Were my eyes deceiving me? I couldn't, wouldn't let her go. My grip on Rachael was unwavering with tears running down my flushed cheeks. We cried together, our blurry forms embracing eachother. Her gentle form giving me the space to breath, while I could feel her mind, body, soul, with me lifting me out of the surrounding darkness.
I took a bated breath back, looking into Rachael's swollen eyes.
"I...I can't believe that you are here. I...I" I stuttered, grabbing her warm hands, damp from wiping her tears away. Feeling her familiar warmth, it brought a slight glimmer of hope to my heart. She was alive and she actually looked okay, the same really. Her hair was cut short above her shoulders, in thick waves falling in cinnamon swirls that tumbled effortlessly around her. I could only imagine what she imagined when she looked back at me. My long curly hair disheveled, hair strands going in every direction possible, flushed cheeks, my digity only covered by this thin bedsheet. Shame immediately began to take over. ugh.
She wore a simple dress under her white robe. What I saw that girl wearing earlier that day. Was she a slave here?
"I knew I saw you!" Rachael blurted out.
I looked at her quizzically, not understanding what she meant. "I saw you when the whole community was notified that the convoy has returned. My...uh... possessor wanted to see who they captured. He's interested in having..eh more assets." She stated abrubtly looking down at the floor, avoiding my gaze as long as she could. Was she the white figure I saw when we first arrived?
What she uttered didn't fully comprehend with me. I let go of her hands and pulled my hands close to my body, tightening the makeshift coverup.
Rachel, wide eyed, looking at me in silence. I know she expected me to have something to say, anything, but what do you say to something like that?
Rachael continued to speak. " Once I saw you, I knew that I had to come find you. To help you." I was shifting uncomfortably, peering at the bundle of clothes she laid down on the bed.
"My possessor is a powerful man who owns large properties outside and in the mountain. I can get you in, as a maid, or servant. I've been here for I think, maybe a year? At first you won't be able to go to far, but you will be surprised how much freedom you will get around the community once-"
"freedom" I muttered to myself. I know Rachael heard me, but she remained silent.
I covered my face between my damp hands, letting out a long exasperated sigh.
"Cassia, nothing will and be the same. You need to realize that. And if this is what needs to happen where you are not only safe, but a chance, you wouldn't take it? I know you would. Hell, look where you are now. What? like five or six years later?" She was right. I know she was.
She remained still, waiting for my response. My mind was racing, pulling every thought, every emotion, every plan I ever imagined. I was a fighter, a survivor.
"So, why are naked." Rachael asked, a slight smile escaping her lips. She leaned back eyeing my thin makeshift coverup. My cheeks immediately burned and my heart started racing.
"Rachael, I messed up. Like really messed up."
She leaned close, squeezing my hand."okay.. did someone hurt you?"
"not exactly." I turn toward Rachael, my hands sweaty, fidgeting aggressively together. "I had a...personal encounter with a Zuir soldier...err commander I guess."
"What?? You?? No way!"
"What do you mean by that?" I asked her, slightly offended.
We stared at each other and burst into laughter. The way that Rachael was able to make me truly laugh when the last six years, I felt like my soul was being restrained. Our laughter lifted the dark veil that encompassed the room since I arrived. I felt like a part of my world lifted. Its funny how laughter can do that. I began to tell Rachael everything from the beginning. How I was found by Gilda, Niko, and the beginning group. The settlement, and finally how I got here. Commander Zir. Everything that I could remember. Rachael sat back and just listened. Listened to every emotion or feeling I had held in my heart and mind. Oh Achad I missed her so much.
Rachael began to tell an amazing story about her surival and arriving at the running river settlement so far east, It was basically touching the ocean. How she was safe from the advances of the approaching armies of the Zuir and made a quiet life for herself. Making friends and flirting with different kinds of boys. However, it all changed when news came that the Zuir were trying to tap into resources that could change the course of the war and everyone involved. Herself along with a dozen others bravely volunteered to get captured so they could spy on the Zuir. Ballsy but brilliant. Holy shit.
"Cassia, they are building something in the mountain. I'm not sure what, but its not good. Thats why I wanted you to be picked by Klon. He is one of the only citizens that has a housing unit inside the mountain that he visits on a weekly basis." Rachael stands abruptly, walking over to the bundle of clothing she brought in. "It's been almost a year where I can almost walk freely through the mountain and find out what is going on."
"Here, you will wear this tomorrow where you will be be assigned your duty." She held up the ugliest clothing pair I have ever seen. A long shapeless clothlike shirt that was way to big with matching trousers.
"What about the others?" I asked? I had so many questions but limited time with Rachel. Hell I didn't know if I would even see her again.
She softly smiled, "Everywhere Cassia." She continued kicking some large glass pieces away from the door.
