Blemished, The (25 page)

A
ngela took her cue and disappeared up the stairs. I broke free from the cupboard, throwing myself at Mr Cole – still staggered from losing his gun. Sebastian watched open mouthed as I punched his father in the face. Mr Cole recovered quickly, he was tough and in good shape, after stumbling back from my blow he came back strong, grappling me to the floor. Sebastian yelled for us to stop but Mr Cole hit me in the stomach.

“I’m not going to let you ruin it!” he screamed at me.

I pushed hard on his chest and rolled him on his back, hitting him again. Blood spurted from his nose. Someone tried to pull me away and I lashed out, hitting something soft with my elbow. I turned to see Mrs Cole, clutching her side where I jabbed her. Mr Cole took advantage of my lapse in concentration and grabbed me by the neck. My windpipe crushed and my throat burned. I scratched at his hands. Heat spread up from my chest to my face and I began to see spots. Panicked, I punched at him, not caring where I hit, not even being able to focus. Just as the world started to go black he let go and I rolled back onto the floor. When I recovered I saw Daniel and Mr Cole tumbling on the floor.

“You little bitch!” Mrs Cole screamed before throwing a candle stick straight for my head.

I ducked. It smashed behind me on the floor.

“Stop this! All of you stop this!” Sebastian shouted. He stood in the middle of the room, his face wet with tears, his body frozen amid the chaos. I heard a noise like a
ping
and Sebastian’s hand went to his face. He turned his head and I saw the trail of blood on his cheek.

“Everybody down!” I screamed.

Mrs Cole, Angela and Sebastian all flattened themselves to the floor. Mr Cole and Daniel stopped fighting, and rolled on their stomachs.

“They’re shooting at us?” Mr Cole said in disbelief.

“Looks like you made a good deal with them,” I shouted back.

A window smashed. Cushions exploded. A china vase shattered. We were surrounded.

“I thought they wanted you alive,” he replied.

“You thought wrong.”

I focussed my anger and mentally moved the heavier furniture to block the doors. They wouldn’t last long. I crawled over to Daniel and Angela.

“Is there a way out of this place?” I shouted to Mr Cole. “You mentioned a basement.”

He stayed silent, his eyes wide. I could almost see the thoughts running through his head.

I set my jaw, maintained eye contact and said slowly. “They will kill us. We are three children and they are going to kill us.”

He swallowed but still didn’t answer.

“If we go now, we have a chance.”

Still nothing.

“I’ll take Sebast
ian with us. We’ll take him to the Clans where he will have a better life. Your life here is over and you know it.”

Mr Cole finally blinked. He crawled into the centre of the room and flipped over a rug revealing a rope handle. He tugged on it and a trapdoor opened. “Down here. At the back there is a trip switch that flips a wall. Behind the wall there is a tunnel. You follow that tunnel into the woods and you run. I will hold them off here as long as I can.” He turned to his son. “Sebastian you go with them.”

I motioned for Daniel and Angela to follow me and made my way to the tunnel. I helped Angela down first.

“I can’t leave,” Sebastian said meekly.

“Yes you can.” Mr Cole took his son by the shoulders. Behind them another vase exploded. “If anyone can keep you safe it’s that girl.”

Mrs Cole crawled over by her son and embraced him. “I love you, Sebastian. And… I’m sorry.”

Mr Cole hugged him too. “I’ve been an old fool. Forgive me.” His voice broke.

“I love you both,” Sebastian said to his parents.

He broke away from them and headed for the trapdoor. I helped him down the steps.

Mr Cole turned to me. “Forgive me. I made a terrible mistake. Please keep him safe.”

I said nothing. I slipped down into the darkness.

*

Daniel dropped down behind me. He sucked in air as though in pain but I could see nothing in the darkness.

“Are you hurt?” I whispered.

“No. Keep moving.”

Sebastian turned on a torch. “We keep it by the wall,” he explained.

We hurried to the fake wall Mr Cole had told us about. Sebastian pulled a hidden lever underneath a shelf – the room was set out like a bunker with tins of food, bunk beds and even a toilet – and the wall opened like a door to reveal a very narrow tunnel dug through the earth. Sebastian led the way.

“Make sure to pull the door back tight,” he said. “We need to move as fast as we can.”

As my feet touched the wet soil I realised that I’d left my shoes in the Cole’s storage cupboard. The tunnel was just a few inches wider than Daniel’s shoulders and tall enough that his hair skimmed the soil above. I noticed Daniel was pale and sweaty.

“Are you all right?” I asked.

“Fine. Walk faster.”

I turned back and obeyed, following Angela. Sebastian lit the way with his torch, revealing the wooden framework of the tunnel holding up the ceiling. I tried not to think of the weight of the soil above our heads. The floor sloped and we went further underground. I inhaled dank, musty, thick air, made warm with our breath in the confined space.

