Summer Wishes (Desire #1.5) (5 page)

“And when banished criminals were caught?”

She met his gaze and inhaled deeply, holding her breath for a troubled moment before letting it seep out through tense lips. “They take them to the Old Coliseum; at least that’s what she used to tell me. She said some of them were used to entertain Enforcers, others were sent out to work, you know, chain gang type of thing. She mentioned that some of them were transported, but she never specified where they were transported to…”

“I’ve never even heard of a Coliseum.”

“Few Arcadians have. I probably know about it because my parents are on the Committee and they speak freely about their work… or they used to.”

“How do I get there?”

Chapter 7

S
arah glanced up at the light that had turned on in her parents’ bedroom window. “I wish I could bring you there, but I can’t. It’s getting late and my parents would ask too many questions.” She backed away. “Go to the Granite Strip,” she said hurriedly.

Matthew was horrified by the notion. The Granite Strip was the one place no self-respecting Arcadian ventured to. “That’s almost as bad as going to the outside.”

“I know.  It’s not like Arcadia to have a place like the Granite Strip, but that’s where they take all prisoners. Once on the Strip, head north past the last of the residential neighborhoods. You’ll notice the Old Coliseum right away. Can’t miss it, as though it’s a reminder of where you can end up if you commit a crime in Arcadia. Looming above all the industries and manufactures you’ll see that great behemoth of a building, the Old Coliseum. It’s huge.  Dad brought me years ago when he had some papers to drop off there and I’ve never forgotten the sight of that imposing structure, nor the creepy ghastly feel I had just being there.” Sarah involuntarily shuddered from the memory. “I would avoid going there at all, Matthew.”

“Thanks,” Matthew said. “I really appreciate all your help.”

“Be careful, Matt.” Sarah called softly from the walkway.  “They’re not too welcoming.  If they spot you and realize you have no business being there, they’ll imprison you as well.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”  He waved and turned to leave.

“Wait.” Sarah ran silently to him, her hand plunged deep inside her tiny chic purse.  “Here, take this.”  She pulled out a business card and held it out to him.

He took the card and read.  “Maureen Stone?” He glanced at her and cocked his head to one side.  “Your mother?”

“Consider it an insurance policy.”

“I don’t follow.”

“If anyone stops you, questions you, you can show them that card.  I can’t guarantee it’ll work, but it’s worth a try if you're in a bind. Tell them Mrs. Stone sent you to get the nightly report. I know she goes regularly to get it. It should be enough to clear you of any imminent trouble.  It might give you a good chance to get away.”

He pocketed the card.  “I owe you one.  I won’t forget this.”

“Be safe,” she whispered before turning away and disappearing in the elegant home.

With no time to waste, Matthew turned to the direction she’d instructed.  But as he passed before the Ruby District, he decided to stop in and give Jocelyn an update. She’d be frantic enough as it was and letting her know where Jacob was being held would hopefully soothe her.

“I know where Jacob is,” he said on entering the house.

Jocelyn jumped up from her chair and hurried to him.  “Matthew, are you serious.  You found him?”

“I haven’t seen him yet, but I know where they’re holding him. The Old Coliseum, out on the Granite Strip.

Jocelyn grabbed her jacket and headed to the door.  “Let’s go.”

“What? No. I didn’t come here to get you Jocelyn. I just wanted to let you know how things were going and I’m going to head out to find out more.  Stay here.”

“Are you nuts?  My brother is out there being held in some coliseum and you want me to just sit here doing nothing.  Stop arguing and let’s get going.”

“Look, it’s late. Your parents will be home soon and they’ll be worried about you.  Maybe we can do this tomorrow.”

“No way.”  She grabbed a small pad of paper off an end table and scribbled a quick note.  “There.  I’ve gone off to grab a burger with you and will be back soon.”  She grabbed Matthew by the shoulders and turned him to the door.

