So here we are, chapter eleven. I am now halfway through this story. You might not have guessed it already but there will be 21 chapters, one for each of the 21 days and then I will end with an epilogue. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, your reviews mean the world to me. Hopefully this chapter makes sense and is moderately acceptable. That's really the best I can hope for right now. I have been struggling with this chapter for the last 7 and a half hours while suffering from a really bad migraine and dizziness. I nearly passed out at one point. But I haven't failed my challenge and that it what is important. Alright I'm going to go and pass out now so that I can hopefully have enough energy for tomorrow's chapter.
Chapter Eleven
11 August 2138
That night was one of the longest of Lucas's life. Though he was exhausted, he didn't sleep at all. He lay there all night in his mother's arms, waiting for his father to come and save them, yet he never did. There was crying all throughout the night; children crying for their parents, parents crying for their children, people crying for the people who were stuck in the cell and for those who hadn't made it at all. The entire room was filled with sadness. Even Ayani shed a silent tear. Yet Lucas didn't cry at all, he was still in shock and waiting for his father to turn up any minute.
By the time morning dawned the prisoners were beginning to come to terms with what had happened. Lucas, on the other hand, couldn't be further from coming to terms with the situation. He was just waiting for his father to come and rescue them. It would happen. It had to, his father would come. It was the only way that they could get out of there. Without him they were trapped and almost certainly dead. Lucas knew that his father wouldn't let that happened. He would be there to save them.
People had begun to move around the room, overcoming their shock and fear to find out exactly who had been kidnapped and what had become of those who escaped. Lucas watched as the crowd dispersed, watching their faces as people embraced loved ones and learnt of the loss of others. Then through the crowd he saw her, the little girl. A part of him was thrilled that she survived, yet another part of him was sad that she had befallen the same fate as all the others who were trapped there. She had been a beacon of hope when she was running through the streets, defying all the odd and outrunning her kidnappers, yet here she was with the rest of them now, captured just like everyone else.
Murmuring an explanation and a promise to return soon to his mother, Lucas stood up and walked towards the girl. He felt a moment of fear run through him as he left his mother. This was the first time he had left her arms since arriving there. He wasn't quite sure why he was leaving her to go to this girl; all he knew was that he felt an almost compulsive need to check on her. He had to know that she was safe. As he approached her he saw that she was sitting next to a boy who looked to be a year or two older than Lucas himself.
"Hi," he said as he approached, wondering if she remembered him. The girl looked up and upon seeing Lucas a smile spread across her face.
"Hey," she replied as the boy next to her shifted uncomfortably next to her. "This is my big brother Matt," she continued, prompting both boys to greet each other with a simple "hello" before the girl spoke again. "And this is ... wait, I don't even know your name."
"Lucas," he replied. "My name is Lucas." The girl's grin increased as she stuck out her hand to shake his.
"My name's Skye Tate."
"Well hello, Skye," responded Lucas with a smile, the first since he had been kidnapped. It was strange that they were only just finding out each other's names. Though their meetings had been brief there had been many an opportunity to introduce themselves. Lucas supposed that this was part of the peculiarity of his friendship with this girl. They were friends, he could say that much for sure, and despite their age difference and the fact that they barely knew each other Lucas had to admit that he liked this girl. She was nice, the sort of young girl that more children should aspire to be like. Even though she was young she seemed to be living in a grown up's world, much like Lucas himself. She was almost like symbol of hope in this awful place.
"I just wanted to make sure that you are okay," he continued, feeling as though he should explain why he was there.
"Yeah," Skye answered as her face fell. "I'm alright." She didn't sound particularly convincing. He could see that she wasn't alright. She wasn't the same happy and innocent girl that he had met a few days earlier. While before she had only been telling stories of a time when the bad men would strike, she was now living it. It was clear that being held prisoner was taking its toll on her, it was taking its toll on everyone and they had only been incarcerated for less than a day. Lucas felt an overwhelming need to comfort her and reassure her.
"You don't have to worry," he said as he sat down next to her. "Because my dad is the best commander out there and he's going to save us all."
"Really?" Skye asked in a small voice.
"Yup," Lucas replied. "He is going to come really soon and save us. This is what he does, he saves people from impossible situations." A dark look appeared over Matt's face though it went unnoticed by the pair, he wasn't buying Lucas's story. Yet he remained silent, he wasn't going to say anything when it was clear that this story was cheering his sister up.
"How is he going to save us?" questioned Skye, looking as though she had cheered up a little with this new information and this new ray of hope. New was looking more like the old Skye that Lucas had first met.
"I'm not sure how he does it but he always does," Lucas responded eagerly, entering full on bragging mode. He loved to hear about his father's achievement and the only thing that he loved more than hearing them was telling them to people. His father was a hero and he wanted as many people as possible to know that. "He might come through the roof or he might go and shoot all the Rebels or he might even come busting through the walls. I'm not sure how he'll do it but he'll be here."
"Is he a super hero?" asked Skye, earning another less than cheerful look from Matt.
"Sort of," Lucas bragged. "He's almost like a super hero and a god all rolled into one. He can save people from anything. He'll get us out of here."
"Even Matt?" Skye asked nervously, concerned that she might have to leave her brother behind.
"Yeah, of course," replied Lucas. "He's going to rescue all of us." Skye seemed to cheer up a little more at Lucas's answer.
Skye loved her big brother very much. Even though he would say silly things and insult her blanket architecture, she still loved him more than anything else in the world, aside from her parents of course. He was always there for her when she needed him the most and she knew that he loved her too. Deep down, past all the teasing and sibling rivalry, he truly loved her and Skye knew it. She didn't know what she would do without him. He had helped her when the Rebels attacked, telling her to run for her life though she was soon caught. Then he was there for her as they were taken to the cell. Her mother was there too which both Tate children were grateful of, yet Skye still depended on her big brother a great deal. He had helped her a lot in getting through that first night in the cell. She was glad that he was there for her. She needed her big brother.
"My dad's a soldier too," Skye piped up. "Do you think that he will come and rescue us?"
"Maybe," Lucas answered. "My dad has lots of soldiers that help him and your dad might be one of them. But my dad will definitely come and save us. I'm sure of it."
"Your dad sounds amazing," Skye commented, in awe of this hero that Lucas described.
"He is, he's the most amazing man I've ever met," responded Lucas truthfully. He honestly believed that his father would come and save them. After all, that was what he did best.
Realising that he had been gone for longer than he intended and missing the comfort of his mother's embrace, Lucas bid farewell to Matt and Skye, promising to come back to see them soon. Skye was eager for more tales about Taylor and Lucas was eager to tell them to her.
"Who were you talking to?" Ayani asked when Lucas returned, having seen Lucas talking to the two Tate children.
"A friend," Lucas replied.
Ayani smiled at this news. It wasn't often that Lucas made new friends, it's wasn't one of the easiest things for him to do. It was strange that in the midst of all this disaster he should find a new friend. Ayani guessed that it had something to do with the power of humanity; they always seemed to band together in the face of adversity. She just hoped that they would be able to stick together until they could be rescued; it was their only chance of survival.