"You will follow the others out to the opening where you left the carriages. Look for a man who is older, salt and pepper hair and goatee. That is the man who bought me. I believe his name is Klon." She hastily walked toward me cupping my startled face. "Don't say a word. Don't react. I love you and we will talk again." She kissed my cheek and left for the door, before pausing. "You are lucky. Very lucky." She winked. "Commander Zir? I wouldn't have guessed in a million years." Before closing the door. Her ghostlike form disappearing from my view.
I slumped back onto the bed, overwhelmed in every way. I looked over at my old tattered remains of my once kind-of-nice cargos, and shirt laying sad and destroyed by the forgotten glass while my temporary uniform in a heaped mess on the end of the bed. I know you can train and prepare as much as you can, but you can't train for everything. I guess this was one of those times that I didn't know what I was going to do. I needed to talk to Rachael again. That meant whoever her "possessor" was, I needed to make sure I was going with him.
My mind couldn't handle all of the endless possibilities that tomorrow could bring and I eventually slipped into darkness.
_________________________________
The loud bellows of a horn rang throughout the tiny pebbled path that separated our housing by only a few feet. I immediately sat up and looked out my small window. I could see a soldier repeatedly blowing that horrible instrument. Ughhh. Ring the bell my ass.
Here we go. My hands were already shaking as I went to grab my shirt.
"You can do this Cassia", I whispered to myself. "You have too."
I stood wishing there was a mirror near by. I couldn't imagine what I might have looked like. Some random Achad woman, dark bags, and crazy lady hair. Perfect. I wanted to pull out the hair I did have in frustration.
"Everybody out and line up! Now!" Bellowed a different soldier.
I stepped out, lightly closing the door as if I lived there my whole life. Seeing so many people wearing the same unifrom, in the same position was an eery feeling I was not used too and I didnt like it at all. It didn't seem like we were people, but more like sheep. Livestock that can be readily replaced. How many times has this uniform been washed? The blood erased from people who were erased themselves?
We began marching back to the open clearing void of lush forest or anything alive really. We dispersed out into the center of the field. Waiting for us in the middle of the clearing was an elevated platform surrounded my four different military trucks labeled in a langauge I couldn't understand. On the left was the general and his son Commander Zir, unwavering and serious. On the right where two regal looking older men wearing the red and black cloaks, dark beards, silent. Next to them were a group of about ten men, between multiple ages standing side by side wearing different variations of black clothing, hands crossed. They had soldiers lining the housing encampment walls, guns at rest, us being so unthreatening, they were talking amongst themselves.
A hand suddenly squeezed my shoulder turning to find Niko smiling over my shoulder and Gilda right behind him.
"my ahava, I missed you."She lightly kissed my cheek squeezing my hand. "Did you sleep well?"
"No, I didn't, but I'm glad I saw you." I smiled softly down at her and gave Niko a soft kiss on the cheek. Niko blushed and stood next to his mother. I couldn't lie to Gilda. She would be able to sense immediately that something was wrong and I would tell her. But I didn't sleep well and she didn't ask why.
"Whatever happens-" Gilda only began to speak when she was interrupted by the two mysterious men in red who began walking onto the wooden platform. The bellow of the brass pitched horn forcing the soldiers to stand at attention. All eyes were on them.
"Welcome travelers, wonderers, friends, and foes." He stated menacingly, looking down upon us. The sunny sky blossomed into blue, bright rays of light, illuminating his form. "One of my favorite poets Kahlil Gibran stated, we only give when we give of yourselves. This is how I give because this is how I am. Don't you see, your purpose here is for a better future. A better future for all." Words paused, and arms outreached for the sky, the ominous man continued to speak. "It has been decided by the High Council of three, that if you are not chosen by a house to serve, you have four main duties: cooking, maintenance of community, miner, general laborer." He panned the group of people in front of him, an ever slight smirk on his thin lips. "Without service, none of us would have a quality of life. Its important for people who serve as well as the recipient. Its the way we grow and develop. Spoken by a heroic woman. So true, in every way." He slowly began to lower his arms continuously looking not only at the forced crowd, but toward the soldiers as well.
"Wow, hes smart. Really smart." Gilda whispered to herself.
"Dont be shy, come on up." He spoke factly. Just loud enough for some of us to hear before he turned and walked back down the sucken steps.
Soldiers began stepping away from the wall shoving and pushing us into a single human lane where personal space did not exist as someone repeatedly elbowed the middle of my back. Gilda and Niko were a group away. SHIT. Shit. Shit. Okay Cassia, I quickly reached up for my necklace, squeezing the flower to the point I imagined it would pop in my hand. Oh Achad, please protect me. My dear mother, protect me. A soldier grabbed my arm and yanked me toward the wooden platform. I cautiously began focusing on my current surroundings. All eyes were on me and it was awfully silent.
