unbroken

   I never truly believed this moment would come. Again and again, I clung to the hope that they would be caught and life would quietly slip back to normal. Here I am, soaked by the continuous downpour, with no one to console me,and no one to look after me. The Raiders stole everything I ever cherished, intending to watch everyone around them crumble as they rose to greater power. That power destroyed lives and tore families apart, one of which was mine.

I felt the cold rain soak into my T-shirt as I waited in line. “Name and height.” A bored voice asked me, “Walker Peterson, five foot seven.” The lady wrote down my name and pointed to the group of fifteen-year-olds who stood waiting for their uniforms.

Those who were fifteen were rounded up and forced to live in camps. These weren’t just camps you lived in; they were camps you would die in. This started less than a year ago, when the government decided it didn’t want peace. It wanted to wreck everyone’s lives and show no mercy. Then they rushed into everyone’s homes and took all their loved ones. I watched as my parents and sister were ripped from my arms. I remember every part of it: their screams as they were beaten and cursed at, the look in their eyes as they were shoved into the back of a military truck. I cried out and pounded on the soldier who held me back, and he knocked me out with the back of his rifle. I shook my head, trying to clear the image of my family from my mind.

“Next.” I stepped forward and was handed three pairs of blackish gray camo military uniforms. I hated those outfits; they were what all the soldiers wore, and I wasn’t one of them, so I shouldn’t look like one of them either. Directed into a barrack that was already almost full, two others and I stepped inside. I took the nearest bunk and set my stuff on the bottom bed. I sorted through and grabbed one of the uniforms and the one pair of black boots that were also given to me. Inside the so-called bathroom, I quickly changed and returned to my bunk. I saw one of the kids lying on top of my bunk. He had dark brown hair, and even with his eyes closed, I could tell he must not have faced such harsh tragedies. His face looked well-rested and well-fed, unlike all of the rest of us. I sat down on my bed and sighed. I closed my eyes for a second, and when I opened them, I was greeted with a hand. “Matt, what’s your name?” I raised an eyebrow. Who was this kid? Was he really trying to make friends at a time like this?! “Little advice: I wouldn’t go around being all friendly; you might get yourself into trouble.” He looked at me like he was disappointed with my response, but he kept quiet. I wasn’t trying to be rude, but I’ve seen plenty of what happens to people who couldn’t keep their mouths shut. I was one of them, in fact.

One day about a month ago, I was walking home from military prep, which was what you think it is. We were made to train and prepare for when we go to the military. That day, when I was heading home, I saw my friend Marco, who had been spreading rumors about me after we had a fight. We had argued about how I was upset with him treating me horribly, and then when I would confront him about it, he would go off on me and say I was the one in the wrong. So when I saw him, I ran over to him and said: “Just because you’re in the wrong and going through something, which, by the way, everyone is, doesn’t mean you get to make my life any worse.” And so we started arguing until an officer came over and started beating Marco and me for yelling. I got the worst of the beating, but Marco had been injured pretty badly as well. I rubbed the spot on my arm that was still bruised.

I heard a raspy voice yell out, “Youth!” We quickly stood at the end of our bunks, straight and stiff, with our arms flat against our sides. I could feel the tension in the room, but more so the power of the man who stood in front of us. Commander-in-Chief Dunne. He’s the worst person to ever exist. He’s the one who made all of this happen, the poverty, the pain, the death, and, worst of all, the hopelessness that has fallen on each and every one of us. We would die in that feeling sooner or later. “Each of you was born for this very day! You will serve and die for this country; you will serve me!” I tuned the voice out; I couldn’t listen to him anymore; otherwise, I think I might launch myself at him. I wanted to strangle him, beat him, and hurt him. He was the one who had killed my family, the one who turned my life upside down.

The next day came too fast, and I was directed into the back of a military truck. The other boys climbed inside the truck bed, but I stopped. The truck sat there dirty and familiar. It was just like the truck that my family had been shipped away in. My stomach twisted in fear. How could I just load myself in? I stood feet cemented to the ground, as the kids around me scrambled to the trucks, heads tilted down, not wanting to draw any attention to themselves. Part of me screamed to climb in, to disappear like the others. But another part—the part that still remembered my mother’s hand slipping from mine—locked my knees. I wasn’t going to enter that truck. Boom! I felt a forceful impact go right through my back, knocking the air from my lungs, but not my will. “Get in the truck!” The second blow to my head blurred my vision and my resolve. By the third, I couldn’t resist him anymore; instead, I resisted the memory of my father’s silence as he was loaded into an identical truck. He walked away, and I lay there limp. I opened my eyes hardly and saw three boys picking me up and trying to get me into the truck. I thrashed “No! Stop! I can’t! No!” A hand was pressed over my mouth, and I heard a whisper: “Quiet, you’re going to get yourself killed.” I stopped screaming but continued to thrash. I wouldn’t go into that truck. But they were much stronger than I, and I was laid into the crammed truck bed. My body ached horribly. The truck was then started, and we were taken away.

As the truck jolted and moved, I woke to find everyone else either whispering or asleep. I had been lying down while everyone around me was crowded. I felt guilty of taking up so much space and slowly sat up. I could feel the pain all along my body. But my head hurt the most. I ran my fingers along it, and I could feel a big bump. It was at least two inches wide, and the pain was immense. I leaned up against the truck bed, and I grunted; the constant bumps from the road and my bruised back were not a good combo.

The kid next to me, whom I recognized as the one who had whispered in my ear, woke up. “Sorry,” I said; my throat was parched like sandpaper. I don’t remember the last time I had something to drink- Monday? Sunday? It was Thursday now. “It’s fine. How is your head?” I was taken aback for a moment, and I had to take a moment to reply. “Feels like I was smacked with a rifle,” I said lightly. I wasn’t laughing, but I didn’t want to sound so grim. “Where are you from?” “Metroton, you?” “Centeralberg.” I knew that town, it was a good way off. We sat in silence for a while; it was an awkward silence, but I didn’t mind too much.

Finally, the truck came to a stop, we were unloaded, and outside the truck was barren land with mounds of dirt and at least two hundred other people digging holes. My heart skipped a beat. I knew exactly what was happening. Everyone else around me was whispering, trying to figure out what was going on. We were going to dig holes, trenches that were used for war. And war meant that the government was trying to take over another country. I stood with my shovel in my hand, waiting to be assigned my digging spot. Fortunately, I was put next to the kid that I had talked to in the truck. On my right side, there was a girl who had already started digging the trench; she wore the same horrible outfit as the rest of us. The sound of shovels hitting muddy dirt surrounded me as I dug my life away. We were going to war, and that was it. Norvalian was going to take over the world. It had never been mentioned, but it was obvious. It was something that such a greedy government like Norvalian would do. As I stabbed away at the soaked dirt, a splash of mud hit my face, but it quickly washed away in the drizzle of falling rain. The sun slowly set as the hours went on, and soon it was time for us to end the day.

