Criminals

A New Dawn

My cell door screeched open as three skybox guards entered my dark abode. I peered at them over the top of my book as the tall one began to speak. 

"Prisoner 317, stand and place your hands on the back wall." He commanded. I smirked at him.

"Only if you make me, handsome." I purred. It wasn't time for my reevaluation; there was something wrong, and I wasn't about to go quietly. He glared back at me and signaled for his partners to restrain me. "Hm. I always did like getting tied up." I snapped the book shut and threw it at the guard to my left, landing him square in the temple as I tried to rush the door. The other guard managed to snatch my hair, stopping me in my tracks as I let out screaming laughter. 

"Strong lad, haha, pull it harder next time." I hissed and spit in his face. He cocked his head to the side and the other guard jammed a needle in my neck. Maybe I shouldn't have hit him with that book. Wow I'm sleepy...

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The shaking and the metal ringing of the hull woke me up. My eyes slowly adjusted to the dim lighting and all around me I saw scared teenagers. I was strapped in. 

"Morning, Prisoner." Someone jested across from me. I looked up and saw that dark hair and strong build strapped into the wall. 

"Morning Soldier. How long's it been since I was last tied up in front of you?" I snickered.

"6 months, but you're not technically tied up this time... just strapped down." Smartass. "It's Bellamy, by the way."

"Freya. Wanna tell me what the hell is happening?" I gestured to the ship and its cargo.

"The Council decided to send 100 of the prisoners down to Earth. I snuck on to keep someone safe." He explained bluntly. I looked at him, shocked at our destination. Earth? The place we weren't supposed to go to for another 100 years? I was right to fight back... probably should have fought harder. I nearly jumped out of my skin when the little boy next to me started screaming. 

"Shhh, we're going to be fine, kid. You're going to be fine." I tried to calm him down as he turned to me, terrified. 

"Jaha said we're expendable!" He shouted. Jaha? What did I miss?

"Well you aren't. As long as you keep those straps buckled, I promise you you'll safe, okay?" He slowly nodded and I turned my head to face Bellamy and the others. I felt a small hand grab mine, and I turned back to the boy to see his eyes were squeezed shut and he was taking deep breaths. I smiled at him, poor little guy.

"Think of the trees we're going to see. You'll finally get to feel rain on your face and grass between your toes, and everything will be perfect." I whispered to him and ran my thumb back and forth across the top of his hand. As the parachutes deployed some of the metal pipes in the drop ship came loose and scattered, hitting people in the head, and people began to panic and shout. The boy squeezed my hand as steam and smoke filled the room. I couldn't hear anything over the shouting, so I squeezed back to let him know it was going to be alright. The ship crashed into the earth and for a moment the hull went dark and the ship went silent, save for the coughs of kids who'd inhaled the smoke. 

"We made it kid, we fuckin' made it." I shouted as I turned to him and the lights flickered back on.

My heart stopped. Next to me was a metal rod sticking out of a little boy's stomach, and blood gushing from the wound. He stared back at me and blinked; he was still alive. I couldn't breathe. It felt like it had taken an eternity for my straps to unbuckle, but it had really only been a few seconds. I loosened myself from them and threw my hands toward his wound. I had to stop the bleeding, I had to save him. My hands shook as I looked for anything to help stop the bleeding, eventually settling on the bottom half of my shirt. There was shouting somewhere, but it sounded so far away...it could wait. 

Light suddenly poured into the drop ship, and I turned, shielding my eyes as the world suddenly came back to me. 

"See, perfectly safe." Bellamy chastised some blonde girl, and then made his way toward me, a mournful look engulfing his face as he took in the sight. I turned back to my patient and the realization that my efforts weren't going to save him hit me, nearly knocking the wind back out of my lungs. 

"You promised." He forced out. "I want to see them." I stared back at him for a moment, and then as gently as I could, I picked him up, trying to keep the rod in place. Bellamy tried to say something to me but I didn't care. I walked out of the drop ship and into our new world, and as my feet hit the soil and my ankles brushed past beautiful, green ferns and lush grass, I crumpled to my knees. I held his head up so he could see, and the tears started forming in my eyes as he smiled at the view around him.

"Thank you." He whispered, and I rested my forehead on his, hugging him close. And then his body went limp. My grip on him tightened and I could no longer hold back the hysteric tears.