Destination 1974

Chapter 29

| A distraction that'll blow 'em away... |

~***~

The shrill sound of trumpets over the intercom jolts us awake, and I rub my eyes while slipping out of bed. I lean over to start putting my boots on, and Athena makes a whispered noise to catch my attention just like yesterday. I look up at her with a raised eyebrow. Woah, Deja Vu.

"I don't know if I can do this," we stand up after tying our shoes. "I'm scared, Mona."

"Fear shouldn't stop you from having the life you deserve," I put my hand firmly on her shoulder, "someone once told me that the road wasn't made to be easy, and we've come too far from where we started from to give up." Athena smiles.

"You'll be free soon, Athena... I'll make sure of that," I release her shoulder, and we start walking out after the second trumpet goes off.

We line up outside with the other kids, and we all hold our hands to our hearts. They begin to play the national anthem on the trumpet, and I look at Gidget, Margaret, and then Athena before staring at the soldier pulling the flag up the pole. "If we miss one beat, this will all fail miserably," Clyde's voice echoes in my head, "so make every second count tomorrow."

After the anthem is over, we begin to pledge allegiance to the American flag. "To get in there, you would need to do something really bad. Something that's against not only the camp but the entire country," Athena's voice echoes as I still feel us standing around the table. "I know exactly how to get in."

I sigh. It's now or never, Mona.

"F*** the flag!" I scream, causing everyone to pause. Gidget looks over at me, and I can see his sweat glossing his forehead as he gulps. "F*** America! Don't you all see we're being brainwashed into doing what's against our morals?" I scream as I flail my arms around. The soldiers exchange some odd looks before a few start storming through the crowd towards me.

"Now!" Athena whispers under her breath, and I make a break for it, running away from the guards and shoving kids out of my way. I sprint to nowhere in particular, but I know I have to run until I'm given the signal.

"F*** you!" I scream as I flash the soldiers my middle fingers, before side-stepping out of the way. It causes them to collide with the building, and I notice some kids hold back the urge to laugh.

"I won the science fair every year in school. Maybe I can figure out how to short-circuit the system," Gidget's voice echoes in my head as I notice his spot in the lineup is now vacant. Distraction, keep being a distraction, Mona. I pivot my way to the flag, I pull Clyde's match out of my chest pocket and light up the rope leading to the Flag. Everyone stares in shock as the American flag lights up in flames, and I zigzag my way through the crowd.

"Get her!" a man yells, and more soldiers are now after me. I turn around and notice Margaret's spot in the lineup is vacant. Just a few more minutes. The men struggle to keep up with me as I sprint away from them with all of my agility. If only I had this much agility before, then I never would've been here. I never would've met Clyde, and I would never have my face all over the news as the first known member of The Pasco Family.

I look back and notice Athena's spot is vacant. I sigh with a strange mixture of relief and nervousness. It's now or never. I reluctantly slow down, pretending to be too tired to go on as I begin to stumble my way to the ground in false agony. The soldiers suddenly grab my arms, and they pull me up harshly. My arms feel like they may rip off at any given moment with how rough they're being with me. They drag me to the base building, and I take one last glance towards the children before disappearing behind the automatic sliding doors.

~***~

Clyde struggles to drag Mona with him away from the building, but she refuses to move. He turns to her, grabbing her shoulders as he cries out, "Mona?" while he shakes her frantically. She stares past Clyde, straight ahead with empty eyes.

"Father, I am sorry, but I do not understand why you keep calling me that," Mona replies in a monotone voice. Clyde's face scrunches upwards in utter confusion.

"Stop calling me father," he does not release her from his grip, "It's me, Clyde! Whatever this is, you need to snap out of it, Mona!"

"My name is Ellie-Jo, father," she looks into his eyes, tilting her head innocently, "you named me that, remember?"

Clyde's grip loosens until his hands fall to her wrists. His eyes become glossy as he sees the life he once saw in her completely gone. "What have they done to you...?" he asks in a low whisper, brushing his thumb along her bloody and bruised cheek.

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