꧁ 𝔸𝕕𝕒'𝕤 ℙ.𝕆.𝕍 ꧂
The crowd is stunned now, and the guards use this advantage to push them back, as they're a little more compliant now. People are dragged down from the upper floors, the guards who escort them threaten violence even though they aren't armed. All eyes are on me and beads of sweat start to form on my forehead. My breath is shaky and I raise my eyes slowly to Min, who looks as scared as I am. It's too warm. It's too cold. Breathe, just breathe. How am I supposed to when hundreds now are willing to cut off my breath for their emotions back? If they all made a grab at me now and ambushed me with their weapons, I'd never stand a chance. But they don't. Most of them are shocked into silence, and are planning their next move. We back out of the Zenith with the help of the guards prodding and pushing us with their riot shields. Once we're out of the Zenith, they stand in a line along the entrance, guarding it, and ask us to run along.
Nobody moves.
All I can see in the corner of my eye is Min's car. It's a sprint of around 500 meters if I run with all my speed. I shuffle my feet slowly, prepared to spring into a run at any second. Min senses this and she's the first one to speak, and it's with a joking tone, "So, whoever wants her, now's your chance." My eyeballs almost pop out of my sockets and I turn around and whisper, "Are you crazy? Turning me in like tha-" "No, I'm being logical, you'd look like an idiot if you started running and nobody chased you. We need to see who's on your side and who's not." She has a point and I let her turn back to the crowd, "So, nobody wants their emotions back?" A woman speaks up, "My children, I'm sorry but I want them to have a good life, and that's one without you." My blood runs cold when some people yell in agreement.
Am I hallucinating or is the crowd slowly closing in on me?
They're advancing, inch by inch, anger and determination and desperation in their eyes. Maybe I'm stupid, but so be it, I stay where I am and stand my ground. Maybe I'm doing this out of defiance, or maybe it's out of cowardice, and my feet are glued to the ground out of fear. I don't move. Then Min says, "Does the president accept body parts only?" The crowd freezes, evidently confused. She continues, "Well if all of you want her, and only one of you can get her, don't you think this will be a little messy?" Silence still. "However, if you follow our plan, we can overthrow the government and all of you will get your emotions back. If you want the other way, only one person can get it, and the others will probably get so angry that they'll rip her arms off or something. The president's way is messy and even if you succeed, he might be using you and not give you a reward at all." Realisation hits the crowd. The same woman speaks up again, "But what if your plan fails? Hundreds will be slaughtered and emotionlessly so." More murmurs of agreement.
"True, but since when has the president been a man true to his word? He's lied already, about not having emotions himself, and we exposed him. Don't you think he could be lying again?" The crowd is silent except for a few whispers. Most of the crowd is with us, but there are some looking doubtful. I decide to speak up, "If our plan fails, I'll let you all hand me in." There is a murmur waving through the crowd and Min's mouth opens in protest but I explain myself, "The president wants me dead anyways, and he'll find a way in the end to kill me. So I'd rather it be: Live in a world with emotions or die trying to make that world a reality." The woman's voice is weak when she speaks up one last time, as if she's unbelieving of herself, "But if your plan fails, all or most of us will be dead, so how are we supposed to turn you in then?" "Exactly. We won't fail, so are you with us or not?" I see flashbacks in the eyes of the mob. Some remember the adrenaline, the passion they felt while protesting, others think of their families that they want to help and the older citizens recall a time where they were free to feel, and I know now, what their answer is to my question.
The woman looks conflicted and reluctance flits across her face for a second, before she turns to us, and speaks for the crowd, "Yes, but you'd better not let us down." Min's face lights up and I can feel relief. We tell the crowd when to meet us tomorrow, and where, and watch as they slowly disperse, going back to their homes now, relieved, excited but exhausted. Everyone but the woman has gone, and she wrings her hands, "The guards will come after you no matter what, whether we protest or stay peaceful, you need somewhere to hide." She's right and I nod. "I'm here to ask if you'd like to stay with me. I live far from here, it'll be safe." Shock slaps me across the face, "But why? Weren't you against us just now?" "Well, I was trying to convince myself that your plan is too dangerous, but it seems logical and I think I need to start taking risks and making sacrifices for my family." Min looks suspicious, "How can we trust you? For all we know, you could be doing this to secretly turn Ada in to the government." "Yeah. How can I trust you?" Her eyes look ashamed and her voice is wobbly, "I understand we didn't start off the right foot, but I'm doing this for my children, I just want them to be happy." She says this with a finality in her voice and it hits me. She reminds me of my mother.
My mother would have done the same, she would have. I'm very sure. It's all the explanation I need and I nod to her, "Alright, but you'd better not betray our trust." Her eyes are grateful and she shakes her head, "You might be the only way out of this hellhole, I wouldn't ruin that for anything." Min's glare softens and I can tell that she's gained her trust too. By ourselves, we are some scrawny teenagers who can't do much, but with a mob to back us up, we are an army. An unstoppable force. And we fight for only one thing: freedom. Now I know, that with just Min, I can only but succeed fully. Now, with a crowd, I can gain their trust, but I can only do that if I succeed. And if I accomplish. And if I attain.
And If I Achieve.
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