The Reduction

CHAPTER THREE

Zara

When the horn went off Zara was already awake. She was daydreaming about what life would be like outside the community. She wanted to be free, to be understood. Rumors said that there is a facility on the other coast full of people like her, people who are different living in security, yet full freedom.

She was planning on going to bed early that night but decided to wait and try to forgive and convince Aaron to hang out. Then the horn went off, definitely ruining her plan. When it sounded, her main guard, Harper, rushed through her bedroom door panicking.

"You need to gather your things, we are leaving now!" She said while she began to stanch stuff from Zara's drawers and throw them onto the bed.

"What? Why? What's going on?" Zara asked as she swiftly threw some things into her backpack that was resting against the wall.

"The community is getting raided. We need to get you out, they're looking for you." Harper said in a serious tone throwing more clothes onto the bed.

Panic flooded Zara's whole body, she felt as if she was going to pass out then and there.

"Are...are you serious?" She asked out of sheer terror. She couldn't wrap her head around this.

"Yes, so start moving now!" Harper said as she dashed out of the flat into the dark night. Zara could hear slight conversations outside but everything seemed to be calm. Everything except for her mind. It was racing so much that she wasn't even thinking when she started to pack her pistol and hunting knife in her backpack that was almost full.

She finished up in her room and ran to the kitchen with her backpack open, clothes almost falling out. She dropped it on the counter and started putting all the emergency items of food and other supplies in it until nothing else could fit.

Zara thought about how lucky she was that Harper packed an emergency stash filled with food and other supplies. Zara rapidly zipped up the backpack and threw it over her shoulder just as the back door flung open revealing Harper and Danker.

"Let's go kiddo." Danker said seeming a little giggly. Harper shoved Zara out the door towards the dark back yard so nobody could see. Danker grabbed the hood of her jacket pulling it over her head to conceal her face. Getting the memo, Zara adjusted it and  ducked her head, starring at the ground as she ran. Harper lead them to a path towards the full woods behind her house on the last section of the community.

"Danker, take her into these woods, down to the car that we hid and drive her to the motel we talked about a few months ago. There you'll hold tight. I'll meet you there in two days. If I don't-" She looked around and listened.

"You'll figure it out, go!" She said pulling Zara into a hug before she handed her off to Danker. Zara's heart was beating as fast as a bullet train. Harper was the closest thing she had to a sister and the thought of loosing her made Zara's stomach flip .

"I'll see you soon." Zara said pulling away from the hug. Danker ushered her to follow as they ran into the woods. Zara looked back to to see that Harper had left. She was always so quiet. The sound of the Operator's voice boomed over the speakers at the gathering area.

The darkness made it even harder to run without tripping or cutting their legs. Zara was so scared and could tell Danker was sobering up as they ran. In the distance she heard the citizens of the community start to scream.

She turned around to look back at what she had left behind through the thick trees. As she stopped running, a powerful force smashed her to the ground sending her to fall back into Danker, followed by a loud boom.

After hitting the ground with a hard thud, she crawled towards Danker to make sure he was okay. He sat up a couple feet away from her and gave her a reassuring nod. Zara turned her head to see what was left of the place she once felt secure in. It was gone.