The Assignment

Chapter 13: Allocated

"Marty, let her go. The child has gone through enough torture over the past twelve hours. She doesn't deserve any more." Skye said from behind me.

"I suppose so," The man sighed, letting go of Kia's arms. "Sorry, Kia."He mumbled as an afterthought.

Kia shrugged out of his grasp, staring daggers at him. She rubbed her arms, up and down, as angry red bruises blossomed under her skin. She patted her injured shoulder, checking for further damage. Apparently finding some, she turns away from her kidnapper, wincing in pain. He grins sheepishly in response.

"Um, what's going on?" I ask, trying to divert the attention away from Kia. I feel their gazes shift over to me, and when I knew that I had their regard, I ask again. "What's happening?"

"Oh, it's a long story, and such short time. We cannot tell you the tale, child. Not here. Not now." Skye said. "We are being watched."

The way that she said that last part sounded very ominous, and goosebumps crept over my skin. "What do you mean, watched?" I gulped.

Marty glanced at his wristwatch; a slim, black fitness band. He grimaced. "We were supposed to be in the van five minutes ago!" He scowled. "We need to leave."

He grabs Kia again, clutching her arm in his vise tight grip. She makes an attempt to elbow him with her good arm, aiming for his ribs, but he ducks out of the way and restrains that arm, too. He lifts her up with ease, slinging her over his shoulder as she protests, screaming and kicking the whole way. Marty begins to walk back down the hall, the way he came from, and Skye begins to wheel me in that direction, as well. I didn't have the strength, nor the breath to object.

We veer off of the main corridor, down a darker, unlit portion of hallway. Turning right, Marty breaks into a slight jog. ""We have to hurry, Skye, the others are becoming impatient." Marty says, turning around, still able to maintain his direction and speed. "Someone has called the authorities on us."

Suddenly, an emergency door, illuminated by a red exit sign, comes into view. We run straight through it, and an alarm begins to sound behind us. Neither Skye nor Marty turns back, but instead they rush us out onto the hard asphalt. Dawn was just beginning to break, and the sun was peeking through the clouds. It was a shame that this beautiful morning had to be marred by a kiddnapping. I was certain that what these two were doing wasn't legal at all.

Kia and I were shoved hastily into the back of an old painters' van, Skye somehow having enough strength to lift my chair. The door slammed behind us, and I heard a whimper from somewhere behind me. Using the last of my strength, I scooted myself onto the floor, and I fold up the squeaky wheelchair and place it in an empty spot. After getting adjusted, I decided take some time to review my surroundings.

Before I could take a look around, the van rumbled to life beneath me, and we lurched foward. I slammed into something -someone, that is- and mumbled an apology. Whoever it was said nothing.

When the van's speed evened out, I looked around at the group of people assembled here. There was Kia, who was sitting across from where I rested. She trembled from head to foot. An old woman with frizzy, white hair stared at me with her black, beady eyes. A boy with an arm cast, no older than ten, sat resting on a young woman's lap. She stroked his damp hair absently.

Three men, tall and menacing, were sitting wedged together on a small bench. They brandished impressive, high-tech guns that reminded me of the machine guns that warriors used to use in combat. I saw the look in these men's eyes, and I knew that they would kill any of us without hesitation. I didn't dare move.

The ride seemed to lag knowing that my life was at the hands of these gunmen. In reality, we reached our destination in fifteen minutes tops, the van squealing to a stop in an unevenly paved, empty lot. From what I could see out of the cracked window pane, we had arrived at an abandoned warehouse on the edge of town, near the Brethren River. It was said to have stored food, such as fish from the raging rapids, but had long since been empty.

The doors to the back opened, and a flood of light burst forth into the cramped space. I welcomed the cool breeze and the early morning sunlight, letting myself close my eyes and enjoy for a moment. Seconds later, I was jerked (quite litterally, I may add) back into reality. One of the gunmen had seized my arm and was now forcibly pushing me out of the vehicle. I stumbled to the ground, trying to land feet first, and fell to my knees. An audible crack of a stiff joint popping made me flinch. I didn't think that I would be able to get up.

Thankfully, Skye had grabbed my wheelchair and was assisting me in maneuvering myself onto the seat. I smiled up at her, thanking her with my eyes. She smiled back, a beam more radiant than I'd ever seen. I felt myself becoming even more bewitched under her cryptic spell. At the same time, though, I was painfully aware that she could never be mine. Not in this world, and certainly not in the next.

Those in the group of hostages who were trusted to walk by themselves were left to do just that, though a gun was ushering them in the direction of the padlocked warehouse. The old woman was escorted by Marty, Kia was accompanied by the middle gunman, and I was pushed along by none other than Skye. Even though I knew that she had just kidnapped me, along with her accomplices, I still felt no danger around her. I felt safe, almost.

I knew that I was being carted off to certain doom, but I remained calm just like Skye had told me to do when she had found me. I believed in her. Her sweet breath tickled my neck, minty freshness swirling around my senses. She leaned down to whisper something in my ear.

"I see the way you look at me," she spoke, her mouth tickling my ear. "But I am not human. And this world is as inhumane as I."

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Ooh, Chris be deviatin'
Well anyway, I wrote this after I wrote chapter 14, and this kind of sets the scene for the next chapter. There's more where this came from!
It's only 11:11 PM! MAKE A WISH!!! ♧
PS- please share this story with those who you think would like it. I enjoy encouragement, it helps me to keep writing. Thank you!
♡~ Kendall