Just an Echo in the Darkness

~Chapter Eleven~

That night Ambria slept well, the mattress in the infirmary was softer than the ones in the cells, plus she felt good to have let her secret out.

She and Bryce were now on the same terms, they would not tell anyone about their upgraded relationship or the kidnappers would use that against them.

Ambria was still surprised that Bryce felt the same way about her and that he never realized that Ambria liked him. When Bryce had left the infirmary last night, Ambria had instantaneously fallen asleep and zoned out.

For the first time in a while she didn't have nightmares. When the muffled bell rang from outside the infirmary, a guard entered and grabbed Ambria's arm. He carried her outside the infirmary, still wearing the same outfit from the night before.

And just like the two days before the course was set up the same way. Bryce walked over to her, and Ambria gave a shy smile.

"Ambria! Are you okay? How are you doing?" Brielle said in her perky voice, walking right behind Bryce. But Ambria pretty much ignored her, still smiling at Bryce.

"Ambria?" Brielle asked, after a couple minutes.

"Oh, yeah."

Ambria shook her head, making her pay attention better.

"Got you speechless, Ambridextrius?" Bryce said, as Jax walked over with a huge glare at Bryce.

"Okay, Jax. What is your thing with glaring lately?" Ambria teased him, playfully elbowing him.

"He's just jealous. I got all the girls lately. He's just gotten too old."

"Yeah, that's definitely it," Jax said, sarcastically and with a huge eye roll.

"So, what is it?" Ambria asked, pulling Jax to the side.

"I just hate him."

"Okay... but he's been like a big-" Ambria started, gathering her thoughts. "Big brother to me when you were gone."

Ambria felt weird calling Bryce her big brother because he was basically her boyfriend by now but it was the only word she could think of to make Jax understand.

"Nice to know that you will be fine if I ever died." Jax said, grumpy.

"No, no, no. That's not what I meant." Jax started to walk towards the other group, who was working by now. Ambria ran to catch up to him.

"I get it. I wasn't a part of your life until a day or two ago," Jax grumbled, as Ambria grabbed his elbow and turned him around.

"You don't understand-"

"I think I do understand. I was kidnapped. I was drugged. I was even shot in the leg once. I watched our father die before my eyes. I watched the blood-"

"Enough!" Ambria practically shouted. She grabbed the side of her head as though it could erase memories. "I am done with conversation."

Ambria walked away from Jax, towards Bryce and Brielle along the sides working on shoveling rocks into buckets.

"Are you good, Smalls?" Bryce asked as Ambria wandered towards where they were working.

Ambria didn't answer, she just wrapped her arms around Bryce. He leaned down the foot he was taller to place his head on the top of her's. Brielle, obviously joined the hug and created a group hug.

They held the hug until randomly Harlee made Braylen join in. They slowly peeled away from one another Ambria and Bryce holding on a minute longer. Once they finally let go soldiers were coming around making sure everyone was on task. They hurried and rushed to get back to work.

.- -- -... .-. .. .-

Ambria within hours of working realized the guards each had a schedule. Each guard came and went every fifteen minutes. Sneaking in a conversation was easy as long as you timed it perfectly.

By eight o' clock, Ambria had written the entire schedule of the guards in her head and had it memorized.

One minute. Two Minute. Three minute... eight minutes. Nine minutes... thirteen minutes...fifteen minutes.

Just on time to Ambria's counting, a guard passed where they were working. A horn roared marking the time to go back to cells. Ambria whispered her plan to Bryce and he shared it with Brielle quietly.

By the time the whole message went around to Harlee and Braylen too. They nodded in understanding. Ambria started counting as the guard passed. When he was out of sight, Ambria rushed the small group to the corner of the large crowd gathering towards the cells.

Ambria felt bad for leaving these people behind, but she would come back for everyone here. She just needed reinforcements. Ambria knelt looking down past the hallway. Once she got to three minutes, she noted that there were no more guards coming from that way. She waved her group towards the door.

The guards at the doors were normally sitting by the doors but at this exact moment they were busy taking an hour nap before the night started.

Ambria walked casually towards the large doors, and all of sudden the doors opened widely and soldiers came running in with more groups of people ages 14-40 years old. Ambria quickly and quietly ran back towards the other crowd of people trying to get to their cells.

The soldiers entered the huge double sided doors, with groups of teenagers, and adults huddled around others.

They each had a blind fold over their head, but when they took the blind folds off, she could still recognize her friends standing in front of her.