The Price of rebellion

Manipulated souls

''Change is painful but nothing is as painful

as staying stuck where you don't belong.''

-Mandy Hale

Chapter 3:

Annabelle grabbed her g*n and a spear she had hidden in the depths of her neighbourhood well, knowing that she was capable of taking it out when needed. Rayan grabbed his knife and they both started emptying any food in the house. They stuffed their backpacks and pockets with everything they could fit in from Water to wood. They grabbed it all.

'That's it!' said Annabelle

'It's time.' replied Rayan anxiously

They both knew too well the criminalisation they were causing if the people of Obsidian found out there'd be more rebels than soldiers. Annabelle was, after all, known for being in the army and demolishing any hope of rebellion the people had. 

Annabelle opened the back window and sneaked out, Rayan did the same. She shut the window and drew a final smiley face on the humid window as if to say goodbye.

'Where are we going now?' questioned Rayan

'Far, far, far away.' answered Annabelle

She told him to stay silent as they crawled through the woods behind her house and into a tunnel that Annabelle knew almost too well. This tunnel was a government tunnel for when it was time to sneak around town and demolish houses. The closest demolishing date was in three days verified Annabelle so the tunnels would remain untouched. Rayan walked around staring at all the taps labelled water in the tunnel.

'There is more water here than anything the people of Obsidian have ever had combined!' Whispered Rayan

'Oh, we are not allowed to drink it, the only time it could be used is if a government building caught on fire or a mayor was thirsty,'

'Oh,'

'We have to search through the ruins of homes to find food just like everyone else. It just feels worse when you are the reason the houses are in ruins.' explained Annabelle

Rayan did not hide his shock; he thought the army was treated better than everyone else. He thought they got whatever they needed and that's why they had no problem killing their people. He never questioned whether or not they were okay doing all those terrible acts. He felt horrible, all those years cursing out Annabelle and the rest of the army as they marched down the streets.

'Can't believe I am with the Annabelle price rebelling out of all things,' exclaimed Rayan

'Stop acting like Obsidian life is any good for me. I am just like you,' responded Annabelle

'You aren't, everyone knows I hate it here, but you are misunderstood,'

'I guess so.'

As the screeching of the pipes got louder both Rayan and Annabelle were approached by the same lethal thought; What if they are being watched?

There was no evidence of someone spying on them, but Annabelle was one of the region's most well-known soldiers; it wouldn't take long for someone to notice she has gone missing. Annabelle didn't take any chances though, she needed to make sure they could get away if they were caught.

'You know how to defend yourself, don't you?' Asked Annabelle

'Uh, I'd like to say I am fine with a knife since I've been a butcher for most of my life,' Replied Rayan

'Ok, just remember human flesh isn't dead meat so don't treat it like that,'

'Alright,'

'Did working as a butcher gives you any advantages in terms of food?'

'No, I had to pay the mayor for the meat if I wanted it,'

'Oh, that's sad.'

They walked through the tunnel and were about to reach the light that peeked through the cracks in the door at the end of the tunnel. Rayan was about to open the door, but a group of no less than twenty-something armed men and women came barging in.

'CATCH THEM!' whispered a voice 

Rayan was petrified knowing he was defenceless carrying just one knife against an army of manipulating souls.

'Annabelle price?' Demanded one of the soldiers

Annabelle thought as fast as she can. Which role should she play? Lethal or helpless? There was no time to choose she said the first thing that came to her mind.

'Inco Thread?' she replied

'You have lots of explaining to do miss Price!'

'Don't bother thread you know who's the best of us,'

'I do, it's me,'

'Oh, please who is the one who taught you how to assemble a g*n? Who is the one who took on the mission of murdering Amber Ro because you were too much of a coward and would've been killed for not doing it?'

'I was different back then,'

'Different? Do you mean yourself because you are acting now just like every mayor to ever step foot on Obsidian wants you to? Controlled!'

Annabelle spilt what nobody had ever dared to say before. She had nothing to lose, she was not afraid of death, nor t*****e and since life was her biggest enemy, she would be a winner either way. It's Rayan she was worried about.

'I was a coward back then, but if destroying a Ro is what it takes to prove that I am not the same, then my target is standing a metre away from you!'

All hell broke loose.