OfWyatt
"That was absolutely insane!" Alexander joyfully exclaimed to Carrie who wore a white sweater and white pants.
"I think I went too far when I destroyed the Red Center." Carrie commented as she ate the soup the older man prepared for her when she returned to the basement.
"Trust me kiddo, this is the perfect kick to Gilead's balls. No Red Center, no Handmaids." Alex said with a satisfied grin which quickly disappeared as he diverted his attention to the newest occupant in the room. "And speaking of..."
"I couldn't leave her to suffer that horrid place for much longer." Carrie explained as she glanced at the formerly imprisoned, shackled, heavily pregnant Handmaid who was current laying unconscious in the hospital bed.
"Why isn't she waking up?" Alex asked worriedly as he watched the gentle rise and fall of the Handmaid's chest. Just seeing the abuse this poor girl had suffered at the hands of Gilead makes his stomach churn a thousand times over.
"I put her in a trance." Carrie answered, "I wanted her to have peaceful dreams rather than this horrible nightmare we're currently in."
"Not to be that kind of person, but she's a ticking time bomb with that belly." Alexander stated, anxious at the thought of a screaming infant blowing their cover the moment it's born.
"I know, which is why I'm getting her out of Gilead tonight." Carrie said, expecting argument as Alex whipped his head back to her.
"Wha-Wait...'Tonight?' Carrietta have you gone mad already?" Alex exclaimed to the young girl who has just made herself known to Gilead as the Saint sent by God.
"It has to be tonight before her child is born, otherwise, he will come into a world he is not ready for. Many have fled to Canada to escape slavery have they not? That's what I'm gonna do for her. If her child is born on Canadian soil, he is immediately their citizen. Gilead will have no claim to him or his mother. He will be born free. I recently made a promise to a Handmaid that I will not let her unborn daughter grow up as a slave. If I can't save this one, how can I save everyone else?" Carrie reasoned, pleading with Alex to see her side of things.
Alex opened his mouth to argue, but nothing came out. Instead, he released a breath of exasperation and frustration, "Fuck, dammit, I hate it when you're right. You're probably the most human out of everyone in this shit nation."
"Thank you." Carrie said with a smile before they turned to the sleeping Handmaid.
Alex then asked, "So how are you gonna do it? You got a five second plan or you just make it up as you go?"
"Both."
"Is it crazy?"
"Yes."
"Am I gonna like it?"
"No."
Alex sighed, "I'll pack some sandwiches for the trip." He trudged back upstairs to make the food while Carrie looked after the Handmaid.
Carrie placed her mask on as she approached the pregnant Handmaid who remained unaware of the world around her. Letting out a slow breath, she placed both of her fingers on the young woman's temples and closed her eyes in concentration. She opened her eyes as the Handmaid began to slowly awaken from her sleep.
"Miss, can you hear me?" she gently spoke to the Handmaid.
"Who are you?" came the Handmaid's response with a sound of distrust as she struggled to sit up with her huge belly.
"Don't be afraid, I'm a friend." Carrie assured her as she helped her in a sitting position.
"You were that lady from before." the Handmaid stated as she squinted at Carrie's mask.
"I'm called the Saint. I put you in a deep sleep for safety purposes. I hope you'll forgive me for that."
"It's fine. Sleep is ten times better than being awake in this living Hell." the Handmaid stated with what sounded like resignation.
"Can you tell me your name please?" Carrie asked in a pleading tone.
"Which one?"
"The one God gave to you." Carrie said in a firm and gentle voice.
The Handmaid was silent, but Carrie sensed joy and sadness within the woman's soul. "Alana. My name is Alana."
"Alana. That's beautiful. Truly it is." Carrie said encouragingly.
"Thank you. I've been called OfWyatt for so long, I fear that I was gonna forget it." Alana said with joy, happy to be called by her birth name and not as property.
"Well you are OfWyatt no more. Neither you or your child belong to such a man, or to Gilead." Carrie paused as she prepared to tell Alana what is will happen next, "I'm sorry if this is abrupt, but I'm getting you out of Gilead tonight."
Alana froze at what she just heard, fearing she is hallucinating. "What?"
"I am taking you and your child to Canada tonight." Carrie slowly said to Alana.
"Why?" Alana whispered, feeling tears gather in her eyes.
"What do you mean 'why'? So you can be free of course." Carrie said incredulously. "God would never want your child growing up in such a violent place. Your child doesn't deserve to be enslaved, not even you."
