3: Awakened

Ralph POV

Simon's smiling figure jolted as the bullet went straight through his skull. 

"AGHHHHHH"

Screams and cries echoed around the hallow path that Blade Briar's army took us to. Everyone couldn't believe that we actually held no value in the heartless souls who were raised to despise us. Briana was in shock, her mouth was open in a way that could represent a pending gasp. 

It almost looked like Simon's body fell in slow motion. So peaceful yet so dark. He died standing up for who he is. The image of him that his parents tried to make him forget, the image of him that the news tried to degrade, the image of him he was always proud of no matter what voices he heard daily. 

He knew who he was, and he wanted the world to know it too. Simon didn't want to die twice, he didn't want his name to be a whisper in the wind, and he sure as hell didn't want to be known for the accident who caused his mom to go off the edge. 

Simon was better than that. He was better than all of us. I knew he wouldn't go back to his house, to his "family", he left knowing he would never return. 

He was all of that, and we all saw it. We all looked up to it, through texts, through calls, through this meeting...and just seeing him get shot out of cold blood. And hearing his body collapse on the stiff ground, and noticing the blood pouring out of his head. Soaking his favorite Green T-shirt and messing up his perfectly gelled, combed, hair. 

This whole escapade definitely set off some warning bells through all our minds. Anger was quickly rising, with some of us noticing, and some of us too busy feeling other emotions. 

Everything was about abrupt.

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Hunter POV

His body just laid there. With his eyes opened and grime covered skin facing my way. My veins popped out of my skin as I tried to steady my breathing and calm myself down. 

They shot him and he wasn't even a threat. Don't do anything stupid. 

But then there's always the alternative. The not so appealing but factual choice.

You are going to be killed anyway. Here or in a fancy building, It doesn't matter. Show them how much pain they have caused you. Show them what it's like to lose friends you aren't even allowed to meet. 

I observed my surroundings for an exit, an escape plan, anything. All I saw was grief and agony. My friends in extreme amounts of pain, some were finding it hard to just stay standing. Most of us had tears in our eyes while the rest allowed them to travel through our cheeks and chin. 

Some were still in shock. Like Briana for example, who Is just covering her mouth and looking at the friend she chose to strand alongside by who in a blink of an eye, was murdered.

Then there's Alex, who was completely still. She hasn't moved, she hasn't made a sound, and in all honesty I don't even think she is blinking. 

All hell is about to break loose. 

"Who else is a forbidden child then!?" Yelled the leader with a ferocious grin. 

They enjoyed killing. I wonder how much they get paid for each forbidden child they find and successfully kill. 

No one answered, no one moved. 

He opened his handgun to reveal how many bullets he had left. 

"Eight. Hmph. The Irony." He gave us a sly smile while making clicking noises with his tongue. 

The birds were chirping a harmonious tune through the heavy winded forest. The colorful leaves fell around us as everyone and everything mourned the death of Simon Reyes. 

"hahahaha hah hahahah." The leader started laughing hysterically as our sunken faces turned into pissed off glares.  

"Pack them up. We are taking them to Briar's headquarters. We have to arrest the parents before sentencing everyone to death." He demanded quickly while clapping his hands to emphasize the situation and how good of a find it was. 

"The boss is going to be so happy!" Said a squeaky voice that belonged to a short long-haired guy who grabbed Alex's arm.

"Do not touch me. Last time I checked I knew how to move considering our conditions you and your people put us through." Alex snapped while yanking her arm from his grasp. 

"Pretty Lady If I see you as a threat In any way at any time I have the authority to shoot you on the spot." He retailed while gripping his gun tighter. 

"Go ahead. It obvious we don't have to be a threat considering THE BODY THAT IS RIGHT NEAR OUR FEET IS DEAD FOR ANSWERING A QUESTION Y'ALL FUCKING ASKED." Alex started full out screaming while the rest of us were getting dragged against our will towards the white vehicles.

"Do you want to die?" asked a much bigger guard who happened to be watching me while pointing his handgun right at Alex's head.

"It's not like her answer matters." I stood up for her.

"You think you can scare me? Do it." Alex said quietly but sternly while resting her forehead against the head of the gun.

Then I saw flashing in the corner of my eye, and I know it was noticeable because almost everyone looked that way.

"Who's in the van? None of us were supposed to stay back, it was a full mission!" The leader yelled from in front of the conga line. 

Then the engine started, and the van began speeding right towards us. 

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Tate POV

Nothing ever made sense growing up as a forbidden child, but I have never been the one to be lost for words. 

Not one lie, not one rumor, and not one fib was flowing through my mind throughout this entire "adventure". 

What in the world Is wrong with me.

At first I thought it was the pure adrenaline from traveling past my state, having to lie to city border police, and toll collectors. It was exhilarating, I loved every minute of it, I swore comedy or at least a magician was my calling in life. Tricking people for my stress relief was my to go to coping mechanism, but now Simon is gone, and nothing is going as it should anymore.

I haven't spoken one word to the enemies who put me in the position of having to lie to save my life for 15 years except for introducing myself. I couldn't even lie about that which was really disappointing, I didn't even think of using my Oregon name that my dad and I created together with the help of history documents and day to day life. 

I didn't want to believe that I, Tate Whiteford, got caught. 

I've tried so hard, made up so many believable stories, and got further than any forbidden child I had the opportunity to know to die because of my label. Just like Simon did. A few minutes ago. 

I couldn't get the image out of my head. It just kept racing through and through as I was being dragged by two heavy set guys since I refused to walk. 

Now there is a white van coming straight for me and I don 't even have the strength to move out of its way. 

For once I will thank anyone who is above watching this hell forsaken world for the strict orders officers have after capturing a forbidden child.

"MOVE!!!" The leader screamed as everyone jumped in every direction off the road.

