Chapter 3 (revised)

Blair Sage was standing in a field, the grass swishing under her feet. She held her dagger in her hand, waiting. Her father had two daggers in his hands. He was training her.

“Hold it up, Blair. Don't let it fall.”

They locked blades in a power struggle, Blair's arms straining with the effort. She suddenly backed away, breathing hard.

“You need to work up your muscle strength.” he said. “Try to attack me this time.”

The hot sun was burning Blair's face, but she jump towards him, her blade flashing. He sidestepped, and put the blade to the back of her neck. He withdrew it quickly.

“Never leave your back undefended, Blair.”

She stood up strait. He bent down, putting a hand on her shoulder.

“That's what they want you to do. But we have to fight it!” he said almost dangerously, staring into her eyes.

“What? What do they want to do me?” she asked silently. She swallowed.

“But how can I? What will happen to Bethel if I fight?”

They both heard Bethel's scream coming from the town.

Blair sat strait up in bed, breathing hard. She wasn't in the field, she was at home, with Bethel. She checked Bethel's bed. She was fast asleep, curled up with the yarn still tangled around her fingers. Light picked through the window as the sun started to rise. Blair placed a hand on her racing heart.

“It was only a dream.” she told herself.

Just a dream. She stood and walked over to the chest again. She quickly picked out some clothes and put them on. Grabbing a brush from the chest, she began brushing her hair. With that done, she braided it then pulled on her boots and jacket. Blair didn't have the heart to wake Bethel. She looked so tired... Taking the cheese, she cut to pieces from it and placed one on the table and the other in her pocket. Taking her belt, she buckled it on. She had to work at the factory that day, another long tiring day of bending over clothe and sewing. Blair couldn't care less for it, but it was the only safe place for her to work. She set off down the street, the cold wind blowing over her shoulders. The factory (which could not really be called a factory since all it was, was twenty four sewing machines and several tables where people folded and put the clothes on) had thirty two workers, most of them were teens. She had several good friends there. Cameron, Eryn and Jake. They all worked hard and kept each other company. Blair looked up and saw the black building rising above all the others. It was the tallest building in the city, being five stories high. Several people were heading that way. Blair caught a glimpse of Eryn through the crowd. She ran up beside her.

“Hey, Eryn”

Eryn tossed her long, chestnut brown back and smiled at her friend.

“Yo, Blair.” she said jokingly. “Had fun on Sunday?”

“Yeah, sure.” Blair muttered.

Eryn gave her a knowing look then changed the subject.

“Rodger and Merrie got married.”

“Isacar told me. I never would have guessed it.”

Eryn looked at her as if she had lost her senses.

“What?”

“You!” Eryn replied, laughing. “It was quite obvious to me.”

“I'm sure it was.” Blair retorted.

“What's that supposed to mean?”

Blair didn't say anything. Eryn was the knowing type. You could go as far to say she was a match-maker. It was the way she looked at you with her beautiful brown eyes and they told you she knew what you were thinking. Blair loved spending time with her, it always made her cheer up from her woes.

“How's the orphanage fairing?” Blair asked

Eryn shrugged.

“Same as usual. Boring, cold, stuff like that.”

“Hmm, it sounds like my house.”

Eryn looked at her while speeding up the pace.

“I thought it would be exiting at your house. You having a five year old sister and all.”

Blair bit her lip.

“You would think that, wouldn't you? But she's to hungry to be energetic...”

“I'm sorry... I didn't know it was that bad.”

“Yeah, well its not like its big news. Children die everyday of starvation.”

“You sound like we can't do anything about it.” Eryn said, her tone of voice challenging.

“I didn't say that, Eryn.” Blair said quietly. “I just wish I had hope like yours.”

“You know where my hope comes from, don't you, Blair?”

Blair nodded and smiled. That gave her some comfort. They both walked past a old, broken down church building. Eryn nodded towards it.

“Think there will ever be another preacher preaching in there?”

Blair didn't know.

“You'd have to find someone brave enough to do it.”

Christianity was aloud, but the Marks kept such a close eye on them that all the former preachers were scared off. Both of them were Christian teens, trying to strive to keep strong morals in such a place. They both walked towards the factory, thinking of all the things they couldn't fix.

Adar stood at the entrance to the small city. His hard eyes watching from behind the car's window. He nodded.

“Commander, activate code CM7, but do not go to the orphanage. That would be too abrupt.”

The commander sitting beside him opened the car door and stepped out.

“Yes, sir.” he answered, saluting.

“Go to the Miller's, Blackmen's and Sage's houses first. Kill any adults you find there. Go.”