Alana placed a hand on her round belly with a look of pain and guilt on her face. Her dried cracked lips released a sob as she bowed her head. "I wanted to die." she confessed to a surprised Carrie. She looked up at the Saint with tears streaming down her face, "I-I couldn't take the pain anymore. When they finally got me pregnant..." she squeezed her eyes shut, "...I tried to take my baby with me. I didn't want him to grow up and become a monster like them." she sobbed, "I almost murdered my own baby. How can God want me to be free after what I've done?"
Carrie's blue-green eyes were filled with compassion and understanding as she placed her hand of Alana's. "You were in despair, and you feared for the future of your child. God forgives that." Her other hand came up to wipe the tears from Alana's face, "Your soul is in pain...I understand that pain more than anyone." A shadow passed over Carrie's eyes. "There is always a second chance Alana. And God wants you to live so that you both can be free from this place." she said as she held Alana's hand tightly, "If it is by God's will that you be saved, then it is by God's decree that you and your son live in happiness and love He bestows upon you."
Alana's eyes began to lighten at the words that fell from Carrie's mouth. The way she spoke of God as a benevolent being of love was certainly refreshing from how the rest of Gilead interpreted his meaning. It felt as though this woman came from God himself to save her. Something she never thought possible in this cruel world that was created.
New tears spilled from her eyes, only these were from joy as she cried into Carrie's chest whilst the latter stroked her back comfortably. "It'll be alright, Alana. I won't let Gilead take you or your baby anymore." Carrie said to the older girl who sobbed in happiness and fear.
Later that night after Alana rested up a little more, the Saint and the pregnant Handmaid moved in the cover of dark. Carrie's white cloak was discarded in favor of a dark one that covered every inch of her. But she kept her mask on her face to maintain her Saint persona. They had to slow down for Alana's sake so she doesn't strain herself or her baby. They were currently hiding underneath a bridge where cars were currently driving along it.
"So what's your plan?" Alana whispered as she held her round belly tenderly. Her hood was up to cover her auburn hair while her cloak concealed her silhouette from view.
"I'm improvising right now." Carrie said as she squinted in the distance at some flashlights illuminating the darkness.
"That does not make me feel better." Alana said, holding her belly tightly, her maternal instincts skyrocketing at the thought of being captured again.
The Saint turned to her, holding her hand tightly, "Alana, do you trust me?" she asked, her eyes locked firmly onto Alana's brown ones before the latter nodded.
"Good. 'Cause I need you to stay calm for your baby's sake, and for my sake. I only tested this out on dogs." Carrie stated as she did her best to conceal her anxiety.
Carrie looked up at one car that was passing above them, alone with two people inside and the only one on the bridge. "There. Now hold on tight." she said to Alana as they held onto each other securely before she levitated them up onto the overpass where the young telekinetic stopped the Guardians' car and jammed their communications so no backup can come looking for them. They looked up to see two dark cloaked figures standing in front of the car, their stances reminded them of death coming to take their souls. However, they weren't ready to die like this.
They jumped out with their guns, ready to kill this creature. But the moment they raised their guns, an invisible force seized their bodies and held their arms firmly to their sides. They tried to yell for help, but their mouths couldn't make a single peep, as though a hand closed their lips shut.
One of the dark cloaked figures floated over to them until they met the white mask underneath the hood. She raised a hand in front of their faces and waved it over their eyes until they were glazed over. They were lowered back onto the ground, their faces blank as the Saint played with the wires in their brains and made them walk back into their car.
"Alright, let's go." Carrie said to a shocked Alana who silently witnessed the Saint use her power on the Guardians.
"Did you just use a Jedi mind trick on them?" Alana asked in complete surprise.
"I don't know what that is." Carrie responded as she helped Alana into the backseat before she commanded the Guardians to take them North. They stayed silent in the back seat with Carrie rubbing Alana's hand to keep her calm as they passed through checkpoints and districts until they were far in the countryside.
"Keep calm, you are almost free." Carrie assured Alana as they passed over a river and into the forest area that bordered Canada. They stopped when they were surrounded by military soldiers and their vehicles. With practiced ease, she sent the Guardians into deep sleep before she turned to Alana, "Let me handle this."
Slowly, she opened the door, making sure her hands were up to show she wasn't a threat, at least not to them. She never removed her black cloak, but she was courteous enough to pull down her hood to let them see her mask and hair. They were silent as they regarded the young woman in the mask before Carrie finally spoke, "We come in peace. At least me and one other. The two in the front are currently sleeping, so please be gentle when you take them into custody."
