Soul Survivor

Chapter 8

I take a tiny sip from my water. Just enough to dampen my cracked lips and dried tongue. I have been walking for 3 hours now. I no longer recognize the streets, the roads, the houses. I just keep walking. Following the road signs to the capital city: London. I figured if anyone knows anything they'll be there - the most densely populated area of the country.

When I think of the city, an image of a rainy day pops into my mind. The pitter patter of water on umbrellas. Business people in their formal dress, holding brief cases and plain black umbrellas. Tourists wearing clear plastic macs, carrying gift shop bags and the union jack on their clothing. Red monsters parade the streets as double decker buses. Their windows fogged up from the contrast of breath to the crisp chill that lingers in the air. Leather gloves and bright scarves. Trench coats and strange looking hats. Voices all around. The rain beats on the roofs of both ancient and modern architecture. Huge glass panels loom over the narrow streets. In the distance is the sight of the city skyline. Numerous towers in the grey mist. The large structures of bridges over the river look like great metal arms.

In the burning summer sun, I turn a corner. I stop in my tracks and shriek as a hand covers my face. It is gloved and smells like scorched rubber. The hand is so big it covers my entire face, from mouth to eyes. I claw at the glove - and the arm attached - in an attempt to tear it from my face. I feel myself being dragged backwards and plant my feet on the ground. However, I then stumble to keep my body from falling over. I feel my backpack being ripped off my shoulders. I growl and thrash around but I know my efforts are futile. A shift in temperature tells me I'm now in a shaded area. Probably indoors.

I hear a faint chatter of voices. The gloved hand releases my face and I lunge forward to make an escape. It grips my left wrist and I bounce off an invisible wall and back around to where I started, my arm pulled behind my back uncomfortably. Now I'm trapped.

A girl with dyed green hair stands in front of me. She is tall and wears baggy trousers and a black crop-top. Her heavy eyeliner is intimidating. The skin on her right ear is tattooed with intricate patterns weaving black lacy ink into her hair line. She looks me up and down, a grin spread across her plump lips. Behind her are a few make shift benches with people playing cards or throwing knives. "What's your business walkin' 'round these streets?" She asks casually with a heavy Jamaican accent. "What's your business asking?" I blurt. Her smile turns into a snicker. "Hey Taff; we got a witty one here." She addresses someone behind me. "Witty, or just plain annoying?" A deep voice replies. She raises one eyebrow and then reverts back to staring at me. "What should I call you, girl?". I pause for a moment. Should I give her a fake name? No, there's no point. I'm far enough away from home now that nobody will know me anyway. "Toni."

"Strange name for a girl. I'm Zerena." She tells me whilst flipping a braid of green out of her eye. The crowd snicker a little and then revert back to silence. "Hey Taff, can I talk to you for a moment?" Zerena calls to an unknown life form in the crowd behind me. I hear heavy footsteps coming toward me and then, as they pass, I catch a glimpse of Taff. A giant. A soldier. A human tank with bulging arm muscles and worn, round aviator goggles on his head. He and Zerena walked off into another empty room behind a cracked wall, leaving me and 'the glove' with the rest of the group. Chatter starts up again.

I sigh and kick the floor. "So... Do you have a name?" I ask my captor. Don't expect a reply. "People call me Lino." He says in an almost friendly way. Yet something about him seems cold. Maybe that's because he is taking away my freedom of movement. "Can you do me a favour Lino? Let go of my hand. Didn't your parents teach you how to treat a lady?" I wriggle a little to prove my point. "Lady? You're just a girl. Anyway Toni I'm under orders to keep you right here until Zerena says otherwise, so you might as well get used to it."

"What do you owe her?" The words fall out of my mouth before I can stop them. It might not be a great idea to provoke someone who already has the upper hand. He could snap my arm effortlessly... Probably. Someone from a table shouts to Lino "Kick her so she'll shut up!" and he bellows back "I'll kick you in a minute! Now let me do my job." He pauses as the challenger sits back down to his poker game."You see, Zerena is the leader and we are her followers. She's a great fighter. She may seem scary and mean but she fights for the right things. That's why I'm here. Sure, her methods are questionable but without force we won't get what we need. People don't listen unless they have to." Lino explains as if I never said anything out of place.

Zerena and Taff wonder back into the room and stand in front of us. All is quiet. "After much descussion." Announces Zerena. "We have come to the conclusion that it is only wise to give you a trial." Chatter. What?! A trial? For what? I haven't committed any crimes I was walking and then got kidnapped! This is so unfair. Silence. Taff continues, "If Toni can successfully complete a challenge of our choice, she may decide to either join us or be set free." A few murmers from the crowd wonder what the trial will be. "If she fails she will become a slave." A roar of cheers fill the room and echos spill onto the empty streets. Oh dear.