Black Cloaks

Thirteen - What To Do

 

Robert's P.O.V

        Robert blew lightly on his bowl of soup. He had already burned his tongue twice and he didn't want to risk it again. He dunked his spoon into the bowl and stirred gently so he didn't spill any. He hardly got a break to eat and he was looking forward to a bowl of steaming, chicken soup. Assuming it would be okay now, he lifted the spoon to his lips.

        "Christ!" he hissed as the boiling liquid assaulted his tongue.

        He tossed the spoon back in the bowl before leaning back in his captain's chair.

        "How did my life come to this?" he asked himself quietly. He sighed and held his head in his hands.

        Four years ago, he was a healthy, happy sixteen year old boy. He had dreams of being a policeman, dreams of travelling the world. He had a beautiful girlfriend and his whole life ahead of him. He had friends everywhere and was never sad or alone.

        His life was perfect.

        Until the day that changed everything.

 

        ***

 

        He walked out of the police station with a broad smile on his face. The interview had gone well and he was sure he would be picked for training. He rummaged in his pocket for his phone to text his girlfriend.

        'Interview went well! See you later! xxxx'

        He put his phone away and began to walk back home to his girlfriend. His parents had died when he was ten and he had lived with his grandparents until his sixteenth birthday when he decided to move in with his girlfriend. He knew it was an odd thing to do as they were still young, but he had had enough of his grandparents complaining about everything he did.

        The sun seemed to shine like the happiness Rob felt inside. He saw no need to hurry back, so he decided to take the longer more scenic route home. He had been walking for about ten minutes when he heard voices.

        "Have you found anyone yet?"

        "No, everyone's with their parents! It's like they're attached at the hip!"

        

        "Well we need to find someone to take else the boss will get angry."

        Rob crouched and walked slowly behind a car that was parked next to him. He shook with fear. Were they kidnappers? A chorus of 'oh God's' filled Rob's mind. He raised himself slightly and risked a glance over the car.  He saw three men huddled together, their voices were hushed now so he could no longer hear what they were saying. They were dressed all in black and were curiously wearing black cloaks, as if they were dressed up as movie characters.  One of them pulled a long knife from his pocket and began to shine it on the material of his cloak.

        Rob's eyes widened, and as he ducked back down again his elbow hit the car with a dull thud. He held his breath as the murmering conversation stopped completely.

        "I think I heard something!"

        "Behind the car!"

        Rob swore under his breath before jumping to his feet, ready to run for it when a fist came out of nowhere, hitting him square in the face. He felt himself being dragged away, but his brain couldn't connect enough to try and get away.

        He had woken up in a black room with other people that looked his own age, from what he could see in the dark. He had stayed for a year as all the others and all the new arrivals died around him. When it was all over, they took him from the room and dumped him in a village in the middle of the forest. He stayed there for two more years before they came back again. He was taken to the sea where they told him that he was now the ferry's captain. They showed him inside and told him that he was to transport all the captives to the forest and to take on board normal citizens so no one got suspicious. They told him that if he tried to escape or get in contact with anyone he knew, they would kill his girlfriend who was probably not his girlfriend anymore, his grandparents and him. Rob agreed, and that is how he had spent the last year.

        ***

        Robert lifted his head up and sighed. There was nothing he could do about it now. He was a twenty year old man, doing what would get him arrested by what he wanted to be.

        He lifted his hand to grip the spoon and just as he was about to pour the contents into his mouth, his phone rang.

        "Hello?" he said irritably.

        "They've escaped," the deep voice hissed. "They're on the ferry, make sure they don't arrive wherever they are heading."

        "Okay, I-" Rob started before he realised the phone call had been ended.

        Rob was surprised. He didn't think anyone could ever escape from there. He didn't want to stop them, but he didn't want himself and those he loved to die.

        He just didn't know what to do.