My hands and arms ached as I returned my shovel to one of the military officers. With mud all over my uniform, I climbed into the truck, working hard to push the flooding memories out of my mind. I started to wonder for the millionth time where it was that my family had been taken. Had they been forced to dig trenches until their hands became bloody and blistered? I took a deep breath. “All good?” “Yeah.” I said, “I never got your name; I’m Walker.” I stretched my hand out, although I promised myself I wouldn’t make any friends; I felt that it was different for this situation. “Hudson.” We shook hands and talked the entire way back to the camp. Turns out we have a lot in common; we both played football at our high schools. Hudson is fifteen and a freshman, meaning I’m a grade above him. That would be if they didn’t ban school and force us kids to work for murderers. It’s crazy to think about it like that, but it’s exactly the way it is. Norvalian didn’t care about its citizens; all they wanted was power and suffering. It constantly pains me that I can only do so little, yet I would give my life to save even one life from this suffering. My heart grieves for the families destroyed by evil and all those who are left empty and alone just like me.With hands achy from the rough shovel, I pounded into the dirt that was now dry. It was the fourth day of digging the trench, and we had made good progress. Which, in reality, was bad progress because that meant we were getting closer and closer to fighting Volaria, and fighting Volaria meant things were going to get a lot worse for us here. Night came, and we hadn’t been sent back to base yet. Instead, what I saw was campfires being built and sleeping bags being laid out. After an hour of working in the dark, we were told to go and sleep next to the fires that had been built for us. Of course, the officers had the sleeping bags while we were given the cold, hard dirt floor. I tried to stay positive and reminded myself that we were at least given a warm fire. Me along with Hudson, the girl who worked beside me, and another boy and girl sat down at one of the campfires. I wiped my face of the mud that was smeared all over it. I felt the gritty texture rub against my raw face from where I had been rubbing it multiple times in the previous days.

“Do you think we’ll sleep here again tomorrow?” Hudson asked no one in particular. The girl who worked beside me responded with “Hard to tell, they don’t want us knowing anything.” The boy who had also followed us over had dirty blond hair that was messy from the week’s work. “Have you guys heard of the lands that haven’t been reached by the military?” The girl who was sitting next to him asked: “What do you mean?” I sat up straighter, suddenly more attentive than I had been all day. Could there really be somewhere that was safe from the Raiders? “There are rumors that the land in the south hasn’t been taken captive. There aren’t many families that haven’t been caught yet, but those who survived are living off-grid, with land, animals, crops, everything to survive.” Hudson spoke up, “I don’t think that’s how it works. Norvalian has captured everyone because if they haven’t, then they wouldn’t be trying to attack Volaria.” “Just rumors, that’s all. It doesn’t kill to have a little hope.”

I looked out past our group of kids, where the woods were; I suddenly felt an urge to go over there. I wanted to escape everyone for even just a minute; I could escape reality, maybe. Without thinking, I stood up. “I’ll be right back.” What was I doing? I couldn’t just walk away; I might get caught, yet I walked away and slipped in between the scattered trucks. Not one person noticed that I slipped away into the woods. I stood a little ways into the Forrest, just far enough not to be seen but still able to hear if someone caught on to my rebellious act. I sat down on the cold ground and breathed in. This was the first time I had been alone since I had been forced into the military-like group. Thirty seconds later, I heard a crunch, and I jumped up and whipped around. Slipping behind a tree, I held my body tightly against it, hiding from whoever was there. “Psst, it’s just me, the girl in your group.” I recognized the voice belonging to the girl who worked beside me, but I stayed hidden; I couldn’t risk anything. “I’m not going to do anything; I just wanted to see what you were doing.” I had no clue what she was doing, but for some reason, I trusted her; maybe it was the softness of her voice or the sincerity in her tone. Whatever it was, it worked.

“What are you doing? I hope you weren’t thinking about running away, because you’ll be shot the second they find you.” “I know.” The moonlight glistened on her face, and that was the first time I really noticed her. She had brown hair tucked into a messy bun, with her hazel eyes that looked right into me. Not in a bad way, but in a good way, like she could see me, what I really thought. What I felt. We stared at each other for a few seconds too long. “You might want to head back; you could be caught.” I tried to get her to leave even though I didn’t truly want to be left alone anymore. “Same goes for you, and you never answered my question about what you were doing out here.” “I’m Walker. What’s your name?” I tried to change the topic; I didn’t want to say that I had just wanted to be alone. I could tell she knew I was changing the subject, but she didn’t pry anymore. “Joy.” She sat down, and I followed. Taking a deep breath, I saw the fog of my breath in the cold night air. “Do you think we’ll make it?” “What do you mean?” I asked, knowing farewell what she meant. “You know, survive through this if it ever ends.” I had thought about that question a billion times. “Don’t know.” She turned her head towards me. “Something on your mind?” She asked me as if she had just read my mind in that very moment. I couldn’t think of anything to say other than “I’m fine.” “No one’s fine; you don’t have to lie.”

“I’m sorry; I’m just a little uneasy, that’s all.” A few seconds later, she responded, “Same here… anything specific?” I wanted so badly to tell her how I felt, but I couldn’t. I hadn’t even been able to tell my best friend how I felt, so how could I tell Joy, a complete stranger? “Just thinking about my family.” The lie sat heavy on my tongue, masking the truth of how every breath I took was being stolen from them. The silence screamed every thought I swallowed. “I’m gonna head back and get some sleep; see you around.” My voice sounded hollow and unfamiliar as I stood up, my legs stiff, and walked back toward the fire, staring directly into the burning embers, wondering if all this pain would ever end.

Gunshots filled the morning air; it was a muggy and fog-filled morning. The sun had hardly started rising when we were herded into trucks, and as I was waiting for the person in front of me to get into the truck, one of the soldiers yelled: “Move it!” But the boy in front didn’t listen and instead did the most unexpected and stupid thing I had ever seen.

He whipped around and marched right over to the soldier, pointing his finger right in his face. He said, “You don’t tell me what to do! I’m sick and tired of you people ruining our lives for no reason. You killed my family and took my brother away because he wasn’t exactly what you wanted? No, I’m done with you; leave me alone!” Before I knew it, he was on the ground and being brutally beaten with the back of a gun. I watched as he cried out in pain. I started to run out to help him before I even realized it. Hudson grabbed my arm and dug his nails into my arm. He gave me a look that meant I needed to stop what I was doing and get a grip on myself. The boy on the ground was injured and covered in dirt; he lifted his head just slightly and said: “I don’t even care if you kill me anymore.” My heart hammered as the soldier lifted his rifle, pointing it at the boy. Panic coursed through my veins as I turned around and quickly got in the truck.

