Full Circle

[blackmariah]

(Continuing on from General Transmission Log)

*I reach the train tracks on the west side of zone 1 at last. Following a shadow into the deep, black tunnel. I sharply glance back as I hear something move at my back. Slightly crouched, I start to stand upright. It is too dark now to see anything. I take a flare that has been placed in my boot buckle. With one slight sweep against the stone wall, the tunnel is ablaze with light.*

You shouldn't have come here! You may not make it back.

*A voice calls from up ahead. I glance around and I'm surrounded by children. I pull my mask up til it is resting on my head. My heart pounding, trying not to show any fear* Oh and why is that? You have my radio, remember? *The child whose voice came from nowhere is now right in front of me. He takes a quick shot to his pocket then back to me. I keep eye contact for a moment* I helped you that day, now its time to repay the favor *He glares at me. I just grin slightly* It will be fun. Satisfaction guaranteed. *I hold out my hand to shake his*

[blackmariah]

Why should we help you?

You get to give your creators a visit and repay them for AAAALL their kindness and I get my friend back. Maybe you remember her... Fire Angel *His eyes suddenly widen and his body language changes* They took her a little while back. She was pregnant from one of their little experiments and from what I have heard, they have stolen the baby. She was a friend of yours once, right? She was one of you?

She was the reason we didnt starve in those early days. *I turn to the crew* Time to get back to training! We leave for the city soon! *I nod to the person in front of me to follow me* It was Bunny, right? Thats what your friend called you that day? I have a good memory with these types of things

Call me Mariah. *I follow the kid back down the track and walk untill we come to what looks like a hill but is clearly not. As I get closer I see that it is an old train, burried in the sand. Almost every inch is covered but a small entrance to one of the carriages* How many of you are there?

Names are all the same anyway. there are 59 of us at the moment. Almost double than when you were here last. Which means things are getting worse for 'Better Living'

What do you mean?

Every group that comes here have been shafted out of the city as a 'bad batch', experiments gone wrong or those that wont follow instruction blindly. They have a school programme now where every kid in the city is being taught to fight. If they refuse, they are thrown away into the desert. Of course we dont always reach them in time... But the more there are of us, the less there are of them.

[blackmariah]

Yes I guess so. Do THEY know how many are out here?

Of course they don't *I sneer* They think 'we children' are thick. Forgetting that most of us have been trained to survive and even kill. *I stand up from where I'd been sitting and pace the floor* None of us WANT to kill but we do what we have to to survive*

I know kid. Nobody really wants to. I'm not asking to either. Just help me get Fire out.

Come sunrise, we'll be gone and into the city. We've been training for it long enough. Come... *I guide her back out of the carriage and to the training grounds*

[blackmariah]

*I follow him out but I'm caught by surprise at the training ground. They children, training with such dedication beneath the heat of a deadly setting sun. I take a gun and shoot at a target in the distance, hitting it dead centre causing some of the training ground to spin around and stare* The aim from this group needs to get better before they face Dracs, let alone crows *I walk off and climb up on top of the carriage*

*I give a single, lound clap* You heard! Work on that aim!!! *I run after her* What, you make observations theen turn your back? No No No! You need to train too. think one shot means you dont need all the training you can get?

HAHAHAHA! How about we do something practical and get organised *I stand on the carriage looking out at the training grounds* Who should go where?! Well? Come on! Strengths and weaknesses of this lot. *My eyes focus on the kids in the training area* HEY YOU!!!! *I point at one of the youngest fighters* Stay right there and Aim for that far post *She aims and fires and hits it. I watch on as she shoots and turn back to the kid in charge, who has climbed up on the carriage* She can be a sniper. I've never seen anyone with such an aim

But.... *I catch my breath* Shes fast, very fast, we need her on the ground.

I wouldnt risk having her on the ground, her strength is long distance aiming. *We observe the training ground, putting people into groups*

[blackmariah]

*I wake up from a very uneasy sleep to find the others still training. I climb down from the top of the carriage. Some of the children clearly uncomfortable with me being here. I walk around the place knowing that we'll be lucky to get a portion out alive*

*I walk over to Mariah* Good you're up. You wanna say something to everyone and then we'll tell them what goups we're all in? or how does this work?

Yeah sure alright. *I reach in and pull out an old battered whistle from my inside jacket pocket and blow. Some of the kids jump and then glare. They all gather round* Alright Kiddies, playtime is well and truely over. Pack up your things coz you're going home. You can explain the groups

Uh yeah ok. *I pull out the map* YOU 12 AT THE BACK, you're gonna be 'Team Trigger' You'll be the snipers. Break off into groups of 3 and take these buildings here, here and in that area there *I point out the selected areas on the map* Next group, you guys *I point to a large group to my left and my front* You're going to be the diversion group. come in from all sides. Hit them hard, hit them fast! I cant tell you the importance of speed in this. The rest of us are going into the building. we're gonna release as many people they have captured and well we can all have a little bit of fun in the process. Look after each other, look after yourselves and try not die!

Any questions? No? RIGHT THEN LETS MOVE OUT! *Everyone starts bustling around, trying to get ready to move out*

[blackmariah]

*I finally awaken amidst a vast plain of devastation. Countless bodies scortched and blackened, lifeless on the golden ground. Some half swallowed by the desert. The endless sky blue and red as the faded clouds turn to nothing. I struggle to my feet. They had been waiting for us, always watching, always a step ahead. In a short distance I see a bike. I stumble over to it. The keys are in the ignition. The machine untouched by the battle. A note rests on the seat "Bunny Killightly, You have been found guilty of leading an attempted uprising against Better Living Industries. We know who you are. We know where you are and where you will go. We are coming for you. You have 2 days. Say your goodbyes. BL Ind." I read the note several times wondering why they didnt just kill me during the attack. I look around but all I see is victims of a meaningless fight. The weight of everything sinks in. I lower my head and sigh. I wonder if Skeets was caught. A few seconds pass and I crumble up the note, slowly climbing onto the bike. I start it up and take off to the only place in the world I want to be*