I've learned that fear limits you and your vision. It serves as blinders to what may be just a few steps down the road for you. The journey is valuable, but believing in your talents, your abilities, and your self-worth can empower you to walk down an even brighter path. Transforming fear into freedom - how great is that?
Soledad O'Brien
The sound was faint, it barely registered but Tabitha could have sworn she had heard something. She stopped in the middle of welding a wire into the circuit of the iPad, placing her tools down on the work desk. Tabitha looked to the door that led into her living space. She concentrated on listening, straining her hearing for any sound. She heard it then, a slight thump on a surface. Tabitha’s eyes widen in shock, she had heard that before. It was a device used by the churchmen when they wanted to breach someone’s home.
Tabitha flew from the cage and on to her dirt bike, she pressed two buttons. The first button ignited the bike’s engine, and the second button opened the hidden door which led to the roof outside the building. Tabitha kicked up the bike stand and revved the engine. As the breach charge blew the steel door off its hinges, tires were already squealing as Tabitha rode through the escape door.
As the churchmen in full tactical armor and armed with rifles entered the storage room. One of them saw the back of Tabitha’s bike as it disappeared through the door.
“TARGET IS ON THE MOVE!”
Tabitha did not hear that statement. She was too busy navigating the rooftop. She rode her bike on the edge of the ramparts, looking down at a four-story drop. It’s only twenty yards to the first ramp. No problem, I’ve practiced this a hundred times. The womp womp womp of rotors could be heard. Suddenly, there was a spotlight on Tabitha, and she could not see the helicopter as it tracked her. Damn! A helicopter. That’s all I need. Tabitha hit the first ramp and rode it down to the next ramp and road that down to the next ramp. Tabitha had prepared her escape a long time ago, hoping to never use it.
Tabitha had built these ramps herself in the dark, anonymity was her only weapon. It took her 12.8 seconds to reach the street, but as soon as her bike touched the ground floor. Several churchmen exited the building, they saw Tabitha and trained their rifles at her. Tabitha shifted the bike into another gear to gain speed, and she flew over the road as the churchmen released a volley of automatic rifle fire. Tabitha swore that a few bullets whizzed past her head. The helicopter was still overhead keeping track of her. If Tabitha wanted to get away, she needed to lose the helicopter and fast.
Tabitha was speeding down the road, well out of reach of the churchmen with rifles. But the helicopter was still on her. If I can get to the tunnels, I can lose the helicopter. It was a good plan, Unfortunately, Tabitha would never reach the tunnels. The Brooklyn-Battery Tunnels were only five blocks away, Tabitha could have made it. But an invisible force grabbed her, it picked her off the bike. Without its rider, the dirt bike made it maybe five more meters before falling to its side and skidding across the road.
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Tabitha saw her bike crash while she was ten feet from the ground being held up by an invisible grip. She kicked her feet wildly at empty space, trying in vain to get free. But there was nothing to grasp, it was like being held by air.
“It is useless.”
A male voice said the owner of the voice appeared right in front of Tabitha. She let out a gasp of shock, he was not there before. Magic, Tabitha realized. The man was dressed in white robes and wearing a hood that hid his face in shadows. There was the symbol of a sun with a sword in the middle of it on the left side of his chest. Tabitha knew that badge, she has seen it before on many occasions. But the first time she saw the badge of an officer of the Morality Corps, was when they came and arrested her parents. The last time she saw her parents alive was at their execution.
“What the hell?! I didn’t do anything! Let me go!”
Tabitha sounded indignant, offended at being held captive for no reason at all. The officer of the Morality Corps ignored her protests.
“Tabitha Elaine Pearson, by the authority of the Holy Church of Romanto. I hereby arrest you for the crimes of trespassing, theft, unlawful sales of products and materials to the public, and a host of other offenses that breaks the Codes of Conduct.”
The man’s voice was firm, authoritative, and unforgiving. This was a man who would show no mercy to those that broke his god’s laws. Tabitha felt a shiver of cold go down her spine, she knew that her life was literally on the line.
“Now, wait just a minute. I have no idea what you’re talking ab—”
“Silence!”
The man cut Tabitha off, her eyes widen not because of his words. That one command had power behind it. He had cast magic to force her to obey him. He must be a priest or maybe a High Priest. If that’s the case then I am really screwed.
“You will be taken to the Morality Corps headquarters where you will be processed, detain, tried, judged, and if proven guilty of all crimes against you. You shall be punished.”
With that, the man released Tabitha and she fell to the ground. It was so unexpected, she barely had time to shift her feet so that she would not break anything on impact. Fortunately, she did not break anything. Instead, she landed on the balls of her feet. But went down on her knees and using her hands to break the fall. Tabitha did not face plant into the road. If I can get up fast enough, I can probably escape into the alleyways…probably.
This idea gripped Tabitha out of desperation, because if she were to ever enter the headquarters of the Morality Corps. There was a very high chance that she would never step out of there alive, a very high chance indeed. Before Tabitha could make a run for it, something hard and solid struck her on the left shoulder. This time Tabitha was unable to prevent herself from crashing to the ground. She hit the ground hard, almost face first. But she managed to turn her head to the side, only landing on her left cheek. It was then when she saw all the churchmen around her. Pointing their rifles straight at her, like she was some dangerous criminal. Before she could even think about getting back up, a hard knee smashed between her shoulder blades.
“Do not move! Not unless you want to get seriously hurt you little bitch!”
The growl of the churchman with his knee on her back made Tabitha go limp and still. She did not enjoy pain and tried very hard to avoid it. She could already feel the scraps and bruises that had already accumulated on her left cheek, hands, and knees.
“Good whore.”
The man said, and Tabitha heard his satisfied smile just before he wrenched her arms behind her back and cuffed her. The churchman lifted Tabitha off the ground none too gently.
“Hey! Alright, alright. I’m not resisting, okay. No need to be so rough.”
“Shut up!”
The helicopter was still overhead with its spotlight on the scene. The churchmen led Tabitha to a church car with the Morality Corps officer watching. She was placed in the car roughly, then was driven away to her fate.