The entire drive, all I could think about was the ringing sound of the gun being fired. I knew that kid was just like me, and I would soon end up like him if I didn’t do something about it. But what could I do? After all, they were planning on conquering everyone. There would be no place to run, no place to hide, and no escape from these monstrous acts. A wave of shivers covered my body as I tried to snap out of those thoughts.

Joy was sitting next to me, and she was the first person to speak. Whispering into my ear, she said, “Where do you think we’re going?” “What do you mean?” I asked back as one of the kids across from me rustled around. “Look at where we are; we clearly aren’t heading back to our camp.” I sat up straight and stretched my head far, looking in every direction. Joy was right; everything looked different. The scenery around us was filled with more trees and forests. What looked like a giant building from far away was what I assumed to be where we were heading. “Look.” I pointed towards the building, and Joy’s eyes followed. She didn’t say anything, and neither did I. We only waited silently.

Ten minutes later, we arrived, and my heart sank. There were fifteen-foot-tall fences with barbed wire at the top, guards everywhere, and worst of all, tanks and artillery; everyone possessed guns, and some were even setting up machine guns. We were doomed. Herded out of the trucks and through the gates, where we were sorted into our barracks.

Joy, along with Hudson, had been assigned to my barracks, and immediately we were given new uniforms. They looked the same, just clean this time. I gladly changed out of my crusty, mud-soaked outfit. This time, we were given hats that we had to wear, the same camo gray color as our outfits. I met Hudson at our bunk beds while we waited for Joy. “What do you think they are going to make us do?” I asked Hudson, breaking the silence. “I don’t know, but it sure can’t be anything too good.” Joy came back just in time for the Commander in Chief Dunne to come in.

“Youth!” We again stood with our bodies stiff and arms at our sides, something different this time about Dunne. He seemed more alive, more excited, and that meant nothing good. He yelled at us for almost two minutes about how amazing he was and all the “accomplishments” he achieved. Then he let someone else come and talk for him, I guess. “You all will be fighting for your country! Form into lines and get your weapons and assigned roles!” Whispers flooded the room. “Silence!” How could this be possible? We were only kids… unfit for war, yet facing certain death?

I gathered in the line that had started to form; Joy was behind me, and Hudson was in front of me. The whispers started to slowly arouse again, and my mind spun. Were we really going to kill people and then be killed by those same people who we would rather be with than the country we were fighting for?

It was soon Hudson’s turn; he was given a patch that read S374. The man told him, “You’ll be part of the supply group; they’ll tell you what to do and where to be.” He pointed to a group of kids who all had the letter S and a variety of numbers on their patches. My turn came, and he turned around and grabbed a patch along with a rifle. The patch read F918. What did that mean, and why on earth was I being given a rifle?! “You’ll be in the front lines; go to that group over there.” My eyes widened, and my jaw dropped. I could feel my heart beating and the shortness of my breath. I slowly walked over to the group in a daze. I was put in the front lines, and I was surely going to die.

After thirty more minutes, my group was taken outside, where all the artillery and weapons were. I put on my navy blue patch and took a deep breath. “All of you have been assigned to the front lines! You will occupy the trenches you dug yourselves. Your mission is clear: fight with everything you have and eliminate the enemy. Show no mercy to the opposing force; advance as far as humanly possible. We go to war in two days. Prepare yourselves!” Whispers erupted. Two days! Two days until I’m put to death? This can’t be happening, and just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, they did. The kid beside me yelled to the two hundred kids, “We won’t let them use us!” Everyone started chanting together, fists raised high. I stood still. We might just be killed today before the battle even begins.

The yelling didn’t last long; shots rang out in the air, and everything went quiet. The once-bold kids were soon surrounded by officers. Thirty to fifty men came in with their rifles and batons and started beating everyone furiously. Cries erupted, and I was soon on the ground, being beaten for something I hadn’t even contributed to. The combination of my exhausted body and the constant pounding of an officer’s fist made me weaker and weaker. After five long minutes, the beating slowed down, and we were lifted up by our attackers and brought into the base. Warm blood trickled down from the top of my head to my chin; everything else was chaos. Everyone around turned into a blur of chaos, with the each rhythmic thud matching each shove I was given.

I could hardly walk, even with the guy holding me by my uniform. We weren’t brought into our barracks; instead, we were taken down a flight of stairs. I dragged my feet down the cold concrete steps, and my foot caught on one of them.

I lost my footing and tumbled down the concrete steps, a clumsy roll with no one near enough to catch me. The room became a dizzying blur of gray and motion until I finally came to a rest at the bottom. My body felt heavy and unresponsive; I was too stunned to move. As I lay there catching my breath, a sharp nudge hit my back. ‘Get up!’ a voice barked. I tried to rise but failed, so a rough hand hauled me to my feet and shoved me forward.

We were led into what seemed like a basement. I realized that there were cells inside. Were we being locked up? As I stumbled forward deeper into the basement their were more and more cells; there had to be at least a hundred cells. The guy who was leading me stopped at the last cell and pushed me into it. I fell to the floor and curled up. Every square inch of my body ached , and I could feel the pain continuing to increase as time went on.

I heard more people being ushered into the cells nearby; the air was damp and chilly. I moved to the back of the cell and leaned against the wall, but the moment didn’t last. A soldier entered, his expression stern, and signaled for me to follow him before he firmly gripped me. He led me back up to the basement entrance where I’d just been.

Inside a small room, a single chair sat in the center with a coil of rope and a few other items beside it. He guided me firmly into the chair and began to secure my wrists with the rope. It was tight and uncomfortable, making me wince, pulling slightly against the bind.

He paused, then moved to secure my legs. As he bent down, I startled him with a sudden, defensive kick, more out of panic than intent. He reacted instantly, shoving the chair back until it tipped, sending me to the floor. He hovered over me, his face flushed with anger, and grabbed his rifle from the corner, pointing it briefly in my direction before lowering it.

“Why did you start chanting that nonsense?” he demanded, his voice sharp.

I stared at him, bewildered. “I didn’t do anything,” I stammered. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

‘Don’t lie to me,’ he snapped, stepping closer. ‘Tell me the truth.”

Panic rose to my chest, so I played along. “ I didn’t mean to cause trouble. I’m sorry, it won’t happen again!”

He lowered the rifle, completely flipping it around, and struck my chest with it, the instant impact making me scream before the wind was knocked out of my lungs. My vision swam for a moment from the shock and the fall, but I remained conscious, heart pounding, waiting to see what he would do next.

