Bridge of Dreams

Chapter 7

Mallory points at the chess pieces on the battle plan table.  Francis as the horse, Dharine as the bishop and Harold as the rook. The pawns, representing ten to twenty rebels per group lay scattered across the battlefield. A tall cup lay on the center of the board as black chess pieces surround it like a barricade.

"Francis, take your group on the left side of the building. Dharine and Harold's group will take the right side. Blaire, my group and I will distract the guards in the front so that they will be shocked. Any questions?" Mallory looks at his most trusted commanders. They are all teenagers, but they have an organized unit.

They all have determined eyes and erect body posture. 

"I do," said Harold.  His rich dark skin glows beneath the small light inside Mallory's office. "Should we kill any officials or gently make them unconscious?"

Mallory hums in thought. "Unconscious, if you can. We should interrogate and threaten them. Scare them to death!" Mallory rubs his palms together. A mischievous grin to curl on his face. "We are not murderers unless we need to be one."

All the group leaders nod in understanding. Francis opens his mouth. "Question, if we see...you know who... What would you like for us to do?" He asks.

Who? I thought as I observe Mallory. His jaw tenses. The usual grin slackens and is replaced by a scowl. "Run away from him and protect others. Signal for me, and I will end his life. No one shall kill him except for me. Make him unconscious, too if needed. Understand?"

They all saluted. "Sir, yes, Sir!"

As they walk off, I tug on his sleeve. "Who is the 'you-know-who' Francis is talking about? Did I miss something? Are they a teenager who worked with the officials?" I rapidly fire my curious questions.

He gulps, seemingly uncomfortable with the situation. He places his hands on my shoulder and produces his signature grin. This time the smile didn't reach his eyes. "Just an old acquaintance who got into my bad side. It is not a big deal. No matter what, you don't have to worry. I will protect you."

I sigh and drop the topic. He might open up in the future. I grab one of his hands and massages it. His calloused palm scratches with my soft ones. How long has my hand grasped a gun? How many times did this hand save lives help him and others lay unscratched as they trip as they run?

Their lives are similar to Americans fighting the British. They are outgunned. Outmanned. These people only choose fights they will succeed in with fewer casualties. They will win. I am sure of it!

After every troop readies their preferred weapons and wears armor stolen from the capital, the group splits and travels to their respective spots. They sneakily trudge as they try to prevent their metal armor to clang.

Mallory hands me a gun. "Just in case a soldier goes past our barriers. Use this gun and shoot them down, okay?"

"But, I saw in a book that you like having two guns. I can't accept this, really." I try to hand it back to him.

He shakes his head and gently closes my fingers onto the weapon. He smiles. "I have back up weapons that I can use. You will need this more than I do, Blaire," he chuckles. "In the case that I fail, you can have something to protect yourself with."

Our group walks up to the front of the city. In the distance, a high cemented wall looms like a Goliath. Our army accepts the role of David to fight this giant.

And we shall.

I gulp as I look around. In every teenagers' eyes burn a mischievous flame. Some hold these Lazer guns. Others hold some kind of sword-like weapon that can interchange into bows. The gun I hold has options on what kind of shot I would like to take! I feel like I am stuck in a videogame more than experiencing war in a dream.

I take a deep breath and run stealthily. "We can go through the small doors in that guards' office. We take out the guards and close the surveillance cameras. No one will sound the alarm. The team can take the soldiers who notice us while we both can take on the elders with the other groups," I whisper loudly to Mallory.

"You are like Bea..." He whispers back. "In a good way, Blaire. I just couldn't stop seeing you like her." He signs to the rest of the group who relays the signal back to the others.

Two of the best "ninjas" of the group made the officers in the front unconscious by cracking their necks. The twin ninjas hide in the shadows once more.

I turn back with a smile to the group. "Step one is done! We can do this!" I whisper encouragingly. I turn to open the door to get into the building.

Suddenly, a big burly figure's chest pushes my whole body down. I land on my butt, my back banging on the control desk. My hands reach to rub the aching parts. 

This cannot be good. I look up to see guard pressing the red alert button. We have been spotted!

From behind me, I hear Mallory shouts, "Charge!"

All the teenagers go out of their hiding spots and attacks all the soldiers coming towards us. I aim my gun to any unsuspecting soldiers. This is the best I can do to assist. I pull my comrades up when they have fallen and shoot any that will mess with them.

I see Mallory on top of a pile of makeshift pile of broken furniture and garbage. He shoots the soldiers one by one perfectly in the head. I know his grey eyes travel to mine when I see him smirk and wink in my direction.

A small blush creeps into my cheeks. On the corner of my vision, a wounded soldier leaps behind Mallory. I shoot my hand up and aim. "Mallory! Look out!"

As I scream in worry, the dream around me wavers like the tides in the ocean. The scene shifts into a different world. This never happened to me before. Where is it taking me?!

I see Mallory fighting the soldier, but the scene was more like a brown-haired demon fighting an injured angel.

This place cannot be another parallel dimension! Mallory couldn't be a demon. He is too sweet and caring to be referred to as some kind of monster!

"A civilian! Beatrice, take her to safety!" I hear someone yell in the midst of all the chaos. Next thing I know, I am carried in the air as I hold tight to the person swooping me to a safe zone.

"Don't worry, child. God will keep you secured in goodness as long as you believe in Him," a voice older than mine states. Her voice drips with authority and gentleness.

I squirm out of her hold. "You don't understand, ma'am! Mallory! He needs me! He is on the battlefield!"

She shushes me. She looks down with her hazel eyes. The orbs shine into a piercing gold color before it returns to hazel. "I know you are not from this world. I sense an aura coming from you."  A great burst of wind pushes us away from the field as she flies forward. "I will explain everything. There is no Mallory in this fight, but the closest to that name is Malcolm. I'll tell you what you need to know."

"How about your friends out there? Don't they need help in the fight?" I press. I try to look back at the fight in the distance. 

"I know Michael and Uriel are strong to fight. Gabriel defeated demons before, so I believe the group will keep the fort guarded for a long while," Beatrice mutters under her breath.

She flies towards a small campground with multiple angels living peacefully and happily. Some have wings helping them to fly. Some prefer to walk. It looks like a loving and accepting community. 

I smile at the scene. Will this be what heaven looks like in my world?

Beatrice lands and gestures to a small hut. "Welcome to my abode, Blaire."