Chapter 24

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Walking into the same Reserve that I escaped from months ago brings forward a rush of memories, both mundane and terrifying. Past the entrance draws my eyes to the ground where I watched Jacob's body fall. I see the house my family lived in for two years with an unfamiliar little girl in the window playing with a doll. Faces I vaguely recognize stare at me as I walk past, looks of confusion and betrayal among them.

Our group of Level One soldiers are brought into the main building and led to a room full of bunks. Women are separated to one room while the men are escorted to another, which gets a chuckle out of Leah. We are told to make ourselves comfortable and our duties will be assigned to us shortly. I claim a bottom bunk and am thankful no one argues with me.

Introductions are made, and I recognize Alyssa from our simulation test. On the bunk above her is a blonde woman named Vic, a prominent scar on her cheek. I'd bet anything it was from a darthra but know better than to ask, especially when she seems like someone who hasn't smiled in a long time. A dark-skinned girl named Jayla takes the bunk above me.

"Sooo, girls," Jayla smiles, leaning back against the ladder to her bunk bed. "What do you think of the guys? Got your eye on any of them?"
"Oh, please," Vic rolls her eyes. "How high school of you."

"What?" Jayla shrugs, keeping her playful attitude. "Just trying to have some fun. Personally, I think a lot of them are cute."

"Who's your favorite?" Leah goes along with it, sitting next to Olivia.

"Hmm...that's a hard choice." Jayla pauses.

"Top three, then?"

"Okay....third place would go to Greg. He's cute, but I hear he's a bit of an asshole."

"He is," I blurt out without thinking, earning a laugh from Jayla.

"Noted. Second would be Tyler." She announces. I feel my cheeks flush and I hope she isn't looking at me anymore as I keep my eyes fixed on the ground. "He's got a killer jawline and he's tall. And first would be Jason. He's just so muscular." She swoons. "If he's single I call dibs."

"On all three of them?" Alyssa raises a brow, and I can tell she's trying to keep her voice relaxed.

"Well, I am a bit of a flirt, I must say." Jayla grins. "Why? Who do you like?"

"Um," She stammers, letting out a nervous laugh as she tucks a strand of brown hair behind her ear. "Tyler. I had classes with him. I do know he's single." I can feel Leah's eyes boring into me but I stay silent. My mind is a mess on keeping things hidden from the Kofali but also knowing a few shared kisses doesn't make him a taken man.

"Well, go after him then!" Jayla encourages.

"I tried." Alyssa speaks up over the noise of Vic beginning to snore. "He said he had too much going on for anything serious." My heart falls at her words. Part of me thinks I should feel glad he wasn't interested in seeing anyone else, yet Alyssa's words still sting. I know this world is crazy and there's so much more to worry about than romance and dating. There isn't time for that. But I can't help but feel hurt at the thought of just being a little fun for Tyler. Of our time together now not being something he's serious about.

"Probably for the best. He's very focused on his duties." Leah interrupts, her tone labeling him off limits.

"Pshh, you like him too?" Jayla asks.

"No," Leah laughs heartily at the suggestion. "I'm very happy with this gal right here." She puts her arm around Olivia. I feel myself smiling in an instant. I'd been way too self-absorbed with my own issues to notice they had coupled up, but finding out I realize I wasn't surprised.

"Good for you two." Jayla commends. "See? A little love is all we need." She shoots a look at Vic who is still snoring. All the girls continue making small talk, thankfully passing over asking me who I like. I'm sure it's obvious to anyone who trained with me and will become obvious to everyone else. I'm like a lovesick middle school girl, thinking about him all the time. Doesn't matter that the end of the world is happening and everyone I know is in danger including me. It also means I know I need to talk to him about what's going on between us before I overthink it all and ruin it.

A Kofali soldier comes back into the room and starts giving out assignments. Thanks to my talk with Commander Klisa, it's no surprise to me that my first task is the evening announcements. I'm escorted to a recording room that not only looks familiar from all the broadcasts I saw in the Reserve but the feed that Brianna hacked. It was the video message that warned the world, making her the hope for humanity and the most hated human for the Kofali in an instant. I think about where she is and if she is still alive the entire time I say my lines.

As soon as I'm relieved of my broadcasting duties, I'm escorted outside the walls where I am quickly taught how to patrol and what to do if I see a human escaping. It's exactly what I assume: the priority is to shoot them with a dart to knock them out, but we have permission to fire with a laser as a last resort. I may have to kill people just like me, who wanted to escape this prison just like I did.

I take station near the main building of the Reserve as the sun begins to set. A guard corrects me on my position and leads me toward a back gate in the wall used to bring supplies in and out after Kofali ships land. Someone dressed in Kofali gear is already there, hauling boxes off of a palette. I see a familiar head of thick blonde hair and feel like my mind is playing tricks on me. When I see the hazel eyes, I speak without thinking.

"Callie?"

She turns to me, her face lighting up in recognition.

"Rach!" She nearly tackles me in a hug, and I'm so overwhelmed with emotions that I can't formulate what to say next. "When did you get here, just now?" I nod, clearing my throat as if that would clear my head.

"You remember me?" I ask her, gauging her expressions.

"Of course I do, why wouldn't I?" she laughs, gazing at me with concern. "I mean, I know it's been a few years since we've seen each other, but you were my best friend for a decade. Not easily forgettable. And you basically look the same as I remember."

"How did you get here?" I try to lighten my tone to keep it from sounding like I'm interrogating her.

"Uh," she laughs again, awkwardly this time. "I was actually looking for you. I heard you escaped from here and I just . . . something made me want to go look. I didn't make it too far before I came across these crazy lookin' dogs. I ran as fast as I could, and somehow ran right into a group of Kofali. I surrendered, and they took me here. It was terrifying, I'll tell ya that. But it hasn't been too bad. I just stock supply rooms for a few hours, then my day is open."

So, they haven't brainwashed her yet. But she's the perfect candidate to turn into a soldier. Young, physically fit, and best of all . . . alone. The day they take her away and wipe her mind, no one would even notice she was gone. I can feel my heart start to ache and all I want to do is hug her again and tell her to get out of this place. But I'm being watched now more than ever. I have to find a way to protect her while protecting everyone else I care about.

"You a guard?" She asks me, interrupting my thoughts.

"Yeah,"

"Wow, big man on campus, huh?" She gently punches my shoulder, looking me up and down. "I promise I'll be a good employee." Her smile faulters, and I see what looks like tears welling in her eyes. "I'm so glad I found you, honestly. I am so tired of being alone."


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