Call of Freedom

Chapter Six

Darkness. Cold. Fear. These are her surroundings inside the safehouse. Exhaustion has taken over her body, but she doesn't dare closing her eyes. On the contrary, Zion has given up, breathing heavily inside her hug. Other than that, everything around her is plain dead.

"Steward," her father moves from beside her, getting closer to the lightsource from the cracks of the rocks. "Help me move the stone, please."

The whispering inflames, people start moving; it's time to leave. They stayed there for about 12 hours, with no food or clean water. With a few groans and an additional help from some others, the stone moves away. The sunlight, fresh air and the sound of birds fills the safehouse, making everyone close their eyes and enjoy this little moment of joy.

She stares at all the survivors who are ready to walk out, longing expression on their faces. It can't be that easy. What if soldiers are waiting up there for the rest of them?

Giving a glance to her father, she stands up in front of the opening. Light and warmth colliding with her face. "Let me handle it," is all she says as she steps outside.

It's a bright day, the green grass glistens in the sun which is blazing in the cloudless sky. Far in the distance, she recognizes her house. She comps the Area with her eyes. From tree to tree, from bush to bush and the others follow in groups behind her. No one is there, for the first time in her lifetime, Area21 is lifeless. Walking warily over ashes and through black smoke, she finds her beloved bow and quiver leaning against the bench like waiting to be found. With quick movements she burries it under the ashes, making it invisible for the rest to see.

Few minutes patroling around the bench and still, no courage can be found to step inside her burned down home. Standing on her toes, she tries to look as far as possible before entering. A tight knot is placed over her stomach and despite all the encouraging thoughts, she can't get rid of it. The stores and houses are a mess. Windows broken and the doors wide opened, broken glasses, burned and dusted metals scattered everywhere she steps. It's like an attack from the most despised enemy who was eager to create this mess. No smoke of fire is visible, indicating that they didn't stay for the night. If they had, they would have kept the fire for warmth.

She moves back to the woods were the others are gathered. A muffled sound turns into shouts that urge her to move faster. The trees slowly reviel the crowd of people, gathered around Steward. His shouting makes everyone lower their head, but it is not a shout of rage, anger or anything of that kind. It's a scream of pain.

"Naya, oh my sweet sweet girl..."

With these words hanging in the air, the picture of her cousin closing her eyes and letting out her last breath returns. The familiar faces in the street murdered, her relatives mourning for the loss of their loved ones. The Army has turned her homeland into a foreign land. Her head lowers, eyes welling up with tears. A lonely drop trails down her face. She wipes it off quickly. Someone in that whole group of hurt people must stay strong and calm. She stands in silence.

What can one say after all to heal their pain? There are so many things able to explain what happened and possibly a way to learn why. But nothing to take away their pain, to bring back in their hearts the joy and wamrth that was there just twelve hours ago. A trembling woman stumbles forward, inside her hands she embraces her four year old, screaming in fear and pulling her hair. Her lips form words impossible to hear, her red eyes looking comfortingly at her horrified child. Deanna steps forward.

"Our Master will save us. He will punish his Army. He will save us. He will protect us. Because we love him. Daddy loved him too."

Totally stunned by the words she heard, she stand there unable to move. The Master controls everything. The Master orders everyone. Their home is burned to the ground. Yet that woman still loves him. Deanna's mind aches at the task to make up her mind. They are blind people, always on the verge of loosing everything with no questions as to 'why'.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" The comforting whisper comes from behind. She turns around, her father stands there, eyes locked with the grass.

Making their way away from the busy crowd, she turns to face her father with determination. His mouth is open like wanting to say something.

"Father," their eyes meet. He shuts his mouth.

"You know that I don't agree with anything that happens. I believe that something is wrong and I want more than anything to discover the truth, not only for me, but for all these people that I've lost because of them," she makes a small pause to clear her throat. "Including mum."

"Deanna..." His eyes move away with his feet adjusting his position. "I understand. I'm older than you and I've seen many things, believe me. But, you are my daughter. I can't risk loosing you too. You have lost many people, I have lost much more. The world out there is not the butterfly kingdom. Life is cruel and we must learn to survive here. Only here."

"How can you possibly say that and believe it? Life is not cruel, Master makes it!" Her voice loud, clear speaking logical words, but too brave to be accepted. "Right now it may be the only chance to show him that he doesn't decide about us."

"But, Deanna... he does."

Deanna takes a step back, watching with open mouth at another side of her father's self. A pessimistic one, full of given up hopes and dispair. A side that hurts to watch.

"And don't even mention wars and other things, we don't stand a chance against them."

"I can train them," her father's eyes widen and his jaw drops.

"What...?"

"I can train them."

He starts moving from left to right, staring at the ground while brushing his beard. Deanna observes him, her heart beating uncontrollably inside her chest. No lies now, the leader's daughter is illegal. She has a weapon and can use it. What can a father with a pure heart full of abandoned hopes decide to do? Risk everything for his daughter's wishes or follow the comforting lie that lays there, below the ashes?

"Can you guarantee that this plan you have inside your head will work?"

"I think you are asking the wrong question here," he frowns, tittling his head to the side. "My plan is all about showing the Master that we are unhappy and willing to get what we want. Whether it works or not, it will still offer more that doing nothing after everything he took from us. He'll get the message."

He works his jaw, eyes studying hers. His thoughts hidden under a cover of deep consideration. And after a while, his shoulders relax, hanging loosely with a deep exhale.

"Fine."

That's it. All her plans and goals can get started by a simply word.

"Can you at least guarantee that you'll stay safe?"

"That's not the point, father."

Getting closer to the crowd, she listens chattering which stops when they notice her.

"Everyone," she shouts and jumbs on a rock so as she can be visible by all. As soon as they are all around her, she starts talking.

"There are so many things I want to comment about this disaster. Unfortunately, there isn't neither a start nor an end to all this mess to explain. I just need you to know that we are not alone. This have happened to many other Areas and we can stop this."

They look at each other and one asks the question written on everyone's face: "How?"

In a second that feels like years, she takes a deep breath, allowing herself to process all the things happening. And then her narration starts. How she plans on training them, the way they are going to visit other Areas spreading the revolution. It takes a lot of time to explain every single detail, and when she's done, silence has covered the crowd. Deanna knows that tensing against the shaking of her limbs is useless, but she cannot stop it. She drinks in the thick silence, trying to counteract the fear that threatens to engulf her.

"How are you going to train soldiers out of nothing?" Some of them nod to this man's opinion.

"I suggest we go back to our village and let our Master decide."

"Wait!" Their heads turn to face her again, a hundred pair of eyes waiting.

"Everything that happened was a decision of the Master, he controls the Army. You can't possibly believe it was an accident. The only way to prevent this from happening is learning the truth and Master's rules don't allow us to do so!"

"And what do you know about the truth miss?"

"Nothing. I know nothing and this kills me. Don't you wish you knew? Can you really love the person responsible for families burning inside flames?"

The silence that follows is somehow more comforting and lets actions speak for themselves. Because people's heads start raising, steps are taken forward until the words can finally settle.

"We don't love the Master."