Sam pulled away in a frightful panic. For some peculiar reason, she’d felt guilty in liking Shawn’s embrace.
‘Stop that! I just want to talk.’ She said, and shoved his chest away.
Sam’s eyes timidly darted across the whole of the construction site, and drew still upon the blurry figure of Aaron, far below. She saw him fooling around with Eric, snickering away at the guards as Viper tried to chaff them (but instead, only chased them away). She’d felt strangely relieved that he hadn’t seen her with Shawn, and exhaled. Her mind was now more boggled than ever. She had nothing to feel guilty about!
‘Well, let’s talk then, sweet cheeks,’ Shawn said. His tone was as smooth as ever. ‘Just not about the things you want to.’
Sam stood tall, and broadened her chest. ‘No, if you want to talk, then we’ll talk about Mike! We’ll talk about how he escaped, and you’ll tell me how to do it again!’
‘It can’t be done again! Okay?’ Shawn snapped. His teasing act had disappeared, and for a brief moment his bleak green eyes had revealed his truly broken soul. ‘I’ve studied it over and over again. It won’t work for a second time!’ He pinned his shovel to the dirt, and balled his fists. His head fell back against his neck, and he stared up at the sky.
Sam gasped. In that moment she’d seen a completely different side of Shawn. Instead of being enclosed and rock-solid as always, he’d seemed entirely exposed and weak.
It truly was a sight that broke her heart.
‘You don’t know that.’ Sam said. ‘There might’ve been some things you missed. This time could be different–’
‘–Sam, just trust me.’ He said, shortly (for the first time actually calling Sam by her actual name). He’d slowly looked up, and stared at her stunned expression. Her pale blue eyes had shown no sign of running off, but instead she’d stood there, staring back at him with her bottom lip quivering.
She wasn’t going anywhere.
‘You don’t think I can do this, do you?’ Sam gasped. He voice was muffled bellow the howling of the wind. Her blonde hair was swept to the side, and her entire being had looked as if just received soul crushing news. There was only one thing on her mind, and she wasn’t about to let it go.
‘No, I don’t.’ Shawn said. His eyes were stern, and his words direct. He’d given up on creeping past the truth. There was no use in hiding, when he’d already done so his entire life.
‘Not unless you have some brilliant way to get through the Keep without anybody seeing you. And that, my dear, is impossible!’
It was as if Sam’s entire body had been swept up by the bouldering wind, for she suddenly gave a roaring leap forward and almost on top of Shawn.
‘BUT I DO!’ She cried. ‘Or at least, I think I do.’
‘You’re still not going to be able to do it alone. You’ll need a team.’
Sam’s eyes widened. ‘I can get the others to help me, I’m sure I can!’
‘Even if they’d agree, you’d be putting all of their lives in danger, Sam.’
‘I don’t–’ Sam paused, and gulped. ‘–I don’t care what it takes.’
Shawn sighed in surrender. He knew that he had no other choice. He turned his head to make sure that the coast was clear, and leaned in towards Sam.
‘Fine, I’ll tell you.’ He said, gently lifting her chin with the tips of his fingers. ‘Do whatever you want, but just so you know: I want nothing to do with any of it.’
* * *
‘There’s no way!’ Melanie protested.
There’d only been five more minutes before lights out, but room 23 was far from sleep-ready. Sam had stood centred in the overly cramped area, stacked stiff with flimsy metal bunk beds, and whispering at the top of her voice. Melanie had already sensed at dinner that Sam had something to say, but now that she’d found out what it was, she rather wished she hadn’t.
‘I’m not going to risk it.’ Melanie continued. ‘I’m turning nineteen in less than a year, and they’ll let me out for free!’ She shook her head in ultimate denial, and lunged onto her bed.
‘You call being tagged like an animal free!? Oh, come on Melanie,’ Sam pleaded. ‘We can do this! I know we can.’ She spun around to observe those around her, and saw that almost all of them had their hands in their hair.
‘I don’t know about this, Sam.’ Luna muttered. ‘I’ll rather be tagged, than having to run for the rest of my life.’
