The Tag Bearer

Chapter 9 - A Frightening Occurence

Stating my name was a worse crime than snooping itself; I felt like I was going to die right then and there in that dingy concrete hallway. The moment those words spewed themselves carelessly from my mouth, I knew it was a mistake.

My vision became a blur and the words Matt screamed at me, I could barely hear as I was slammed hard into the ground. My pupils dilated and my eyelids widened as I watched on in terror at the Officers and Drones swarming the corridor like hornets. An ear-piercing alarm went off, making me scream into the abyss of collateral noise as someone's knee dug into my spine and the corridor turned a bright red. Was it blood or the lights?

"Matt!" I screamed out, reaching a splayed hand in vain towards him. It was the most I could do as my eyes caught sight of a strong blow hitting him from behind, knocking him to the ground. His head slammed into the cold concrete and he was instantly whacked unconscious. Fresh blood trickled down his face and I couldn't tell if he was breathing or not. 

I wriggled against the Officer's stronghold, but he was too strong. I needed to get to Matt. However repulsive he was, he had provided me with something I hadn't felt in a long time. It was an indescribable feeling. Maybe it was a type of weird, absurd safety net, and I didn't know how long I was going to survive without it being there. Getting injured wasn't going to help either of us. Panting heavily, I forced myself to lay still, letting a fresh batch of helpless tears stream down my face. 

This couldn't be happening right now, could it? Surely this was all just in my imagination. 

Numbly, my hands were jerked behind my back and clasped tightly together with a thin piece of plastic. I was lifted off the ground; panting and still winded as black bag was forced down over my eyes, plunging me into a terrifying darkness.

I couldn't hear Matt, and I knew he should've woken up by now. He should be fighting for me right now. But he wasn't, he was lying dead on the ground and there was nothing I could do about it. 

"Matthew!" I screamed in desperation, despite knowing it was of no use. I had to at least try. If not for him, for me. He needed to know I was alive and fighting for me as I was pushed down the hall; all the while, trembling and tripping over my own feet blaring out his name. A wet salty taste stung at my cracked lips. Why was this happening?

I stumbled over my feet, crying profusely. I felt like a child - a useless, helpless child. This wasn't an Ellie I was used to being. I wasn't the vulnerable type. I'd survived for so long by myself, hadn't I? My legs turned to jelly, and my body flopped, slipping out of their grip and sliding to the ground; collapsing against its coolness. My whole body shuddered as I tried to breathe against the suffocating black bag. 

"Get up!" an Officer roared near my ear, making me tense and wish for myself to stand. 

But I couldn't. I was stuck in this messed up state and a small part of me didn't want to live anymore. They grabbed my forearms and heaved me up, dragging me through the halls like a dead body to an awaiting vehicle. They swung me up onto the tray, pushing me further inside and tying me to the deathly cold bar my arms were pressed against. The engine hummed softly beneath me and provided a strange kind of limited comfort. 

"Take her to the main encampment. We'll meet you at the city with the boy," an Officer ordered someone from outside the truck. 

I stopped crying. The boy? Matthew was alive? I smiled. Matthew was alive!

How stupid I'd been jumping to conclusions! I let the tears dry on my cheeks, desperately trying to think of a way to get the hell out of here and rescue Matthew. I needed an escape. I wasn't about to let them bully me into this 'main encampment' and I was not about to let them take me to my death. This wasn't me. I was stronger than this. Surely.