Brie arrived home, smiling after she had helped Roman. She couldn't leave those boys alone till she knew they were safely home. She wished her daughter would grow up to have friends like that, like she did, but there were no other pregnant women or kids.
There were other things out here besides them. She knew how to handle all that because she was born and raised out here, but they weren't. She was told the stories about the people on the other side of the fence and also about the dark ones. The ones who made them out to be the bad guys.
Growing up, the elders thought it would be a good idea to teach the young a new language, a language the dark ones couldn't understand and the ones over the fence. Its why her communication with Roman was off. Her mother had taught her the few English words she knew herself.
Simple but handy
Her mother had said.
"Where have you been?", Bryan, her husband asked.
"Getting water. There were boys near the lake. Boys from beyond the fence", she said, while pouring the water into a pot to heat it.
Bryan looked up, worried.
"One fell, I helped him", she said.
"Brie, that's dangerous. They fear us and we fear them. Do you not remember what happened to Zahra so long ago? They shot her and dragged her away. They hung her and the others to show us what would happen if we step on their lands.", Bryan said.
"The dark ones killed one of their own and they thought it was us. Zahra tried to help her and, that evil man shot her", Brie said sadly.
She and the other kids were hiding. They had caught the men, which they named the dark ones, raping a woman by the lake. Zahra, their healer, tried to help. They tried to rape her too, but she scratched them and hit another with a rock.
The bearded man had pulled something out and shot Zahra before stabbing the other woman with the knife. He ran and while Zahra still tried to help the other woman, a group of men came. She tried to ask them for help, but they didn't speak the language. Their people watched from a distance as they dragged Zahra away.
"It doesn't matter. They won't believe us, too much time has passed", he sighed.
He placed his hands on her bump.
"How's our baby?", he asked.
She smiled.
"Moving a lot today", she said.
Alicia came running in.
"What's the matter?", Bryan asked.
"The dark ones are hunting again. Mind if I stay with you?", she asked.
"Sit", Bryan said.
Nikki and John joined them next. The rest of their people finding safety in their homes.
"Was anyone else outside?", Bryan asked Brie.
"Viktor and his wife, Maria", Brie said worried.
They wanted to go out and check, but couldn't. If the dark ones saw them, they would do what they did to Zahra. It was like a yearly thing they did. No one knew what they did to the ones they took, all they knew was that they were never seen again.
There was a big commotion coming from the front gate. All the kids ran to see what was going on. The guards stopped them a few feet away. The adults whispering about the neighboring town finding wild ones trying to get into their town.
The boys looked at each other, realizing they were just out there not too long ago. Roman couldn't help but worry that it might be Brie.
"Sika Reigns", the man with the beard called.
Roman's dad appeared. He and Hunter made their way over to the man.
"Luke", his dad said.
This, Luke, gestured for his men to bring something over. They dragged a man and a woman over. Roman noticed they were both dressed like Brie.
"What did they do?", Sika asked.
"I found them in my town, stealing from me. We followed them here, they were trying to get in and steal from you as well, but we stopped them.", Luke said.
Sika nodded.
"What do you want me to do? You stopped them before they could take from mine. They are your problem Luke", his dad said.
Luke nodded before pulling out a knife and before his dad could stop Luke. Luke slit the man's throat. The woman screamed and cried. Saying something in a language no one understood. Sika looked away, feeling just as sick as when he was a kid and Luke's father kicked that woman.
The man holding the woman grabbed her head and twisted it. No more screaming, no more crying. Roman didn't like what that man did, it was cruel and wrong. He wasn't going to tell anyone about meeting Brie. Not even his best friends. They would hurt her and she was pregnant.
"Remember Sika, they aren't human. They will hurt you and the ones you love if you look the other way", Luke said.
Sika looked at him.
"I was there that day son, you weren't. I know", Sika said.
Luke nodded. He looked at his men.
"Take the bodies and burn them", Luke said.
His men nodded and picked up the bodies, dragging them away as if they were nothing. Roman felt sick. Sika watched as Luke and his men drove off. He looked at Hunter.
"Have your men check the surrounding area. Don't kill unless provoked, just try to get them to leave. We aren't killers", Sika said.
Roman smiled. Hunter nodded and left.
"Dad, why did you tell Hunter not to kill them?", Roman asked.
Sika bent down to his son's height.
"By what Luke said, it sounded like that couple was looking for something to eat. They were just trying to survive", Sika said.
Roman nodded.
"But that doesn't mean to let your guard down", Sika said.
"I know dad", he said.
Sika stood and turned his son in the direction of their home.
"Now go on, tell your mom to get dinner started", he said.
Roman nodded and ran home.
The next day, his dad was leaving for work. He was the head of the guards.
"Where are you off too? You realize it's still summer vacation", his dad said smiling.
Roman smiled.
"I know, but the guys and I are going to the park and I want to beat them there", he said.
Sika laughed and watched as Roman packed his backpack with fruit, water, and bread.
"What's with the food? Are you planning on being gone a week?", his dad asked jokingly.
Roman laughed.
"No dad, sometimes the guys and I take food. Today is my turn", he said.
He pulled out the peanut butter jar before grabbing the jelly and a butter knife.
"Don't leave your bag on the ground, ants will get to the food", his dad warned.
