by Max Masen
Chapter 7:
When Does What Went Up Come Back Down?
Back at camp, I was talking to the girl from Emily’s group about what her life was like prior to the fall. “What were your parents like?”
“Nice,” she replied in an uninterested inflection.
“Any siblings?” I inquired, hoping to peak her activity in the conversation.
“Doesn’t matter now. Everybody’s dead,” she said back.
“Look, it’s been a while. I kind of forgot how to flirt. I know that I like you, though.”
“No, you like how I look.” She refused to look me in the eyes. She appeared fully unamused, as well as withdrawn.
“Well, that’s enough, right?” I asked desperately.
She looked at me in disgust and took a step away from me.
“No, it’s not enough,” she retorted angrily. “Have you lost the ability to communicate?”
“I used to be able to talk to girls. I mean, I used to be able to talk to girls that I liked. When is the last time you were with a man? Was it one of those guys?” I asked pointing to the men in her group.
“No, it wasn’t one of those guys,” she replied abruptly.
“Don’t tell me you think Benny is better looking than me. Benny’s a creep,” I stated harshly. I raised my right hand slightly and cocked my head. My voice was becoming softer, hoping to coax her subconsciously into thinking that I was a decent guy.
“I never said anything about Benny. Do I sense some insecurity out of you?” she asked jokingly. Her tone was changing to a more pleasant, more affectionate one.
“What?” I asked offended. “Of course not. Benny’s a dick.” My voice got deeper suddenly. “You want a man. You want me,” I told her. I puffed my chest out slightly, hoping she wouldn’t take notice of it.
“Oh, do I?” she asked flirtatiously.
“Well, yeah. I’m one hundred and forty pounds of malnourished man, baby.” Raising my eyebrows slightly, I moved in a little closer.
She giggled and looked into my eyes. Her eyes sparkled and her lips formed a smile. For the first time in a long time, I was happy. I finally felt content with another human. I felt a form of success by simply being able to communicate properly with another person. I was beginning to feel that I was losing touch with Levi. I couldn’t always communicate with him. This was my moment. I had finally found someone to talk to.
I leaned in toward her. She already knew I was interested so I went less than halfway to see if she would take my queue. She did. She went in also and pushed her lips together. I closed my eyes and she closed hers. We moved closer until we finally made contact. At that moment, there was a loud bang. I opened my eyes slowly and saw a hole in her head. She was dead before we could finish the kiss.
Everything went quiet. I grew numb and a shiver shot up my spine. Loud noises were surely all around, but I couldn’t hear them. I screamed as loud as my body would allow me. Bullets began flying by but I couldn’t hear anything. I was paralyzed; my body was indifferent to the ensuing violence around me.
The Highwaymen were closing in around us. Levi was with Benny in a hole they had dug out prior. They were returning fire along with Emily’s remaining group. Mines went off that we had planted for the Highwaymen’s vehicles. We realized that they had surrounded us from every side. There was no escape now. We had to fight and most likely die.
A burly man from Emily’s group threw me to the ground to protect me.
“Marley, get down!” I heard him yell despite my shell-shocked state.
Levi. Where is Levi? I had to get to him. I tried to get up but the man’s hand forced me to the ground and held me tight. I could see through the foliage the army coming toward us. Jeeps pressed through the woods as some exploded or fell through hidden traps we had planted. They inched closer as our bullets didn’t even seem to faze them.
I scanned the area and finally saw Levi getting up from the hole. Benny was dragging him out as Levi wrapped up his legs and arms in fear. The intensity of the fight had Levi terrified. The Highwaymen approached them and one hit Benny with the butt of his rifle. The others lifted up Levi and threw him into the Jeep. Benny was then beaten violently by the members of the Highwaymen close by.
