Destiny

Finally Free

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

The next day started bright and early. Having kipped on the floor of Karla's rented room, we all stretched sore limbs when John woke us all up and told us to get ready. We had work to do, apparently.

We headed out into the back room of the diner to find that Karla had been up for hours already, preparing. When she saw us all she smiled, and turned her laptop round to show the social media sites she was surfing simultaneously.

"Look at the uproar we caused!" she sang joyfully.

Curiously, I leaned in and saw that every website was blowing up with posts about our cause, tagged #REVOLUTION. So many people were commenting their hatred of the government and how true Karla's words had rung in the video last night. Others talked of how sorry they felt for allowing this to happen and vowed to set things right. Anyone who tried to support the government in any way was verbaly attacked and any comment they made shut down. Online at least, we were very, very popular. Karla had even posted to every blog she could get into about our rally today. 'Be there!' she urged among her messages, with choice pictures from the evidence she'd gathered pasted next to her words to emphasise her point and spur people into action. Needless to say she had millions of 'likes' and thousands of comments.

Karla's eyes shone with hope, and so did John's as he sank into the seat beside her overwhelmed.

"We might actually have a chance." he whispered and the reporter nodded. Looking around, I saw Sara had tears in her eyes and William and Lily were hugging. Owen gave me a tight smile and squeezed my hand. I had no idea where Raj was. I realised, though, what this support meant to the team. For far too long they'd been outlaws, fighting for survival and help in a world determined to be indifferent and now they'd acheived all they wanted and more. People cared. They were willing to stand behind us and make the world a better place. As long as today went well and the current government system destroyed, these guys would be over the moon, and they'd finally be able to relax.

As usual, there were long bouts of silence. Everybody seemed to be lost in thought and I really couldn't blame them; so was I.

Eventually Raj came crashing into the room and we all jumped. Looking up, I saw that he was trying to carry three trays of breakfast at once. William, Lily and I jumped up and grabbed them off him before the delectable, great-smelling eggs, bacon and toast could end up all over the floor.

"Thanks for getting breaky!" John was up too, and clapped Raj on the shoulder. He nodded and slid into a seat. I helped lower the trays onto the round table, and all eight of us dug in. I wondered where the rest of Karla's team were and whether they had had breakfast. I murmured the question to Owen, who voiced it to Karla for me.

"Wel, they ate earlier, and then rushed out to prepare the van for the trip." Karla said. When she saw the concerned look on my face, she hurried to amend her words. "I mean, it was their choice, they're not being forced or anything; I wouldn't do that to them, they're a good team. They're just as desperate as you guys to see this pull through, so they're willing to do whatever they can to help." she smiled fondly. "They're the best; we've gone through hell and back together."

I nodded, intrigued by how many people were so dedicated to this cause. I hadn't even heard of it a few days back and now it was so prevalent. For a moment I thought of the way I'd appeared in that national broadcast and wondered how those back home reacted. Did those who bullied me feel guilty when I described my pain? Did those who stood by and watched care now that they knew how I felt? What about Laura's parents, did they feel sorry for the girl they so lonh despised? It was hard to believe any of these people could have been affected at all. The only person I used to know who would care is Laura, and perhaps Shane (because Laura would make him). There's another thought, Laura. She didn't know about the broadcast. I could just imagine her reaction when I turned up on the screen shaking and crying. Suddenly I felt a dead weight in my stomach as I remembered that I'd described my fight with Laura, in fact all my troubles, on-screen for everyone to see. I felt guilty about landing worry on Laura's shoulders, and vulnerable because of all that information out there. But as I glanced at the people around me, these wonderful people who would go to the ends of the earth if that was the way to do what was right, laughing and eating food togethe and I realised that they'd put as much on the line as I had, and yet they still had hope. That made me feel safe, and so very secure, that all my doubts melted away. For the first time in my life, I felt I had a family.