‘Well I’m in!’ Viper said. Her eyes peered up from where lay casually sunken deep into her pillow. Her sun scorned face was straight, and emotionless, revealing no signs of ever had been joking. The room went quiet, and Sam fell to a complete lack of words.
She swallowed.
For two straight days, Viper had nothing other than stone cold insults to say to Sam, and now she’s suddenly supporting her? Sam’s head felt thick with confusion. She opened her mouth, but no sound had managed to escape.
‘What the matter?’ Viper asked. She rolled her eyes and shrugged (clearly not bothered at all by the suddenly stiff atmosphere). She crossed her legs together, and hooked them to the top bunk. ‘Right now, your plan is my only chance to get out of here–and actually be free! I’m not going to pass it up, even if it is risky!’
For the first time ever, Viper had actually made complete sense. Even so much so, that a few of the others had reconsidered.
Sam felt relieved. She looked to Aaron and smiled in utter plead. His hard blank expression almost instantly seemed to have melted, as he lowered his head in defeat. Shamefully he sighed, and accepted Sam’s offer.
‘Fine, I’ll do it.’ He said, blissfully watching as Sam’s face lit up with excitement. ‘But only because I can’t possible let you do this alone.’
Sam teasingly rolled her eyes, and turned to Melanie–the only one yet to agree. ‘What do you say Mel?’ She asked, holding her breath.
Melanie pressed her lips together, and squeezed her eyes shut. Even though she’d still voted strongly against it, she had no other choice.
‘Yes–I’ll go!’ She surrendered, and rolled face first over on her mattress. She released all air from her lungs, bellowing in defeat at the top of her voice. ‘I can’t possibly stay here alone!’
Sam leaped in exhilaration. Her entire being had felt like glowing. ‘Thank you so much you guys! It won’t be easy, but I promise you, I’ll get us out of here!’
She leaped straight into Aaron’s arms, and gripped him tight as they hopped across the room. His warm embrace had brought peace to her already excited wit.
She breathed in his musky aroma: It was a strong smell of timber and a faint tinge of pine. After all this time, it had become strangely familiar to her, and she’d learned to love it. Only in his presence could she truly feel safe.
It was only now that she’d been able to realise it.
Sam loosened her grip, and slipped out of Aaron’s arms, perfectly gripped around her lower back. As she stared into his smooth, olive green eyes, her bright smile couldn’t help but to instantly fade. Just as she’d felt guilty about fidgeting with Shawn, she’d now felt exactly the same about embracing Aaron.
The loud, but already well-known, siren shrieked, commanding immediate lights out. Sam broke away, and pulled at her vest.
‘Good night.’ She said, turning away.
She’d felt Aaron’s hand reaching for her wrist, but leaped forward, and just barely managed to avoid it.
Sam’s breath was heavy, and she couldn’t think straight. Aaron was her friend, if not her best friend (besides Melanie of course). He was funny and kind, always warm and caring, but nothing at all the same as the rugged Shawn.
Sam clawed herself past Viper, and flopped onto her bed. She’d felt a pointy spring impaling her gut, but turned on her side, and closed her eyes.
All she’d wanted to do was to come to the wastelands and find Mike, but never had she dreamt, it would be this hard to do it.
Chapter 11
Two days had timelessly dragged by.
‘It’s too dangerous!’ Melanie sighed.
Sam begged and pleaded. ‘Everything we do will be dangerous!’She said, at the brink of losing her temper. ‘We just need to get to the ghost town, where we’ll find Mike. He’ll help us, I promise!’
It seemed like every time Sam turned around, someone else would’ve developed another problem. If it wasn’t Jamie, claiming she’d heard about a new fleet of guards coming in from Emitton, it was Viper, tossing her marbles at the slow progress of their plan.
Aaron, for one, had drawn back, and said as little as possible. Even in the cafeteria, he’d only sit there in silence and stare up at Jack Crowe on the balcony. When his lips moved, it was simply to open his mouth, and force the slimy, brown moon mud down his throat. Sam saw that his mind was clearly somewhere else, but how far away, she hadn’t the slightest of clues.
‘Are we all set for this afternoon?’ Jamie asked. ‘I heard that Jack Crowe will personally be inspecting the rooms when all the prisoners are outside. So, I hope you’ve all made your beds this morning!’ She snickered, and swept her blonde ponytail from side to side.
