Eight (Part 1)

Ken cries out as he hits the ground with a loud thump. He clutches his leg in pain and gasps for air as another figure drops down from the tree in all black, holding a knife out toward me defensively.

I throw another arrow into my bow, and aim it at him, my feet planted solidly on the ground, and my breathing steady.

He doesn't move.

He knows I couldn't shoot a person.

But I know he couldn't stab someone either.

"Ken, get over here, you idiot!"

I drop my arms, confused as the second boy runs over to help the boy I knew as Ken. The boy props him up on his shoulder, and I point my arrow at them again.

"You couldn't shoot someone, Eenie," Ken number one says to me, spitting dirt out of his mouth.

He hobbles forward with Ken number two under his arm.

"Just did," I hiss.

"Put it down," He says as they stop a few feet away from me. "It's just us here."

Ken number two looks exhausted. I could out run both of them, I could if I tried. I've never been much of a runner, but I could try...

"I don't believe you," I say, keeping my arrow aimed at the second Ken, still debating on running or not.

"Really?" He laughs. "You shot an arrow through my leg. You owe me."

"I don't owe you anything," I spit. "Who are you really?"

"I'm a part of the-"

"Your name, idiot!"

He smirks, and pulls out the arrow with a cry.

"Ouch," He breathes. "Does more damage coming out than going in. Ken, give her the shoes we brought."

The boy lets go of the idiot, making him stand on his good leg, and reaches around to unclasp a pair of running shoes from his black shorts. He tosses them to me, and they land with a light thud on the crisp leaves on the ground. I can barely see them, but they look like standard Dome shoes-bright colors and no white nor black on them anywhere.

"You've lost your touch at sneaking around in the woods," The idiot laughs, pressing his hand against his wound. "Just put the bow down and we can talk."

"Why should I trust you?"

"Because I got you here in the first place without killing you."

"That doesn't mean anything," I snarl.

"Eenie, you shot me in the leg! There is no way I'm able to attack you!"

"That's not true."

He groans.

"Please?! If we were going to kill you or rat you out, you'd be at camp or dead by now."

I look at the two boys. The question of why they're out here in the first place crosses my mind for a moment.

"Fine," I sigh, and lower the arrow. Slinging the bow over my shoulder, I bend down to pick up the shoes.

"They're your foot size," The other boy stutters.

I look from the shoes to his face.

"How do you know that?" I ask suspiciously.

The boy's eyes go wide, and he looks at the idiot for help, whose face has twisted into irritation.

He sighs and shakes his head at Ken-two.

"Who are you two?" I croak, my body ready to run if I need to. I've made up my mind. "Why am I so important?"

The idiot painfully hobbles toward me in the dark, and places his hand on my bad shoulder, sending fire throughout my body. I wince, and he tips forward, barely catching himself and groaning.

"Look," He breathes heavily, adjusting his leg. "I don't know why you're so important. No one does. No one but Lease and Doug. As for who we are..." He looks back at the boy standing in the dark. "He's Ken. He's the one you were supposed to be matched with. Not me."

"Then who are you?" I ask, looking curiously from Ken to him.

"A spy," He says matter-of-factly.

"Your name, stupid."

"You see, I was appointed by the head of the rebellion to take this guy's place. Ken was rescued recently and wasn't trained enough. But I've been here for three years. Was kicked out of the dome at fifteen for..." He feels his way to the ground and sits on a tree root, investigating his wound.

"I didn't ask for your story," I say.

No matter how curious I am... I think.

"Oh, but doesn't a name carry a story?" He smiles at me.

"I didn't ask for riddles either."

"In short, I took his place, and he's your actual match."

I glare at him for several seconds. Then, when I feel like he won't tell me anymore, I turn and walk away.

"His name is Hemmings," I hear Ken call after me.

I spin around and peer at Ken through the darkness.

"Hemmings?" I ask aloud.

That name. I've heard it before...

I think.

I shake my head and turn on my heel to keep walking.

"Where are you going?" Hemmings calls after me.

"Home!"

BOOM!

The trees light up with fire and the sound of airships.

"Go!" Hemmings yells.

I spin around and start running away from the fire.

BOOM!

Another explosion, a little farther away.

Screams.

"The camp!" Ken yells to Hemmings.

We all stop and turn around to look back at the way we came.

I feel something snap inside of me.

Fear?

Panic?

Anger?

"There's nothing we can do," Hemmings says, and hopping once, making Ken take a step forward to compensate for the shift in weight.

I look at both of them, dumbfounded.

"Maybe you can't," I say through gritted teeth. "Maybe I can."

I run to the light.

o0o0o

The camp is on fire, and charred bodies lie on the ground, some of them ripped apart. People scatter into the woods, and grab what they can of their belongings. Some dodge falling trees and some sit crying over their children's corpses, waiting to be taken too.

I run out into the open, searching for the large tent.

BOOM!

Another explosion to my left throws me down, and make my ears ring. I cry out in pain and stand up.

More dead bodies litter the ground.

I find my way into the tent, and see Doug leaning unsteadily over the long table in the middle of the room. The maps are scattered all over it and on the floor, ripped and crumpled.

"Doug!" I cry out to him as another bomb shakes the ground. "Doug, you have to leave."

He looks at me with empty, sad eyes.

"I can't," He speaks hypnotically. "I hired a rogue."

I rush in and pull at his arm, trying to make him go. If I can't save everyone, I've got to try to save the leader, the one that's the most important. He needs to live. I can't just stand by and watch him die.

"No," He says, his voice wavering uncontrollablt. "I can't. Leave, Eenie."

"I'm not going to let you stay here and die," I shout over another explosion.

He fumbles around on the table, and folds a piece of paper quickly as the ground quakes.

"Here," He says, shoving a paper in my hand and closing my fingers around it. "Ken and Hemmings will take you there. Just show them the map."

"How-"

"I know both of them like the back of my hands. Ken and Hemmings will know how to get there. Go, Eenralla Land."

Another explosion rattles the tent.

"Doug-"

"Go!" He says, pushing me toward the opening.

"Wait! Why am I so important?" I shout.

"Go! Please go!" He says, shoving me out of the tent, telling me to run.

I look back at him as he disappears into the tent.

If I stay, I'll die too.

I turn and run.

I'm thrown to the ground as another explosion hits. I turn to look back, I flip onto my back to see what's happening, to understand what's going on... and find that it's Doug's tent that had been hit.

The tent is burning and falling to pieces. I see Doug burn. I watch as his flesh chars away, and as he cries out in agony. I see him fall into the flames. I hear his last scream as another explosion lights up the night.

Hands grab my arms and start to drag me away.

He shouldn't have died...

They drag me along the dirt, past the bodies, past the fire...

I could have saved him.

A hand slaps me.

This is my fault.

More dragging.

BOOM!

The world goes dark.