"You were the one at the gate," Asfald spoke accusingly. She lowered the gun. The woman nodded fearfully.
"How'd your life get spared but not your friends?" Fizz questioned her, tilting his head.
"I don't know," she shrugged.
"Well let's not stick around to find out." Asfald grabbed her bag and begin to walk briskly.
"Where do you think you're going?" Surge used his gun to block the woman's advance.
"I have nowhere else to go," her voice was shaky. Asfald noticed the worry in her eyes. With her hand she lowered Surge's gun out of the way so that the woman could pass.
"What if she's being tracked?"
Asfald considered it briefly then answered, "I guess we'll find out. Let's move." There was something innocent about the escapee. Something Asfald couldn't put her finger on but was willing to risk finding out. Besides, she couldn't just leave the poor girl to fend for herself. Surge scowled as the woman walked past him. Fizz collected his things and hobbled along.
The forest was cool and quiet. Mounds of lush green moss popped up everywhere. Douglas-firs towered above them providing shade from the sun. They continued until it was at its highest position in the sky.
"We'll rest here," Asfald said. She let her bag drop.
Fizz groaned as he slowly lowered himself to the ground. He took a big gulp of water. "You want some?" he asked, stretching the canteen toward the woman.
She hesitated, leery of Fizz's offer. But after running what felt like a five mile marathon, she'd be a fool to refuse hydrating. Especially since she had no idea when the next opportunity for water would be. Accepting the canteen, she tipped it inches from her lips and filled her mouth full. Her swallow was dramatic as if she had lacked water for days.
"Thank you," she told him. Taking her hand across her mouth and passed the container back to Fizz.
Asfald reached into her pack and took out three apples. She tossed one to the woman. "I'm Asfald. This is Surge," She passed an apple to him. "And that's Fizz." Then threw the last one to him. He smiled and nodded before sinking his teeth into it.
"I'm Rouge," she spoke timidly, turning the apple over in her hand.
"How long were you there?" Asfald began removing the skin from her apple with a paring knife.
"At the Gallus? For as long as I can remember. I was ten." Her face was downcast as she recalled the memory. "Pipe was sitting next to me on the ride there."
"Is he the one that..." Fizz treaded lightly.
Rogue shook her head in response. "He was older than me. I was so scared. I could tell he was too. He kept his eyes pinned forward probably hoping no one could see the fear. When we first arrived, at the Gallus, the work was light. A few hours a day we'd pick herbs and separate them into baskets. Once we were done we were free to play. Tag was his favorite." She smiled wryly. "We became teenagers and the fun stopped. Work became long and hard. That's when the collars came on. Everyone twelve and older had one. If someone tried to escape or got out of line with one of the guards, there would be an electric shock." She rubbed her neck where the outline of a red bruise was. Surge finally sat down.
"I saw it being cut from your neck," Fizz interjected.
Asfald bit into the fruit.
"Pipe snuck into the shed one day after dinner and took the bolt cutter. The whole thing was his idea. We snuck out of our rooms before dawn and met at the gate. No one was supposed to be awake, so he thought."
"And where were you planning to go?" Asfald asked tossing the apple core away from them.
"To find my brother," she replied.
Surge gave a stern look at Asfald. This was a bad idea. Allowing this young girl in their company. Trouble was written all over her and he wanted no part of it.
"Where's he at?" Fizz questioned.
"I don't know," Rogue answered uncertain. The truth was, she had no idea if he was even still alive. Seven years had passed since she saw Trace and she hadn't heard one word regarding his whereabouts. Soon she would age out of the Gallus. She had heard stories about sifting, which was more freighting than escaping. Children who turned eighteen were moved to different sites. The top three options; processing, the Ward, or the Dipex. Neither of which sounded appealing. There was also the Domain. Only the one's chosen by Damion himself were sent there.
"Trace was five when the seekers came. I watched through a crack in the door as they took our parents."
When the amount of captured were low, Boulder and his team went to tarnished towns seeking to replenish those numbers. Boulder, the sergeant major, took his title serious. Doing anything to remain the most trusted in Damion's circle. Rogue's parents thought they had chosen a good hiding spot away from the seekers. It happened in the night just after Rogue and her brother went to bed. First the sound of heavy footsteps, followed by a growl. There was no time to react, the front door flew open with a hefty kick from Boulder. Joined by two soldiers and two hyenas. He stood six feet two inches tall, pure muscle with his lips drawn into a straight line. Before Rogue's father could reach for his gun, the hyena's paw had him pinned to the wooden floor. Rogue's mother scurried to the corner to fetch the shotgun. Her hand only inches away.
"I wouldn't do that," Boulder spoke with slight amusement. "It only takes a second for Griffin to slice his neck causing him to bleed out." He walked over to her mother and knelt down. His eyes peered into hers, "You wouldn't want that."
Slowly her reach retracted, eyes still fixed on his.
"Tie them up," he commanded.
Griffin eased off of the father. He was helped to his feet. His hands were forced behind his back and his wrists were zip tied together. Grimacing as the plastic tightened around his skin. Boulder confiscated shotgun from the corner. The cracked bedroom door caught his attention. A silhouette of a small child peaking. He approached the room.
"Leave them alone!" the mother screamed. She lungedforward struggling to free her hands from the soldiers grip. He pulled her inan attempt to gain control causing her to fall back. The father became furious,breaking free of the soldiers hold and rammed himself into the other soldierpushing him into the wall. Griffin and the other hyena barked furiously.Boulder came over and with the butt of his gun knocked the father unconscious.
