Straight in a Crooked World (Teen Fiction/Dystopian)

Chapter 10

***Jason

The late afternoon sun still radiate high in the sky, and even in the air conditioned car I find myself sweating through my clothes. I reach for a shirt in the duffel bag next to me. I struggle to pull off the one I'm wearing, as it sticks to my back. Mariah's green eyes glance at me through the rearview mirror. Though I wish it was Ashlia, I pretend I don't see her.

I think back to what she told about eyes, back when she was only a mysterious woman who, sadly, saved my life. When I think of Ashlia's blue eyes, I find a story of happiness and sorrow. Mariah's green eyes reveal adventure and pain. Then, when I look at my jaded eyes, unusual, but not in a way that makes them beautiful, I see nothing. I have no story.

With expert ease, Mariah turns off what could be considered the main road and ventures off into the desert. "Where are we going?" Ashlia doesn't seem to notice the change in terrain.

"Didn't I already tell you that I can't tell you?"

"Well, I haven't tried to escape yet, so you might as well tell me." Strangely, it's easy to talk to Mariah. I don't regret anything I say. It's almost like Nick and I. It's normal and I feel myself. Even when I was with Ashlia I never completely felt myself.

Her red lips turn into a smirk, "You can't run faster than fire. I would've caught you if you tried to escape."Accepting the fact that I wasn't going to get any information out of Mariah I sit back against the soft seat of the Jeep and let the hard bumps in the sand rock me to sleep.

"Uhh!" I gasp. In what seems like moments later, but must be hours considering the sun has began to set in an array of purples and reds, Mariah brings the Jeep to a rough stop.

"What's wrong?" Ashlia looks around concerned, having just awakened as well.

"We're here. Get out." Mariah's complete demeanor has shifted. The tone of her voice seems to add ten years, with a side of military training. She walks into the desert without checking to ensure we are following her.

Ashlia runs to catch up with Mariah and I slightly increase my walking speed. Eventually, we are both on either side of Mariah. "Where is 'here'?" Ashlia asks.

"Do you have any patients?" Mariah begins to circle a small area in the sand, like a dog looking for his long lost bone. She creates a medium sized oval in the sand. Marking three exes across the shape, she gestures for us to jump. "When I count down to three you jump. Understand?" I'm not sure what we are doing, but I follow her orders out of fear of what the outcome might be if I don't. "1....2...3...Jump!" In unison, we land. Without a second thought, Mariah takes off at a sprint towards a glinting shape in the distance and Ashlia follows close behind her. Though it only takes a mere five minutes for them to reach the mysterious shape, it takes me ten. When I arrive, out of breath and choking on air, a large, metal corridor is almost completely emerged from its sandy bed.

I begin to put the pieces together. The stalking. The late night kidnapping. The long drive. "No! No, you can't do this. Please don't do this." My eyes sting with sand and tears.

Mariah's green eyes glare at me."Jason, what's wrong with you?"

"How can you just see a large metal door way rise out of the ground and be alright with it?"

"Any place has to be better than Solae. Jason I trust her." This has been the most attention Ashlia has given me for most of this "trip". I want to believe her. Believe that this whole trip was to take us somewhere better, but all I can see is her ignorance.

"Are you really so blind. Do you know what this is? Ashlia, this is the Conversion Jail. We're in Britain."I point into the darkness of the passage, "Whatever is down there will prevent us from ever being alive again, and if we do survive we won't be the same people."

"Nice hypothesis, but this is quite the opposite." A deep, brazen accent echoes from the corridor. Uncontrollably, I surcome to the nervous shakes. Both Ashlia and Mariah come to my side.

"Is he okay?"

"He's fine Rainey?" Ashlia combs her hand through my hair, like she should've done when she saw me bloodied and beaten on the school floor.

"I know I'm bright, but I didn't think I could cause a seizure," the voice cackles. A tall, lanky man reveals himself from the darkness of the opening. He is, indeed, very bright. His tall hat is decorated with random badges and patches of fabric, much like his long coat that I imagine to be brown under the obtuse amount of patterns. His rainbow colored hair stands out at odd ends. It's a surprise his hat even fits on his head. His outfit is complete with outrageously yellow pants and black combat boots. Helping Ashlia, he wraps his thin, pale arms around my vibrating frame. "This, my ceasing friend," he gestures towards the entrance, as if it is the grand prize on a game show, "is the HHA – Headquarters of the Heterosexual Acceptance Bureau. I, Frederick Gallien Wade, will be your tour guide, but you can just call me Jae."

"What does 'Jae' have to do with your name?" Ashlia asks. Against my will, I am dragged towards the passageway.

"Nothing," he says, as we enter the darkness, "I just like the name Jae."

***John

            "She's not going to stop, John." I gaze past the long line of black SUVs until I can no longer see the gleaming roof tops.

            "She will die a bloody death if she goes near either Ashlia or Jason."

            Shelia's eyes search mine with concern."John, you're a good guy. You've never been so violent."

            "This concerns those who are close to me, and I will go out of my way to protect them." I stalk down the hall. My shoulders are heavy with concern.

            Sheldon spins in my chair. Already, he has cleaned the array of glass that decorated the hardwood floor. I take a seat across from him, "Sheldon, we're so close."

            "How long has it been?"

            "Sixteen years."

            "So who's to say-"

            I know where he's going with this. "Don't say it," I frighten myself with how harsh I sound with Sheldon. He is my only friend –no, he's family. I would hate to offend him in anyway. Sheldon clasps his hands in front of chest. When he has to, he has a way of making the whole room know he's in control.

            "John, you know it's a possibility."

            "Sheldon," I mock his posture "I would know if she was d-dead," I have to force the last word out of my mouth. I feel as if the minute I say it I will realize it's true. She's gone, and I will never see her again. "She's not gone. I'm going to find her."

            "We're going to find her, my friend. We're going to find her."

            "Hello?" Shelia knocks at the door, "may I come in?"

            "Yes, please. Come in." Sheldon welcomes her.

            Sheila glances at Sheldon. "John, I need to ask you a question."

            "Anything you need to say to me you can say in front of Sheldon."

     "You mentioned my son," her voice becomes stern. "I want to know where Jason is."