A different soldier came in and untied the rope that had been wrapped around my wrists and ankles. I could see the red on my skin. He dragged me back to the same cell and shoved me so hard that this time I made it to the very end of the cell. I lay there broken. How long would this last? I suddenly felt a cloth being rubbed over my wounded head. I bolted upright and pushed myself away quickly. There was a boy who sat with a piece of clothing in his hand; he looked thin and badly injured. Had someone been in my cell this whole time?

“It’s okay; I was just trying to help.” He said defensively, but I stayed where I was, keeping my distance from him. “Your wound could get infected.” The kid was right, but I didn’t want help from anyone right now. “I can do it myself.” He handed me the piece of clothing, and I gently patted around the wound. I didn’t want to actually touch the wound because it already hurt, and I knew just how bad it would feel if I tried to actually clean it. “How long have you been in here?” I asked; he thought for a minute, “What month is it?” “October” “Really? That’s almost a year.” My jaw dropped: “In this cell?” “No, I was caught trying to run away after working for them for about seven months, and then they sent me here along with all the other kids who tried to escape.” “But I thought they only started taking people last month?” I asked, and the boy shook his head “No… not at all. They started secretly taking criminals and their families, but I assume they’ve started taking others?” I blinked. “They’ve taken everyone.” The boy sighed and leaned back against the wall. “I should’ve known it would be like this, they’re all so greedy… What are they making you guys do out there?” I closed my eyes; the constant pounding in my head made me dizzy. “We dug trenches for a week, and now we’re here supposedly to fight a war that we are going to start.”

The boy sighed; I’m sure he was looking for some kind of hope to hold onto. Truth is, we all were, but unfortunately, we don’t even have the slightest idea of what the government’s trying to do. Cause, we know they want power, but what are they going to do once they have that? They can’t do anything else; they’ll just keep us in captivity while they’re unsatisfied. No one wins.

Footsteps sounded down the stairway. I tried to peek out of the bars of my cell. Were there more prisoners? All I could see was soldiers, not like the other kids and me, but like the ones who shoved us in these cells. They started unlocking the cells and taking the kids out. When the soldier stopped at my cell, he was with someone else, a girl, I think. They stepped inside, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to stand up. Instead, to my surprise, the Soldier walked away, leaving me with the girl. She ran to my side, and that was when I could see her face.

It was Joy. “Joy?” I asked quietly. She tilted her head like she was confused. I knew her. “I’m sorry- do I know you?” She had started to open a box containing first-aid supplies. “It’s me, Walker.” How did she not remember me? I kind of felt sad; something in my heart shifted, like a piece of it had been taken out. “Walker?! Oh my goodness, is that really you?” Was she really playing a joke on me right now while I was in this kind of condition? “What did they do to you?!” The kid who had been in my cell spoke up, “They blamed him for something he didn’t do; you know how it is.”

She got closer and rushed to me. Sure, I was hurt, but I can handle a little pain. “I’m fine, really. I just need some rest, and then I can walk.” She let go of me. “You need to be taken to the infirmary right now.” “I’m fine! Chill, okay? We don’t need to make a big deal about this.”

I slowly and painfully stood up. I wasn’t going to be the center of attention, not right now in this condition, at least. I took a step away from the wall, and my vision went black, and I lost balance, sending me hurdling to the ground.Bright lights. Sweaty hands. Cold skin. I squint my eyes. Attempting to see where I am, but I can’t manage to lift my head. I lay still, gripping tightly to the cuff of my uniform. I shut my eyes. Trying to remember what happened. Joy. She had tried to help me, but I had let my stubborn self refuse help when I clearly needed it. What had happened? I lay trying to make sense of everything, and I eventually gained the strength to lift my head. Scanning the room, I made the inference that I was in a hospital. It wasn’t nice.

I suddenly felt a wave of panic rush over me. Where were Joy and Hudson? Had I been taken away from them? I quickly sat up, noticing a small skinny tube stuck in my right arm. I quickly yanked it out from my arm and tried standing up. A wave of dizziness followed me and I grabbed onto the bed I had been in trying to steady myself. I took a step forward slowly letting go of the bed. I walked toward the exit of my room, feeling like I would fall over at any moment. I had to find Joy and Hudson; I prayed they hadn’t been separated from me. I reached the doorway and gripped the frame, nearly losing my balance. I leaned out, searching for anyone—anyone who could tell me what was going on. Then I stepped into the hall, moving one careful step at a time. A few steps in, a hand rested gently on my shoulder. “Walker, what are you doing. You should be lying down right now; you could pass out again.” She said it so kindly and softly, like I was some lost cause or something. “Where are we?” I asked, “Is Hudson okay?” She gently turned me around and helped me walk back to the room. “We are in the infirmary; Hudson is in training… You need to rest.” “I’m fine, Joy.”

She pushed me down onto the bed-like structure. “That’s what you said before you passed out; it’s been an entire day, Walker.” I rubbed the back of my neck, confused, but I didn’t say anything. “I’ll be right back; stay here.” Joy left the room and came back a few minutes later. “I’ve got to take you back to our barracks.” I stood up, took a step forward, and started to become dizzy again. She must have noticed because she quickly took my arm and wrapped it around her to help steady me. “Ready?” She asked, and I nodded my head.

She slowly walked me back to our barracks. As much as I hated having to have someone help me walk, I knew it had to be done. “Did anything change since…” I asked, Joy nodded her head “Yeah, they delayed the attack so everyone could be more prepared, although I think it’s because they injured everyone so badly… The infirmary’s been so busy I’ve been working since last night.” I look at her eyes, which had heavy bags under them. She must really be tired; I was surprised that she had been able to still be her normal self.

We finally made it back to the barracks, and I already felt extremely exhausted. Inside, there were quite a few people already lying down in there. I recognized a few of them as being in my group. I made it to my bunk and sat down, already feeling like I might just pass out again. Suddenly, I remembered what had caused me to pass out. I had been assigned to the first row in the front lines. I took a deep breathe trying to keep myself awake and conscious.

“You sure you’re feeling okay, Walker?” I shook my head and under my breath whispered what I was thinking. “I was assigned to the front row.” “What?” Joy asked, and I spoke only slightly louder: “I was assigned to the front row.” “You already told me that earlier; don’t you remember?” She said, confused. I shook my head “No, I mean… the very front row. They assigned us into rows; I was put in the first, meaning I’ll be one of the first to get caught and die.” I squeezed my eyes shut; the constant pounding in my head didn’t make things any better. “Are you sure… Maybe it was a mix-up.” I shook my head again. “They chose me along with most of the others. I think they have all the kids at each base being assigned to just one row.” I didn’t like saying that, but it had to be done. We had to prepare for the inevitable.