Roman nodded before running out the door. He ran to the park and watched the hole from his place on the slide. The guards had already passed a few minutes ago, they didn't say anything to Roman because his dad probably told them he would be here. They waved after they passed.
Roman stood and made his way to the hole.
"What are you doing?", Roman turned to see Dean.
He had a smirk on his face. Roman sighed.
"Promise not to tell?", he asked.
"When have I ever broken a promise Ro?", Dean asked.
He made a point. Dean was always good with secrets, even that time Seth broke a window and Dean took the blame for it.
"I met a wild one", Roman whispered.
Dean sat beside him.
"What?", Dean asked, looking around for the guards.
"Its why I took so long to get to you guys. I fell and she was helping me", Roman said.
"She didn't try to eat you? Or kill you?", Dean asked confused.
Roman shook his head no.
"My dad said that the wild ones that Luke killed were probably looking for food. I'm going to take Brie food so Luke won't kill her", Roman said.
"Can I come?", Dean asked.
Roman nodded.
"But you can't tell your dad. They'll hunt her and she's having a baby.", Roman said.
Dean nodded.
"I already told you I wasn't", he reminded.
They went through the hole and Roman reached under for the leaves, pulling them to fill the hole. He brushed his shorts off when he stood. They started walking towards the lake like last time.
"Brie", Roman called.
"I thought they didn't speak English?", Dean asked.
"I don't think they understand big words. She spoke to me, but only used one word at a time", Roman explained.
Dean nodded.
"Brie", Roman called again.
Reaching the small river and no sign of Brie. Roman grabbed a stick and pushed it into the ground standing up. He turned and walked down to the lake.
"Roman, we're going to get lost", Dean said.
"That's why I put the stick. It's a marker", Roman said.
Hearing voices and a language they didn't understand. They hid behind a bush and watched as women were washing clothes and laughing. Roman noticed Brie sitting alone, eyes shut and smiling. The sun was hitting her.
"Come on, that's her", Roman whispered.
They quietly made their way to her side.
"Brie", Roman whispered.
She turned, looking around. Roman poked his head out and smiled. She was afraid that the others with her will see him and his friend. After watching the dark ones drag Maria and Viktor away, John and Bryan had set their foot down.
Kill anyone who didn't belong to our people. She stood as fast as she could and walked over to them.
"Go", she whispered.
He pulled his backpack around and opened it.
"Food", Roman said.
The only thing she didn't recognize was the brown and purple stuff.
"You don't have to steal it anymore. I can bring you some", Roman said.
She only understood a few words, but smiled. He pointed at the other boy with him.
"Dean", he said.
Brie looked at Dean before pointing to herself.
"Brie", she said.
Dean smiled. Roman set his backpack down and pulled out the butter knife. Brie took a step back.
"No, we won't hurt you", Dean said.
Roman looked up, realizing she was moving away because of the knife.
"No. Hurt", Roman said.
Brie trusted him. She sat beside the boys and watched as Roman pushed the knife into the brown stuff easily. It smelled like peanuts, peanuts she's had.
"Peanut butter", Dean said, when he saw her confused look.
She smiled at him.
"Jelly", Roman said, lifting the purple jar.
She rubbed her bump as she watched him spread the stuff on the bread. Her child would probably never know this kind of friendship. He handed it to her.
"Its good, I promise", Roman said as she carefully took it.
She took a bite and smiled, before nodding.
"Told you it was good", Roman said.
They shared the fruit and tried their best to communicate with Brie. They even felt the baby kick. She saw Bryan and stood. He angrily walked over to them. She stopped him from hurting the boys.
"They brought me food, they won't hurt me", Brie said to him.
The boys stood, not understanding what Brie said to him.
"Brie, they can't be here", Bryan said.
"They are harmless", Brie said.
"For now. You think they are going to have mercy on you once their older", Bryan said.
"Let them go home. If you tell John he will kill them", Brie said.
Bryan sighed, but nodded. Brie looked at the boys.
"Home", she said, taking each boy by the shoulder and guiding them back.
Roman pulled out an Apple and tossed it towards Bryan. He caught it and looked at it before looking at Roman.
Brie smiled.
"I think I know why your people are so jumpy", Roman said.
"I don't think she understands you", Dean said.
"Roman, Dean, move away from her", they were both surpised to see Sika and Hunter.
A few other guards behind them.
"Dad, no", Roman shouted.
He covered Brie and she looked scared. Dean did the same.
"She wasn't hurting us. We got lost and she was bringing us back", Dean lied.
Roman looked at Brie.
"No. Hurt", he said.
She calmed down. Sika signaled to his men to put the guns down. They did.
"Go", Roman said to Brie.
Brie looked from him to the men, before taking a step back and running off. The boys looked at their dads.
"How the hell did you both get out?", Sika asked.
"The front gate", they both said.
Sika sighed.
"No one leaves the gate unattended from now on", Sika said.
Hunter gestured for his son and Dean went over to him. Sika made his way over to his son.
"Don't hunt her dad. She helped me when I fell once before and she helped us again. I brought her food because I didn't want her sneaking in to steal it and then that man killing her. She has a baby", Roman said sadly.
Sika nodded.
"I understand, but you will not be allowed to leave the fence again. You and your friends will be watched better now", Sika said.
Roman nodded. His dad and the guards walked them back to the front gate. Their moms were waiting on them. Hugging them tight and crying.
That was the last time Roman saw Brie.