ALIVE: The Aftermath Chronicles (Book 1)

Chapter 6 - THE SCOUT

Bars, rusted, sturdy surround her again.

Though Hannah's discouraged, her worry for Ethan stretches beyond her prison.

No one's said a word to her and she's left unattended, locked in like an animal. Only, this time, she felt she deserved it.

She hears the steps, knows someone is coming for her, and can hear the purpose in their stride intended to confront her. Having her suspicions on who it is, she doesn't bat an eye when she sees Ana Maria.

Since day one there existed tension. Two personalities that didn't mesh, especially with Ana Maria's instant alliance with the Wolfe in charge. She'd been with them a few months, but Ana climbed the ranks quickly. Her service, her coldness, her adaptability to the harsh laws of the colony settled well with Russell. She embodied every bad stereotype ever known with crooked cops and as a girl who had her own run-ins with the law in the past, Hannah didn't take kindly to her abrupt reinforcements of all she protested.

Vacancy in her face, Hannah didn't care if she'd come to kill her. For the first time, she felt she warranted death for letting Ethan sacrifice himself the way he did. Now, he's probably ripped apart by the dead, all waiting outside the colony forever until they finally got a taste of everyone inside.

Normally, she'd be the first to throw the snarky comment at the sheriff, or at anyone, really. Instead, she waited for whatever it was Ana Maria had intended for her in revenge.

The pistol at her holster gleams. The sheriff doesn't aim it, nor does she threaten her with it. Not yet.

She comes for her well enough, her shoulder bandaged and her own blood staining the part of her neck that she missed in a quick cleanup.

"You're coming with me," the sheriff tells her, then unlocks the cell and pulls her up with her good arm. Hannah's bound wrists pinch against the zip-ties and she hisses from the pain.

Those who pass them as they walk through the colony, stare. A thousand questions, a thousand new sparks to the fire of gossip, with some passing their knowledge of Hannah's treasonous actions. They normally held the trials at the end of the week, but Hannah wondered if they'd skip all that and lead her toward death now. They headed in that direction, toward the last place any of the exiled or murdered are ever seen: the medical center.

Taking the deepest breath she can manage, Hannah can't find the will to break her pride and ask what's happening, or what Ana Maria's going to do to her. Clearly, none of it was good. She'd find out soon enough. Passing Dr. Martin, the worry for Hannah's fate passes in the quick silent exchange of stares. The doctor watches after them when they pass, heading into the forbidden parts of the small hospital where Russell kept all his torturous secrets.

Her feet heavy when they climb the stairs, Hannah thinks of rolling backward in an attempt to crack open her skull and end it all by her own terms. Too many times, she'd tried to break into this part of the hospital out of her own curiosity. Now, she's being forced to see and wants to be anywhere but behind the door they face.

Breaking her silence, Hannah asks, "What about my trial?"

Keeping her own vow, Ana Maria opens the metal door.

The stench of death, of dried blood, and a thick aura hit her as the heavy door screeches open.
From above, hooks hang and a lonely menacing chair stares back at her in the room of horrors. She's pushed in when she takes a giant step back, demanding, "I want to speak to Russell."

"These are Russell's orders," Ana Maria tells her as she pushes Hannah again, "I can do whatever I want to you till your trial."

"No!" Hannah's panic sets in, her thrashing for her own life not caring at the point of Ana Maria's gun. Her revenge taking its first step, the sheriff back-slaps Hannah to the floor. Her wrists still bound, possibly till her last dying breath, the adrenaline kicks in at full throttle to try and run where there's nowhere left for her to run. She's kicked down, stomped repeatedly, till the blood rains down the trails of her face.