Joy left our barracks quickly after finishing our conversation, and I was left by myself. My headache, along with my aching body, made me extremely tired, and it took no time before I fell asleep. I woke up to the sound of a gunshot, just like the previous mornings. I pulled my sore body out of bed and met Joy at the end of my bed.

I slung my rifle around me and stood straight waiting to be dismissed, I hadn’t said a word to Joy today except for see you later. Today we were taught how to shoot and aim our rifles. This gave me a chance to relax my body, since I already knew how to handle a gun. My dad would always bring me out to these open fields to help me practice my aiming.

When I got back from “dinner” that night, I saw Hudson talking to one of the soldiers, like an actual conversation. As if he knew the guy, he came over to his bunk as if nothing had even happened. He seemed kind of off, and I was going to ask him, but Joy came over and asked me, “How are you feeling today?” She seemed extremely tired. “Better. They didn’t make us do anything hard today.” She nodded her head and climbed up to her bunk.

Three days until I would go to war for a country I despised. The next day went basically the same, except my group was shown strategy plans. We would go to our positions at night, and the people in the front (me) would lead everyone else until we got to the country’s borders. Then my group of front-line kids and I would go to the top of a hill and start firing at Volaria’s base. So not only was I going to die, I was going to be one of the people who started the war?!

I have to find a way to get out,” I told Joy and Hudson at dinner, when we had been given a tray of “food” that consisted of crunchy rice and what I think was supposed to be chicken. Picking at his food, Hudson replied, “I don’t think it’ll be too bad, I mean, if you act fast, you might not even get shot at.” “Easy for you to say; you’re not the one who’s getting shot at.” How could Hudson not think this was a big deal? This is my life we’re talking about. Joy sat silently eating her inedible food.

“What do you think I should do, Joy?” She looked up from her food. “I don’t know; maybe we can figure something out. I’ll try and ask around.” “Thank you.” I was still a little upset with Hudson. Did he not care about someone dying? I mean, he saw that poor kid get shot, and what happened to me after being accused of something I never even did. So why couldn’t he see just how serious this was? I was going to war at the age of fifteen!

We all headed back to our barracks, and I gladly went to sleep that night. Unfortunately, I was woken up by the sound of footsteps. I rubbed my eyes and turned over to see where the footsteps were coming from. My eyes slowly started to adjust to the darkness as I started to see the shape of the silhouette. I couldn’t make out who it was, but that person was walking to the doors that led outside our barracks. The person cracked the door and slipped through, closing it back, leaving no trace of them ever being there. Who thought it was a good idea to sneak out in the middle of the night, not to mention on a military base full of ruthless soldiers? I was slowly starting to realize that those soldiers were more like officers or leaders, and we were the soldiers fighting for them.

I waited until the kid came back, and it had been about twenty minutes or so. When he came back, I watched as he walked closer and closer to my bunk. I squinted my eyes to try to seem like I was sleeping. The next thing he did was stop right at Hudson’s bunk bed, and he slowly and quietly got in under the covers. It was Hudson. He had sneaked out, he had risked his life to do what? I shut my eyes even more so that I could hardly see out of them. He lay down and did nothing but go to sleep. What was he not telling me?

My body started like it always did in the mornings; the sound of rounds being fired into the air wasn’t my choice of sound for an alarm. Two days until I would go off to war at the age of fifteen, two days until I would die.

I think Joy could see it in my face today because before we left to go to our assigned stations, she came up behind me and put a hand on my shoulder: “You’ll be okay; I’m going to find a way to get us out.” “Thanks,” I said back, but I didn’t really believe she was going to find a way out for us. After all, I was going to die from the government, so why not die soon and get all the pain over with?

Everyone was restless today; we all stood in a group waiting for our “leaders” to tell us what to do. This time, though, they took us out past the military base. They led us out to the trucks and shoved us all in them, this time like they were angry at us, like we had done something to them. Before we even had time to close the truck up, they were already driving away. I held my rifle. I wanted to shoot the tires and maybe even the people driving the trucks, but if I did that, I would be dead, and they would make everyone else’s life harder because of my actions.

So I swallowed up my anger and bit down on my teeth; I wasn’t going to die because I was careless and couldn’t keep a few feelings inside. Halfway through the drive, things started to look a little familiar, which I hope was a good thing. Later, when we arrived, my heart dropped; we were back at the same trenches we had built a week ago. Except this time, there was already a group of kids. There seemed to be slightly more in that group than in ours; they were already working and moving sheets of wood into piles that had come from trucks.

Yelling quickly followed, and everyone immediately ran to where they were told to go. I was assigned to an area with tons of lumber right next to the trenches we had built. We were told and shown how these barriers would be used to help protect us when it came time for us to go to war.

The construction began simple, yet every movement felt like a battle against my own broken body. First, we had to dig the holes along the trench line. It took us two grueling hours just to break the earth, and by the time we finished, my arms were screaming in protest. I wasn’t anywhere near my full strength; the beating I’d endured still lingered in my bones, sapping my power. My hands were raw, blistered, and throbbing, but there was no rest. We still had to build the shields.

Step two was even more merciless. We lowered the heavy wooden beams into the gaping holes and began shoveling the dirt back in, packing it down with whatever strength we had left. That alone took another hour and a half. By now, the blisters had burst; my hands were bleeding, leaving crimson smears on the wood and soil. Finally, it was time to hammer the boards into place, creating a fragile barrier meant to “protect” us or perhaps just “hide” us from the storm of bullets that would soon be tearing through the air above our heads.

We all decided to do it in groups, which would hopefully get the work done faster. Along with these two other boys, who I recognized were in the same barracks as me, chose to work with me. As we started the first shield, one of the boys started a conversation. “I think It’d be nice if we all got to know each other, you know, it’s always good to have someone to back you up in a place like this.”

he other kid next to me shook his head and kept his eyes on the board he was hammering in. “I’m Walker. What about you?” The kid responded, “Jayson, but you can call me Jay.” “Okay, what about you?” I asked, pointing to the kid who hadn’t said anything. He didn’t say anything, just stared blankly at the nail he was hammering; then he picked up another one and hit that one into the wood.

I decided to ask Jay questions instead as I myself hammered another nail. “What position were you given?” Jay didn’t answer right away; he stopped nailing, and after a few seconds he said: “Very front.” “Same.” We finished the first shield and moved on to the next one. As we worked on the shields, we talked about small things. Like life back home and how things used to be before they took everyone.

