Hearing the echoes
Madness grows
The years of my sinning
Teach me to show
A heartless feeling
Of pain and regret
These wounds were opened
Like lines in the sand
The world is sleeping
But they still have hope so


“M-my cousin?” Perry asked with a falter in her voice-she really didn’t know what to say right now. She could barely remember her cousin Jinxx-she had been ten the last time she had seen the older boy and it was only for a few minutes as his family was leaving to move further out west.

“Yeah-he’s known in their ranks as The Mystic. How do you not know this Persephone?” Reese asked, shock lacing his voice as he just looked at her. Perry only blushed under his stare-she felt incredibly stupid not even knowing about her own cousin and what was going on.

“I haven’t seen him in years and my parents have all but sheltered us for the past fourteen years…excuse me.” Perry said, dropping his hand as she crossed her arms over her chest and looked away. It was childish, but he had hurt her pride-Perry liked to think she knew everything and it was becoming apparent that she did not.

“Yeah, I know how you feel…my parents were like that at first too. But then my dad got involved with the Legion-gave them small supplies at first and then the last shipment he had sent them he wouldn’t let anyone see what it was…not even my mother.” Reese said, his voice sullen and now Perry felt really terrible. No one really knew anything besides what F.E.A.R wanted them to know. Except Reese seemed to know a little bit more than her…lucky guy.

“So what is this Legion of the Black anyways? I’ve never even heard of them…” Perry asked with some teasing in her voice and Reese only smiled as he took one of her hands in his own. He looked at her, their eyes locking and Perry felt a shiver run up her spine.


Reese had always liked Perry and he could remember looking out his window, just as the sun was setting, to find the vibrant red head outside sitting on her roof. She would be sitting there, sunning herself in the fading light right before the Guard change and Reese always wished he could go up on his own roof and get a better look at her. He admired the girl with the pretty red hair and sky blue eyes-she had guts and he liked that about her. He also found her fascinating-she never seemed to be scared of anything and once and a while he would hear her humming to herself softly.

Most girls-his sisters included-just sat inside and either cleaned, sewed or watched F.E.A.R’s daily broadcasts. Not Perry-Perry never seemed to sit still and it always amused Reese when he would catch her curtains open slightly. The girl would dance around her room, laughing and carrying on by herself-trying to keep from going insane like most people in their lives. He would also sometimes see her sitting in her window, the curtains pulled back just enough so she could see outside and Reese noticed that she had a piece of scrap paper in her hands. Now sitting in her room, he could see the sketches she had done of the birds and Reese never thought this small girl could be so talented.

It was obvious that Persephone longed to be free…they all did.


“The Legion of the Black is like the anti-F.E.A.R. They believe in freedom and are forming around the world to overthrow our wonderful militant leaders. They are led by five guys called the Wild Ones…” Reese explained and Perry only looked at him, her blue eyes filled with amazement. She had never heard of this-her parents had never mentioned anything about her cousin Jinxx and of course it was never on F.E.A.R broadcast. Perry couldn’t help but feeling…maybe there was hope for them after all.

“And my cousin Jinxx is involved in this?” Perry asked, some doubt in her voice. Jinxx, from her memory, had always been a very kind and nice kid-never one to rock the boat. She couldn’t remember much, except for his blue eyes because they were the same color as her own. He had also been really quiet when he and his family had been here-never saying much but when he did speak it was with a great amount of knowledge.

“Yep. He and four others have been gathering support from people for months now. My father was one of them-he never believed that F.E.A.R had been a good thing and he wanted to see it over thrown more than anyone. So he got in contact with the Wild Ones and offered them some help-supplies at first, but then once he got his upper position in the factory he began to give them information.” Reese said this and Perry could hear the sadness in his voice.

“Who are the other Wild Ones? Do you know their names?” She asked and Reese only smirked at her, but he said nothing. They were both growing tired and Perry knew that soon enough dawn would come and she would have to explain to her father why there was a boy in her room and in their house in general. Perry only smiled as she moved to shut off the lights and then the two teens sat there in the darkness.

“Andy, Ashley, Jake, CC and your cousin Jinxx are the Wild Ones. They’re older than us by a few years-Andy is the youngest-and they actually remember what it was like before F.E.A.R. They came together to fight F.E.A.R and to free everyone from it’s rule…they want our old world back Perry and it sounds like they would do anything to accomplish that task.” Reese explained and he could see, even in the darkness, the pure fascination shining in Perry’s light blue eyes. Perry said nothing because she didn’t want to ruin the moment, but her mind was spinning.