It was hard going and we moved quickly but soon I could not ignore the ache in my calves and my belly. The tunnel was taking us deep into the woods, which was good if the Coles kept their part of the bargain and distracted the Enforcers. I tried not to think about what would happen to Sebastian’s parents. Instead I thought about the Clans and seeing my dad again. In front of me, Angela tripped and I bumped into her.

The longer we walked the more the tunnel sapped my hopes away. My throat choked on the lack of air and I felt certain that the Enforcers would find us. What if they tortured the Coles? I couldn’t imagine Mrs Cole holding up well under duress. My hair was matted with soil. My body ached all over. I was exhausted from using my gift and fighting the Coles. I tripped over a root and landed on my knees. Daniel pulled me up.

“Come on, Mina,” he whispered into my ear. “You can do this.”

I touched my necklace and drew energy from it. I drew energy from Daniel.

“The floor is sloping up,” Sebastian called back. “We’re close.”

My heart quickened. There was a chance that the Enforcers were waiting for us in the woods. We were unarmed. We would die. But there was also the chance that we’d fooled them and escape. I couldn’t give up hope.

The floor climbed beneath my feet and I followed it. Steeper and steeper it climbed and my leg muscles ached. Behind me Daniel panted. Angela stopped.

“We’re here,” Sebastian said. “There is a ladder leading up to the manhole.”

“How far have we walked? How deep are we inside the woods?” I asked between pants.

“At least a few miles,” Sebastian answered. “Do you think it’s safe?”

“Just, be careful.” I said.

“Do I have to go first?” he said.

Daniel answered. “After what your parents did? Yes.” His voice sounded strained.

I saw Sebastian nod and then he climbed the ladder. There was an agonising pause as the manhole cover screeched open. I waited for the sound of gunfire. Despite everything Sebastian and his family had done, I didn’t want him to get hurt.

“It’s all clear,” he called down, keeping his voice low. Sunlight flooded the tunnel and I had to squint.

I exhaled. “Okay, Angela next.”

She climbed and I watched her carefully. As Sebastian helped her out I put my hand on the first rung.

“Mina, I don’t think I can make it out,” Daniel said.

I turned around and my mouth fell open. Daniel looked terrible. His skin had turned to a sickening green-white. His hair was plastered with sweat, dirt trickled down his face in tracks. He held onto his shoulder. I moved towards him, instinctively taking some of his weight. He looked on the brink of collapse.

“What happened?” I said.

“I was shot,” he answered.

“No,” I whispered.

Daniel sagged in my arms, his legs buckling beneath him. “Leave me.”

Tears welled in my eyes and there was a ripping pain in my chest, something deep within and agonising. “No.”

He looked deep into my eyes. “Leave. Me.” 

“I
need help,” I shouted up. “No, Daniel. No! Don’t give up. Please.”

I eased him down to the ground and his head lolled forward. I propped his back against the soil and felt for a pulse. It was there but weak.

“What happened?” Sebastian said, dropping from the ladder.

“Daniel was shot by the Enforcers.” I tore Daniel’s shirt to expose the wound. My hands were shaking. Blood seeped from a grisly hole in his shoulder. I gagged.

Sebastian knelt beside me. “Check for an exit wound.”

I eased Daniel forward, away from the wall, and checked his back. More blood gushed from the wound. “The bullet came out.”

“That’s a good thing,” Sebastian said. “Less chance of infection. We need to strap the wound up so he doesn’t lose any more blood.”

I wiped away tears. “How do you know this?”

“My mum trained as a nurse,” he replied. His face shadowed.

Angela poked her head down the tunnel. “What’s happening? Is Daniel hurt?”

“Stay hidden, Angela,” I called up, trying to keep my voice steady. I ripped pieces from my tunic at the same time. “We’ll be out in a minute.”

“Is he hurt?” she insisted.

“Yes,” I said. “But he’ll be fine.” I took the long strips of material and began winding them around Daniel’s shoulder and under his armpit in a long loop. “Please be okay,” I whispered in his ear.

Next to me Sebastian sighed. “You really do love him.”

“Now isn’t the time for more of your jealousy,” I said between gritted teeth.

Daniel moaned and his head fell onto my chest. I pulled the tunic bandages tighter, wishing we still had the supplies from Billie’s house.

“I’m sorry,” Sebastian said. “I went about everything the wrong way. I see that now.”

I tied the make-shift bandage. “Look, the way your dad treats your mum… that isn’t acceptable.”

“I know,” he said quietly. “I know it isn’t”

“Just help me save Daniel,” I said. “We need to get him up the ladder.”

Sebastian stood and stared up at the ladder doubtfully. “We’re going to need him conscious for that.”

I took Daniel’s face in my hands. “Daniel, wake up. We need to get you out of here.”

He moaned but his eyes didn’t open.

“Please wake up. Please!”

“Mina?” he mumbled.

I shook him. “Yes! That’s right. Open your eyes.”

His eyelashes fluttered. I saw a peek of blue. They fluttered again and opened. “Where am I?”

