SAVE ME

Ch#37 Going to build Rome

Ch#37 Going to build Rome

"Guys, I need to tell you something important", I said as I let go of them while they nodded asking for me to continue.

"We have a chance to get out of this place. I asked for Aiden's help." They looked at me in confusion and I told them everything about my plan.

"You do realize this plan has a lot of risks, right?", Yohan worried.

"But the risks are worth it anyway", Beth assured him while I smiled proudly at her spirit.

"Now let's get out and inform the others." I walked towards the main room but Ellis grabbed my wrist to stop me.

"Al, you sure you wanna tell them all now? I mean, Terrence and Matt are also out", he reasoned. I held his hand and smiled at him. "It's alright, Ellis. I want them to listen me out." He shook his head and let go of my hand. We then walked into the main room together.

"Everyone, please, gather around", Beth announced. The students did as asked. They kept chattering amongst themselves as to what was happening. I just exploded my frustration at Riley and they even came to know certain secrets and now all of a sudden we gathered them all together. Well, everything is definitely baffling for them. It is for me too. I was nervous for no reason looking at the crowd staring at us.

I guess you've still got a long way to get adjusted to attention.

Oh don't worry. I've got my idiots.

"Guys, back me up alright", I asked them in a whisper.

"You need not ask for that, you dumbhead." I smiled at Ellis' reply.

Now, now. Let's speak business here.

"You must be wondering why we gathered you all around. It's for an important announcement to be made. We have all been locked up in here since the past few months. Dave has been abusing and torturing us all this while. We have been through so much physical pain which has taken a huge toll on our mental health as well. Today, we stand in a position where we have no guarantee of our lives. Any moment now, Dave might drag and kill us and then make money by selling our organs. Today, we live in fear. But a ray of hope has come finding us." I paused in dilemma whether or not I could spill out the plan before Terrence and Matt. I wanted them to hear us. But I don't know if I'm doing the right thing. What if they won't agree to understand our plight and end up reporting about all this to Dave? My thoughts of dilemma came to a pause as Beth took over me.

"We are finally going to build Rome, guys", she commented.

"And that's because we have been laying the bricks for months", Yohan agreed with her. I knew where they were leading this.

"There was a time when we feared Dave while hope was still alive within us. We did manage to get rid of that fear though. However, today, fear has found us again while hope has gone flying. But a golden opportunity has walked up to us. All these months of pain and torture, were nothing but the period of time wherein we laid bricks to build Rome. We strengthened ourselves to fight Dave." He glanced at me as he spoke.

"As time passed by in this Base, we learnt many lessons. But most of all, we learnt to trust ourselves. The time has come for us to entrust our lives on our friends' hands and fight to save them", Ellis encouraged.

Listening to them, riled up the students as well as myself. I saw hope and determination bubbling in their eyes yet again. I don't know if Terrence and Matt would help us, but there's nothing wrong in trying. Right? Right.

"You've all worked hard. You've worked hard in coming this far. Now it's time for us to move far more ahead. I asked my brother to come to Stoneridge within three days. We've got three days time to prepare ourselves, to strengthen our spirits. We've got three days time to get out of this place. But...", I stopped midway to look at Terrence and Matt who stood separated from the student body. I called them out, "Terrence, Matt. It won't be possible without your help." They looked confused and uninterested in our topic. I could tell from their looks that they would never help us. But that didn't stop me. I walked up to them and looked right into Terrence's eyes. If harsh words won't enter his head, then I'll have to lay out his future before him.

"Terrence, I can understand your situation. I know you want to protect your sister's dream. I know you want to save her. But are you sure you want to do it at the cost of so many innocent lives? You think you will be able to live guilt-free? Trust me, you can't. You'll keep blaming yourself forever. You will fall into a deep sea of guilt and find yourself drowning. Besides, your sister too wouldn't want this. All this while, you might have been thinking that you are doing the right thing. After all, you're doing this to save your sister. But have you ever tried to look at your situation from a different perspective? What you are doing is wrong." I searched for some kind of guilt or realization in their face, but could find none. But I couldn't give up.

"If you're doing this just for money to treat your sister, then I'll help you out with it. I'll ask my dad to pay for your sister's treatment. But to do that, I need to get out of the Base and for that, I need your help." They had a poker face plastered. None of my words seemed to pass through their skull. I put in one last effort. "Please, Terrence, Matt. Help us out. I'm begging you", I pleaded. But they ignored all my words and walked away from the student body before uttering, "We don't need charity."

Ugh! Thick skulled humans! What am I supposed to do now!? What if they report this to Dave!? Have I done a stupid mistake again? I faced the student body to meet gloomy faces but instead I only saw all smiles. It took me by surprise.

"Thank you for putting in so much effort, Alana."

"Thank you for helping us out."

"Don't worry about them. They will definitely think over your words."

"You need to trust yourself, Alana."

The words of encouragement which were usually given to them were showered on me. Tears came rolling down my cheeks. I felt good to receive encouragement from so many people. The idiots walked up to me with a smile plastered on their faces.

"Do not cry, Alana."

"You need to be happy."

"These are my tears of happiness. I can't stop them."

"Oh you've just been too sensitive these days, Al. You need to stop revealing your ugly face while crying every now and then."

I kicked Mr.Elly's shin on that comment and stuck my tongue out.

"Don't call me ugly, Elly", I stretched his name on purpose while he glared at me.

Elementary kids you say? Well, I can't disagree either.