She Bleeds for Us: The Galactic Consortium 3

Chapter 7

When Gabriel woke the next morning there were no ships from space. There was no majestic Princess Sarasvat flowing through their ghetto. Not even angry men protesting. Just Grandma yelling at him to get up and get ready for school.

Had it all been a dream?

Even the feast the rich man had given them had passed through Gabriel's stomach, leaving him hungry again. He ate his breakfast quickly and dashed off towards the school. The rich man's house was still there but the doors were shut and he saw no activity.

At school it was Fatama alone, Holly was nowhere to be seen. Had she been deported? Had the rich man taken her into hiding? No one said anything.

The day dragged out, the monotony and normalcy felt oppressive after the fierce optimism of yesterday. Gabriel struggled to focus on school work.

It wasn't until mid afternoon that Gabriel got the first hint that yesterday had not been a dream. A huge group of protestors marched past the school. "Out with Bundi!" They chanted. "Out with Bundi!" It was the one thing that all the protestors could agree on, they wanted President Bundi out of the way, for Barley or for the Consortium.

Once again the head master came and held a terse conversation with Fatama. Gabriel was sitting close to the front and caught bits and pieces. They were wondering if they should send the students home or keep them until the day was finished.

Before they could decide Gabriel heard loud vehicles coming down the street. He glanced out the window and saw a large crowd control tank with a water cannon on top drive past.

"Best they stay here for now," the headmaster decided.

After that it was even harder to concentrate. Men in riot gear marched past the school and Gabriel craned to see if they were police or military. He strained his ears, listening for the protestors.

Finally the day came to an end. Gabriel dashed from the schoolyard, ignoring the shouts of Mustapha and his gang. The streets here were empty or nearly so. The restaurant/bar where the creole band played was closed. Gabriel's anxiety mounted.

At the main crossroad leading to the precinct house and the lane up the hill to his home, he found a large group of men in military uniforms. Several carried assault rifles. They had the water cannon parked across the road.

Gabriel raced forward to find his way blocked by a large man with an assault rifle. "Hold up there, boy," the man growled. "No traffic through this way."

"But, but..." Gabriel started and stopped. He swallowed, staring up at the hill. My home is through there.

But before he could voice it, three men came back from the beyond the checkpoint, one an officer. He was muttering to the others about the protestors. "The blind witch, damn her."

He couldn't reveal that he was the blind witch's grandson. They'd lock him up or use him to force grandma to surrender. He gave the man a nod and headed back the other way. Now what?