A man in his late 30s stepped out of one of the vehicles, he wasn't dressed in military wear, but he carried an air of authority. The soldiers parted as the man stepped towards the masked woman. "My name is Mark Tuello. I am a representative of the American Government." He introduced himself in a friendly manner as Carrie nodded her head in greeting.
"A pleasure to finally meet someone from the time before Gilead. I hope you'll forgive me, I cannot give you my name as of yet, but for now, I am called the Saint." Carrie used her moniker as her eye locked onto the man's. "I am sorry to have intruded upon your home, but we need your help." Carrie said before turning to reach inside the car. "It's okay Alana, they won't hurt you, or your child."
Alana trembled, "Are you sure? They could be Gilead in disguise."
"I took a peak inside Mr. Tuello's soul, not a hint of corruption inside him or any of these soldiers." Carrie whispered to Alana with a reassuring smile, "Do you still trust me?" Alana was silent as she rubbed her belly, as though trying to draw strength and support from her baby. She nodded as she took the Saint's hand and slowly moved out of the vehicle.
The soldiers immediately lowered their guns at the sight of a visibly abused and heavily pregnant woman being helped out of the car. As soon as Alana was out of the vehicle, she basically clung onto the Saint while protectively holding her belly. Her eyes were wide and alert, full of distrust and fear as she watched everyone around her.
"Get an ambulance here right now. We have a pregnant woman in need of medical care." Mark radioed the Canadian authorities as the Saint guided the young woman to the exiled American.
"This is Alana, she was once a Handmaid." she sighed as she lowered her head, "They kept her chained and locked up for attempting to commit suicide whilst she carried the child." Alana shook as memories of her horrible isolation came back to her.
"I'm sorry to ask this of you after everything that has happened, but can you please see to it that both mother and child are well cared for and protected?" Carrie requested as she rubbed Alana's back in order to comfort the fearful woman.
Mark nodded as sirens approached them before an ambulance drove up. Paramedics immediately leapt out of the vehicle with a gurney for the pregnant woman.
Carrie turned to Alana, "You'll be safe with them. You can trust them, they'll take care of both of you."
"You're not coming with me?" Alana exclaimed, not ready to leave the Saint's presence.
Carrie smiled sadly behind her mask, "You don't need me anymore." she said as paramedics came with the gurney. Carrie gently guided Alana to the medics and helped her onto said gurney, "You must be brave now, for God, for your child, and for your Handmaid sisters. If one is free, then a part of them is free."
Alana held her hand tightly as she was wheeled to the ambulance with Carrie by her side the entire time. Just when Alana was about to be carried into the vehicle, Carrie gave her hand one last squeeze, "May God be with you." she said with an encouraging smile. Alana's dried and cracked lips pulled into a tearful smile, "May God be with you." Her hand slowly released the Saint's, sliding along each other's fingers until they finally lost contact as Alana was hitched into the ambulance.
Carrie stepped back, the last thing she saw when the doors closed were tears of joy streaming down Alana's face. The ambulance pulled away then drove off towards the hospital. With a relieved sigh, she walked back to the car only to be stopped by Mark. "Hold on, where are you going?" he asked as soldiers dragged the unconscious Guardians out of the front seats.
"I must return to Gilead, I cannot leave my people behind to slavery and chains." Carrie said to the older man before she glanced at the Guardians and held her hand out and awakened them from their sleep. They shot up in wide eyed panic before they started to fight back, only to be easily subdued by military police, handcuffed, then dragged to awaiting cars.
Carrie lowered her hand as Mark turned to her in shock. "Hopefully they'll tell you everything you wish to know now that they are far from their masters." she said in a calm manner as she watched them get taken into custody.
"What did you just do to them?" Mark asked, surprise and intrigue written on his face.
"Trust me, you don't wanna know." Carrie answered then requested, "Can you please excuse me?"
"What are you planning to do?" Mark felt the need to ask as he stared at the young woman's mask.
"Free as many from Gilead as possible." she answered without hesitation. Suddenly, Mark found himself hovering a foot off the ground and moved out of her path before he was gently set back down on the Earth.
"I'm sorry, I just need to borrow this car just a little longer." Carrie said as she sat in the driver's seat and put it in reverse. From information she gathered from the Guardians that drove them here, going through the motions was a piece of cake.
Mark and the soldiers stared at the retreating vehicle with astonishment at what they just witnessed. Hope filled the American as he contacted the government, "This is Mark Tuello from the Southern border. Call everyone of high rank, you're not gonna believe this."