When it got close to us being almost done, Jay asked a question I had been thinking about all week: “Do you think there’s any way for us to escape?” He asked in a low voice when we had finally been side by side without the other boy between the two of us. “I don’t know, but if there’s ever a way out, I’ll make sure you’re with me when I do make it out.” He looked me in the eyes. “You promise?” I held my hand out, and as he shook mine, I said: “I promise to walk out of this prison with you the second there is a chance given to us.” He nodded with a smile, and we went back to work.

Everyone seemed to finish boarding up the shields around the same time, just as the sun was setting. My hands were bloody and completely raw now, and my arms were so sore I could hardly sling my rifle around my shoulders when it was given back to me. We still had a few hours of driving in order to get back. I didn’t mind, though, because that meant I could close my eyes and sleep. I placed my hat over my face to block the little bit of light that was still there. Before I knew it, we were back at the base and hurdled into our barracks.

We were herded into our barracks, where everyone else was already sleeping; we weren’t given dinner that night. I was sweaty and achy as I dropped down onto my bed. Joy was suddenly at my side. “Where did they take you guys?!” I sat on the bed and motioned that she could sit down as well. “They had us building shields at the trenches.” “So then you’ll be okay, right?” She looked a little hopeful. “Maybe.” I lied. Those barriers weren’t going to withstand a thing.

“Hey, did you find any possible ways to get out of here?” She shook her head no. “You have to understand, Walker, it’s not that easy. I can’t just ask anyone otherwise I’ll put myself in jeopardy.” “I know, thank you for trying at least.” We sat there for a few seconds, and then I remembered Jay: “Hey, I met another kid; his name is Jay. He’s even in the same barrack as us. I wasn’t able to ride with him back, so I haven’t seen him since we were at the trenches.” “That’s good news; the more people that we know, the better.” I went to move the hair that had fallen into my face and forgot about my hands. I winced at the pain and quickly drew my hands away. “What?” Joy asked, “Nothing, just tired from today. I think I’m going to go to bed now.” I slipped my muddy boots off and lay down. Joy stood up. “Well goodnight, I’ll see you tomorrow.” “Okay, see you.” She climbed up to her bed, and I closed my eyes.

I don’t know what changed in me, but a sudden wave of anger washed over me, pulling me into a deep sense of hopelessness that made it hard to breathe. The silence in the room felt heavy, and though I wanted to scream, I couldn’t bring myself to speak. My heart wasn’t just breaking; it felt consumed by a bitter resentment toward the Raiders—the ones who didn’t just ruin my life but destroyed it completely. They had taken everything. My family who’s laughter silenced forever, leaving me as the sole, trembling survivor of a tragedy. I wanted to scream, but all that came out was the dull thud of my fist hitting the wooden frame of my bunk. The sting shooting up my arm was the only thing that felt real. I heard Joy shift in the dark, but she didn’t say a word. She was probably already asleep, completely worn out from the hard labor she was forced to do today. Why didn’t I ask how her day was? I was being so self-centered.

I woke up with a headache. I pushed myself out of bed. Bad idea. My hands felt worse than yesterday. I tried my best to change into my clothes, and it was sure hard. Once I got back, Joy was already changed, same for Hudson. I tried picking up my rifle, and I couldn’t; my hands were still too raw and seemed a little infected. I dropped it on the ground and pulled my hands to my chest. I winced in pain, and Joy came closer. “What happened to your hands?!” She grabbed my wrist, revealing the bloody, battered, hardly noticeable hands. “I need to take you down to the hospital now.” I pulled back. “No, it’s fine; I’ll be fine.” She held on to my wrist. “Look at your hands! I don’t care what you think; you need to go and at least clean them out.” “I have to report to roll call other wise I’ll get in trouble.”

Yeah, I wanted to go to the hospital and fix my hands, but I couldn’t. On the way back yesterday, Jay had told me that they were beating those who asked to go to the hospital. I couldn’t face another beating; I wouldn’t make it. Before she could respond, I pulled my arm back and walked away, turning my back to her. Great, I completely messed up. I just turned my back on her! I messed up; I was rude to the one person who cared about my well-being. But I couldn’t get another beating; I just couldn’t.

I felt shivers run up my spine as I left Joy to go to roll call. I walked over to Jay, who was standing in our group. “Hey.” He said “Hey.” I looked down at his hands, and they were just as bad as mine. I looked around at the kids around me, and theirs were just as bad as well. Today was even weirder; the officers told us to go back to our barracks. They didn’t even tell us what to do, just to head back.

There were about twenty boys who came into my barrack, and there were about ten barracks, which meant around two hundred boys were going to die tomorrow. I stood with Jay, deciding what it was we were supposed to do. Some of the boys went to their beds and lay down while a few talked to some of the other kids. “I’ll be right back.” “Okay.” Jay walked towards his bunk, which was towards the back of the barracks.

I sat on the edge of my bed, the mattress creaking under the weight of my silence, my eyes locked on Hudson’s empty bunk. The room felt too still, too heavy, as if the air itself was holding its breath. My mind dragged me back to two nights ago, Hudson slipping out while the rest of us slept, his movements too quiet, too deliberate. He hadn’t said a word when he returned, just slid back under the covers like a ghost. Since then, he’d been distant, jumpy, like he was carrying a secret too big for one person.

A sliver of white caught my eye—something tucked beneath his pillow, just barely visible. My pulse spiked. I pushed myself up, wincing as the movement tugged at the raw skin covering most of my hand. Careful not to let the paper brush against my injuries, I lifted the pillow just enough to free the folded sheet underneath.

My fingers trembled as I unfolded it, the paper stiff and cold in my grip. I smoothed it out, my breath catching in my throat. Rows of numbers stared back at me, identity codes, just like the ones stitched onto our patches. But it was what lay at the bottom of the page that froze me solid.

I read the words once. Then again. And again. Unable to believe what I was reading.I couldn’t reconcile the image in my mind with the name on the paper: Hudson? The person who was supposed to be just like me, dragged into this war against his will, was actually a part of this nightmare? When Jay returned, his presence barely registered to me. He stepped in front of me. “What’s wrong?” He asked me. I forced myself upright, the floor trembling beneath my boots, not from fear, but from the sheer weight of the betrayal. I leaned in, my voice a razor-thin whisper meant for him alone. “Hudson’s working for them.” “What?… Who’s Hudson and what’s going on?” The room around me started to spin again, but I resisted it this time. “He’s my friend.” “Okay, so then what’s got you so freaked out?” I handed him the paper, keeping my eyes locked in place.

I felt the tension grow stronger with each passing second. It was only after those seconds had passed that Jay spoke. ““My…” Jay whispered even quieter this time “My number… It’s on there.” I snatched the paper back and he pointed to the neatly printed number. I then looked up at his shoulder patch and back down. His number was on there, but why? Jay wasn’t a threat; he was just like the rest of us. I quickly scanned the rest of the numbers, making sure that Joy’s wasn’t on there. It was. Not only were both of their numbers on that piece of paper, but so was mine, underlined at the very bottom.

