Republic of Omisha

Chapter 28: Eliza

  She finishes her message and turns off the microphone. She sets it down and exhales. Thankfully, that went smoothly, but that was the easy part.

An abrupt hardy knock on the door makes her jump. Her heart begins to pound. It's the headmaster. Eliza ways her options. The door is the only way out and it would be easiest to only face one person instead of being caught later by a group of people that force the door open.

She walks to the door and unlocks it. She quickly jumps back, avoiding the door as it swings open and clatters against the wall. In an instant, Eliza finds herself face to face with an angry glare.

The headmaster's look is menacing. "You are just like your mother." He snaps.

Eliza gasps. "What do you know about my mother?" She angrily chimes back.

He smirked. "More than you'd think." He paused for her to comment. When she didn't he continued. "How much do you know about your Mother's past?"

Eliza shakes her head.

"Your Mother, Lydia, lived here after I won the games."

Eliza wasn't following.

"Let me put it to you this way: your mother is Lydia Nelson."

Eliza was shocked. He was serious. He was her uncle. "But how?"

"She was too young when our family was chosen for the trials."

It's was starting to become clear to Eliza. "When your family came here my mother didn't agree with the trials and when discovered what they really were about she left."

The headmaster nodded. "She ran away and started a rebellion against me, Liam, her brother." He sounded betrayed. Eliza was shocked that he let emotion slip out in his tone. "Helena told us that only Kalea posed a threat. She was wrong."

Eliza gasped, although she shouldn't have been that surprised that she was working for him.

She dreaded to ask, but had to know. "Was... was my father working for you too?"

He shook his head.

Relief swept through her body.

Eliza began to feel light headed. She had been thrown threw a loop. Her own family had been keeping secrets from her. Her Mother, whom she loved dearly, her sister, who was her best friend that goes without saying, and worst of all Helena had been the one who sent Kalea and Eliza to their death.

Eliza became light headed.

They heard a commotion outside and the next thing Eliza knew she was being lead out of the building by Clay's strong, but gentle grip on her arms. She wasn't thinking clearly, seeing through a daze.

Once they were outside, Eliza could see that most of the students were with them, but no teachers.

A lurch grew in her stomach. Eliza was missing something, but what? She felt a prick in the back of her mind. She had something more to do. She couldn't recall what it was.

They just left. The administration just let the kids walk out. Why? Eliza seemed to be the only one concerned. The other students were talking and joking, but not in a light hearted in, in a crafty way. Their hoots and hollers were growing in volume. It snapped Eliza back to her alertness. Liam Nelson, her uncle, had rattled her and she couldn't have that. Eliza couldn't stand that.

She glanced around at the company that she now lead. Some were hooting others, the hidders, were speaking in hushed tones with an expression of uncertainty on their faces. As they jogged off the cement campus and down the road that lead out of town and toward Edina.

Clay smiled at her. They all slowed to a brisk walk. Clay talks in a low sincere voice that only Eliza can hear. "They tried to throw you to the wolves, Eliza. They threw you and your Mother and your sister. Little did they know that you were a fighter, that you'd come back stronger." He scoffed. "And they gave you the tools and knowledge to defeat them. They wanted you to lead them, but instead you will lead their destruction." His words had a edge to them, but not directed at her.

Is that what he thinks? She thinks to herself. Does he really think of this whole ordeal that shallow? That it is simply about sides, about who's on top?

Eliza stopped abruptly. Clay stopped and turned toward her, so did everyone else.

She remembered. She remembered what she had to do.

"Clay, keep going." She was putting him in charged. "Once your in Edina, keep a low profile. Get to the woods. In the center of the woods is an old mining corey. Valerie and I will meet you there."

She turns to Valerie, who looks like a deer in headlights. Her surprise makes Eliza laugh. She wasn't aware of their little excursion until now. Eliza hadn't remembered it until now and she is not going to go alone, not for what she is about to do.