His commander signaled his men to follow him and they walked into the city, guns drawn. Adar watched them leave and rested his head against the seat. His Master's plan was in action.

Blair bent over the sewing machine, grimacing as her back strained from sitting for hours. She looked up and watched Eryn folding the clothes, but quickly looked back down as a manager walked past. He watched her work for a second then continued walking around the factory. Rennie's grandfather owned the factory, which was why he was so rich, but he also worked for the Marks and Blair was sure that they paid him too. She jumped as the overseer yelled over the humming of sewing machines.

“Halt!” the humming stopped. “Lunch break for an hour and a half. Be back by then or your fired. Dismissed!”

Blair stood slowly up from her chair, nodding to him. He nodded back and smiled. He wasn't a bad sort, but he did have the air of a commander. Walking over to Eryn, Blair nodded to the door.

“Coming?” she asked.

Eryn nodded, placing a shirt on the folding table.

“Yeah, lets find Cameron and Jake and get out of here.”

Blair caught sight of the two guys in question and waved to them. They waved back and made their way through all the people, over to their friends.

“Morning.” Camryn said.

Jake shook his head.

“Its two thirty, man.” he said, looking at his watch.

He was the only one out of all of us that had a watch, though sometimes it was off, Blair was sure. Camryn smiled.

“Well, I am sorry.”

Jake could not stand people giving out wrong information, and Camryn took full use of this. Blair spoke.

“Want to eat at the abandoned church?” it was their usual place to eat.

The three others nodded.

“Sure,” Eryn said. “Wanna stop by the market place before we go over there?”

Blair eyed her.

“No... Why would we?”

Eryn nodded knowingly.

“I think you know.”

All three stared at their friend, thinking the same thing. Blair glared at them frostily.

“No, I don't. Besides, we only have an hour to eat and that would take up too much time.” she crossed her arms.

Jake spoke up.

“An hour and twenty minutes.” he corrected.

“Whatever.”

Blair started walking to the door then looked back at them

“Well are you coming or aren't you?”

They all followed her out the door and down the steps of it. They began walking down the street, Blair in the lead. Eryn caught up with her.

“I didn't see Wryn today, did you?”

Blair looked down at her boots as they walked, not wanting to talk anymore about it.

“No, I didn't. She gone her own way and we can't stop her.”

Eryn pursed her lips.

“I wish we could.”

Blair shrugged.

“She is her own person.”

They walked in silence for a while. Blair began to notice that there were more Marks patrolling stone streets than usual. All four kept their heads down but Blair caught a glimpse of two Marks whispering something then looking at her. She let her hair fall over her face, hiding their eyes. They waiting until they moved on then walked up the church steps, its walls and shutters creaking. As Jake was about to open the door, they all heard a crash coming from inside the building then a voice.

“Blast that bench!”

Blair grinned.

“It's Isacar.”

“I thought he was selling cheese.” Eryn said.

Blair gave her friend a look then opened the door and peered in. She saw Isacar standing in a pool of light coming from the window, slashing the air with a dagger quite like her own. He looked like he was practicing. Silently, she walked up behind him. Not knowing she was there, he swung the dagger over his shoulder, spinning round. In a flash, Blair had her knife up and there blades locked. Isacar seemed confused for a moment and they both said nothing. Finally, Blair broke the silence.

“Who taught you how to fight?”

“My father.” he said. “You?”

They stared into each others eyes.

“My father.” she replied levelly.

Isacar drew his dagger away.

“Curios.”

Blair could see that he was in a concentrating, though his face looked grim.

“Is something wrong?”

He twirled his dagger then looked at the others.

“I'm... Training.”

“And that's bad?”

“Training for what?” Camryn asked.

Blair looked concerned.

“Surely not for becoming a Mark.”

He smiled grimly at her.

“Certainly not. I'm training for an escape.”

Camryn raised a eye brow at him.

“That might be bad.”

Blair put her dagger away.

“Isacar... They're going to kill you.”

“Then let it be!” he almost shouted then regretted it. “I'm sorry. I just...”

He ran his hand threw his long, brown hair then forced a smile at them.

“I suppose you think I'm foolish.”

“Maybe a little.” Eryn said honestly.

Blair looked down at the floor.

“Your gonna get yourself killed, Isacar Blackmen.” she thought angrily. She knew his reasoning: He was going to be drafted anyway, so why not fight? She understood why he thought what he thought, but she still did not have that burning desire to kill the Marks. Maybe she should have, they took her parents after all, but she wasn't brave enough to be mad at them for all the things they had done. Blair was about to speak when she heard something.

“I brought some bread if any of you-” Jake began but was cut off by Blair

“Be quiet!” she hissed. “Can you guys hear something?”