The barrack doors busted open, and in came a group of girls, all medics. Joy made it over to us, “I was able to sneak some gauze in to wrap your hands.” She pulled out a wad of gauze from her pocket. Joy quickly recognized that something was wrong. “What happened?” I pulled her closer into our small circle. Taking a deep, heavy breathe a explained: “Hudson, he’s working for the government.” Joy shook her head. “What?” “I handed her the paper and said, ‘I found it under his pillow.” “Our numbers are on this.” I nodded my head silently. “Why is your name underlined?” “I don’t know.”

Jay’s voice dropped to a low whisper. “I know why.”

We froze, hanging on his next breath. “I heard an officer talking to a boy—your friend, maybe. They said ‘F918’…” Jay cut himself off, his finger jabbing toward my patch. “That’s you. They’ve pinned the outburst on you. They say you’re planning a breakout.” His eyes widened, the realization hitting him. “If we’re standing with you, we’re guilty by association.”

I shook my head, the denial rising faster than the fear. “It doesn’t add up. Why does that make me the target?” I gripped the page tighter. “And what about the rest of these numbers?”

The doors burst open before I could speak again. I shoved the papers under Hudson’s pillow and froze. We stared into the room, scanning the sea of dull faces for Hudson, but he wasn’t there.

Hudson hadn’t come back into the barracks until it was way past dinner time. He was probably talking to one of the officers about how he had tricked me into being his friend to get information. “Hey, you wouldn’t believe what happened to me.” I didn’t say anything; I just stared at the top of the bunk. “You okay?” He asked me, his voice sounding like he meant it. I tried my best to speak, but all I managed to say was “Yeah.” I couldn’t believe that I was right beside Hudson. A traitor. A liar. A killer. I clenched the cuffs of my uniform tightly with my bandaged hands and closed my eyes.

We were woken up way earlier than normal; today was battle day. My heart bounced out of my chest as I was shoved into a truck. Jay and I clung to each other for the entire drive. My entire thought process was jumbled up; all I could think about was how I was going to die. Would it be from Hudson or from the bullets that would soon be flying directly at me? Either way, death awaited. It was still plenty dark out by the time we arrived.

When we finally reached the trenches, my heart plummeted into the earth, heavier than the mud beneath our boots. Around us, a sea of four thousand teens stood rigid, rifles clenched in white-knuckled grips, their eyes hollowed by a silence that felt louder than anything I had ever heard. Jay stayed close, his presence the only anchor in the rising tide of dread, as we were herded toward the very front. There, a smaller group of two hundred waited, their faces pale ghosts in the gloom.

The stillness shattered with a single, cracking gunshot. The sound ripped through the air, making every one of us flinch as if we had been struck ourselves. Before the echo could fade, an officer’s voice erupted, raw and venomous, slicing through the panic. “Any man who resists,” he bellowed, “any man who tries to run, will be shot where he stands.” The threat hung in the sulfur-choked air, heavier than the clouds of war awaiting us.

Twenty or so officers led our group. Half of them in the back, the other half in the front. The thick mud I walked in was nothing compared to the thick air I breathed. Heavy and full of fear. I took a deep breath and shut my eyes for only a second, trying to figure out what to do, but nothing came to mind. I looked at Jay who’s eyes were fearful and constantly jumping from every face around him. I wanted to say something, but I myself was to afraid to speak.

We walked for a little more than two hours through a massive forest until we were told to stop. Ahead of us was a hill, and we were then sorted into our positions. Me, Jay, and the other kids in our group were brought out to the far right, about a mile or so away from the hill we had just come from. Everything was an open field, except no grass, only the same mud that we had been trucking in for the past few hours.

Why couldn’t we be back in the trenches? At least there, we might’ve had a chance to duck down, to disappear into the mud before anyone saw us. Out here, we were exposed, like sitting ducks under a wide, open sky.

Then the ground beneath us started to rumble— heavy and fast, like the ground was bound to split. I looked up and saw them: a massive wave of soldiers running toward us, fast and determined.

And then—BANG.

The first gunshot cracked through the air, sharp and sudden. In an instant, everything exploded into motion. Men shouted, some dropped to the ground, others surged forward. Smoke curled into the sky, mixing with the noise and the rush of bodies. It wasn’t just chaos—it was alive, wild, and moving too fast to make sense of. One second, I was standing still; the next, I was caught in a storm of movement, hoping I could keep my feet and my head above the tide. A boy in front of me raised his gun and pulled the trigger. Before I knew it, everyone around us was doing the same, fighting the very people that we needed to save us.

I followed everyone but kept my gun pointed at the ground. I turned around to look for Jay, but he was nowhere to be seen. Every step I took, the ground shook a little more. I felt a shove to my back. I fell to the ground, and my face was plastered with muddy water; my clothes were soaked in the water. “Move it!” An officer yelled, and I got back up and started running with the others before I was beaten to death by the officer. Bullets flew past me, and I dove down to a boulder, hiding from the bullets.

As I caught my breath, everyone around me began to run back! I turned around, still hiding from the bullets but just peeking out enough to see what was happening. Everyone was running away from them, and the other army was running full speed at us shooting down anyone and everyone they saw. I quickly stood up and began running back as fast as I could. Weaving in and out through the other kids who were running. This war was going to end sooner than it had started.

he officers and leaders all urged us to turn around, even shooting some of us, but everyone was too scared, and soon the officers were running with us. As I ran, I looked for Jay, hoping he was alright, and what about Joy? Where was she? Was she alright? Running went by faster than I thought, because by the time my lungs were about to give out, we had already made it back to the trenches. Kids were filling the trenches we built. Officers held their guns out and grabbed kids, shoving them into the trenches.

I tried to run past one of the officers, but he grabbed onto my collar and whipped me around, shouting words I couldn’t hear as he threw me into the trench. I peered through the small opening of the shield and saw the others running, trying to hide. I eventually saw Volaria’s army in the distance, and gunshot sounds became louder. Not from Volaria, but from our side.

Everyone was fighting back, everyone except for me. I turned around, facing away from everything, pressing my back against the dirt wall. I tried to breathe, but all I was doing was panicking. Tears began to fill my eyes faster than I could make them disappear. In front of me, I saw others supplying bullets to those who needed them. Before I knew it, a hand was in front of me holding a box of ammunition; it was Hudson. “Here! Now go kill those Volarians!” I grabbed the box from him and quickly raised my arm and smashed it into the side of his head. He fell to the ground, holding his face.

