Red Zoned

3

      It's been hours before someone comes to take the handcuffs off and throw a blanket across the metal cot.

I don't recognize the soldier until he says, "The justice system is really messed up here," and clicks the handcuffs off.

"Roman?"

He holds a finger over his lips.

So, that's what he meant when he said he has friends in high places. He's living a double life, selling drugs and using his connections from being a Search Team soldier to keep the business tucked away.

He clears his throat. "They wouldn't have believed you if you told them your dad was," he thinks for a moment, "abusing you. And they would have executed you if you tried to run away. You were screwed either way."

I try to rub the knot from my neck. "Right." The word sounds deflated.

He loops his thumbs through the straps on his bulletproof vest. "They've assigned me to ring the bell when they let you out." He blows a breath out through his teeth. "I'm supposed to make sure the Flesh Eaters get to you before you get too far away. Jeremiah wants people to see the execution." He shakes his head.

"Don't worry," I say. "I won't take it personally."

His lips pull into a thin smile. "Make sure you stretch before they pick you up. Those fuckers are fast and they won't take pity on you."

I don't say anything. I wasn't planning on making a run for it. I didn't want to give Jeremiah the satisfaction of watching me struggle.

"Well," he slaps his hands together like he's cleaning them, "see you in the morning. If anyone asks, we didn't have this conversation." He leaves before I can respond.

I try to mold the blanket into a suitable sleeping pad but it smells like dust and mildew. Despite the hard surface of the cot bruising my ribs and hipbones, I can't keep my eyes open long enough to wonder why Roman gave me survival advice. Does he really think I could do it? That I could live?

"Charlie. Charlie," someone whispers.

I blink a few times, taking in the blurry image of Jada before reality sinks in.

"How did you get in here?" My eyes burn as I rub the sleep from them. "What time is it?"

"Around three in the morning." Jada watches me as I push to my feet. "There's a soldier who has a soft spot for you."

"What do you want?" I use the wall to steady the dizziness in my head.

I should have eaten before the Search Team found me. Food wasn't the first thing on my mind after I murdered Ralf but now I'll be starving and sleep deprived when they throw me in the Red Zone.

"You know that weird kid from Math class? Ethan Fisher? He stopped by my house a couple of hours ago. He said he can get you out of all this."

I groan and rub the sleep from my eyes. "Jada, no."

That boy refuses to give up.

She takes my shoulders in her hands. Her eyes lock on mine. "Will you just listen?" She waits for a response but I only sigh. "How bad could it be?"

I raise an eyebrow at her. "Marrying the creepy kid from Math class and having his babies one day?" I roll my eyes. "Pretty bad."

"Worse than execution?"

I shrug her hands away. "Yeah, actually."

She rolls her eyes. "You're being a bit dramatic."