Makeshift

Chapter 3

The black-eyed officer coughs lightly as if to silently remind me they are still in the room. I look up and wonder how long I was out that time, but don’t let my wondering linger. I need to get out of here. So I use my advantage and decide to deal with my weakness later. I waltz as gracefully as I can over to the black-eyed officer, trying to hide my fear. My hands shake. I hope they can’t tell. I stop a foot away from the officer’s face and realize he is at least six inches taller than me, a giant. It will be hard to look intimidating standing in his shadow, but there is no taking back my steps now. “Where,” I choose my words carefully, “do you plan on taking me?” I think for a moment how ridiculous this is. Here I am, standing before an officer much larger than me, trying to look intimidating. But it works. He shudders a little when my words leave my mouth, possibly afraid it is a curse or something. I always thought of the officers as genuine cold hearts with no emotions at all, but this shatters my theory. I stand unarmed, and they stand armed, cowering beneath me. It makes me feel powerful, even though I still don’t know what the big deal is. And why haven’t they killed me yet if they’re so terrified? There is only one reasonable answer to that question. They’ve been asked to capture me alive.

This should make me feel better, knowing they do not plan to kill me, but it doesn’t. It makes the situation more serious and leads me to the question what need do they have of me alive? What do they intend to do to me if I do report in alive? Ryker said they would kill me. Should I believe him though? His acting skills are obviously insurmountable. Judging from the fact he had the older officer and I believing he was an arrogant boy who did not know what he was doing. But when the officer disappeared and Ryker was alone with me, I saw in his eyes that was not really who he was. One part of me says I shouldn’t trust him, but the other prays that I can.

Linden still sits completely calm next to our father. I decide to take a chance. It probably won’t work. But I take it. I start to walk over to him, slowly, so the officers do not shoot at Linden out of fear. When I reach Linden, I take his hand and start leading him towards the doorway. I walk backwards, keeping my eyes on Linden and the guards, who stand staring at me, as if I am some sort of marvel. I am three steps from the doorway. Two. One. But something pushes me back into the kitchen. Ryker. Where did he come from? And why is he pushing me towards the threat? Because he is one of them, I think to myself. His hands are strong and insistent, pushing me forward. He is cold as if he went outside for some air before coming to hand me over to the officers. I look at him dead in the eye as he pushes me harder and glare. He has no right. He is not an officer, he should not be pushing me, condemning me, touching me. He has no right.

His face shows no expression and I hate him for it. Usually I can read people easily, but he somehow evades my knowing of what he is thinking. He is probably thinking of how he will be rewarded for turning me in, because it occurs to him I am suddenly important. He will become an officer and live proudly pillaging the people’s homes. But that doesn’t fit. If he really wanted to be an officer, and he had seen the older officer taking notes, he would have not purposefully acted like he did during his evaluation.  It’s all so confusing and I hate him for making it that way.

Why is it the officers still make no movement even when Ryker holds my arms firmly at my sides? I still do not understand why they are so scared of me. Of course I’m going to try to escape, but it’s not as if my escape will permanently hurt any of them. I start to struggle and kick. Ryker is stronger than me, but I have to try. I’m not going to allow him to take Linden. Or me. I stay still for a moment and prepare my right foot to kick him in his shin. It will hurt if I force my foot hard enough. And oh, I’m going to. But as soon as my foot leaves the ground, I falter, because I hear heavy, warm breaths right against my ear. “Bay,” Ryker says my name, quiet enough so his fellow officers cannot hear him, in a demanding voice. But also a reassuring one. He keeps his face right by my ear and I wonder when he will learn to keep his boundaries around me. I don’t like to be touched. It reminds me of my father.