THE TAKING
EVERGLADES, FLORIDA - PASSENGER BUS. DAYTIME.
Luke was looking at the trees to the side of the parking lot. It looked strange. A couple of them seemed like their trunks were waving in the wind like the branches.
He was about to ask if anyone else saw this, when Al stopped the bus and opened the door.
Luke looked forward, then snapped his head back as sudden movement came from the side. “Orcs,” he whispered in a shocked tone.
One of the Orcs pointed his ray gun (as that was the only thing it could be) at the driver’s window. A high tone pinged for a second and Al flew to the right and out the door.
A moment later, the second Orc charged into the bus and roared at the passengers, causing most of them to scream and drop below the seats.
Sara stood up and pointed straight at the Orc and commanded “Get out!”
As soon as the Orc saw this, he extended a rod from his forearm sleeve and threw it at her in a smooth motion. The heavy metal bar struck her in the neck with a frightening, crunching sound. She fell bonelessly.
As the Orc grabbed passengers and began throwing them off the bus, Luke looked over the back of his seat at Sara. Her face was frozen in shock, and her head was at a sickening angle. Without conscious thought, Luke moved her head back upright. A rattely hiss came from her open mouth and he snatched his hand away. It was a combination of remembering not to move injured people and how WRONG her head felt. As if it was not attached to her body correctly. She was dead.
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He turned around to the front and spewed vomit, hitting the Orc on the pants and the boots. As he looked up, a heavy fist crashed into his face, sending him to the floor unconscious.
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TENT OF DESPAIR
EVERGLADES, FLORIDA. EVENING.
Luke came to, hearing the sound of weeping. He started to lift his head and then groaned and dropped it back. How could anything hurt this much? His face hurt like nothing before. If he’d had anything in his stomach, he would have thrown it up.
Several minutes later he was able to try again. He looked around and lifted a hand to his face. Carefully feeling around his eye, he realized it was not the same shape as the other side of his face. It was swollen and the eye was fully shut. He could only see from one eye.
Around him were the students and Mr. Marks. Many were crying. Some laid on the ground, breathing slowly and not moving otherwise.
Mr. Marks nodded at Luke. “I’m glad you’re awake. I was really worried.”
Luke tried to talk, but only a muted mix of sounds came out, and then a brief scream. His hands flew to his face and he screamed again, choking it off quickly. It hurt to talk and it hurt to touch.
Mr. Marks looked on sympathetically. “I think your jaw and your orbit are smashed. Don’t try to talk.” he hesitated. “I looked, and I don’t know if your eye is going to make it.”
Luke nodded slowly and looked around. They seemed to be inside some sort of tent. Looking closely, the fabric seemed to have a chicken wire pattern woven into it.
Mr. Marks said “It’s really tough, whatever it is. We tried ripping it but I don’t even think we wrinkled it. There used to be a door over there, but when they closed it, it went away.”
It was easier for Luke to believe him than to go check for himself. He started to become aware of more sensations than pain. There was a very strong smell. It reminded him that he had to go himself. Looking around he saw a small latrine-looking seat that smelled of sewage.
He looked at Mr. Marks, who shrugged. “They said to hit the button on the side when we were finished. It seemed like they were surprised when it didn’t do anything. Maybe it ran out of batteries.”
“Srrrraa,” Luke managed. “Srraa.”
“We all saw her go down. It looked pretty bad, and they haven't brought her here.”
Tears began to flow in Luke’s eyes. “Drrrd, drrrrrddd!”
Mr. Marks face twisted in grief. “She’s dead? Al’s dead too.”
Luke could only nod and cry silently until he fell asleep.