***********

It took well over an hour to make it to the Granite Strip and past the residential areas.  The night was dark, moonless, making it difficult to find their way through the dimly lit district, but affording them the perfect cover from detection by any Enforcer.

“This is horrible,” Jocelyn said. She rubbed her hands together, trying to rid herself of the invisible dirt that covered her. “Just being here, this dreaded neighborhood, feels creepy. It even smells funny.”

“Hopefully we won’t have to stick around too long.”

They approached the Old Coliseum and their pace automatically slowed to a crawl as they faced the imposing concrete structure. Everything about it was unwelcoming.  No lights guided the way to an entry.  No whimsical decorations or details reminded the perfect beauty of Arcadia. It was stark, barren and cold.  Formidable, the Old Coliseum’s stony wall only held cold destitution inside.

Looking at this building, which appeared alive like a monster, pulsing with the grim secrets it held, Jocelyn and Matthew both heard the noise.

Cheers, clapping, and even laughter.

“What can they be doing in there,” Jocelyn asked as she shot a horrified glance at Matthew.

The cheers increased, taking on a festive rhythm.

Then a blood curdling scream pierced through the happy cheers, bringing a deadly chill to Jocelyn’s spine. Jocelyn’s entire body froze. She barely managed to ask, “What was that?”

“Do you really want to find out?” Matthew asked.

She breathed in deeply, remembering her task. She had to think of Jacob. She had to think of Jacob’s baby. “We have no choice.”

The cheers crescendo then subsided.

“Come on,” Matthew said.  He took a hold of her hand and led her around the building that took up several blocks. “We’ll find a way in.” 

Their best point of entry was found at the darkest section of the coliseum. The flimsy wooden door hung loosely on its hinges, yielding to Matthew’s gentle push.

Complete darkness enveloped them as did the dank acrid air.

“I can’t see a thing,” Jocelyn said.  She reached out on either side of her, feeling the cold stones of the hall.

From below the moans and groans of captives echoed up into the narrow corridor.

“We’ll have to feel our way until we find some light,” Matthew said.  “Stay close.”

They followed the sounds of pain and desperation. When the corridor split into two, Matthew turned to the right, bringing them closer to the heart of the Coliseum.  A tinge of light glowed in the distance.  As they made their way closer, Jocelyn questioned her ability to remain strong. She could feel the dread, smell the scent of…

Death.

And Fear.

Matthew stopped in front of a tall narrow opening in the stones, peering through, offering them a generous view of the field at the center of the coliseum. Now empty save for a few workers, it was clear something ugly and dreadful had taken place.  The workers cleared the sand with rakes and shovels.

“I don’t want to know what it is they’re cleaning up,” Jocelyn murmured as she fought a violent gag reflex.

“The crowd is growing restless,” Matthew observed. He glanced up at the attendance, all Enforcers.

The cleaning lasted more than twenty minutes, leaving the Enforcers thirsty for blood. As the work crew left the field, electricity filled the air as wild cheers of anticipation reverberated throughout the coliseum. The volume increased once again when a dozen prisoners were escorted to the field.

“I don’t want to see this,” Jocelyn murmured, closing her eyes. This was proving to be more horrific than she could have ever imagined. Despite the sickly feeling that rose to her throat, she watched the prisoners, looking for her brother’s familiar face.  The prisoners were bare except for a narrow swatch of leather around their hips.  Their backs ripped with open wounds from being repeatedly lashed. Their faces, either resigned or horrified, were all pale and gaunt. Jocelyn couldn’t bear look at their faces. She wanted to cry for them, anyone of them could be her brother.

Each held a weapon of sorts; a large fork, a dull and rusted knife, a metal mallet.

Fear beaded on their brows despite the lack of clothing and the chilled night air. At the far end of the Coliseum the heavy grating sound of metal against metal announced the opening of the cages. The crowd roared and rose to their feet as four-legged beasts made their way to the vast expanse of the playing field.