‘Great, that means we don’t have to worry about him patrolling the grounds.’ Eric said. ‘The plan’s officially a go!’
‘Are you sure it’s safe for me to do it, Mel?’ Sam asked.
‘I think so, as long as you just don’t swallow anything, and keep your mouth shut.’ Melanie said. Her eyes drifted to the faded scar on Sam’s forehead. ‘You don’t have any other scars or sores, do you?’
Sam shook her head.
‘Good.’
‘What do they use that stuff for anyway?’ Jamie asked. Her pinkish hand was entwined around her fork, and raked at the grub on her plate like it was a rotten pile of garbage.
‘There isn’t much water left for plants these days. If they didn’t use it, the courtyard wouldn’t have had such big hedges, or such a lovely garden.’ Melanie said.
Eric rolled his eyes, and sighed. ‘It would mean less work for us!’
‘Without that garden, Eric, we’d have less oxygen. And the air is already so dense.’
Eric shook his head. He felt sorry for opening his mouth at all. Whenever Melanie would start a debate, there was no finishing it without her having delivered an uncountable amount of lectures. He lowered his head, and leaned back against Aaron’s shoulder, pretending to fall asleep.
‘Eric!’ Melanie barked, and whacked him on the top of his head. ‘I’m talking to you!’
‘I know, I know.’ Eric said.
He rubbed his head and laughed.
* * *
The sun was setting, and its gorgeous orange rays were resting just above the farthest mountaintop.
The day was perfect, and smoothly switched over to just as perfect of a night. The air was quiet, and the wind at bay. It was clear to Sam that they hadn’t much time left. Their plan was simple: It was now or never. All of their trust had to solely rest upon Sam, and flying in the dark was an unavoidable obstacle. Just as Shawn had instructed, they patiently waited until the guards had changed in posts, before springing into action.
Aaron hesitantly picked up the hose. ‘Are you sure about this?’ He asked, pressing his finger to the nozzle. He nervously watched as the pale yellow water sprayed freely into the air, and onto the ground. ‘I mean, I could always do it.’
‘No, it has to be me.’ Sam said. She tied her hair, and lowered herself to her knees. She carefully bent over, and took a deep whiff at the rotten wet soil below her. From the very start she’d known she hated gardening duty, but never thought she’d have to risk her own life while doing it.
‘Remember, there are dangerous chemicals in there!’ Melanie warned.
Earlier that day, she’d told them all about the special preserving formulas they’d used to keep the plants healthy while not needing as much water. ‘We don’t know what that could do to you–’
Sam took a deep breath, and stood upright. ‘If we want Shawn’s plan to work, we’d have to do everything exactly as he told us.’ She said. ‘And that includes me taking a dip in this disgusting muck, dangerous or not.’
Sam removed the hose from Aaron’s grip, and tossed it into a nearby shrub. ‘Trust me.’ She said, shortly.
‘Is it all even worth it?’ Viper asked. She’d carelessly rested back against the ascending grey steps (sleeping, when supposed to be keeping watch). ‘I mean, we all know Shawn, right? He could be playing us, and just for the sheer thrill of it!’ She shielded her eyes with her pasty hand, glancing at Sam’s dark silhouette in the remaining sun’s shadow.
‘You were the first one to say you were in, Viper!’ Luke said.
Viper crossed her legs, and propped up to her elbows. ‘I never said that I’d changed my mind.’ She tightly pressed her lips together. ‘I’m just realizing the ten to one probability of your plan failing.’ Viper paused. It was as if someone had suddenly extinguished her blazing fiery eyes, and she quickly glanced away, without saying a word.
Aaron hopped backwards as the mucky pool of water started to spill over onto the cold cement. His face seemed anxious, but Sam knew that he wouldn’t easily give in. He’d wanted to get out of there just as much as she did.
‘I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but I agree with Viper.’ He turned to Sam with swelling eyes. ‘Don’t you think it’s strange that he didn’t want to be a part of this?’
Sam sighed. To them it might’ve seemed strange, but she herself knew what Shawn had gone through. He’d set all his strength to escaping once before; only to be left behind in the end, all alone.
