Year 18

-Chapter 3-

  An Agent has been positioned outside of our Cell all night. I often heard him pacing, kicking at our Cell door. He opens the door, letting us walk out into the hall and the desire to run, to escape makes my heart race. I quench that fire knowing Kane will be free. Kane will get to leave.

  "The Leader will meet you at the front entrance," The Agent informs us and Kane sends me a skeptical look. If things were different, my thoughts would be mirroring his, is he serious? Can we really just leave?

  "Let's go Kane," I grab his hand and begin to walk back toward the entrance. The Agent follows closely behind, and as we turn a corner, another Agent falls into place behind the first, followed by yet another as though they expect me to put up a fight. Or maybe they're more concerned with Kane.

  We keep walking, and come to the front entrance, the Leader already standing near the front door, talking quietly to Charlie. My heart still jolts seeing them together. Kane averts his gaze.

  "I need to make a call," I say to Kane, sending him what I hope is a semi-reassuring smile.

  I walk off by myself, an Agent following closely behind, careful to not let me out of his sight.

  I tap my UCP, and take a deep breath.

  "Are you still here?" I whisper into my UCP, hoping Andrea or Andrew will respond, hoping they're okay.

  "Yeah, still here," Andrea says, "we never left. What's going on? We haven't heard from anyone since last night."

  "Kane will have to explain it to you," I say, throwing a quick glance over my shoulder to make sure he's still over by the entrance. The Agent beside me clears his throat and I take that as a sign that I need to end my call. "Please take care of him."

  I hear Andrea say my name, but I end the call, and I imagine what more she would like to say to me. Maybe rip into me for having to hurt Kane, warn me to be careful, or maybe even to wish me luck.

  "The Leader's ready," The Agent says, and I nod, taking a deep breath. It's time for Kane to go, and time for me to stay.

  "Kane doesn't know," I say this to the man before I have time to think about it, as if an Agent would care.

  "Don't worry, your secret is safe with me," I'm surprised when there's no sarcasm to the man's voice. He's serious.

  I walk back over and join Kane, folding my fingers in between his, leaning my head against his shoulder. I want to hug him, to kiss him, to rest my head against his chest. But I don't want him to think anything's going on, not yet. So for now, I settle for the feel of his palm against my own, and his tattered shirt against my cheek.

  "I still don't understand why you're letting us go," Kane says, addressing the Leader, Charlie looks up quickly, but doesn't say anything. All of us here know Kane is the only one leaving, except him.

  "A greater plan," the Leader says coolly, giving Kane a knowing smile.

  The doors open slowly, painstakingly, and the sun that pools in is blinding. I blink, taking a slow and steady breath. "Are you ready?" I ask Kane, stretching up to brush a kiss against his jaw.

  "I've been ready for weeks" He puts his arm around my waist, and we walk out, the cool air brushing our faces. I take a gulp of the clean air, knowing it's the last time I'll be outside for a while, savoring it.

  Andrea is there, Ben, a few others, standing tall, but hesitant as though they're still skeptical.

  Kane breaks away from me, running into Andrea's arms. I envy them. This is their hello. I look at the back of Kane's head, at Andrea's face over his shoulder, noting the tears in her eyes that are for Kane and simultaneously for me. This is our goodbye.

  I turn around, walking back up the steps we came down, my legs feeling like slabs of lead.

  I hear Kane call my name. I turn back around, taking a shuddering breath.

  He's looking at me, his smile fading.

  "I'm sorry," I whisper. I know he can't hear me now.

  There's a look of betrayal on Kane's face that far exceeds what I saw that day at the Social Gathering. That day, he was upset that I had been willing to betray his trust, to turn him in to gain my freedom. Today though, he looks as though I have ripped his heart out and stomped all over it. I am doing the exact opposite of what I had planned for that day at the Social Gathering. But too much has changed since then. The hurt I see on his face breaks my heart.

  I watch as he struggles against Andrea, trying to fight his way back. Ben comes up behind him, and a few other men, grabbing his shoulders, restraining him. I turn back toward the building, blinking away the tears that are clinging to my lashes. I hear Kane shouting my name, and I want nothing more than to turn back around, run to him, leave this place. Unfortunately, that's not the deal I've made. "Felisha!" His desperation slices through me like a knife and I cover my mouth with my shaky hand, trying my best not to sob, trying my best to keep my emotions in check. I don't want to see the look of satisfaction on Charlie's face, or the Leader's for that matter when I walk back inside.

  I hear Kane screaming at Ben and Andrea, but I don't turn around. I need to appear strong, if only for him. If only for a moment. I step back inside, the door sliding closed behind me.

  Charlie is standing just inside the door to my left, the Leader to my right. I haven't seen the Leader in the media in what feels like a short eternity. It was always the old man I saw, Charlie. For a time, I forgot the man existed. Almost

  "Felisha Martins, we officially meet at last," The Leader says, extending his hand.

  I stare at him for a few seconds too long, and his hand falls back to his side.

  "She's stubborn, that one," Charlie chuckles, and the Leader nods, looking almost intimidated by Charlie.

  I stay silent, looking down to hide my tears. I didn't get to say goodbye.

  "Felisha," It's Charlie, his hand hovering over my shoulder as though he's unsure whether or not to touch me. I shrink away from his touch, and he puts his hand back at his side. "Your UCP."

  I swallow, reaching up to grab it.

  I'm not surprised he's taking it, but that doesn't change the fact that I wish he wasn't.

  I hand it over, and he smiles. "Maybe Paul can make us some more of those," the Leader says, addressing Charlie, not having said much at all, and then, "take her back to her Cell."

  "Come on Fel," Charlie says, and the Agent who was positioned outside of my Cell earlier follows us as we make our way back.

  My mind is spinning, all of this having happened so fast. Kane is probably still outside, fighting Andrea, screaming for me to come back out. My heart feels like a heavy weight in my chest, dragging me down as I cross the threshold of my dismal Cell.

  "I never thought our Felisha would be a criminal," Charlie says, his hand finding the small of my back. I shudder, stepping away from him, fully into the Cell.

  "Yeah," I spit out, "I'm the criminal here."

  Charlie's gaze hardens.

  He steps back a bit, and let's the door slide shut, locking me in.

  "I feel sorry for you," I see him mouth, and then he's gone.

A/N~ Hey everyone! I hope you're having an excellent 2019 so far! Hard to believe we're already almost into February. 

Questions:

1.) What do you think Kane is thinking/feeling?

2.) What are your opinions/feelings on Charlie right now?

3.) What do you think is going to happen to Felisha?

Until next time my Year Movement! 

-Sarah