Chapter 7 - War (pt. 2)

The second part of the rebellion.

It's been 20 minutes, and finally, all of our group are back.

The clock on the wall ticks agonizingly slowly.  We're all nervous.  There's a massive chance that the guards will win, and an even bigger chance that at least one of us will be killed.

We take a moment to conceal ourselves before the clock strikes 12:30.

The guards slowly walk out of the break room, waving their batons menacingly. We carefully watch cell 54.  Q is hiding in there, and hopefully he'll catch their attention when he 'breaks out'.

"HEY!"
I smile as Q darts out of his cell, leading the parade of guards after him.  The one closest to me is my first target.

I jump out from the shadows and drag him back.  He cries out and swings his baton aimlessly as I wrap my arms as tightly as I can around his neck.  "I'm sorry.  Maybe God will forgive you for your sins.  I'll make it quick."  I whisper as I yank backwards with all the power I have, hearing the crack of his neck before laying him down and closing his eyes.

The guards are ambushed.  Some retreat back to the break room, where they keep emergency supplies, but I'm waiting for them.  I dart into the room and barricade it with everything I can find before searching for a weapon.  I vowed to God I would make their deaths quick, so the baton is no longer an option.

I hear them charging at the door as I search.

My hands finally fall across cold metal at the bottom of the box marked 'EMERGENCY SUPPLIES'.  Expecting a knife, I grab the handle and pull it out.

But it's not a knife.

It's a gun.

I've never used a gun before.  I know that firing it at the head results in an instant kill, with next to no discomfort or pain.  But does God approve of them?  Are they a weapon of great evil?  It gives the owner the choice of life or death...I feel like it is an unholy weapon.

The door crashes to the ground, and in a panic, I fire the gun as many times as I can.  I listen to the panic on the other floors.  S**t...what have I done?

The guards fall to the ground, and suddenly there's a deafening silence.  I sink to my knees and crawl under the chairs around the room, putting my head in my hands and rocking myself back and forth.  "Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned...forgive me, Father, for I have s-sinned...f-f-forgive me..."

My heart beats at a million miles per hour as the silence continues.  Somebody say something...anything...please...

Footsteps pad into the room.  "F...forg-give me..."  I whisper as my fingers grasp the gun again.

"F...for...give...m-m-me..." I stammer.

"Hamish!  I can't find her!"
"She must be in there!"
"She's not!"

"...f...or...g...ive..."  I gasp as the tears begin to drip onto the floor.  My entire body is numb.  My mind is empty.  My hands are cold.

In a moment of unadulterated loathing for myself, my forefinger wraps around the trigger.  I close my eyes and prepare for death.  "...forgive me..."  I cry.

"Ros?"
Hamish and Daphne rush into the room, but it's too late.

My hand releases the gun as the pool of blood grows around my belly.  The pain...it's unbearable.

"ROSANNE!"