Ch.3 of Life of a Hunter

Since we had no clock or sunlight, I could never tell whether or not it was day or night. The only time I knew of was when the school bells rang and when the men with whips, or “Crackers” as Corey called them, would come in the room at nine to give us our meals.
I tried getting Corey to make a plan to escape but he always responded “I’ve tried everything, there’s no possible way”. And what’s worse is the boy keeps on getting creepier and creepier. Like day 3, or at least I thought it was day three, when we had our meal time. He was looking at me like he was observing the way I ate which made me feel extremely uncomfortable so I ended up eating in the corner of room, where the flashlight didn’t light.
Now it was day five and I was positive because I broke into the teacher's desk and found an old calendar which I used to mark the days as it went by. The final school bell had rung a while ago and I was alone in the room, since Corey and I had made an agreement to sleep in shifts. I slept after meal time and when I woke he slept until mealtime. The only time we were both really awake was during meal time.
I tapped my fingers on the desk I was sitting on and Corey stirred. I stopped before he woke. I could never do anything without him waking up he was such a light sleeper. All of a sudden I heard the key in the lock and the creak of the turning doorknob. I leaned back to the wall that was behind me and closed my eyes just enough for them to think I was asleep. The door slowly opened to show three Crackers in the doorway. The shorter one pointed at me and looked at the others in confusion. The other two shook their heads and pointed at Corey. Then they walked into the room silently, surrounding Corey and leaving the door wide open with no guard. I worked out my escape route and got ready to flee but the strongest of the Crackers jumped on Corey, covering his mouth with a cloth. I saw Corey body jolt and I realized that he was scared. My eyes were wide open now, making note of the scene. Trying to figure out how to help him.
The Cracker pulled Corey to his feet and began pushing him toward the door. “Wait” someone screamed. I didn’t think it was human, it sounded like someone with a hoarse voice trying to sing and scrapping their fingernails on a chalkboard at the same time. The Cracker with Corey turned toward the speaker, it was the shortest one. He was pointing right at me and I realized I wasn’t supposed to be witnessing this. The third Cracker came at me, pushing me off the desk and onto the ground. Pulling my hands behind me at the same time. I tried to fight but I was completely drained of energy, I don’t know whether or not I did any damage to the guy at all.
He pushed me toward the Cracker with Corey and I saw the horror in Corey’s eyes. He knew what was coming but stupid little me didn’t.
I was pushed into the dim hallway, the Crackers and Corey behind me. The Cracker that was holding me had a name tag that I had never noticed before. I looked back to see that all the Crackers had name tags. The one that was holding me was named Phillip and the one holding Corey was named Jackson but I couldn’t make out the shrimp’s name tag.
I was pushed down the three flights of stairs and back into the courtyard. The courtyard was deserted except for one teenaged form which sat at the table the farthest from us. It was Isabelle. Her back was turned to me but I knew that she knew I was there. She was looking down at her lap, maybe at a book or something. I never got to find out because instead of pushing me toward her, we were pushed toward the smallest building which was most likely the administrative offices. The big sign that said “Administrative Offices” gave it away.
I was pushed through the French doors into a room with a single desk and beyond that desk a long hallway with many doors. A woman was sitting at the desk, shuffling through some paperwork. Phillip cleared his throat and the woman looked up. When she saw me she pointed to the hallway behind her, “Last door on your right” she grumbled. Phillip nodded and started pushing me down the hallway. I tried to look back to see if Corey was alright but Phillip jerked his hands, pushing my entire body in front of him.
When we reached the end of the hallway Phillip knocked on the door five times. “Come in” came sweet, innocent sounding voice. Boy do I want to kill the person with that voice. It wasn’t hard to remember especially since she was your ex-best friend’s mother. That’s right, I was going to be face to face with Isabelle’s mom, and also leader of the Black Warriors.
She was sitting at a large round table, most likely the school’s teacher conference room. There were three other chairs occupied with little girls with beautiful brown hair . Their eyes were puffy and red, they had been crying. These must be the kids in the room down the hall from me and Corey.
Phillip sat me down across the table from Isabelle’s mom. He kept his hands pressed down on my shoulders and stood behind me, making sure I couldn’t escape. Jackson set Corey right next to me but instead of patrolling him, Jackson left the room. I squirmed under Phillip’s hands but he dug his knuckles right behind my collarbone and I let out a cry. Phillip dug in deeper “Keep quiet” he whispered. I rolled my eyes but kept quiet, maybe Isabelle’s mom could tell me why the heck I was here.
I looked up to see Isabelle’s mom signiling Phillip to let me go. Phillip pushed hardly down on my shoulders but let me go and exited the conference room. I kept my eyes locked on Isabelle’s mom, she was shaking a little. She was scared, but of what? When she saw me staring at her she stopped her shaking and stared to speak to the three little girls. I couldn’t hear but she was saying exactly but I managed to get a “Don’t worry”. Yeah right, those kids should be worried. Some scary people took them from their home and stuffed them on the third floor of a school.
I leaned over to Corey “What’s going on?” I whispered. Corey wouldn’t look at me but he mumbled “They’re going to do something to us. I don’t know what, but I think it’s bad.” A chill ran down my back as I resumed proper posture.
“Let us start” Isabelle’s mom clapped her hands together as if to silence a crowd. All eyes were on her now and that kind of made her nervous but she continued “I bet all of you are wondering why you are here…”
“You bet I do” I interrupted. She gave me a cold look “Our Company, the Black Warriors, plan to use you guys…”
“That isn’t a company and there’s no way you are going to use me for anything” I screamed. Corey hit my shoulder, silencing me. Isabelle’s mother smiled “You are going to be used as hunters”.
