I Am Annika

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The air in the compound was stale with blood, fear, and sick curiosity. I could see it in their eyes, the way that they had looked at me when I'd come for them. Wide eyes, bright with interest, minds filled with adventure and heroics.

I silently marched them towards the main building, ignoring the boy, and all the questions peppered around me.

"Did you kill anyone?"

"Don't be an idiot, she was in the Air Squadrons!"

"No, she was on the ground, shooting at those filthy rebels."

I kept my expression placid, their whispers loud in my finely tuned ears. As the main building came into view, I held up a hand, signalling for quiet. Hush fell over the initiates, no one daring to utter another word without permission. They marched in unison towards the front doors, the guards nodding to them with a kind of proud respect, as if glad the younger generation was taking interest in real work.

As the doors opened, my initiates marched inside, shined boots stomping on the glassy marble, making the whole room vibrate with power. I felt the corners of my lips turn up as I surveyed my initiates. They would become real soldiers one day. Real warriors. I frowned, shaking my head. What was I thinking? I shivered. Would these thoughts keep coming?

I led them stiffly through the metal doors, the guards moving out of my way as if I radiated cold. The initiates took deep breathes as they entered the prisons, heads straight ahead, ignoring the jeers and yells coming from behind the metal bars. Holding up my hand, I turned to face them.

"This is a test of faith, endurance, and power. You will be given weapons and taken out to the execution range. And there," I said, pausing slightly, "you will execute the imprisoned rebels."

There was a sudden, sharp, intake of breath. I knew who's it was without matching it to a face. The boy. He was going to be a witness to the death of his closest friends. I had warned him, and he had turned his back on me, on my message. This was his own fault, I thought harshly. I regretted it, even if I had said it only in my mind. You would have done the same, Annika. But...what if I wouldn't have? I was turning into something not quite human, emotionless, devoid of feeling.

Pointing to him, his face pale, I barked out; "You there. Your name." He looked taken aback, surprised, even. But he obliged.

"Kingsley." He murmured. I nodded slowly, as if pondering.

"Kingsley, come with me. Now." I motioned to the spot next to me, waiting, my expression impatient. He quickly broke rank to come and stand by my side, standing tall.

"Everyone, follow Grett-" I pointed to the guard at the end of the hall, "-To the execution range. You will be equipped with weaponry. I will assign you to rebels. Dismissed." The initiates eyed Kingsley, not sure wether they should be envious or grateful. He stood stiff as a statue, not daring to move before they were out of sight.

As soon as the door swung closed, he relaxed, looking at me.

"Why am I here?" He asked gruffly, his voice husked with worry.

"Because I'm giving you a chance." I said quietly. I handed him my gun, pushing it into his hand.

"You can save one soul in this prison, Kingsley," I whispered. "I can not do anymore then that." His eyes widened at me, at the gun, at what I'd just told him. He paled even more, his eyes becoming tired, his arms becoming limp with defeat. He wanted to save everyone. He wanted to be the hero. He wanted to leave with no regrets, no loss. But that wasn't how things worked. Not here.

Here, he wouldn't be able to escape without suffering weighing him down, without memories of guns and pain. He would not leave unscathed. No one would.

"King?" My head whipped towards where the desperate whisper had come from. A cell, at the end of the hall. One of the first to go. Kingsley stumbled over to it, out of shock.

"Drazeil." He whispered, leaning against the bars. The man on the other side leaned to, searching Kingsley's eyes.

"Last night was slaughter. So many dead," Draziel said, his haunted eyes turning to me.

"I know, Draze, I know, but I can get you out of here," Kingsley whispered quickly. He held onto the bars, his knuckles white. Draziel turned back to him, tears pooling in his eyes.

"I can't get it out of my head, man. All the blood, all the death. I wouldn't live a full life even if you busted me out of here." He said, his voice cracking. He stepped back from Kingsley.

"No, Draze. You're going to die. They're going to kill you." Kingsley pleaded. The young man only shook his head and retreated into the depths of his cell.

"I'll watch over you, Kings." Was all he said. Kingsley stepped back, as if burned, hurt evident on his face. I looked at him, mouthing We don't have much time. Hurry. He nodded, bounding down the hall, looking through cells quickly. He only stopped when he was back at Draziel's cell. He looked into the one next to him.

"Dad..?" He croaked.

"Hey, son. You look good in a uniform." The man chuckled. I couldn't see his features, but he seemed to radiate warmth and love.

"Dad. I'm going to get you out of here." He said hurriedly. His father nodded, standing up. Now that he was in the light, I could see that Kingsley's father was built like him, tall and broad shouldered. His father had less muscle, more lank, but looked like he could still hold his own. He had a dark beard, and black beetle eyes that glinted when he smiled. I wondered how he could smile.

Kingsley looked to me nodding, having made his decision. I walked over, taking a pair of keys from my pocket and unlocking the cell. It creaked open.

"You will act as a hostage. He will hold the gun to your back and walk you out the front lobby. Kingsley, you will insist you need to go to the.." I swallowed hard. "...the Room. They will let you out. Then run. Run, and don't ever come back." I hissed, pushing them both forward. Kingsley looked at me, his eyes wanting to say more, but his mouth saying nothing.

"Thank you," his father whispered. I turned the other way, already making my way towards Worlds Exit.

I paused just before shoving open the door. I heard retreating footsteps as Kingsley and his father began his escape.

"You know what, girl?" A voice said quietly. "I think I'll watch over you too."