“What are they?” Jocelyn tried to focus on the fast approaching creatures.

“Dogs,” Matthew said after a moment.  “Feral dogs.”

Jocelyn swallowed the knot of nausea that instantly rose to the back of her throat. It was an unfair fight. The dogs were massive and powerful, the muscles visible, even from a distance. Though they were chained, it was clear they had ample room to run and were treated well.

They ran to the center of the field, their eyes determined and fixated on the prisoners, their angry rabid smiles made cruel with the sharp teeth they bared, ready to tear into the flesh of the prisoners. They salivated, the drool dripping from their jowls as they made their way.  Each paw hit the sandy field with anticipation while the men in the center of the field could do little more than wait with their inadequate weapons in hand. The prisoners knew their weapons were no match for these rapid dogs, doom shone in their eyes.

“It’s probably best you don’t look.”  Matthew put a tender hand to her shoulder.  “I’ll keep a look out for Jacob.”

Jocelyn turned away just as the beasts lunged at the group of men. Pounding and snarling blended together in an ugly song of pain and the will to survive.  One heavy, bone crunching blow was followed by a whimper. One of the prisoners who held a mallet had wounded an approaching feral dog. Just as quickly, the sound of teeth piercing skin and bones was followed by a horrible shriek.

“I can’t stand this,” Jocelyn said, covering her ears and humming to shut out the nightmarish screams of death.

There were some growls, barks, and the sounds of painful screams, followed by another. The sounds were deafening, and Jocelyn legs nearly gave out underneath her. She would have crumbled to the ground in unbelief, if Matthew was not holding unto her. Minutes passed before a sickly silence settled onto the field. Then there was cheering and clapping.

“A little over 5 minutes,” one of the Enforcers laughed.

“Longer than that last group,” another voice said cheerily. “Those bitches always win. They’re getting fat like pigs,” he went on laughing.

“Humans can be so cruel to each other, why not make it a sport to watch them?”

“They are the cruel ones, not us,” someone said. “They destroyed their own lands. Stupid pigs.”

“Indeed. Stupid fat slugs. This is good entertainment, a good way to spend our evenings. Who is the Master now…these slugs that we serve? No!”

Jocelyn dared a glance.

“I think it’s over,” Matthew ventured.

Though the fight was over, the scene on the field was something Jocelyn regretted seeing. Bodies, mutilated and dismembered, were scattered about, blood pooling here and there. The dogs’ trainers slowly pulled them back toward their cages.  Some dogs carried the arm or hand of its prey.

Most of the bodies remaining in the center of the field were dead, though a few moaned as they were dragged away to die in a pile at the far end of the field.

“Wow, Melanie sure got her story wrong.  This is far from a gentle innocent time.” Sarah shook her head in disbelief.

“Arcadia’s dirty little secret.”

“I can’t believe what I just saw.  I didn’t even see it all and I still can’t believe it.”

“Did you notice who was in attendance,” Matthew asked.

“Yeah, I saw the leather bands.  Enforcers.  I don’t get it.”

“It’s probably a way of rewarding them for all their work.”

“What kind of heartless person can even find amusement in what just happened? It’s more than barbaric.”

“I guess there’s a whole lot we don’t know about Arcadia and Arcadians.”

“Matthew.” Another wave of nausea threatened to take over Jocelyn’s gut. “We have to find Jacob.  We have to find him before they bring him out.”  A little voice at the back of her brain questioned the possibility of already being too late, but she refused to pay any attention.  Jacob had to be all right.  He just had to be.  If even for a moment she let that optimistic thread break, she knew she’d lose her mind.

“We’ll go back to the cells… back where we heard the prisoners’ cries.

As the cleaning crew prepared for another blood bath, Matthew and Jocelyn navigated through the numerous corridors and pathways. A narrow stairwell led them down to a dark and more ominous level.  The foul odor intensified, while the cries of the prisoners sounded feeble and muffled.