Kane: Short Stories- A Year 6 Novel

Year 6- Chapter 47 (Kane's POV)

  I've spent all morning kicking myself for not forcing Felisha to let me go with her. It took all of one day to slap together a decent plan for later today, and the rest of that time I could have been with Fel, making sure nothing happened.

  We pull up to the hospital, and make a shaky stop under a wide expanse of pine trees. We sit in silence, the only sound in the large truck, the occasional clearing of someone's throat, or the thrum of fingertips against the metal interior.

  Suddenly a door about one hundred yards away opens, and I see Felisha's UCP form saunter out into the bright midday sun. She glances around, before her eyes lock on mine in the mirror, and my heart seizes, thankful that she is seemingly alright. I quickly turn my UCP back on the one I had ditched so that she would be able to find us easily.

  Felisha comes up to the passenger door, and I push it open, making sure she gets in before I close it. Before either of us gets the chance to say anything, I pull Fel into a hug, burying my face in her neck, gripping her arms a little too tightly. I've been envisioning this moment all day, hoping it would actually play out.

  "Thank goodness you're okay," I say, a chill running through my body. "I was worried... It has been a long two days."

  "You can say that again," Felisha says, surveying who all is in the vehicle with us.

  "Who's ready?" I ask, hoping I sound confident, when I don't feel all that prepared for today. Something just doesn't feel right to me. I quietly pull onto the highway, keeping quiet while everyone else mumbles amongst themselves. I turn to face Felisha, and I notice the scowl on her face as she stares out at the open road ahead of us. "You look worried, Fel," I say, turning off my UCP, and Felisha follows suit.

  "I believe fully in you and the rest of the Year Movement, but the Government is Unpredictable," She says, and it looks like saying the words out loud is a relief.

  "How far away are we?" Charlie asks, sounding more like an excited toddler than a warrior prepped for battle.

  "Not very far, actually," I say, checking my watch briefly. We're really close.

  We all sit in silence, everyone letting the reality run over them, drenching them. I feel ten pounds heavier, unsure whether I'll really be able to pull through on this or not.

  Bang! Bang! My head whips around when I hear gunshots coming from behind us. At first I think a gun has discharged in the back, but I soon realize that the gunshots did not com from our vehicle.

  Just as one of our tires gives, I notice the black trucks trailing us. "Everyone, get down," I instruct, glad to see that Felisha has already taken that precaution. I look back at the massive black vehicles, and my heart stops, my blood going cold. Feds.

  "Feds!" I shout, slamming my foot against the gas pedal.

  Suddenly, a large gray truck pulls out in front of us, and I slam my foot on the breaks, but it is already too late and we crash right into the truck. I prepare myself for impact, and watch as Felisha's head slams into the airbag, her whole body flying forward. "Is everyone okay?" I ask, paying specific attention to Felisha, and she slams back against her seat. We all take a moment, hoping to regain our composure, but there is no time.

  We all rush out of the vehicle, guns pressed to our chests, ready to fire. I help the last few stragglers out of the truck, then start to close the back door, when I hear a gunshot, then a deep wail from Felisha. My heart stops, and my breath halts in my throat. I don't want to turn around. I don't want to see her sprawled out on the ground, her blood staining the ground, her eyes glossing over. I've seen it too many times. I can't see it happen to her. My heart turns to dust in my chest, and it takes all I have to keep my tears at bay. My ears begin to ring, and I can no longer hear anything around me, but I can't let this faze me. We always just have to move on.