This could be it…the Legion of the Black and the Wild Ones could be her way out…

Perry was desperate to leave this life that had been chosen for her behind. She had grown tired of hiding inside-she had grown tired of constantly being held down and being forced to deny her dreams. Over the past few months a longing had begun to grow in her heart-she wanted to be free and she wanted to fly away. Free from the pain of seeing people being held down, free from the pain in her soul because she knew that this life was not what F.E.A.R made it out to be. She wanted to know things that she could hardly remember. What it felt like to run through the grass-to feel the soft looking earth between her toes. To feel free and as if she actually had a say in what her future held. She wanted it all…she wanted everything but what was written for her in the laws of F.E.A.R.

If Perry stayed, her future was comprised with one thing-an arranged marriage. After that she would be given a home of her own, which she was expected to cherish and take care of and then there would be children. Perry had never been around little kids-besides Mags and she was only a year younger-and so she didn’t even know if she would be a good mother. Perry didn’t want any of this-not right now at least, but the clock was ticking away…she would be twenty soon and then it was either marriage or be sent off to a breeding facility. Perry wanted more…she wanted to see the world and she knew now, more than ever, that she had to see more than just the inside of her own home.


“So how do we find them?” Perry asked, her blue eyes bright in the darkness and her smile was wider than it had been all night. Reese felt his heart fall-he never thought Perry would react this way to the idea of the Legion. He expected her to react like his sisters did-with terror and doubt.

“We don’t. No one knows where they are and besides…it’s too dangerous.” He said and Perry felt herself grow agitated. Why was he being like this all of a sudden? Why would Reese tell her all of this stuff and then when she shows some interest he just pretends like it’s no big deal? This could be it for them…for everyone.

“We have to Reese…I have to find them.” She said and Reese said nothing as he moved from the bed and then laid down on the floor. Her bed was tiny and while they could make it work-it was better if Reese just slept on the floor. Perry sighed at his silence and soon enough she was pulling up her thin covers and crawling beneath them.

“We need to stay alive Perry…” Reese said sleepily, but she was having none of it. Perry crossed her arms in the dark-she needed to find them…she needed to be free.

“This isn’t living Reese…what-what happened to your family happens all the time and if the Wild Ones can stop it…if they can help…” Reese sighed loudly and Perry grew quiet.


They both grew silent and Perry could hear the soft sounds of Reese crying. She knew that she had hit a nerve, but she didn’t understand his hesitance. He had been the one smiling the entire time he had been telling her about the Legion. Perry desperately wanted to find them…she wanted to run out in to the desert as soon as the sun came up and look for the Wild Ones. They had to be out there-somewhere. What were they doing right now? As Perry laid there, she thought of the strong hold that they must have-a tall structure that was guarded by people who would die to protect the rebel leaders and their cause.

The place where they were was filled with everything that Wickenburg didn’t have-trees hanging low with their green leaves, green grass so lush it tickled your feet and lots of people running around, laughing and just being around one another. These images filled Perry’s head as she laid there, but then another vision came to mind and it made her want to cry. Dead bodies everywhere, her family included and Perry knew that if she ran away and was caught that her family would pay for it.

Reese had no family-they had been taken and no one would have any idea that he was gone. Each family had to check in at the end of the week-her father would get on the old telephone in the kitchen, dial a number and one by one they would all have to get on the line and give their name, identification number and then their voices would be put through a recognition system.

It was in that moment that Perry knew there would be no escaping-no one could mock her voice well enough and the Guards would know that there was one person missing from the Jones household. Besides, she was almost twenty and that meant that it would soon be time for her to marry. Perry turned over and as she did so, one of her hands fell to the side of the bed and she felt someone reach out and grab it. Reese-he had stopped crying, now they were both laying there awake, but staying silent because there really wasn’t anything else to say.

As they laid there, Perry could feel Reese running his thumb over the top of her hand and she thought that maybe getting married wouldn’t be too bad…if she could marry Reese. Most marriages were arranged by a council because it was assumed that no one knew one another-they didn’t speak to neighbors so how would they? But perhaps her father could go to the council and explain what happened. Then she and Reese could be together-they hardly knew one another, but he seemed nice and their children would be cute-blonde hair and blue eyes. Perry smiled to herself as she laid there and soon enough she could see that the sun was coming up.

Guards would be making their rounds soon-going to the Frazer house to check everything and to collect Reese’s body. Would they come here? Perry felt the fear enter her heart as she laid there, but soon enough she could feel herself drifting. She thought over everything she had learned tonight-she thought over all of the things she wanted for herself now that she knew she could be more than just a slave to F.E.A.R. She smiled as she fell asleep and with Reese holding her hand, Perry knew that for once in her life someone besides her family cared for her…

That would prove to be a very dangerous and devastating thing.

Notes

Shoulder Persephone leave her family to go and look for the Wild Ones? Or will they come to her first...

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