Eric dashed in from the other side of the tall, green hedges; his face was red and his breath was heavy. He lifted his finger in order to pause, and exhaled.
‘If you’re still doing this, you have to do it now! They’re coming this way!’ He warned. He anxiously snatched up a pair of blunt gardening shears, and pretended to hack away at the hedges.
Luna, who’d trailed just behind Eric, raced up the stairs and kicked at Viper’s feet, sluggishly dangling in the air, and above her head.
‘Get up! What would’ve happened if they’d come from that side?’ Luna rolled up her trousers and took a casual stand on a dry patch of dirt, slightly hidden amid Eric, still ferociously slashing away at the hedges.
‘Come on, we’re doing this! Now is our only chance!’ Sam said, lunging by the muddy bath of bubbling chemicals. She pulled up her nose in disgust. ‘Man, this stuff reeks!’ Her throat tightened from an unexpected sharp pong. Using all of her bodyweight, and pushing back against the wobbling ground, she carefully rolled a knee-height stone to the side of the puddle; all to be a part of her mastermind plan.
‘I’m still not saying that I’m fine with this, but as soon as it starts to burn, or you have any trouble breathing at all–’ Aaron said. He squeezed Sam’s arm.
‘I know.’ Sam whispered.
‘This better be worth it.’ Aaron turned away; his cheeks flushed; and seized a shovel.
They heard the two guards’ voices slowly closing in. As soon as the masculine outlines of their uniformed bodies emerged around the hedges, Sam splattered into the bubbling dirt bath, face first.
All according to plan, the guards had rushed in closer, and ordered Aaron to retrieve her.
‘What happened?’ They asked. ‘Get her out of there! That’s dangerous chemicals!’ They shoved Aaron aside and pulled Sam to safety. She coughed uncontrollably. They’d handed her a dry cloth to wipe down her mudded face, and studied the scene intently.
‘What happened here?’ Their piercing stares drilled at the eyes of the stunned prisoners around them. Eric nervously leaped forward, and motioned with his shears towards the muddy puddle, and the immensely large stone beside it.
‘She was, um, just there the one moment…and gone the next!’ He stuttered.
‘What Eric means to say is–she slipped.’ Aaron interrupted, and pushed Eric aside. He bit his tongue, and hoped that he’d been better at lying than his panicky friend.
The guards looked at Sam, and saw that she was freezing. Her eyes were bright red, and her soft lips were stained blue.
‘It’s true. It was an accident, I swear.’ Sam stammered, using a small corner of the cloth to blow the pungent smell of chemicals from her runny nose.
‘She doesn’t look too good,’ Viper said. Her voice was as dry as ever. She’d studied Sam from top to bottom, and leaned in towards the guards. ‘She doesn’t smell too fresh either. Maybe she ought to hit the showers?’ She rubbed her shoulder against one of the guards, and warmly wrapped her hand around his forearm.
The freaked out guard tensely pulled away, and launched himself towards Sam. ‘I’ll take her.’ He sighed, and tugged at Sam’s arm. He unhooked the cuffs from his belt, and seized her. ‘Move it.’
He shoved Sam past Luna, and up the grey steps. They briefly paused at the large metal door, and waited, as he swiped his passkey over the panel beside it. The door flashed a bright green light, and gave a small sharp beep before swiftly sliding open.
‘Do you even know what that stuff could do to you?’ The guard asked as they’d entered the building.
Sam shook her head. ‘No.’ she uttered, breathing through her mouth. It was to avoid the overwhelming, waxy stench of the chemicals. She’d felt a sharp sting subtly developing at the back of her skull, and the clayish mud had dried all over her body. With each passing step, her hardened trousers chafed along her inner thighs. She’d felt like an aged piece artificial cheese, callously grated at the preparation of eating.
‘Well, if you value your sight, you’ll thoroughly rinse your eyes.’ The guard warned, widening his. He had a small grin dancing around his thin, chapped lips. ‘Also, make sure that you’d wash it all out of your hair. I doubt you’ll be given a wig. You know, unless you’d take the time to weave one from your own fallen out strands.’ His smug voice loudly carried through the deserted corridor.
The Keep (A Renegades story Book 1) Page 8
