Chapter 28: Central Building
ELENA
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The truck finally came to a halt. It felt as though we had been driving for an eternity.
Every muscle in my body ached from remaining curled up between wooden crates for so long. The lack of fresh air had left my head spinning, and the constant jolting of the truck had turned my stomach into a knot. For several seconds, I simply stayed where I was, trying to steady my breathing. Then I heard movement. Doors opened. Boots struck the pavement one after another. The soldiers were getting out. I remained hidden beneath the heavy cloth, listening carefully. Hog's commanding voice rose above the others.
"Soldiers, we have to be extremely careful not to get caught. We aren't strong enough to fight the Reestablishment yet, but we cannot give up on our fellow children or anyone else if they're here." A brief pause followed. "We go in there silently. Search the entire building from top to bottom. Just like before, Leila will remain outside, providing information and warnings. We'll split into four teams again and search every floor. It'll be faster that way." A chorus of quiet acknowledgments answered him. Within moments, the sound of footsteps faded toward the building.
Silence returned. I pushed the cloth aside and immediately climbed out of the truck, stretching my stiff limbs. My lungs welcomed the cool evening air. Leila was already seated in the front, her tablet glowing softly in the dim light. I hurried over. "Please," I whispered urgently. "Can you scan the area around the building? Is there anyone nearby besides the soldiers?"
Without hesitation, Leila began working on her tablet. Her fingers moved quickly across the screen as different maps and signals appeared. A few tense moments passed. Finally, she looked up. "There are only the soldiers." Relief flooded through me. "Thank you." I didn't wait another second. Turning toward the towering structure before me, I hurried after the others. The Marie Central Building stood like a monument to nightmares. Seven stories. Dark. Silent. Waiting. The entrance swallowed me whole. Inside, darkness consumed everything. The flashlight in my hand barely reached beyond two people's distance, its weak beam cutting through layers of dust suspended in the stale air.
Every step echoed. Every shadow felt alive.
Searching while hiding from trained soldiers was difficult enough. Searching through a place that haunted every nightmare I'd ever had... That was something else entirely. Still... I knew this building. Far better than I wished I did.
I could probably navigate parts of it blindfolded. And somehow... That realization hurt more than it helped.
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The memories came without warning.
Like a train crashing through my thoughts.
Commander Joseph had caught me speaking with Leila. It had been after lunch. Leila had quietly slipped Nowella a small sweet treat, smiling as my little sister's face lit up for what felt like the first time in days. She hadn't stayed long. The moment she walked away, Commander Joseph approached us. His polished boots clicked against the concrete floor. Without saying a word, he pointed toward one of his guards. Then... He pointed at Nowella.
My heart stopped. Before I could react, the guards grabbed my sister. "No!" I lunged forward. "What do you need? Please!"
My voice shook. "What do you want?"
Commander Joseph smiled. Not kindly.
Cruelly. He stepped closer, his fingers wrapping around my wrist with bruising force. "There." He smirked. "Now you're saying something useful." His grip tightened until pain shot through my arm.
"Tell me exactly what Leila said to you."
I whimpered. "Sir..." I struggled against his hold. "She didn't tell me anything." My breathing became uneven. "She only gave my little sister a treat." His expression darkened. "I don't believe you." His voice became cold. "You little slut." The insult struck me harder than I expected. I instinctively lifted my eyes to meet his.
The crack of his hand against my face echoed through the hallway. My head snapped sideways. "You ungrateful bitch."
His voice dripped with disgust. "We feed you." Another step closer. "We take care of you." His fingers dug painfully into my shoulder. "And you dare look me straight in the eye?" I stumbled backward, clutching my burning cheek. Tears blurred my vision.
One of the guards seized my arm. I thought... This is it. They're throwing me out. Part of me almost welcomed it. Anything would have been better than staying there. But Joseph had something far worse in mind. They brought me here.
To the Marie Central Building. The moment I entered... I understood why everyone feared this place. Hell existed. And I was standing inside it. Children cried behind locked doors. Adults screamed until their voices broke. Punishments happened openly... As though suffering itself had become entertainment. To my left An elderly woman. Perhaps fifty years old.
Guards held her arms against a metal table while flames licked across her hands. Her screams pierced straight through me.
I looked away. Immediately. Only to witness something worse. A man convulsed violently as electricity surged through his body. His skin had turned an unnatural shade of purple. The smell... Burned itself into my memory forever. I squeezed my eyes shut. I couldn't look. I couldn't breathe. The guards shoved me forward.
I stumbled into another room. When I opened my eyes... My world shattered.
Nowella. She lay curled on the cold floor.
Her tiny body trembled. One ankle had swollen so badly it had turned deep shades of purple and blue. I dropped beside her. "Nowella..." My voice broke into sobs. "My baby..." Before I could even touch her properly... The guards dragged her away again. "No!" I screamed. "Please!"
She reached toward me. Our fingertips never met. Commander Joseph crouched in front of me. His hand gripped my chin, forcing my face upward. "Ah..." His smile widened. "You're finally here." He looked toward the doorway where Nowella was disappearing. "Look at your filthy sister." His voice was almost amused. "She kept trying to run away." He leaned closer.
"So I thought..." "What better punishment than beating her foot until she couldn't walk anymore?" Everything inside me broke. The guards disappeared with Nowella. I screamed after her until my throat burned. Joseph tightened his grip painfully. "She's going back to the Reestablishment." His eyes bored into mine. "Don't cry." A pause. "Or she'll be killed." My breathing stopped. "And don't you dare tell any of the civilians what happened here." Hatred consumed me.
I stared directly into his eyes. If looks could kill... He would have died a thousand deaths. Then... I noticed his gaze shifting.
Downward. From my face... To my neck.
Lower. My stomach twisted violently. His eyes lingered on my chest. Instinctively, I stepped backward. Horror spreads through every part of me. He caught the back of my hair before I could move another inch. "No..." His voice became sickeningly soft. "No, no, no." "You aren't leaving so soon." His fingers tightened.
"You may have been talking to that little bitch..." He spat in my face as he continued, "conspiring against us . It'll be soon enough we will figure out what you filthy bitches have in mind" . His eyes traveled over me again. "...but I couldn't help noticing how mature..." His gaze settled where it made my skin crawl.
"...you are for your age." Before I could scream He shoved a cloth into my mouth.
I blinked. The memory shattered. The present returned. Tears rolled silently down my cheeks. Even now... Even after escaping... Even after finding a place that had shown me nothing but kindness... The memories refused to let me go. The shelter had become the only place where I'd remembered what love felt like. What family felt like. And here I was... Lying to all of them. Using Leila. Sneaking onto a mission I'd been forbidden to join. Guilt settled heavily inside my chest. I'm sorry...
I'm sorry to all of you. But if it meant finding Nowella... I'd do it again. I had to. She was my sister. I would never stop looking for her. Lost in my thoughts, I hadn't realized how far I'd wandered across the ground floor. I stopped. Looked around. There was still so much left to search. Seven stories.
An entire building. Then... Something caught my attention. A door. I frowned.
That wasn't here before... Or... Maybe it had been added after I escaped. Curiosity slowly outweighed hesitation. My heartbeat quickened. Gripping my flashlight tighter, I stepped toward it. Then... I reached for the handle. Slowly...
I pushed the door open.16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW0mYCkfBQc
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