2. The Fight Begins

Briana POV

No one moved, no one breathed, no one wanted to see who was on the other side of that door. Everyone was already on edge from not being safely hidden for the first time in their life. Now with everyone being here but Dylan, the odds are not in our favor.  

I got up slowly and quietly while scanning the faces that surrounded me.

Ralph was also getting up using the wall as support so he wouldn't put pressure on the creaking floor.

Kadyn was sitting up with his arms crossed. His squinting eyes were directed towards the window that was covered with blinds and blankets for extra precaution. 

Jaanai and Jack were laying down who were doing everything but sleeping.

Simon was looking at Ralph intently to see what our next course of action was.

Alex was playing with her nails while fidgeting like crazy, Hunter was across from her trying to remain calm for everyones sake. 

Tate was staring at the ceiling, probably thinking of a good story for whoever was waiting for us on the other side. 

Boom Boom 

I walked towards the lethal object that forbidden children view with such fear that their blood runs cold as if their bones could break with a simple snap. 

"No Briana. If it's Dylan allow him to reveal himself." Ralph whispered.

Time seemed to stop as the oxygen around the room appeared to be limited since everyone was focused on breathing. The only sound that could be heard was the soft chimes from Ralph's grandfather's clock that hung over the front door. 

Boom Boom

"It's not Dylan." Jaanai said sternly but her body showed her true emotion from the obvious shaking while hanging on to Jack. 

"Ralph..." I whispered wide eyed.

Who is it.

"I am going to move, okay guys? I need to wake up Grandpa." Ralph said rather urgently while taking soft steps towards the hallway to his Grandfathers bedroom.

"Briana get over here." I heard Hunter plead while pointing to Alex.

She seemed like she was about to go in complete panic mode.

WOOF

"Oh my god Twix!? Where is he!?" I spun around the room violently. 

"Shut him up!" Kadyn whispered shouted.

"Chill Kadyn whoever it is, they won't question a dog." Tate stated bluntly.

"That's what you think." Kadyn retaliated.

"Arguing will increase the noise in here. You both should know that. Be quiet." Jaanai snapped. 

I finally found Twix as I looked into the kitchen doorway. 

"Thank God Tw--" 

AUGH

I gasped as I crouched down as quickly as possible behind the kitchen Island. 

"Briana...?" I heard Simon whisper even quieter than usual.

"People, in black uniforms, they are circling the house." I tried to breathe.

"Are you sure?" I heard Kaydn's raspy voice respond from the living room.

"I don't know but it sure as hell didn't look like Dylan." I snarled. My heart was now in my throat as I tried to take deep breathes.

"No one get up, no one move. Stay out of sight." I heard Tate order everyone.

________________________________________________________________________________

Ralph POV

"Grandpa!? Get up! Now!" I practically screeched while throwing the blankets off of him. 

"Son haven't you learned respect. Go cook some eggs or something." He mumbled while rolling over.

"Grandpa they are here." I whispered so quietly into his ear as his windows showed more people in black vests piling out of white vans. 

"What?" He questioned as he sat up.

I pointed towards the dirty window.

"Shit. Get your friends and hide in the back room. It has a sewing machine and some old fabrics. When you hear me start yelling. You run out the back windows. They are the only windows in the house that open. You run you hear me? All of you." He demanded quickly while reloading his shotgun. 

"What about you?" I asked trying to stay calm. I put all of us in danger. 

"Son, I am not forbidden. I will not get in trouble. I'll just pretend I have dementia." He shoved me out of the bedroom while closing his curtains and door. 

Even while risking his life he's chuckling.

We walked stealthy down the hall. 

I waved my hand in a proceeding motion. Simon saw me first and ran until the hallway with me. Jaanai and Jack followed shortly after while crouching as low as they could. Kadyn and Hunter helped Alex while Tate talked to my Grandpa before coming along. 

"Where's Briana?" I asked noticing her disappearance.

"She's trapped in the kitchen. I told your grandpa so he can come up with something, I'm out." Tate said breathlessly. 