I gave Isabelle’s mother an “Are you expecting me to believe this” look. She was crazy. Hunters? What exactly was I supposed to “hunt” and what made her think I’d actually do it. She stood to leave “Thank you for your time” she whispered. Crackers filled the room, one grabbing each one of us. Each of the girls showed no sign of fear, only sadness.
I looked over at Corey and his face was full of rage. Obviously he knew what we were supposed to be “hunting”. When he saw me staring at him he looked down out of embarrassment. I rolled my eyes and Phillip shook me “Stand up” he demanded. I looked over at Isabelle’s mom who was hugging the three little girls. “I was dragged all the way down here so you can say five words to me?!” I screamed at Isabelle’s mom but she refused to look at me. Instead she sat back down in the chair and started going through a manila folder.
“Stand up!” Phillip repeated. I stood up and the Crackers, Phillip and Jackson, started pushing us back to the room on the third floor.
After the sound of footsteps died down behind the door, Corey whispered “You know you should really keep your mouth shut”. I made a face at him but I know he was right. They could have done whatever they wanted to me and they probably wouldn’t care. Especially Isabelle.
Corey laid down on the ground but I couldn’t tell if his eyes were closed, because the way the light shone on him his eyes were nothing but shadows.
I stared at him as he lay there. He was such a weird boy, always thinking before responding like he’s keeping a secret and not much of a food lover. He wasn’t strong as far as I could tell and he walked around in Black Pants and a black long-sleeved shirt so he was sweating all the time. I shook my head and sat on the ground up against the wall.
I wondered if my parents had called the police yet before but this time it was because I didn’t want them to. It was kind of strange about me being a “hunter” and all but it was also sort of exciting and a little scary. I hugged my knees and closed my eyes. What was going to happen to me. Suddenly I felt something warm against my knees.
I looked up to see that Corey had put the only blanket we had on me. He was sitting across from me, staring at me with his expressionless eyes. “You cold” he asked. I felt that was a stupid question. It was extremely hot in here because there was no air-conditioning. The only one who used it was Corey and he just slept on top of it.
I pulled the blanket off my knees and held it out to him. “No, I’m not cold. Just a little tired, maybe” Corey took the blanket and started to fold it up. This was another strange quality about him, he would spend a lot of his awake hours folding and unfolding that blanket because I never used it.
He stared at me again “I can’t sleep. Take my shift”. I looked at him strangely. I would have loved to take his shift, I was exhausted but mealtime would be soon and I could plainly see dark circles under his eyes.
I shook my head “Nah”. Suddenly the flashlight turned off and the room went black. “Dead Battery” Corey whispered. I groaned loudly. Suddenly something was against my lips. I tried backing away but my head was against the wall. What’d the creep put against my face. I lifted my hand and started to feel the object against my lips. It was a hand. The creep actually but his hand over my mouth!
Suddenly he moved his hand, putting only one finger to my lips. The signal to shut up and listen. I listened hard and heard a soft conversation. It was coming from down the hall and it wasn’t the triplets.
The laughter grew louder and closer and I was able to hear what was being said “Oh my gosh Carly, we can’t come up here. Lets just go back down to Mr. Roberts room and get my book I left”. They were school girls! My body stiffened, I reconized the second voice “No way, I want to see what’s up here.” It was Isabelle’s cousin Carly. If it was anyone else then I would have screamed and kicked the door until they found a way to open it. Carly was also a Black Warrior but obviously not a very informed one.
“Carly, come on. I don’t want to get caught! Besides there’s nothing up here except abandoned classrooms.” the other girl pleaded. “Let me just see” Carly’s voice was barely a whisper. All of a sudden I heard the jiggle of a doorknob down the hall. Carly was trying to see if it was unlocked. Soon it would be my room.
We were silent as Carly tried the doors. Then she jiggled the knob to our room. Corey’s finger was still against my lips but I didn’t hit it away. I was afraid she would hear the slapping. When the jiggiling of the door stopped we heard the stomping of a foot. “Stupid relatives always keeping secrets” she screamed.
“Carly they keep a secret from all the Black Warriors except a small handful.” Carly gave out a short laugh “Yeah and I’m sick of it”. Carly stomped her foot again and screamed “I hate being a Black Warrior!”
“Shut up Carly” the other screamed “Let’s go”. I heard the sound of footsteps pounding down the hallway and down the stairs. Corey began to breathe heavily and I noticed I had held my own breath. I let it out in one long groan.
“What was that about?” I asked under Corey’s finger. Corey removed his finger from my face. “They come every once in a while. Curious about what’s up here” I raised my eyebrows but felt stupid because he couldn’t see me..\ “How come we can’t ask for help? I mean they seem to hate the Black Warriors.”
“Because” Corey began “I think they are trying to trick us. Trying to see how witty they are. Those girls come and have a conversation about hating the Black Warriors. I don’t trust them” I never had trusted Carly before, even when Isabelle and I were still friends.
I heard Corey’s footsteps as he walked toward where the flashlight lay. “That was the last set of batteries” he whispered. I brought my head to my hands. My life was horrible right now. Being stuck with this strange boy in a pitch-black room with no flashlight, and on top of that I’d probably be murdered by Isabelle and her mom’s hand.
“Get some sleep” Corey mumbled. “No!” I screamed, lifting my hands from my face “It’s not my shift!” Corey was silent and I couldn’t tell where he was anymore. I shut my eyes, only trying to get them some rest but instead I fell asleep. Lost in my own dream.