Rebels

Ch. 13

Jack and Arin ran away from the alleyway and down the street, the moon illuminating the night. The town was nearly completely vacated, making it look like a ghost town. Jack didn't hear any shouts behind them, and he took that as a good sign. Jack found a church up ahead and ran into the building, holding the door open for Arin. After Arin had entered, Jack closed the door shut. The two of them waited behind the doors, catching their breaths. After a silent moment had gone by, Jack exhaled deeply. Jack scanned around him, getting a feel for what he was dealing with. The church appeared to have been abandoned for years. Only a few wooden benches sat in its dusty room, inhabited with cobwebs and no sign of life. A window high up in the wall sat broken, as if crying out for someone to piece it back together. Multiple pillars on each side of the building held up its ceiling, giving it a once luxurious but now creepy feel. Jack leaned against one of the pillars and slid down until he was sitting on the ground. Arin walked across the room and sat down against the opposite pillar.

Jack could feel the cold creeping up on them. He shivered, wishing he had owned a jacket. His thoughts roamed back to Lyla and Luca. Jack knew they both were indoors, where warmth lived, with a roof and beds to sleep on. Jack shook his head. He forced himself not to give in. He did not want to go back to Lyla. She had a monstrous brother, and Jack wasn't getting anywhere with them. At the very least, now he was getting a bit of excitement back into his life.

"Jack, I'm just going to put it out there. You're an idiot." Arin said bluntly.

Jack scoffed. "What?" He laughed in disbelief.

Arin shrugged, speaking from across the room. "Well, for one, we are fugitives now and you basically kicked yourself out of an actual home. But," Arin took a long, deep breath. "You did get us out of that ship, and I thank you for that."

Jack nodded. "Anytime." Jack had liked having another person around. He had always worked alone, and he had grown used to the loneliness and emptiness that filled his chest. Yet, now that Jack had had someone to talk to and who was actually a friend, he liked the company. He could actually talk to a friend. "You planning on sticking with me?"

Arin folded his arms. "I suppose. It's good to see a different atmosphere other than that ship. Besides, you let me in on your escape plan."

Jack smirked, stretching out his arms. "I did. It worked, more or less."

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Jack was somewhat satisfied. He hadn't smiled in a while and it was good to do so now. He also was beginning to like the new city he was in. It was much bigger for sure, but Jack figured that meant there was more trouble to get in. He sighed, shivering under the stare of the moon through the broken church window. He didn't know where Arin and him were going to end up in the morning, but by all means he figured it won't be at Lyla's feet.

Just then, Jack saw a flicker of movement from the corner of his eye. He snapped his head toward the church doors. Someone was on the other side. Arin has noticed this as well. The doors began to open, and with such speed that Jack didn't know he had in him, he ran to the other side of the pillar, away from sight. Jack could hear multiple footsteps enter the room, and men shouting. Jack swore under his breath. It must have been the King. The government had found them. Jack's heart began to pound unbearably in his chest. He risked a glance around the pillar and found Arin on the other side of the room, hidden from behind another pillar and looking at Jack. Jack swiveled back around the pillar. He closed his eyes. He did not want to go down like this. Jack could feel a soldier inch closer to him. Shivers ran up Jack's spine, and he pressed himself as best as he could against the pillar. The soldier neared him ever more. The soldier was playing with Jack. Jack began to sweat out of fear and anxiety. If he ever were to play a game of hide and seek, then this was the time. He had to win. At this point, Jack could not tell if he was breathing or not. He could not feel anything but hear his heart pound in his chest and the soldiers' shouts. The soldier who was nearing Jack reached the pillar. Jack figured that it was his time. It was his time to either fight the soldier or go down shamefully.

Just then, a loud commotion sounded from the other side of the room. The soldier who had nearly found Jack turned back around, jogging to the other side of the room. Multiple shouts were heard, and with that the sound of someone being cuffed. It was Arin. The soldiers had found Arin, and he was being taken away. Jack shook his head. It should have been him. He was ready to fight. Jack risked a glance from around the pillar to find multiple guards escorting Arin out of the room. They were speaking to him, but Jack could not decipher what they were saying. The guards left the room, and one soldier closed the door. As he did so he scanned the room one last time, and for a moment Jack could have sworn the soldier had seen him. Nevertheless, the soldier closed the door, enclosing Jack in a cold darkness.

Jack's legs felt weak. He slid down against the pillar, not able to comprehend what had just happened. It had all taken place so quickly, and Arin didn't even appear to put up a fight. How had they found them? Jack's mind wandered to the monitors. They were always watching. Why wasn't he himself arrested? Jack shook his head. His only friend had just been taken from him, and now Jack was once again left with nothing. He remembered Lyla mentioning that those who were taken were most likely put to death. Jack knew Arin would fight back against the soldiers. That would be the death of his friend.

Jack realized why that soldier hadn't arrested him. Surely the soldier had indeed seen Jack. He hadn't taken Jack along because he knew that Jack would be in misery. The soldier was right. Jack had done nothing and just sat by and watched his friend being taken to death.

Lyla was correct. One of them was going to wind up dead.