Amity and Enmity

Chapter 41

Day: 1230

Days Left: 4250

Lives Saved: 6

Talon eventually opened their eyes, seeing the gun in their trembling hands and Annika on the ground, staring with wide, wild eyes up at them, tears streaming down her face, mostly hidden by her mask.

There was just silence.

Gasping for breath, Talon studied the gun, wondering why there had been no noise. They finally noticed how light it was, lighter than they had expected.

Was it empty all this time? Was it not loaded?

They pointed the gun at the ground and hesitantly pulled the trigger. A small flame flickered from the barrel, and when Talon let go of the trigger, the flame extinguished.

All this time... what everyone had been afraid of, what kept Annika in power and control over them...

It was just a stupid novelty cigarette lighter.

"It wasn't a real gun..." Talon mumbled. "All this time, you were just bluffing."

No one was in danger of losing their memories if they disobeyed her. They all believed it all these years and followed her in fear because it was better to stay with her with food and shelter than without memories and starve in the cold. They could have been free of her sooner if they had been brave enough to stand up to her, to risk that threat.

Talon had almost hurt many people because they feared losing their memories. And now that it was revealed that the gun wasn't real...

"So stupid..." Talon choked, trembling as tears spilt from their eyes. "I was so fucking stupid!" They turned back to Annika, the gun clenched in their hand. "Everything you made me do, everything I endured, and all this time, it was a fake!"

Jules grabbed Talon's hand, pulling them back before they lunged at Annika.

"She lied to us!" Talon screamed, attempting to fight out of Jules' restraint. "We followed for no reason!"

Annika looked around at all the faces, all the people staring down at her, their expressions changing from sudden shock... to disgust, hate, and anger. Then, finally, she scrambled to her feet, retreating, her breath stagnant as she found herself surrounded. Annika looked to Junior, who appeared to be one of the few not shocked by the discovery of the fake gun.

Of course, thought Annika, he worked for the Abyss; he must have known that they would never allow such an overwhelmingly powerful weapon like a gun down here. The same goes for Corinna Warren and that bodyguard, with their calmness. But, of course, they all knew it was fake. It was a trap. They tried to make me reveal my bluff. They knew I had nothing.

I have nothing...

I have...

Annika glanced to the tent, the closest to the centre of the camp.

No, she had one last card to play...

"Stop her!" shouted Junior as Annika rushed toward the tent. "Don't let her get to the Land of the Lost!"

Light flashed around the edges of Annika's mask, the green scales enveloping her body, her limbs and frame shrinking until she was running on all fours as a small green lizard- no, as a small green-scaled dragon, the size of a small dog. She weaved in and out of the prisoners, too shocked and shaking from the previous events, so they were too slow to catch her. Then, jetting out a quick burst of flame from her mouth, the baby dragon scared away the two prisoners who barred the tent, the two screaming and rolling on the ground to stop the fire enveloping their clothes.