Mali

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Past

"Ha, you think you'll be able to escape? I took you as one of the bright ones.", Mina laughs.

"I'm serious!", I shouted pushing myself to my feet, a few heads turned to look my direction, I quickly drew the attention away as I sat back down, "I want to get out.", this time a whisper.

Mina leaned forward, whispered it herself to mock me, "Good luck trying."

I leaned back in the chair and looked down at my food, same old mashed something with meat that had no distinct flavor. Just a strange concoction of what you would expect if you ate mud. Slimy with random chunks of something.

The bell signally for end of day rang and we proceed to empty our trays when someone tapped me on the shoulder.

It was Zeke, "Meet me after your Reflection, I have to show you something."

I nodded my head and we parted for now.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

The session was quiet. She did most of the talking. The progress, the pep talks to continue to get better, the same stuff we cover almost every Friday.

Zeke was waiting right outside the door of the hallway that connected to the separate part of the building that was built just for our training.

"We got to be secretive about this, but I think it might work.", Zeke whispered as he grabbed my arm and began to lead me down a hall.

"Where are we going?", I asked, this was a different hallway.

It was behind a door in the back of the training room where I first met everyone and was nearly crushed the next day.

"I stumbled upon this door a couple of months ago and when you talked about escaping, it reminded me of this.", on the word he opened a door and a shining light blinded me for only a moment.

It was outside. The feel of a cool breeze in an ending summer. The smell of cut grass. The sound of chirping birds.

We were outside.

I stumbled to find words, "B-but.."

"How did you-"

"Wow."

I took a single step and reached my arm out as far as I could reach to feel the sun. To touch it's warmth on my skin. My pale skin.

When you've been living inside a cell for almost two years you never realize what you look like, or what anything looks like anymore.

I took a better look of the surroundings to realize I was on a roof. The gray roof tiles, a single generator in the far corner, and barbed electrical wire that stood ten feet tall.

Zeke interrupted, "If we ever had a chance of escape, I would think this roof would be the best spot.

I continued to wander about the roof top, walking the perimeter of it. Only inches from the live wire, daring not to touch it.

"The only problem is the wire.", Zeke noted.

"Can't you and your sisters do something about that? I mean that's what you do.", I mean, that is what their power is. Electricity. Otherwise do they get shocked each time they use it? If so that would be a pretty awful power.

"Yeah, but it will still hurt like a bitch with that much power running through those wires.", Zeke answered.

I nodded my head and continue to walk around. The wires were thick cables. I can how they would be hard to pull back without the shocking effects of touching them, but just thinking about how much electricity could be running through it makes my stomach turn.

One touch and I'm fried.

"Anyway we should be heading back insi-", there was a cut off. I turned quickly almost immediately picking up something was wrong.

Then there came a bang. A small crack of a gun. A sound you wish to never hear again. The sound of someone getting shot.

I was standing on the opposite side of the roof, Zeke was just next to the door.

From afar I didn't see much to Zeke, but when he began to fall I realize what had happened.

Zeke was hurt, he was the one to get shot.

I ran over to him and slid to my knees. Instinctively I began applying pressure to the wound.

There was so much blood, it doesn't take a doctor to see that the bullet was right where his heart was.

He grabbed my hand, almost trying to help, but I saw the fear in his eyes and knew he only wanted a friend.

"Please.", he was attempting his best to not cry and so was I, "Get out. Get my sisters out of here."

Mina and Riva, what am I going to tell them? Oh my god, the blood.

Soon enough I was sitting in his blood, it's warm red color began to soak my gray issued outfit. Turning my legs crimson.

"I promise.", I gave out in a whimper.

Even though I didn't knew Zeke that well, it still hurt. I was loosing someone like me, and for whatever reason it hurt.

Even after the light from his eyes left, I still kept my hands over his heart. Keeping whatever was left in.

I sat in silence as I watched his blood run off the roof.

"Zeke...", I whispered under my breath. Almost thinking he would answer.

"He was killed because of you.", I looked up to see Digby, "He didn't have to die you know, but you wanted out so he showed you the way out.", she shook her head, "Oh, Zara, what have you done?"

"Why did you shoot him? Why not me?", I asked trying even harder to hold back the tears.

"To set an example. In any mistake you make there must be an example. Zeke was your example."

I sat there stunned. An example? A human's life should not be an example.

"Now, curfew is approaching and I highly suggest you return to your cell before you make another mistake.", she directed her hand towards the door, I got the message.

I pushed myself up and began to slowly make my way to the door. I took one final glance back at Zeke who laid still in blood. Digby stood over him, it only made the situation worse. Having Digby be left alone with his body.

I turned back around and proceeded to make my way down the hall and through the training center.

I ignored all the glances and whispers as I pushed my way by.

Even ignored Ryder as he tried to stop me.

"Are you hurt? Who's blood is that.", ignored it all.

I closed the door to my cell and slid down it. I grabbed my legs and brought them closer as I wrapped my arms around my knees. I leaned my head down to rest on them as I let myself cry finally.

Finally.