Useful (Lesbian Story)

Chapter 14

"Leela, what the hell is going on?" Jeffie asked groggily.

"I...I'm not sure..."

"Leela, what the bloodyhell is going on?"

"I don't know! I don't know!"

Thelawshavebeenviolated. Thelawshavebeenviolated. Thelawshavebeenviolated.

"But they do," she whispered.

"What?"

"They know about us, Leela."

"What? How could they know about us?"

"I don't have the slightest idea, but they know. They do. They found out about how much I freaking love you and now we're gonna be punished."

"Jeffie..."

"These guys are brutal, Leela. They will kill us. You know that. We need to run. We need to hide. We need to do something. We---"

The door slammed open. I heard Jeffie's breath catch.

"Come on, you guys. We have to get out of here." Minal stood before us, heaving and sweating. "If we don't get moving, we're all gonna die."

"Minal, what is happening?" I asked, trying to act brave. My voice trembled.

"They found out about you two. They found out about Arabella and I. Shocker: millions of people have been breaking the rules since we got here. Everyone's busted."

"Oh god," Jeffie cried. "Oh god oh god oh god oh god..."

"We have to get out of here!" Minal yelled. "We're gonna be imprisoned and most likely killed if you don't get your asses up and moving. Come on!"

I didn't want to move, because I didn't know what was coming next. Everything felt blurry, like it had no edge. I slowly got up off of Jeffie's bed. I took her hand, elegant in my own, and pulled her up.

"Come on! Can you not hear me? We. Have. To. Get. Going. Now."

Jeffie pulled up her mattress and grabbed a crumpled piece of lined paper. "Okay. Let's go."

We ran out of the room, slamming the door shut just as it was opened.

"Where do we go?"

"I don't know!" Minal yelled.

Jeffie stopped in her tracks, hair roaring in the wind. "What?"

"I...I don't know where to go! I don't! We've been trapped in this damn place for so long, I don't know where we're going! I don't know what's outside!"

"Have we been brainwashed?" Jeffie asked, in utter shock.

"I don't know! We just have to go! Just go! Run! Look for an exit! Somewhere! Anywhere!"

We continued to run. My feet were like crashing waves, my eyes darting around. My heart was already testing the constraints of my chest. "An exit! Somewhere! There has to be one!"

"There has to be one! Somewhere! How did we get in here?"

"I can't remember!"

"They brainwashed us! They must've! I don't remember anything!" I reply.

"Oh god oh god oh god," Jeffie stuttered.

"A door. Just find a door," Minal reasoned.

"There has to be a door somewhere," Jeffie said boldly.

"Arabella might know," Minal panted.

"But she's off rioting."

Minal suddenly stumbled in the other direction, going back down the long stretch of hallway we'd just run through. "I'll go find her. Lemme go find her."

"Minal," Jeffie said softly. "We can't associate with her anymore. You know she'll just get us in more trouble."

"Arabella!" Minal called down the hall, her voice frantic. "Arabella, it's me, Minal! Where are you?"

"Minal." Jeffie said her name again, more sternly this time. "Associating with Arabella and her rebels could get us killed. You don't want that, do you?"

"Arabella," Minal continued to yell, like she was calling a dog. "It's okay, sweetie! It's just me! Come back!"

Jeffie turned to me and grabbed my wrist. She pulled me alongside her, up to where Minal was standing. She grabbed her wrist as well.

"We really can't be with Arabella anymore, Minal," she whispered. "Arabella's group has become just another enemy to us. They'll get us in deep trouble. They'll reveal us. Can you understand that?"

"But...but..." Minal croaked. "That would be like someone trekking you to leave Leela. Do you understand that? She means just as much to me. Maybe more. You can't make me leave her." Tears glistened on her cheeks.

"I know," Jeffie whispered. "I'm so sorry. But we have to go."

"I can't go! You can't make me!" Minal grabbed the wall in desperation, trying to stay where she was.

"Come on," Jeffie said, lifting her up bridal-style, surprising Minal and myself.

"Don't do this! Jeffie, you can't do this! Don't do this to me! Jeffie, I'm your friend!"

"I'm sorry, but I have to. I'm so, so sorry."

And we walked on.