In a Perfect World

Chapter 4

We had been at the work camp for a week. Some I was sure had been there longer and it made me wonder how much longer this would go on; the abductions and the abuse most people in power turned a blind eye to. This had been going on for years by the time my family and I were taken, I only hoped this would be the last time and the authorities in charge and people that cared would liberate us and shut down the work camps for good.

That morning I put my plan into action. My focus for the first part of my plan was the bridge that separated the two sides of the camp. The bridge was connected by a long walkway everything made from the same wooden bleached boards. If anyone had a chance of escaping I had to find out what was on the other side.

I went through my routine as usual and had just pulled the last of the vegetables from a particular row of pipes when I put my plan into action waiting until there was no one watching from the edge of the field.

"Kara, where are you going?" My mother whispered as she pulled a red pepper from the ground.

"I have to find out what's on the other side of that bridge." I whispered back, "if anyone has a chance of getting out of here, that has to be it."

"Do you want to get shot?" My mother hissed, as she bundled the latest crops in a shawl and put them in a nearby basket. "That's what's going to happen to you if you try to leave."

"I have to do this!" I hissed back, "if anyone here has any chance of survival. What about grandma? Surely she can't survive here that long?"

My mother sighed.

"Just be careful."

I just kept walking it was about the only thing I could do not to get noticed, but surprisingly I made it to the edge of the bridge and the walkway without incident.

The walkway looked even more decrepit than I had first thought, though the first thing I noticed as I approached was the smell that seemed to permeate the area. It was a putrid smell, the distinct smell of something decomposing, without much thought I knew what that was and what must've happened to all the people that ended up in front of the firing squad; though I tried not to think about that.

As I walked along I pulled my headscarf up over my nose and mouth though this barely made much difference it was better than nothing. Where the bridge ended and the walkway continued were clearly the guard's quarters, at the moment they were deserted for which I was grateful. Past those quarters was more of the camp, a part I had never seen before, there was more barbed wire fencing and what looked to be a swimming hole, though I doubted our personal hygiene was high on the guards' list.

The next thing I noticed when I came to the end of the walkway was the long dirt road, clearly the one we had come in on on the opposite side of this road looked to be several large cages.

I say cages because that's the only thing I can think of that they resembled. In these cages was what looked to be a mud pit and there were people moving around though from what I could see I wasn't sure if all of them were alive.

Slowly, I walked closer and just as I reached the edge of the fence a raspy voice called my name.

"Kara? What are you doing here?"

I turned at the voice and realized it was Noel, though he was barely recognizable. He was covered from head to toe in mud and whatever clothes he was wearing were ripped and torn.

"You shouldn't be here!" Noel said in an urgent whisper.

"I have to figure out how to rescue you," I replied, "we have to get out of here... all of us!"

Noel's blue eyes stared out from his filthy face. This close I could tell he had lost weight even in such a short time it seemed that many of these workers got less food than we did.

"Just get out of here!" Noel whispered he gripped my hand urgently and we stared at each other through the bars that separated us. "I don't want anything to happen to you, honest."

I only nodded knowing he was right and as I made my way back to the other side of the camp I could hear men talking behind me their voices as thin and raspy as Noel's. As I half ran half walked back, I could feel the sorrow creeping into my body and knew my heart was broken more than it already was.

I was almost back to the barracks when I felt someone firmly grab my arm and twist it behind my back.

I let out a gasp that turned into a strangled scream before a voice behind me hissed.

"Be quiet and tell me why you're out here and maybe I won't turn you in."

At the same time, I heard the panting and short barks of dogs which were close by.

I turned around, it was Luka. I knew he was trying to look stern but there were cracks in his demeanor that gave him away. As I assessed him again, I saw the two white and tan pit bulls at his heels, but at the moment I was too irritated to be frightened of them.

"Name."

"Kara!" I spat working my way out of his grip, which had loosened since he had turned me around.

"What are you doing out here?"

"What business is that of yours?" I shot back, knowing I was pushing it.

"Well since you're not where you're supposed to be I make it my business." Luka replied evenly.

He escorted me unceremoniously back to the barracks before he turned away Luka gave me one last piece of parting advice.

"Look, Kara, just stay out of trouble okay? I don't know what your deal is or what you're up to, but don't ask me to bail you out again."

Then he strode away and was gone as quickly as he had appeared the dogs following at his heels.

It was later that night-late after everyone had gone to bed- I heard the argument. Luka and another guard were right outside the barracks which were only thin layers of metal so the sound carried. By the sound of it his treatment of me was the topic of conversation and the guard was a superior, older, and female. This was a surprise. The woman had a high, sharp voice, in which she spoke in short sentences.

"About that girl that disappeared from the fields today."

This time it was Luka who spoke.

"Yes ma'am?"

"Keep an eye on her, I don't know what she's up to, but I want to know."

"Yes ma'am." Luka replied again.

"Perhaps you are too soft Luka..." The woman mused, "you could've brought her straight to me and the others."

"She never escaped." Luka responded flatly.

"But what was she doing by the mud pits? The least I do is give the women softer work... Nothing life-threatening."

"I can't handle a revolt, this is one of the last camps the government doesn't know about, not that they care." She sounded smug.

"Well I'm sure that won't be for long, ma'am."

"You're dismissed," the woman replied to lazily, "tomorrow's schedule and rotations are in your quarters."

I heard the shuffling of footsteps before things fell silent again. I knew now if I was going to get Noel and the others out I had to be more discreet, maybe even Luka could help me-if he could be trusted.