The Lost Ones

Finding Courage

Courage is tiny pieces of fear all glued together~unknown

Fear is just another reason to try harder. — Unknown

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My breath sped up, following my terrified heart in its plea for escape. I could hear it banging on my breast bone, threatening to explode. I was going to die, or whatever it was they did to the kids they stole. Who ever they were. I mean we had a name for them, for the souless monstrous people who took us away. We called them the defluo, which was Latin for the lost ones. The ones who had lost their souls.

"What are we going to do Jesse?" I said between panicked breaths. He didn't respond, and I looked over at him,terror creeping up on me. He had paled, turning a frightening shade of white. I felt like crying, I really didn't want to die.

"What are we going to do? We're dead, so dead." I whimpered. Jesses jumped at that word, turning so suddenly he made me gasp.

"You will not get taken.  I. won't. let. them. You're safe,okay? I'm going to get us out of this. Okay?" I nodded, his arms wrapped around me quickly. He stood just as suddenly, throwing the blanket and the basket into the trees, dragging me down the hill, keeping us bent low.  He dragged us through the thorn bushes which lined the edge of the hill, I could feel the thorns digging into my skin. I fidgeted uncomfortably before Jesse's arm wrapped around me, squeezing me silently.  He put a finger to his lip and I stopped breathing. I heard the crunch of leaves beneath feet. My heart clenched and I dug my nails into Jesse's arm. Black combat boots passed us, then paused. I let out a quiet, shaky breath. We waited in silence, watching the boots in fear of their next moves. The next ten minutes was a silent Hell. Another pair of boots approached and I stiffened.

"How many?" One asked. I strained to hear over my pounding heart.

"Five. Mendler should be here after he checks up with Fuller at the rendezvous point." The black boots crunched farther away, far enough for us to whisper.

"Are you okay?"  Jesse whispered. I nodded, the fear and adrenaline coursing through my veins to fast for me to conjure words.

" Okay, here's the plan. We follow the bushes to the wall outlet, we'll hide in the--" A terrified scream cut off his sentence. Our heads whipped in the direction of the screams. Two more sets of black boots appeared, struggling slightly. I raised my body to see the two men holding a girl who was bucking against them. I couldn't see who it was, but I felt a sense of dread wash over me.

"Why the hell did ya bring her here?"  One asked.

" We caught her on the way here. We were already more than halfway here, so we just brought her along. She's a feisty one."  Said one boy smiling. It was a hideous, twisted grin, full of malice and stolen things. The girl started thrashing again.

"She's a pretty little thing." There was a pause."It sure is going to be fun to break her." I  recoiled in horror. I started to get up, I couldn't just sit here and —

"No, they'll only get you too." Jesse says pushing me down. I stare at him hard, feeling sick to my stomach, I lay back down. Hating my self for my cowardice. The girl let out a high pitched scream that tore at my ear drums. I could feel my stomach twist.

"Go to hell, you monsters!" The girl screamed.   I froze in shock. I knew that voice, that was—

"Amber."  Jesse breathes.

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Jesse pushed up on his knees, I slam him down.

" No. They'll get you too. She-"

"Is my SISTER!"  He hissed at me. He started to get up again, but I lay on top of him. We struggle for a second before he pauses.

"No, I can't lose both of you." I say fearfully. He looks at me with burning anger. I recoil slightly, but don't move. He stares at me breathing hard.

"I'm her big brother, I have to save her. Don't forget — they're gone."  He says with confusion. He shoves me off of him and stands up. My stomach flips as he turns his angry eyes on me.

"This is your fault. I may not have been able to save her but I would have died trying and you stopped me. You're just as evil as they are. "  I stare at him, my mouth hanging open. Tears spill down my face, I look down in shame. He turns around,  stalking off into the woods. He whips around to face me, just at the edge of the tree line.

"I can't believe I thought I loved you! You're a monster, you're just like those soulless creatures. I will never forgive you. I hate you!" He screams at me, then disappears into in the trees. I dry sob into my hands, my heart feeling as if it was ripping apart. I was a coward, I was a lowlife piece of scum. The only way I was going to fix this, this horrible self hate feeling was if I found some courage. My thoughts ran in jumbled messes, pounding at my skull. My fingers clenched and unclenched, breathing a hazardous mess. I was choking on my mistakes, Jesses words, my own hate. I looked around in a painic. I needed to do something, I needed to breathe again! I tried to pin my thoughts down, to straighten them and fold out the creases of craziness. What could I do? What could I do? A moment passed as I tried to think. Finally, I realised what I had to do. What I was going to do, or die trying. I was terrified, knowing almost certainly this was going to fail.