“Not important. What is important is getting you up this ladder. But I need your help. Can you stand?”

I took his weight under his good arm and he pushed up with his legs. He leaned heavily on me.

“I’ll climb a few rungs,” Sebastian said. “You push him up from the ground. I’ll guide him up and pull him through the exit.”

I nodded. “Okay, let’s try it.”

I steered Daniel to the ladder and helped him grip with his good hand. With my shoulders I pushed him up and Daniel found some purchase with his feet. Sebastian balanced him by clutching Daniel’s shirt and guided his hand from rail to rail. It was slow going but eventually Sebastian had a grip under Daniel’s good arm and helped to get him out of the tunnel. I put all my weight into pushing Daniel out. He fell onto the floor, crying out in pain. I climbed out behind him, moving quickly.

“Sebastian, help me get him to his feet. We need to get moving.”

I crouched down and slipped his good arm over my shoulder. Sebastian stood behind Daniel and helped me get him on his feet. He took some of the weight on the other side, being careful not to move him too quickly. Angela ran out from behind a large oak.

“Oh my God! What’s happened?” Her face paled as she looked at the blood sodden bandage and Daniel’s pained face. She glared at me. “You said he was going to be okay.”

“He
is
going to be okay,” I said.

She burst into tears and stroked his face. “He doesn’t even look awake.”

“I’m awake,” Daniel muttered. “Stop being so morbid.”

Angela stroked his face harder, her fingers pulling at his hair. “Thank God.”

“Quit that, will you?” Daniel mumbled.

Angela laughed.

“We need to get moving,” I said firmly. “Daniel, can you walk if we prop you up?”

He groaned and stepped forward.

“We walk until dark,” I said. “Angela, you collect food and water as we go. Look for edible berries. Daniel, this is going to be hard. You need to stay conscious because we need you to guide us. Can you do that?”

“Yes,” he said, with more purpose in his voice.

We had a day and a half to go before Matthew’s people collected us. We had Enforcers chasing us. We had no food or water. Daniel was hurt. I clenched my jaw tightly. There was a good chance we wouldn’t make it.

*

We made slow progress. Daniel pointed us in the direction we needed to be from looking at the sun. Each time he moved his face filled with pain and it left a sour taste in my mouth. I found it difficult to tear my eyes away from him. Angela found a patch of berries and we ate them as we walked. Rain drizzled and clouds drifted along with the breeze. As the afternoon drifted into night I looked for a nice secluded part of the woods for us to sleep for a few hours. We’d heard nothing from the Enforcers, but it didn’t mean they weren’t out there.

“How about this clearing?” Sebastian asked. “If they are following us the hill above will block their view and I can hear a stream nearby.”

“This looks as good as any,” I said. “Angela, could you collect as many dry leaves and reeds as you can? I want to put Daniel down where he’ll be comfortable.”

Angela nodded and left.

“Let’s put him on this log for now,” I said to Sebastian.

“There’s no need to fuss,” Daniel mumbled.

“You love it really,” I said to him with a low chuckle.

Daniel bent his knees as we lowered him to the log. He removed his arm from my shoulders and I stretched out my muscles. It felt good.

“I’ll get water,” Sebastian said. “Do we have any containers?”

“Use bark,” Daniel grunted.

“Okay,” he said, disappearing through the trees.

I sat next to Daniel on the log. “I don’t think he’s used to this life.”

Daniel laughed. “He’s a GEM – what do you expect?”

“He’s an orphan now,” I said. “Just like us.” We were silent for a few minutes and then I said what had been on my mind since I saw Daniel’s wound. “You saw this in your vision didn’t you? That’s why you wouldn’t tell us?”

He sighed. “Yes.”

My eyes filled with tears. “And you came anyway?”

“Yes,” he said. “I told you I was with you, even if it killed me.”

I sobbed and choked. I tried to sniff back the tears. “You should have told me.”

“You wouldn’t have let me come. I have to keep you safe. If getting shot means helping to keep you safe then so be it.”

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why do you care about me?” I said. “We’ve known each other a month and in that time I’ve met with a GEM boy in secret. And yet you risked your life... You’re still here, with me. ”

He laughed. “I am still here. Just about.”

“Don’t. Don’t even joke about it. If anything happened to you…”

Daniel sighed. “You’re a good person. The stuff with Sebastian… you were just curious. You’re finding yourself – you’re allowed to do that. You got to know him and you decided he’s not for you. That’s fine. And I…”

“What?” I wiped my eyes with my sleeve.

“Nothing, I just…” he said. “I really like you and I just wish I knew if you felt the same way.”

I turned to face him. His eyes searched my face, hungry. This was the time, the moment to tell him everything, everything I felt deep down. I wanted to. My insides ached to release it all, to tell him how I loved him and have never felt this way before. I wanted to tell him how much it scared me, more than being captured by the Enforcers, more than dying even. I opened my mouth to speak.

“I found leaves,” Angela said triumphantly. She stomped right over to us. “Am I interrupting something?”