Saving Order (lisamcmann)

 I twisted my hair into a ponytail, tucking it under my cap and lowering the brim. Then I took a final look around the room full of strangers, wondering which of them would help me escape, and which would try to kill me. The fools were so confident in their power; they hadn't even bothered searching us. Though after looking around at my inmates I realized that they didn't have to search us. These people were so infatuated with their system that they'd give their lives to protect it; no matter how corrupt they knew it to be. 

You see, every moment day after day, year after year, people are out there are deciding the fate of humanity. Deciding what everyone should think; what everyone should feel. Your every action is being planned by corporate minds, whether it be lacing up your shoes, or working on a top secret project for the CIA. They are out there, and they are watching. If you think you can hide, you're wrong. They can see in every nook and cranny. The only way to escape them permanently is death. Which, I suppose is how I got here.

The large iron door shut with a loud reverberating bang, trapping me in near darkness with the strangers – it was wrong, I told myself, these people were traitors; vile! Their minds had been poisoned to following the ways of death, they had given up the Order.

“Am tellin' ye, she be one of those Restoration Order folk, look at the clothes! I saw 'em there once, ye think the bloke turned?”

“Don't be stupid Eddar, those fools would die before seeing sense. Now hush!”

“Eddar Goranvich,” I closed my eyes and exhaled leaning my head back against the wall, recalling his file. “Thirty-two years of age; you didn't attend school and you're unemployed.” He gave a start at my voice and looked over at me with wide eyes.

“No, not unemployed. You're a spy, for whom though?” Silence descended on the tiny cell. No one dared whisper a word, and Eddar just sat frozen, staring with wide eyes of incredulity. The others; there was thirteen of us in total, gave us uneasy looks. Stupid, stupid, stupid. I chastised myself, I had said too much, ruining my advantage – not that I really had one, but it could have helped.

The hours wore on in silence. Our captors bringing neither food nor water, and the room soon began to stink of human refuse. A mother and her child sat huddled in a corner; the mother, a middle aged woman with cropped brown hair had her arms wrapped around an infant boy with wide fearful eyes. Reaching into my pocket I sighed and stood up, drawing eyes to myself. Walking to their corner, I pulled a poorly wrapped sandwich out and thrust it into the mother's hand.

“Feed him, or he'll be dead by morning.” My stomach growled in protest. Ignoring it, and the tearful thanks of the mother, I sat back in my seat, calculating the reactions of the others. Some looked relieved to see the child eat, and smiled weakly at me. Others looked like they were about to steal it or rip me to shreds for food. One though - I noticed with a smile to myself - was looking at me with a knowing glint in his eye, I nodded to the space beside me and began to plan.

-

The plan was fool proof, just the way I liked it. We would get out of the cell and take as many people as possible; leaving the spies, and Corporation followers. Hahn, having been captured twice, already knew the protocol. They would leave us in here for two to three days. Enough time for us to be too weak for resistance, and if we died? Well, so much the better for them. Afterwards, they would torture us for information about the Order. The torture wouldn't involve brute force, only the promise of food, clean water and family. It was brilliant, with no physical wounds, there was no evidence.

  “Karin, what did the Corp do to you?” 

I looked up wearily into his eyes, “the Corp did the same thing to me as it did to everyone. They stole my freedom, my family and my life. I will bring them down, and they will know me. I will be their doom.” My voice cracked and tears streaked my dirtied cheeks, “they took my sister. My baby sister, Mia. She's dead. Oh light, she's dead!” His arms wrapped around me as I sobbed into his patched brown shirt.

“Hush now,” he whispered. “Things will turn out well, we will save them all. You and I. We can save the world.”

-

The thick iron door scraped open, blinding incandescent light spilled into the stone cell along with a gust of fresh air. Scrambling to our feet, leaning against each other for support I squinted against the light. Only five others had risen, two had died in the night and the rest were simply too weak to rise. 

  “Children not bowing to me, the Lord Saviour? Come now, you have better manners than that. No? I'm very disappointed! Well, you will learn.” The voice was deep with a London accent and filled with condescension. 

  “Bring the living, let's be done with it.” He commanded curtly. Soldiers marched at his command and seized us, dragging our near-lifeless forms to be swallowed by the light.

  “Hahn, get them out! Take them to the Order. There's food and lodging for everyone. Take them to freedom, and teach them to live. Tell the Order that I'm waiting amongst the stars, and that the sun is rising.” 

  “SILENCE! Did I say you could speak?” Our captor roared. He was a tall, limbering man. I looked at him defiantly, desperately trying not to stumble.

  “No, you didn't. I'll speak when I want, so shut it.” He looked at me angrily, raising a hand to strike. I rose an arm in defence and swung my other in an uppercut. The guards swarmed around me, ignoring Hahn and the others. I smiled wanly at him, before bowing my head and hunching my shoulders against the pummelling hits.

  “Run, and don't ever stop.” I croaked to them, tears streaking my cheeks and falling on a bloodied floor. Looking up at my captors, I smiled.

  “Any last words?” I asked, meeting his eyes.

  “What are you talking about child? Are you mad?”

  “Oh, so uninspiring. Farewell then, see you in Hell.” I spat, reaching under my coat and grabbing the trip-wire. 

Farewell I whispered in silent prayer. Farewell to the living, to love and to hope.

A roar enveloped the air, and fire consumed all.