One of my guards jumped to the right after letting go of me, while the one on the left yanked me with him when we soared into the vibrant grass with dead, soft patches. This was honestly much better than being dragged on clay road that is covered by rocks every inch.

I looked around quickly to make sure the haywire van didn't hit any of us. Ralph was fighting a few men that dropped their guns but he was failing miserably. Hunter somehow retrieved a gun and was trying to get himself ready to shoot It while Alex was taking cover behind him. Jaanai and Jack were running through the trees as cover. Briana was up and running towards the van also in a zig zag motion while Kadyn was already there moving his hands a lot. He's probably trying to explain how to get to the van. 

Wait...why are we going to the van?

I was still being grabbed on by a 350 pound man with no fat, just muscles. We were still on the ground though and he was on top of me so I finally decided I wanted Tate back. 

"Hey...I think...I think you shot me." I lied extremely out of breath. I get red really easily with any physical movement and I'm sweating from the high amounts of adrenaline pumping through my veins as I proceeded through my plan. 

"What, how I let go of my--" He raised himself off of me in a push up position to look giving me the perfect opportunity to kick some coconuts off a tree. 

"UGH YOU SON OF A--"

I then mustered all the strength I possibly could and kicked him straight in the head. 

"Definitely not the son of a guard after what I did to those babies." I stood up and brushed myself off while grabbing his gun and running towards our last hope.

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Jaanai POV

"Come on babe!!!" I heard Jack yell in front of me. 

Our guards were selfish, and usually I would be cussing them out in my mind but for once their selfishness worked in our favor. They both let go of us and jumped out of the vans way giving Jack and I the perfect escape towards the tree line. 

Multiple shots were heard all around. 

"Hopefully that's us winning this thing." I kept hearing Jack whisper. 

Jack has never been the one to talk about his emotions. Neither have I. That's what most of our arguments are about. I know him well though, too well, to see that Simon's death is affecting him greatly. First of all, he's running super fast. Second of all, he isn't being sarcastic or funny like he is in every situation. God even driving here he was.

I never got to know Simon like he did. He generally could be seen as a good person though, who definitely would be my to go to person to talk about anything that wasn't positive in my eyes, and he would completely change my outlook on it. That I know for sure. 

Simon clearly wasn't valuable to Blade Briar's army, but he had a place in eight kids hearts, and they ripped him out of each and every single one. 

"Kadyn is at the van!!! It stopped. He's waving dramatically now. I think we should go to it." I heard Jack's echos in the trees since I couldn't visibly see him anymore. 

"Jack slow down" I screamed while scraping my legs on several tree limbs. 

All of our cars were surrounded, recorded, and tagged. That's how Jack and I got caught first. There is no way in hell we can take that one now, and we wouldn't be able to bring it back to our safe haven either. We already put our own lives at risk, that's enough for a lifetime. 

Our van could be our only way out of this that leaves us alive. So I for once vouched for the forbidden children and listened without creating an argument. 

I finally saw Jack, but he stopped rather suddenly causing me to fall into him.

"Jack honey, what's wrong?" I whispered breathlessly.

"Nothing I'm trying to see when to run out into the open." He answered rather calmly. He is focusing.

"Why...?" I asked lightly.

"Because the Van it's right there." He stated while pointing at it. 

"Okay tell me when." I said while squeezing his hand. 

There was someone in the drivers seat waving forward towards our direction.

"Now!!!" He shouted practically dragging me out into the open. 

Shots barely missed us as they hit the van. Kadyn had one also and was using the Van's back door as cover. 

The left side door opened right when we reached it and we did not hesitate in jumping right in. 

"Holy Shit Dylan!?" Jack screeched as we sat up in the dark, vacant van space. 

"Yeah it's me. I tried so hard to get to you before they got Simon. I--" 

"No stop it's okay. You saved us." Jack reassured him while leaning against me. 

"Not Simon." I heard Dylan whisper while his knuckles turned white from gripping the steering wheel too tight. 

"Dylan, Ralph is getting pounded we have to go help him!" I heard Kadyn's distant voice yell through the van's walls. 

"Shit!" Dylan punched the steering wheel while exiting the van.

I watched him get smaller through the side view mirror. 

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Dylan POV

I ran with everything I had in me towards the friend I haven't let down yet. 

Briana and Alex were clinging onto each other as they reached the van. Hunter stopped midway as he saw me and became in sync when he witnessed Ralph getting the beating he is. Kadyn was following shortly behind firing carefully aimed shots towards the violent group without hitting Ralph. 

Most of the men were down, Except for their leader and his short commanding officer.

I completely bulldozed into the short one carefully avoiding his gun that was he was using the butt of to hit Ralph's head. While the leader was punched by Hunter who proceeded to kick him in places a guy specifically hates. Kadyn kicked the leader's handgun out of his reach while aiming his shotgun right at his head. 

The short guard was out cold while I helped Ralph up. His mouth and eye were swollen and that's not even his worst injuries.

"Dylan?" He asked with a slur.

"Yes Ralph it's me. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." 

"Hah I remember you." I heard the leader say while spitting out blood. You were the child at the beach. The one who got tricked by his pretty little girlfriend." He smirked while looking at Kadyn. 

"Go to the van." Kadyn looked at Hunter, Ralph, and I. 

"Go." 

We all walked back towards the van, Hunter and I supported Ralph's weight, while Kadyn stayed behind.

Hunter slid Ralph into the Passenger seat while he climbed into the back next to Alex. I sat in the drivers seat breathing heavily. 

"Dylan...Thank you." I heard Briana whisper. 

The van was silent until the last gunshot of the night was heard and Kayden found his spot in our new ride. 

No questions were asked as I started the engine, and drove as far away as I could from Simon's death site.