The Identity Crisis

To Believe

Chapter 16

We dare not speak. Dare not breathe. We move silently, instinctually. The hall that once was teeming with people is now a silent, deprived of people. Ray moves over and locks the door with the master key that hangs around his neck from a cord. I push myself up and out of my chair. Bryan takes my hand and we move over against the wall. We slide to the floor, all eyes on Ray. He pulls a doorstop from his pocket and drops it on the floor, sliding and securing it under the door with his foot. He peers out of the tiny window in the door, then slides a sheet of blackout paper over it. Ray double checks the lock on the door, then slides down next to it, pulling something from his pocket. His pocket knife. He looks anxious. He never looks anxious. I turn to Bryan, who gives me a crooked grin. He rustles his hair. I flinch, as I hear a distant noise. Another muffled bang. I feel another hand on shoulder. Gabriel looks over at me with concern in her eyes. I look down at my right hand. It's shaking now.

Pounding is coming towards us. They're in the building now. Ray pushes himself up from against the wall, and kneels down in front of Lynn, who's fearful look becomes tears. I hear more pounding, this time it's discernible. Footsteps. Leather boots. I turn to Bryan, he's clutching my hand harder now. Shouting, pounding, screams. My heart begins to beat faster. They aren't just coming for Bryan. They aren't just coming for Ray, or Gabriel. Or Monica, or Scotty. They're coming for me. I betrayed them after all. I found Bryan. I just didn't click my pen. Once I found him. Twice if there's an emergency. Of course they must've known where I am in the first place. They put trackers in everything, nowadays.

They're pounding on the stairwell doors now. I can hear my heart beating. Out of my chest. I pray no one will hear it. Screams ring out from the hall. The stairwell doors slam open. More screams ring out from the hall. Gunshots go off. Of course there were stragglers that were too late getting into a classroom. I grip Bryan's hand harder. Footsteps come down the hall towards our room. The door handle starts shaking violently. Banging on the door. More shooting. The handle on the door breaks off and the door swings open. A blinding light pierces the dark. The flashlights on the soldiers weapons whip around the room. One falls on Ray. A soldier grabs his arm and lifts him to his feet.

"Ray no!" Lynn cries, tears streaming from her eyes.

"Everyone up. Get up! Now!" One soldier orders, pointing his gun straight at us. We slowly rise to our feet.

"Show us your hands!" Another soldier shouts. I raise my hands just above my shoulders. Ray shakes his head, his gaze dropping to the floor. A sudden movement to my left startles me. Miguel bolts from the room.

"Miguel stop!" Ray shouts, tears flood his eyes. One of the soldiers hurried out into the hall. He aims and pulls the trigger. One shot is all it takes. Nat's eyes go wide with terror. She bites her lip as she drops to the floor. A soldier grabs her shoulder and pulls her to her feet. A sob escapes from her lips.

"Move. Everyone into the hall!" A soldier gestures with his gun. We file out of the room, and down the hall. I hear Nat scream. I crane my head around the line. Miguel's lifeless body lies on the floor is draining its blood.

We kneel on the floor, our hands bound with a spiky metal cable that cuts into my wrists. The cafeteria is silent with the exception of the moaning and sobbing of the injured and hopeless. Bryan is nowhere in sight. My knees ache as they press into the hard, stone floor. A high pitched screech cuts through the silent as a megaphone is turned on.

"Attention. Ladies and gentlemen, we have an announcement." A soldier explains. "Today you all will be transported to the inner ring of the city. A detention center is being constructed at this moment to contain those that... Survive the trip. But until then we've been given direct orders to cut down the current population... So that it may fit the detention center's carrying capacity."

Guns aim at the crowd. Screams ring out and people duck their heads. I feel a twinge in my stomach. I lower my eyes to the floor. I should've left when I could.

"Wait!" Someone gets to their feet. My eyes widen in shock. Luckas moves forward. His hands are slicked with blood. "Stop this please! It's senseless violence. Just give us a chance!" His face is white as a sheet. The soldiers don't budge. Luckas kneels back down, his eyes become glossy. He gives me an idea.

"Wait!" I shout. I push myself up to be standing. A few shouts of protest come from behind. Bryan's voice is mixed within them. "Please! Just listen for one second! M-my name is Erica Freedon. I was sent here by the President himself. He tasked me with finding my brother and bringing him home."

The room begins to quiet. I pause, fear racks my brain. This will either save or end my life. "I'm not here escaping anything. I- I'm not even a homosexual." The room goes silent. I feel my hands tense up.

The soldiers lower their weapons. One whispers to the other. I feel eyes on me. Looks and stares of resentment and judgement crawl down my back. A soldier steps forward, raising his gun. He beckons me forwards. My feet move before my mind does, and I step towards him.

The soldier takes my arm and pulls me towards him. His dark glasses obscure his eyes from mine. His gas mask covers his nose and mouth. I feel my breath catch. My fear breaks. I stare up at the soldier. He reaches around and easily unlocks the cuffs that bind my wrists with an electronic code. I reach up and pull his gas mask off of his mouth. He reaches up and pulls off his glasses.

"Well... If it isn't Miss easy, naive, and pushover Erica Freedon." Nathan chuckles softly. I pull away from his light grasp. I feel a lump begin to form in my throat. Tears dampen my hearing. My eyes are locked with his. A muffled shouting erupts behind me. A gunshot goes off. I turn over my shoulder. Ray lies on the floor in a pool of blood. He loosely grips a gun in his left hand. The room is silent once again.

"W-what happened?!" That familiar feeling of weakness, that rush of vulnerability courses through me.

"He shot himself," Nathan explains, putting a hand on my shoulder. Emotional support. Against a soldier's protocol.

"Wait what?! That guy shot Ray!" A boy sitting on the floor shouts.

"Quiet!" The soldier in question snaps.

"He's lying to you! Erica, Ray would never do something like that!" I hear Dakota's voice scream. He sounds distraught and in anguish. I bite my lip. Who to believe?

"Erica, Raymond took one of our weapons. Look." Nathan argues, pointing to the gun in Ray's hand. It is an army issue handgun.

"To defend themselves!" Another voice shouts. Who to believe?

"Erica. Do you really trust them? Why are you fighting this?" Nathan whispers. I close my eyes, shaking my head. I feel Nathan's hand wrap around my arm. I bite my lip.

"Nathan. Let me go." I growl, I feel his fingers flinch.
"Erica, please-"

"Stop. Nathan. Let me go.""No.""Fine." My hand balls into a fist. I yank my arm out of Nathan's grasp and step forward. I hear Nathan topple over to the floor behind me. There's a collective gasp. A sudden silence. I turn my head over my shoulder. Nathan glares up at me, anger and shock in his eyes. I turn back to the crowd in front of me. My eyes meet Bryan's. A look of shock and pride forces a smile on his face. A small act of rebellion. A spark of courage. Caused an entire room of people to regain their faith. Do I have that power? To help them hope? To believe

Author's Note: Writing over 1100 words makes my black soul a little sparkly.