They all listened for a moment then Isacar tensed up.

“Yeah, I heard it. It sounds like someone screaming.”

Blair's face grew scared then she ran out of the door. Isacar and the others were right on her heals.

“Blair, where are you going?” Eryn called after her.

Blair replied as she ran.

“Its coming from my house. It sounds like Bethel!”

As they ran, they all heard three gun shots coming from down the street. Isacar caught up to her and was just a few houses away from Blair's when he saw a group of Marks standing around her house. Thinking quickly, he grabbed Blair's arm and pulled her into a alleyway. The others followed. As they pressed their backs against the wall, they heard another scream. Blair was about to yell at her friend when he put a hand over her mouth and whispered to her.

“Blair, be quiet! I saw several Marks standing around your house. Just wait a second!”

She removed his hand but he blocked the her way.

“I know! Bethel's at the house and I need to get to her!” she whispered back.

Camryn peered around a wall and watched the Marks, his anger growing. One of them came out of the house with a small child in his arms and they began talking and started gesturing with their daggers and guns at her. Camryn had never seen Bethel, but he knew that this girl was in danger. Blair was struggling in Isacar's grasp.

“Let me go! I have to save Bethel!”

Isacar tried to calm her down.

“Blair, there was at least thirteen Marks standing around your house! It would be suicide to go over there now!”

Camryn watched the Marks carefully. They talked a few minutes longer then nodded to each other, walking away from the house down another street. Camryn nodded to Isacar.

“They left. Its safe to go now.”

Blair pulled away from Isacar and started running towards her house. Isacar and the others followed her, running behind. He still held his dagger in his hand, gripping it tight. As they ran up to the house, no Marks were insight, but something wasn't right about it. Isacar began walking towards the door when Blair ran out of the house, her face stricken with grief. Isacar steadied her.

“Blair, where is she? What happened?”

Blair couldn't stop her tears.

“They took her! They took Bethel!”

Jake walked up to the door and opened it. The house was a mess, the mirror lying on the floor, the chest knocked about and the beds kicked all around the house. He saw several bullet holes in the wall then turned back to Isacar, shaking his head. Isacar held Blair close, trying to comfort her.

“Why? What did I do wrong!?” her sobs came out in gasps, letting Isacar hold her.

“They did something wrong, not you, Blair.” Isacar said fiercely, a tear springing to his eye. Bethel was like a sister to him. He tried to contain his rage. Rage at the Mark's, rage at himself for having no words for Blair. Camryn's face was a mask of anger.

“We need to go after them.”

“No!” Eryn said, facing up to him. “They'll kill us if we follow them.”

“But Eryn, they're gonna kill if we-”

“Eryn's right.” Isacar said. “We can't just go dashing off after them. We don't know why they took her yet.”

Jake looked from him to Camryn.

“But, they're gonna kill her!” he said.

Isacar shook his head.

“No, if they were going to kill her, they would have done it here and saved them time.”

Camryn was walking back and forth, agitated.

“But what are we gonna do?”

Isacar lost his patients with them.

“I don't know! I don't know anything, okay?! Just calm down and let me think!”

Blair tried to pull herself together.

“What did I do? I've tried so hard to play by the rules, and they still took her!? Why? Why?!”

Isacar looked at her.

“Blair... Are you okay?”

Blair bit her lip, trying to toughen up.

“I never should have left her! I should have been here!”

“You can't say that. You were working to feed her, Blair. What would you have done if you were there? They would have killed you too.”

“They didn't kill her,” Camryn said. “They took her away.”

“We don't know that.” Jake rejected. “Didn't we hear gun shots?”

Camryn elbowed him sharply.

“Shut up, will you?” he said quietly so that Blair couldn't hear.

Eryn put a hand on Blair's shoulder but couldn't think of anything to say. Isacar heard footsteps running up behind him. He turned his head seeing Ben, his little brother standing there breathless.

“Ben, what's wrong?” he asked.

Ben was scared.

“Isacar... The Mark's took Ange and Luther.”

“What?” Isacar's face looked like he had grown several years older all of the sudden.

Eryn took Blair's hand. Isacar knelt down until he was eye level with his brother.

“When? And where? They... They didn't take mom did they?”

Ben shook his head.

“No, they didn't take mom. She wanted me to find you.”

Isacar looked at Blair and Eryn.

“I have to go.”

Blair nodded.

“Go. I'll be alright...”

Isacar gave her a reassuring smile then left, running with his brother down the gray street. Blair looked into Eryn's eyes.

“What am I going to do now?”

Eryn watched Isacar leaving.

“We're going to get them back.”