Becoming Defiant •• OneRepublic {3}

Close Your Eyes

Johana's P.O.V.

It was day thirteen after they'd been taken from the cabin in the Rocky Mountains, taken from their friends and significant others, taken from the closest thing to home they'd be having for some time. Johana remembered hating it but now wished for nothing more.

You never know what you lose until it's gone.

Zach was right. He was so horribly right. Johana was now feeble and since she had no opportunity to rebel, she did have the opportunity to step back and see the arguments of the other side. And she understood where Zach came from - he was not against taking down the government, he was only ever against losing all they had to lose.

Johana thought, when they were in the bus gearing up for their lives as fugitives, when they were at that dirty motel or the abandoned cabin, that they had nothing to lose. In reality, they had everything to lose - those they loved.

And their lives.

The three of them were being escorted - or rather shoved - out of the basement of the White House. This time, they weren't being blindfolded, for this place was the last thing they would be seeing.

Lynn was in front of Johana and Addie behind her, each with their own man at the backs of them and rough, large hands leaving would-be bruises on their arms. Johana's was bigger, for she fought the worst. Or best - she took it as a compliment.

They went through a few winding hallways, but then made it into what looked like a large dining hall, but the intricate chairs were stacked against the walls and the tables with white tablecloths pushed aside. The sun was down, so the windows allowed little light in. All that allowed them to see were a few small lights along the walls - but in that dim orange glow, President Carter stood in front of the towering windows at the front of the room, his hands crossed in front of his waist.

Behind the dictator was a television - with this new government, they likely needed to know what was happening at all times and had a TV everywhere. Nonetheless, he was alone, and he looked terribly menacing. There was a light in his eyes, since he was surely happy to see them get shot in front of him.

The girls were taken to the other end of the room, Carter just a few yards in front of them. He stood motionless in his spot, merely looking between all of them. Johana glared at him as best she could, and noticed Addie being placed on her right and doing the same. Lynn at her other side, however, seemed to be peculiarly and frantically counting under her breath.

Johana kept her eyes on the man in front of them, as they were all forced to their knees with their tied hands behind their backs. Carter began to speak, however, as Johana then heard large guns being taken out behind them.

"Any last words, you three?"

Lynn continued to quietly count, and Addie was defiantly silent. Unfortunate that she was only turning that anger into something worth a rebellion's time now.

Johana, on the other hand, stared at him. Carter looked right back with his chin raised, noticing that she had last words.

"Eat a dick."

Tears stung her eyes. The guns raised, and Johana became acutely aware of the barrel of a machine gun just an inch from her skull. She looked over at Lynn.

"Lynn?"

Lynn's counting stopped, and she stared at Johana with tears streaming down her face.

"I love you. I'm so sorry if I was ever an asshole. But I couldn't ask for better friends. I'm sorry I was a pain in the ass. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. You deserve so much."