The Identity Crisis

Body Count

Chapter 10

Bryan and I walk down the hall, as people mill about around us. We head towards a room at the end of the hall. Bryan knocks on the door, then opens it and sticks his head in. I lean over his shoulder, peering into the room. Ray sits at his desk, filing through papers. He looks up at Bryan, putting his pen down.

"Yes, Bryan?" Ray asks.

"Hey, I was wondering what our plans are for today." Bryan leans up against the door frame.

"Deliveries are hopefully arriving later. If my intel is correct though, we had a few mishaps near the border." Ray explains.

"What kind of mishaps?" I ask.

"A few trucks were stopped, and the drivers were heavily questioned. The trucks... They were carrying Refugees across the Indiana border. They opened the cargo holds and..." Ray shakes his head.

"What happened to the drivers?" Bryan asks.

"They were shot. Every one of them on the spot. No prisoners were taken." Ray looks down at his desk. There's a silence between us. "Anyway, this month we should be getting clothes and feminine hygiene products."

"Sounds great, thanks, Ray." Bryan starts out.

"Bryan, could I borrow Erica just for a minute? Alone?" Ray asks. I bite my lip.
"Of course. I'll wait at the end of the hall." Bryan waves back to me then walks towards the end of the hall. I enter Ray's office and stand above his desk. I clasp my hands in front of me.

"Erica. That was quite the little white lie you told yesterday." Ray folds his arms, and I avoid his glare.

"Wait, what lie?" I take a breath.

"You told us you're gay. Now, if my instincts serve me correctly, I'd say that's not true. Is it?" Ray shakes his head. I stay silent for a moment.

"It- I... I don't-" I stutter. I close my eyes, taking a breath. "I'm not," I look back at Ray. He looks away.

"Right. Now, time to clarify. You were sent here by the government to find Bryan and turn him in. I assume you know you can't do that." Ray explains. "Because if you do. The government will find this entire Haven. So, with that being said, allow me to explain." He leans forward on his desk.

"Stay with us for a month. Let us teach you. If you change your mind you can live here with your brother in peace. If not, I'll drive you out into the Sunken, and leave you to die." Ray explains.

"No. I can't... My parents, my friends. Everyone is counting on me. I can't." I shake my head.

"Really? You must be confused, Erica. I wasn't asking. If you don't go through with this, we'll be forced to make some executive decisions." Ray glares up at me. I take a step back.

"W-what?! Why?" I stutter.

"Just think about it. If we let you go now you'll return to the city and expose this Haven. We can't let that happen." Ray shakes his head. I take a breath. I think for a moment. I look back to Ray.

"I'll tell you this. I am not staying. You drive me out to the Sunken, and give me my pen back or else." I fold my arms.

"Or else what? You'll run away? Kill me? Erica, I have only one fear. And it's not my death. Or your death." Ray cracks his knuckles.

"Or else I'll find my way out and expose this entire plan of yours," I explain.

"You'll never make it out of the Sunken alive. No one does."

"Well, I guess I'll be the first." I shrug.

"Erica you know you can't. It's a labyrinth of dangerous people. Someone out there is willing to end you. Or do much worse. Your safest place is here. I'm the only person in this facility that has knowledge of the Sunken." Ray stands up from his chair. I'm silent. I tear my eyes away from his.

"Fine. I'll stay. But you better not waste my time." I shake my head. I walk out the door and start down the hall. Bryan leans up against the wall at the end of the hall. He joins me and we start off.

"What did they talk to you about?" Bryan asks. I shake my head.

"Just telling me about the rules here and what not." I shrug. We continue down the hall, silent.

Hours later, people begin to file out of the halls and into the stairwells.

"Where is everyone going?" I ask. Bryan turns to me.

"Once a month we all get to go downstairs. We get deliveries of some essentials. Food, water, clothes, all that kind of stuff." Bryan starts towards the stairwell.

"Wait, we can go downstairs? What if we're seen?" I follow after Bryan.

"Yup, if we're seen, it's usually by birds. We are a few miles from anything. According to the government, this school was locked up tightly after it was closed. Some people looking to start up a Haven found it and were able to break in." Bryan explains.

"But what if someone ever happens across it?" I ask.

"You worry too much," Bryan laughs. I roll my eyes and continue after him. We walk into the main hall downstairs. People flood towards the left, towards the cafeteria. Shouts erupt in that direction. Bryan stops in his tracks. Raymond appears within the crowd.

"Everyone! Move away from the cafeteria. Don't go in!" He shouts over the confusion. Curiosity overtakes me and I surge forward. I hear Bryan call after me, but I keep moving.

"What's going on?!"

"What happened?"

"Why can't we go in?"

I reach the cafeteria doors. Ray has his back towards me. I shove my way forward, the open and close the doors behind me. I continue to listen to the muffled shouting from outside. My eyes shift to my right. I back up against the door. The floor is clear of tables. Six white sheets. My eyes widen. I step forward. The sheets have red patches, the dye spreads across the white. I step up to one of the sheets, then kneel down next to it. I run my hand along a red patch, blood covering my fingers. The doors slam open behind me. Ray grabs my shoulder and pulls me to my feet.

"If you want to stay here, you better get the hell outta here before I kick your ass out." He looks me dead in the eyes. Part of me almost wants to fear him. I pull away from his arms.

"Ray, w-what happened?" I ask. He looks down at the body on the floor.

"They were some people killed by government soldiers, all on their way to this Haven," Ray explains, shaking his head. I bite my lip.

"So they were..."

"Yes... All of them. One of the boys here was 12." Ray looks down at the floor. I take a breath.

"Oh... Well, sorry about that... Um..." I bite my lip. Ray shakes his head.

"Just get out," he looks back up at me. I nod. I turn on my heels and head for the door. I enter into the hall again and start off, working my way through the crowd. Bryan waves me over to him.
"What happened?" He asks, folding his arms.

"Nothing... Come on, it's not worth it..." I shrug, and start off down the hall.

Bryan follows closely behind me.

"What happened to the deliveries?" He asks.

"Destroyed. Ray said the trucks were bombed. The carnage was in the hall." I explain. Bryan shakes his head.

"They're going to catch onto our position eventually. The government has been trying to pinpoint our location for years."

"Maybe..." I shrug. We continue down the hall in silence.

"Erica?"

"Yes?"

"How many?"

"Six."

"Oh... Not the biggest body count after all..."

Author's Note: Changed the book cover to something more appropriate in my opinion. What do you guys think?