ground across the floor as I pushed against it. I had done this millions of times- this was child's play for me.

The door opened to reveal the dorm- a room filled with loneliness and metal. Rows of bunks lined the walls, and in the centre was a couch with frayed cushions.

"Home sweet home," I heard someone mutter.

I stepped aside to let them in. They filed past me, heads down, shoulders bent. I think they had just realized this wasn't the fairytale they had been hoping for.

"You have the rest of today to get yourselves acquainted. Training starts tomorrow," I said. I turned to leave.

"Wait." I turned my head towards the speaker. My eyes rested on him. He looked familiar somehow. Light green eyes looked back at me.

I knew him.

The rebel.

The promise for freedom.

He ran a hand through his coal black hair. He could tell I had recognized him. That was all he had wanted to achieve.

"Never mind."

I kept my features emotionless. If I showed even the slightest amount of feeling, he could die. So I pretended I was someone else, someone who didn't care, someone who was cold and heartless.

The person everyone thought I was.

Without a word, I start back towards the door, heaving it open and tumbling like the hot mess I am into the cool outdoors.

He's here.

I had given him his freedom, and instead, he had come back. For what price?

My footsteps were light and quick. I needed to get away from this.

But there was nowhere.

Nowhere I wasn't hated.

Nowhere that I could escape the government.

I was trapped in a cage of lies and hatred, and the key had been thrown away a long, long time ago.