War of Peace

Chapter Eleven

Camden

"Are you sure you'll be alright?"

"Mom, for the hundredth time, I'll be fine! I'm doing this for Maisie. I have to find her. I know you want to come with me but your arthritis is in no condition to go anywhere," I reassure her.

She's had arthritis for a few years now and it's reached to a point where if she tries to open things on her own, pain will strike through her hands and wrists. I'm worried about leaving her all alone but I have to find my little sister before anything happens to her.

"I know sweetie I just want you to be safe, you know that don't you? You know I love you right?"

Of course I know my own mother loves me, she doesn't need to remind me for the thousandth time. "Yes, mom, I know. I love you too."

"Oh," she gasps and falls into my arms, crying as if I'm about to leave to go to war.

"Ok mom remember, if you need anything, please don't be afraid to reach out to Ms. Shipman from across the street." I doubt she will actually go over there. I can see her suffering alone and crying as she tries to open a microwavable container, which is exactly what I don't want her doing.

"Okay. Please be safe, I love you Camden," she kisses my forehead and I turn to go out the front door.

I look at her as one last goodbye before closing the door. I'm putting such a huge risk upon myself to go out here and look for Maisie. I packed lightly because I'll be on my feet all hours of the day but I don't think I packed the right materials. I'm not taking the car because mother will need it eventually whether it's to find food somewhere or go to a friends for comfort, depending on who's still home. I'm not trying to be a pessimistic person but the government has been taking people away to use them as experiments. I could be next, maybe this whole search is useless because Maisie could already be hooked up to an injection in a lab room. It doesn't hurt to try. I'll begin by going to each of her friends' houses that I know about. Then, I'll search all of her favorite places to go when she wants to be alone. After that, I don't know where I'll go.

Before I leave I stand by the door for a minute and wait. I hear my mom from outside, she's weeping by the door. I wish I didn't have to leave but I have to at least try to find my sister. I whisper, "I'll be back," before I turn around and enter the world so new to me.

It's been at least three days and I haven't found a trace back to my sister. Her friends' houses were silent and everything was left the way it was before all of this happened. I checked all of her favorite hangout spots with friends and her hideaway spots when she just needed to be alone. I'm giving up hope but there's one last place to check, it's in the forest somewhere, I'm not even a hundred percent sure where but I have to look for it.

It's late into the night and I won't stop searching for this spot. She has to be there.

I freeze suddenly when I hear multiple pairs of footsteps crunching on leaves. I can hear they're breath and it sounds like they are running. I quickly hide behind a tree which is large in size as I hear people running by. Shortly later I hear a gunshot and I try not to breathe or make a sound. It startled me and I don't know what to do. I'm not sure if I should go out there and try to help whoever was shot but I don't want to get hurt in the process. Instead, I remain still and silent until I think no one else is around.

I turn around and walk out into the clearing and see a dead body lying still. I look away in disgust and try my best not to think about it. My stomach turns and I run away from the body as quickly as possible. I had been so eager to get away from my body that I hadn't realized I ran into icy river water. My arms instantly become spotted with goosebumps. I have to swim across and the water is deep.

I begin slowly paddling above the surface and I feel my leg scrape against something that feels almost like skin. I reach my arm under the water and wave it around only to feel nothing. If I want to find out what's in the water, I'm going to need to put my head under.

The last part of my body that holds warmth is confiscated by the water when my head is completely under. The water is so cold and I immediately want to go back to the surface but I tough it out and stay under. I go deeper and then I feel a hand, or at least that's what it feels like it is. I grab hold of it and pull up the weight of the body. I can barely breathe as I'm attempting to pull the body out of the water. I slog through ice water and drag the body onto the grassy surface on the other side. I notice that it's a girl my age who has slick jet black hair that sticks to the back of her neck in clumps.

As soon as I was able to get out of the water, I turn the girl onto her side. Water pours out of her mouth and I set her gently down to begin resuscitation. I can't mess this up, a life is on the line but the only thing I remember when learning CPR was laughing with my friends and jokingly pounding on the dolls chests. I remember 4 breaths so I begin. Her lips are cold and wet but they're soft. It reminds me of all the girls I've kissed before and I find myself getting distracted. I need to focus on the breaths. I repeat the process that I barely remember and then check her pulse. Fortunately she still has a pulse so she's not dead, yet.

I notice a brown leather bag strapped around her shoulders. It didn't seem relatively wet, just a few droplets scattered across the material. I jump my focus back to the girl when she starts coughing up water and gasping. Water was spilling down her chin and neck. Suddenly she sits up and coughs up more water.

"Be careful. You shouldn't make any sudden movements while trying to recover," I assure her.

"Who the hell are you?" She asks, looking faint and light headed.

"I got you out of the water, you were drowning. I'm not-" she passes out before I can continue.

I quickly run over and check her pulse, she's still breathing.