I looked next to me and realized my protector was shot and killed. I stood up, slowly and awkwardly as my functions began returning to me. My hearing was almost returning to normal. My nerves and fear had nearly been disbanded. I raised my arm in surrender. Levi had been taken and the battle was over. Death will be a relief. I can’t know what they’re planning on doing with Levi. Or Benny. Or Emily.
They finally noticed me and one said while laughing: “Look, it’s trying to surrender.”
Another Highwayman retorted: “Only halfway.” He motioned to my stump. “What do we do with it?”
I looked at them and said as seriously as I could: “My name is Marley. If you release me and my brother, I may have my army spare you.”
Why am I fighting it? My reprieve is only a muzzle flash away. Nothing I said mattered. They weren’t even listening. They came up next to me and grabbed me. They were entrenched with military gear scattered throughout their bodies. Most of their faces were covered by balaclavas or other masks.
I was thrusted into one of their Jeeps, my body nearing the breaking point upon hitting the leather seat in the back.
They could kill me. They should kill me. Only then will the nightmare kickstarted by the death of my parents be over. Only then I can finally go to rest, go home. Levi will be there. My parents will be eagerly awaiting us. I don’t even know what I was still clinging onto up to this point. I should have put Levi and myself out of this when I had the chance. Now it’s up to someone else what my fate is.
During the ride, I asked one of the men for a drink of water. The man in the passenger seat turned around and slapped me across the face.
“You like hitting the handicapped, do you?” I asked sarcastically.
I felt powerless and my sarcasm was the only sense of victory I could get in a situation like that.
“The handicapped is lucky I don’t kill him,” the man replied.
“You follow a crazy man and you expect what? Safety? Is that the arrangement?” I asked.
“Are you the real Marley?” the man in the passenger seat asked, ignoring my question.
“Real Marley?” I attempted to play stupid. It didn’t work.
The men exchanged knowing glances and the driver pulled the vehicle to the side of the road abruptly. What now? Throw me in a ditch and kill me before we can even make it back to camp? I guess there’s worse fates.
“Don’t play any games with us,” the driver said sternly. “We’re giving you a chance to live.”
“What’s the offer?” I asked. I leaned forward and grabbed the back of the passenger’s seat to show my interest.
“You’re not seriously gonna let him go,” the passenger said to the driver.
“I know what it’s like back there. I was one of the slaves before I proved myself to Joe and he gave me a gun,” the driver explained sympathetically.
I kept my guard up and pretended to act strong by asking: “So?” I kept my tone direct and my voice deep.
“Get out of the car,” the driver demanded of me.
“No, you took all of my friends.” I released the seat and held on tightly to the cushioning beneath me. A tempting offer. I’m almost convinced to take it. But I can’t leave Levi or Benny back there with them.
“They’re already dead. You will be too when we get back there,” the driver revealed harshly. He avoided my gaze and almost appeared to show empathy.
“Look, I can tell the two of you are up to something,” I stated. I felt my intuition was getting better. Regardless, I was not even sure if my statement had anything to back it up with. I just wanted to keep the conversation going. By gaining their trust, I was hoping my life inside of those bars would be easier and maybe even have a
chance to save the others.
“Nothing you’d be interested in,” the passenger said in a dismissive tone.
“We need all the people we can get.” The driver sounded more enthusiastic. He was ready to talk. “And he’s a real leader too. He started the revolution so I’m sure he can help take down an idiot like Joe.”
“If you help free my friends, I can help you take down Joe,” I offered.
“Good,” the driver said definitively. “We’re going to tell Joe that you’re Marley. He’ll want to sit down and have a chat with you. That’s the distraction we’re going to need to free the slaves and arm them for the revolt.”
“As long as my friends make it out okay.” I took a moment for them to fully understand what that meant. “Hear me? I need all of them alive or this goes nowhere.”
“We’ll do the best we can,” the driver asserted.
The passenger looked to the driver as if he was crazy. “I don’t like this.” He reached for the top of his balaclava and pulled it up to cover his mouth and nose. “I don’t like this at all.”