"Briana I'm going to call Twix over here. You are going to crouch beside him so he is camouflaging you." We heard my Grandpa's comforting voice.

"Ok, ok go ahead." We heard her panicked whisper.

He whistled lowly while chanting Twix.

First we saw the brown and black fur pop out of the kitchen doorway with a head of dark brown hair running besides it.

"Briana over here." I whisper shouted.

She crawled over falling into me.

"That was horrifying." She said suddenly.

"Back room, you'll see a sewing machine!" I loudly whispered to Simon who was in front of the line in the hallway now. 

"But Twix..." Briana pleaded while Twix sat next to my grandpa.

"They won't hurt the dog. He's not what they want." I tried to reassure her while accepting the gruesome truth.

We are what they want.

________________________________________________________________________________

Alex POV

What if Dylan gets here and its overrun? What if we are all shot and dead by the time he gets here and he just discovers our scarred bodies that got murdered for wanting to have a life?  What if they already captured Dylan and they are using him as bait to get us also?  What If I never see my mom again? What if I never laugh with my sisters again? What if I witness my friends dying? What happens if they capture us? Will they torture us? Will they hurt my family?

"Alex!" I heard Hunter shout.

I snapped out of my overbearing thoughts to observe Hunter and them entering a dark musty room. 

"Come on..." He said quietly while waving me inside.

We all crouched right below a large window. The only window in the small cramped room. Clothes were everywhere. The sewing machine was covered in layers of dust.

Simon and Ralph were trying to get the window unlocked without being seen so we can open it easily if we have to make a run for it.

If we have to.

Breathing was becoming the hardest task for my body to achieve. My head was pounding, my heart felt as if I already ran several miles. Why did I even come? We all knew this was going to happen. This was the biggest, most common risk. 

We were all completely silent. Then we heard the front door alarm go off, signaling someone opened it. We set it up last night. So no one could sneak up on us.

Ralph's Grandpa's voice was hard to hear through the thick walls.

"What made them even come here?" I heard Briana's voice echo throughout the room. 

All I wanted was to hug her, or anyone really, to release this heavy weight off my chest, or to at least relieve it. The only thing available was Hunter's shoulder which I didn't hesitate on leaning on. 

"Car radios." Kadyn mumbled.

"Those are observed too?!" I heard Hunters deep voice while feeling his shoulder vibrate.

"Yeah, learned that the hard way." Kadyn continued.

"Shit...my mom's job isn't very liked by them. Do you think it was my fault?" Hunter started to speak slowly. 

He sounds like that after he lied also, it's his guilty voice. 

"Everyone who drove a car is at fault." Kaydn said quickly with no emotion revealed from his dark face.

"Kadyn... what happened to Maya?" I sat up slowly questioning him.

No one remembered to ask Ralph. No one cared that she wasn't there. What kind of friends are we? 

"You really want to know now?" Kadyn asked.

"Better now before we physically can't..." Jack said solemnly. 

"She turned me in for money. Her dreams--" 

"Caught up with her." Ralph finished for him.

Oh my god.

"Is it bad that it doesn't surprise me?" Tate stated suddenly. 

"You should give her more credit than that." I snapped.

"No I mean, when she has a dream she didn't hesitate in getting it. She would literally do anything. We all know that." He proved himself when everyone started shaking their heads.

"So she got caught...?" Briana asked.

"No, the car radio, they heard everything. They knew she was forbidden too." Kadyn concluded clearly not wanting to talk about it anymore. 

"So she's gone." Simon whispered.

"Yes." Ralph added. 

"and that's how you were shot. Trying to get away..." Simon pieced the story together.

"Damn..." Jack said while Jaanai was observing her surroundings. 

"I THINK YOU CAN GET OUT OF MY HOUSE NOW. YOU LOOKED ME UP. I HAVE LIVED ALONE FOR 14 YEARS. EVER SINCE MY WIFE DIED. GET OUT OF MY HOUSE." We heard the screams.

