The Revolution

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

I kept running through the forest, towards the sounds of the screams.  The bloodcurdling screams that only could have been from children.  I recognised them as my sisters', which gave me the adrenaline I needed to run even faster.  The screams changed slightly, it was as if the were screaming words, instead of just noise.  I couldn't make it out.  Frustrated, I forced my legs to move faster, but the forest seemed to warp around me, changing shape, making itself longer, wider...bigger.  It was stopping me from getting to them.  My feet pounded on the damp ground, but still I didn't move!  Then, the screams stopped.  Silence filled the warped forest as two figures walked towards me.  Marnie held Louisa's little hand, and they both walked to within a few metres of me.  I reached out but they were too far away for my fingers.  Marnie looked at me, her face emotionless.  Louisa's was the same.

"Charlie." They said in unison, quietly.  "Charlie.  Charlie.  CHARLIE." They slowly got louder, as if calling at me.  I tried to reply but my throat was dry and no noise emerged.  "CHARLIE!  CHARLIE!  CHARLIE!" 

I woke up to see Aaron leaning over me, calling my name.  I looked around for my sisters, but then reality dawned on me and I remembered I was in the forest...and they were gone.  Seeing them was just a dream.  Tears pricked my eyes, but Aaron gently wiped them away.  He helped me sit up, and handed me two white pills.  I frowned at him, where had he gotten pills from?  He nodded to a tall woman standing in front of me, someone I'd never seen before.  She had dyed blonde hair that was pulled into a ponytail, revealing her angular features.  Her face seemed to be hardened by pain, which was evident in her dim blue eyes. 

"I'm Lisa.  Take the pills, they'll help with the pain." She nodded to my hip, that no longer had a bandage on it, and was instead stitched up.  I frowned at Aaron.

"Why am I stitched up?" I asked warily, not remembering it.

"When you stood up and walked before, you ripped the wound too much, and Lisa's people had a first aid kit, so they fixed you up.  Now take the pills."  He told me, handing me a small water bottle.  I did as I was told, and after fifteen minutes, the pain subsided slightly.  I looked up at Lisa, who was cautiously glancing around the camp, as if she was very paranoid.  She looked like one of those sentry meerkats that wouldn't stop watching for danger.

"We can't stay here.  They know you're here, and pretty soon they will come back." She told us sternly.  I shook my head in protest.

"I'm not leaving, I'm finding my sisters, and the other children that were taken." I told her, standing up and wobbling.  Aaron steadied me, making Lisa scoff.

"Right.  I'm sure that in the state you're in, you'll make a great rescue." She told me sarcastically making me want to punch her square in the face.  "Come with us, and we'll get the children back."  She told me.  I bit my lip, deciding whether or not to trust her.  I decided that I didn't have a choice, so I nodded.  Lisa walked off and gathered everybody up, telling them to pack what they had.  That didn't take long, seeing as we had packed pretty light anyway. 

Soon enough, me, Aaron, Devon, Caoimhe, Zayne and Rose were now following Lisa and another man who was obviously a part of Lisa's group.  They walked quickly, constantly checking around in case we were being followed.  When I asked why she was so paranoid, she told me it was because we walked so loudly, she would be surprised if China hadn't heard us. 

"Who are you?" I asked her, referring to the group of people she was with. 

"We don't really have a name, but we joined the rebellion against the new Military.  So, rebels I suppose." She told me, picking up her pace.  Great, that makes us rebels too then.  Then another thought occured to me...since when was there a new military?