“What was that!?!?” “You’re a liar!” I screamed at him; it felt good to yell it and not be attacked by any officers. Hudson stood up, meeting me at eye level. “What are you talking about!?” “I found the paper under your pillow; you were going to kill my friends!” Hudson’s eyes changed from confusion to hatred. He lunged forward, shoving me to the ground. His hands quickly wrapped around my neck as he tried to choke me. I thrashed around trying to get him off of me. I used all my strength and pushed him off. Crawling backward, I stood up and ran. I had to get out of here; otherwise I’d be dead for sure.

“What was that!?!?” “You’re a liar!” I screamed at him; it felt good to yell it and not be attacked by any officers. Hudson stood up, meeting me at eye level. “What are you talking about!?” “I found the paper under your pillow; you were going to kill my friends!” Hudson’s eyes changed from confusion to hatred. He lunged forward, shoving me to the ground. His hands quickly wrapped around my neck as he tried to choke me. I thrashed around trying to get him off of me. I used all my strength and pushed him off. Crawling backward, I stood up and ran. I had to get out of here; otherwise I’d be dead for sure.

Instead, I saw Jay and quickly ran out, grabbing him by the arm and bringing him back to where Joy was now standing outside. I motioned for her to follow me, and I brought them around the back of the tent. “We have to escape now!” I said over the chaos. “How?” Joy asked, and Jay quickly answered: “Through the woods!” Joy shook her head. “We could get lost and die out there!” I kept my head on a swivel, looking for any officers who might catch us or Hudson. I turned my head back, facing Joy, who was uncertain about all of this. “Joy!” I said, grabbing her attention, “Hudson knows that we found out about everything. He just tried to choke me to death, and we’ve had bullets flying at us this entire time. If we don’t escape, we’ll die for certain.” She nodded her head. “Okay.”

Just as I began to turn around, I felt a blow to my face, sending me back. I stumbled backward and was met with another blow to the face. Hudson stood in front of me and lunged at me, sending me down to the ground once again. I punched him in the face, trying to get him to stop but he was committed to getting rid of me. Eventually, he was shoved off of me by Jay. Just as I began to stand up, the ground began to shake even more - BOOM.

I was sent hurdling to the ground. I saw a big explosion and then felt sharp pieces of wood stab my back as I shielded for cover. Everything went quiet; all I heard was a piercing, eerie sound. After a few seconds, cries and screams emerged, and people’s groans became louder and louder. I opened my eyes and took my hands off my head. I saw Joy lying on the ground, and I immediately ran over to check on her. I bent over her and put my hands on her back. “Joy?” I asked quietly, she winced, but turned around. She sat up. “I’m okay.” “Are you sure?” “Yes.” I moved over to Jay. He was already sitting up. “I’m all good; don’t worry about me.” I stood up and turned around to see Hudson lying on the ground. He was alive but injured. I helped Joy stand up. “We need to escape right now!” We began to run towards the forest that was ahead of us. I weaved through those who were fighting, running, or just trying to help. As we made it to the forest another explosion went off further away making me stumble but I continued to run.

Don’t get caught, don’t get caught—the words hammered in my head. Then, CRACK, a gunshot tore through the air, sharp and sudden. We dove as one. I slammed behind a tree, bark scraping my back, my heart hammering against my ribs.

I glanced to the left. Joy was there, tucked behind another tree, eyes wide but steady. But Jay—Jay wasn’t there. My stomach twisted. Bullets whined past, splintering wood, kicking up dirt. I had to find him. I risked a peek, and there he was, just ahead, crouched low behind another tree. Safe. My breath came out in a shaky rush.

Then, silence. The gunfire stopped.

“Come on out, Walker!” Hudson’s voice cut through the stillness, cold and mocking. “You can’t hide forever.”

I stayed put. My hands trembled, but my mind was clear. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t kill him, even if he wanted to kill me. That wasn’t who I was.

Slowly, I stepped out, hands raised, sacrificing myself. I caught Joy’s eye and shook my head slightly. Stay.

“Just do it,” I said, voice tight. “Get it over with.”

Hudson’s smile was wrong—twisted, unfamiliar. He let his gun dangle from its strap, eyes gleaming with something dark. “You think I’d kill you? You’re funny, Walker. I thought you’d see the good in Norvalian. But you chose to fight it. So now…” He lifted his gun. “Now I’ll finish what that officer started.”

The ground dropped out from under me. Betrayal hit harder than any bullet. “I trusted you,” I whispered, voice breaking. “I gave you everything. And this is how you repay me?”

My chest felt hollow, like something inside had crumbled to ash and blown away. He stepped closer, rifle raised again. The world slowed. The first blow knocked me to my knees. The second sent me sprawling. Pain exploded across my back, my head, my ribs. Blood streamed down my face, hot and sticky. I couldn’t move. Couldn’t fight back.

Then—a shift in the air. Jay stepped out, gun steady, voice iron. “Drop it, Hudson.”

Hudson laughed. Actually laughed. Like this was a game. Like we were toys. He didn’t drop the gun. Instead, in one fluid, terrible motion, he swung it toward Jay and pulled the trigger.

Time stretched. The blast echoed like thunder. Jay fell.

Something inside me snapped.

I grabbed my gun, aim instinctive, hands no longer shaking. I didn’t think. I just pulled the trigger.

The bullet found Hudson’s chest. He staggered, eyes wide with shock, then crumpled to the ground without a sound. There was no drama in his fall, just a sudden stillness.

Silence returned. Heavy. Final.

I stood there, breathing hard, heart pounding—not with fear, but with a deep, aching sorrow. The anger was gone, replaced by a quiet numbness.

I let the gun fall, the metal hitting the earth with a dull thud that echoed my shattering heart. I didn’t look back; I ran only toward him. Toward Jay.

He lay so still, his uniform darkened by a stain that stole the breath from my lungs. I crashed to my knees beside him, the impact jarring my bones. I felt nothing but the terrifying silence radiating from his form. I pressed my ear to his chest, closing my eyes tight, begging the universe for a single sound. Just one heartbeat. A whisper of breath. Anything.

“Jay,” I choked out, my voice breaking under the weight of his name.

A trembling hand settled gently on my shoulder. Joy sank down beside me, her presence the only anchor in a world that had suddenly tilted off its axis. Tears blurred my vision as I looked at his face, so peaceful yet painfully still.

“Come on, Jay… please,” I whispered, a desperate prayer into the quiet air. “Wake up.”

But the silence remained. In that crushing moment, the truth settled over us like a heavy cloud. I hadn’t just lost a friend; I had lost a piece of me. One friend was taken by betrayal, another lost to the fallout of that same treachery. I was left alone with a promise unkept and the stillness of a friend who would not wake.