"Out now, that's his way of warning us that they are starting to search." Ralph stated quickly while receiving help from Simon to open the window. 

We all shot up.

"Come on come on!!!" Ralph shouted while helping me through the window and waving for others to follow.

BANG BANG

Shots started to rang out throughout the house. 

"WE HAVE TO GET OUT NOW." Ralph screamed.

________________________________________________________________________________

Simon POV

Everyone climbed out the window and started running in a complete sprint as soon as their feet touched the ground.

Everyone was running, everyone was scared, and everyone couldn't breathe. 

I was in the lead with Ralph and Hunter while Briana and Alex followed shortly behind. 

We lost sight of Jaanai and Jack while Tate was running with Kadyn leaning into him for extra support. His bandage that covered his abdomen was bleeding.

I slowed down to reach them. I took Kaydn's left side and ran with them into the woods. 

Shots echoed around us. Orders and staticky demands were heard in between our feet stepping on crunchy leaves and the obnoxious winds that come with fall weather. 

"Come on keep running!" Ralph turned around to motivate us while he was still in the lead but before he could turn completely around a gun came from behind a tree and bashed him across the head. He collapsed to the ground.

"Do not move a muscle." The man said while pointing the gun at hunter and waving it around at all of us. 

We all stopped. 

All that could be heard was the deep heavy breathes, and internal cries.

They got us. 

"I got them."The army man whispered into his walkie talkie. 

I turned around to see three more of them behind us closing in.

"Follow me." The man who hit Ralph demanded while starting to walk forward.

"Hunter help me with Ralph." I heard Briana gasp urgently trying to catch her breath. 

They dragged Ralph while Alex walked shortly behind them while Kadyn, Tate and I would feel the head of a gun press against our neck every time we needed to slow down for a second. 

They brought us into an open road with mountains and trees surrounding all four sides. No witnesses, no houses, just nature. They could do whatever they want either way. 

Jaanai and Jack were already caught, each containing a guard standing behind them with a gun pointed at their back. 

"We tried going back to the car." Jack mouthed at me while observing Ralph carefully to see if he was dead.

Jaanai had silent tears streaming down her face. When did the world come to this.

"Line up." The lead man ordered. 

Briana and Hunter put Ralph down in between them. The line up consisted of Jaanai, Jack, Briana, Ralph, Hunter, Alex, Tate, Kadyn, and me. 

They didn't get Dylan 

"Tell me who you all are." The lead man continued.

Silence filled the air. 

"Hmph. Proceed." He laughed shortly while giving out an order. 

The guards stepped closer to each of our bodies. 

"Tell me who you are!" He stated louder this time.

Silence except for Ralph moaning while two guards kicked him to stand up.

"Closer." He demanded.

The guards stepped closer. I could feel their hot, vicious breathe against my skin. 

Ralph finally stood up.

"I am Ralph Miller." He laughed while coughing up blood.

"I am Alexandra Clarke." Alex whimpered shortly after while shaking.

"I am Briana Storm." Briana stated confidently.

"I am Jaanai Garcia." Jaanai concluded while giving them her fake smile.

"I am Jack Flinch." Jack stated after her while looking at all of us urgently.

"I am Tate Whiteford." Tate said confidently. No lies were going to work here.

"I am Kadyn Fern." Kadyn grumbled. 

"I am Hunter Reed." Hunter finally spoke up.

They were looking up our names. They weren't going to find anything. They are going to know.

I stepped forward. 

"I said no moving." The lead guy ordered.

I kept walking forward.

"That's enough son." He yelled while putting his handgun up.

I put my hands out in an innocent motion. 

"I am Simon Reyes." I stated finally.

"And I am a forbidden child." I concluded.

No one moved, no one walked forward with me, no one knew what was going to happen.

"What about all of you?" The leader finally stopped looking at me and asked the crowd.

Silence.

"Looks like no one is standing with you." The leader smirked. 

I saw Briana move in the corner of my eye.

She stepped forward.

"I am also a forbid--"

Bang