After: a Maxerica Story

Part 9

--THREE MONTHS LATER--

I wake up, my mind foggy. What happened? What's going on? Where am I? Questions swirl around my brain, making it impossible to think. Not to mention the weird feeling in my head.

Turning my head over to Maxon, I open my mouth to ask those questions. To my surprise, he's not there. Slowly, I sit up, my head throbbing. Now I realize: I'm not in the palace. Or at least, nowhere that I've been in the palace. 

Though the bed is big, it's uncomfortable and stiff. The walls are dark and gloomy. There are no windows or mirrors. And there's one door.

As fast as I can manage, I walk over to the door and pull on the handle. Locked. Of course. Stupidly, I pound on it. I'm thinking, but I'm not processing what I'm thinking. I've never felt this way before.

Have I been drugged?

A single tear falls from my eye. Wherever I am, Maxon isn't with me. I'm assuming I've been captured. Hopefully Maxon is safe.

Making my way back to the bed, I look down at my clothes. I'm no longer wearing a dress. I'm wearing black leggings, a black t-shirt tight over my small baby bump, and boots. My hair is loose and messy. Who dressed me? I blush angrily at the thought of someone else seeing me naked.

By the time I make it to the bed, I hear the door opening. I spin around, crawling backwards across the bed.

"Who are you?" I spit. "What do you want with me? And where is Maxon?"

The man only smiles. He's dressed the same as me. Then he speaks. "Whoa, there. Listen to me. You're with the Northern rebels."

I gasp. "The Northern rebels? I thought you wanted the castes to be eliminated!"

He shakes his head. "No. Now that the Southern rebels have sided with you, we have decided we have to keep things... exciting."

I scowl. "There are no sides! The Southerners agree that we should get rid of the castes. That's all. You don't need to be mad about it!"

The man comes closer to me, and I cower. He says, "We do agree that the castes should be eliminated. But we don't agree with the monarchy. With you."

"There's nothing you can do to change the monarchy!" I yell. "That's just the way things are, you idiot!"

He shakes his head, almost sadly. "You see, Miss, we can change that. We have you and Maxon in our hands. This could be the end. And your heir would never be born."

My eyes open wide, and then narrow. "You wouldn't dare kill a pregnant woman! My baby has done nothing wrong. You can't kill me. You can't kill my baby, and you will not end the monarchy!"

Laughing, the man says, "By the way, my name is Alex. We should probably get to know each other before you die."

He walks over to the bed and climbs into it. Before I know what's happening, he has my hands pinned by the side of my head and he's kissing my neck.

I do the only thing I can do.

I scream.

I don't form words with my screams. 

I just scream.

He sits back, watching in amusement as I scream. "Darling, they can't hear you. This room is soundproof."

Looking at him in disgust, I struggle to get free. But he's stronger than me. Closing my eyes, I think of a plan. I need this guy off of me. He continues to kiss my neck and collarbone. I hold in the screams.

Then, he starts to pull up my shirt with his teeth.

That crosses the line.

I scream and knee him in the groin. He falls off the bed, in pain, and I take the opportunity to jump up. He brought a gun with him, I saw it when he entered. Moving quick, I pull the gun from his belt. I must've kneed him pretty hard, because he can barely move.

Before I change my mind, I aim the gun at his head and shoot. It brings back memories of when I threatened the Southern rebel, and when I shot a bunch of other rebels with Maxon and Aspen. I still feel guilty.

Leaving the dead rebel behind me, I race to the door. Fortunately, the door is unlocked. Just in case the rebel had to get out, I'm assuming.

Once I'm outside, the sun blinds me. It looks like we're in the middle of nowhere. I load my gun, just in case I run into another rebel. To my surprise, none are outside. 

There's another building a ways to the right. I run to it, hoping Maxon is in there. He has to be; there's no other buildings.

I kick down the door and smile to myself. Good job, I think.

My eyes lift to the bed. Maxon's worried face is the only thing I see. "Maxon," I breathe.

"America! How did you get out?" he asks, a frightened look in his eyes.

"Let's just say... a rebel went too far with me. Then I... killed him." The last words are barely a whisper. I run over and kiss Maxon on the lips. "We need to get out of here. Quick."

But it's too late. Rebels are running over to the building we're in.

"Hide behind the bed!" I exclaim to Maxon. We both climb over the bed. he lies down and I kneel, ready to shoot.

As soon as the first rebel comes, I start firing. Person after person falls to the ground, leaving terror in my eyes. I don't want to do this. I don't want to kill people. But I tell myself I'm saving Maxon.

Soon, no more rebels come. When I think we're safe, I motion for Maxon to crawl across the bed with me. But I spoke too soon. Another rebel comes in, surprising us. Before I can load my gun again he fires, hitting me in the shoulder.

My shooting arm. Does this mean we're doomed?

No, of course not. Maxon grabs the gun and shoots the guy in the head. My trembling hand cover the bullet wound. Unlike the last time, this bullet is all the way in.

I feel faint. But now is not the time to pass out. I need to be strong. For Maxon, for the baby, for me.

I push on.

We run out of the place. I thought we were in the middle of nowhere, but turns out, we're just a couple miles from the palace. 

On our journey home, I faint a couple times, and the pain in my shoulder is searing;

but we make it home alive.