The Price of Freedom Ch. 01

Famine, disease, lack of water, no power, the world was dying, and these evil people just rolled on doing whatever they wanted because there was no one strong enough left to stop them.

His head fell into his lap and Alex closed his eyes, feeling despair and emptiness washing over him. Coal Born was in his future next, and at least when he got there, he'd probably be handed a pick to mine with. Maybe he could swing it at somebody and they would gun him down for it, that'd be a good way to escape this horror. Going down swinging.

It was that thought alone that managed to help Alex with falling asleep.

Drip...drip...drip...

Only to be awoken some time later, by hearing the heavy bolts on his door coming undone once again. Only as he snapped up and awake, he knew that this time, it wasn't for food, or another round of paying customers. The door was slowly dragged open, and immediately he spotted the merchant, along with three armed and armored guards. All looking down at him, it was time for his transfer.

Maybe now he should run? Maybe now he should just try and book it through them and maybe, just maybe he'd get away?

A pipe dream, there was no chance he was getting through the three towers of women before him. Each with a shotgun or rifle in their grasp, covered in armor, he didn't have a prayer. So he hung his head low, and stood up slowly, still on wobbly legs, and started towards them.

They didn't even say anything, not a single word was spoken. Almost like maybe they shared some sympathy for a change, as ridiculous as it might seem. But everyone knew how bad Coal Born was, and since that was his destination, maybe their solemn silence was their way of being somewhat respectful towards his circumstance.

Two of the guards flanked him while the third led him along, he felt their hands on his slim shoulders as if they needed to ensure he couldn't get away. Who were they kidding?

And for the first time in weeks, Alex was able to leave the play room. At least he'd get to see outside one more time before being locked in a coal mine for the remainder of his days.

He was led out through the halls, the stony interior of the establishment he was apart of consisted of lots of small play rooms with more cells in them. He could hear grunting girls, moaning boys and creaking beds while they walked. Life here was going to carry on just the same without him, so many young boys just being taken over and over again. If the world ended and stopped all this madness and evil, maybe it would be for the better.

But eventually, they came to the open entrance hall and double doorway, the guard up ahead pushing the heavy wooden doors apart and leading the troupe outside. Alex heard the merchant call out again, "Pleasure doing business with you!" Drawing a grimace from Alex before the doors shut behind him, and he finally got to look up to the sky.

Still grey, like it had been since he could remember, a scorched sky thanks to the chaos of the war, always overcast, the sun was something only people talked about on occasion. How it was still there behind the clouds, but the world had been cursed into what seemed to be an eternal winter because of the squabbles among ourselves. Experiments on people, splicing projects, gene therapy, weapons, etc. All of it culminating in a battle that killed the world.

Well, hadn't killed it yet, but it was dying. And it looked as if Alex wasn't going to see the day the world died.

Even so, among all this darkness, as he stepped outside, the stone on his bare feet, a gentle breeze kicking up in the air, he felt the coolness tickling his skin, raising up little goosebumps. And he closed his eyes, just feeling it, taking in the sensation of the winds kiss on him. It was cold, but so pleasant, he hadn't felt a breeze in a while. So he enjoyed it as best he could.

Before them, was a caravan, horse drawn, multiple carriages which held probably several other slaves who were being transferred with him, at least he wasn't going through this alone. And right in front of him, was his new cage. Temporary as it may be, it was essentially a large crate with a chair inside. Better then what he had five minutes ago, he may as well be driving in style.

With a sobered sigh, he didn't even need any further guidance from his guards. Just keeping his head bowed, he approached the crate and stepped up onto the carriage, climbing inside the space and planting himself down on the chair. It had a cushion on it, a small little pillow sewn into a fabric cover on the wood. It reminded him of his couch back home, such a small comfort that meant so much to him.

Even as the crate door was shut and he heard the chains locking it from the outside. He even had a little window viewing slit, so he could watch the landscapes while they went, like a final nice view before it was gone forever. Alex was feeling very grateful for these little things, so many things going underappreciated by him before his life as a slave.

There were two knocks on the caravan up ahead, and the crack of a whip, sending the horses off. And the trip to his new home had begun.

There were a few curious eyes looking towards the caravan as they went along, some guards, some women peeking out from their homes in the old buildings. But no one bothered to stop it, of course how could they? This was a heavily policed state, run by the Authority of the town, whatever the higher ups said goes, anyone who tried to stop them was put into custody, or simply put down.

It was a messy place, dirt and soil roads, ruined buildings, shattered windows and rickety boards replacing them. A bald hair away from being constituted as just a shanty town itself, but it functioned on the brutality of its people in this district. Which meant it survived on the labor of innocents like himself.

Alex wasn't going to miss this place for sure, but he wasn't counting the minutes until he got to his new home either.

Instead, he just kept looking outside, focusing on anything that he could to keep his mind off of what was coming to him. The caravan trudged on, eventually leaving the old town and stretching into the traveler's road, maybe four or five hours journey to Coal Born district, so Alex had five hours to appreciate the sights and sounds before then.

He leaned his head against the little viewing slit, feeling the soft breeze once again and gazing over the expansive fields. He could see birds flying under the grey clouds, and a few animals far off in the distance. So few were left after so long without sun, and so little green land still survived. Crops were going fast, and the people still alive were living on borrowed time. Everybody knew it, but no one would talk about it.

Trees were coming down, the days were getting colder, surviving another winter in this world seemed like it wasn't going to be possible. And even if some people did, they wouldn't make it much longer than that. Maybe they could last longer if people were willing to really try and work together, but no. That would mean not being a cruel, selfish group of people that had to stick their neck out for others.

Common kindness was gone in this world as far as Alex was concerned, at least he could go to his doom knowing that he never harmed a soul. And he was probably one of the last few decent people left on this planet. So for the first time in a while, he smiled, looking out into the horizon with a soft, comforting smile on his face.

This war broke many people in the world, but it didn't break him.

Hours past and the convoy continued on, getting further and further away from the town and closer to Coal Born, the wheels rolling through gravel and rock, and the bumpy rocking actually succeeding in rocking Alex to sleep at one point, only to abruptly come to a halt as he heard someone call out. "Pit!" Followed by a loud 'CRACK', several horses loudly neighing and the caravan stopping dead in its tracks.

Alex quickly sat up, awake again and tried to lean out his viewing slit to see what was going on. They'd come to a small path right beside a tall hill, and the carriage right at the front of the convoy had plummeted down into a small ravine in the road. Snapping one of the wheels off and halting the progress. Up ahead, some of the guards were already shouting at the one leading the horses on. Insulting him and demanding to know why he didn't spot it sooner. This was going to delay travel until they could lift the carriage out, and replace the wheel.

Not too big of a deal right?

But Alex noticed something then, out of the corner of his eye, while the guards were too busy being distracted and bickering at the front. Several stones tumbled down the hill beside them, catching it in his peripheral vision, he glanced up the hill, just in time to watch a figure duck back down behind it.

He tilted his head curiously, and tried to shift in his seat to get a closer look. And as he squinted out the slit, he noticed that the top of the hill looked to be very unstable. And was crumbling, very quickly crumbling!

By the time the guards finally noticed, it was far too late, there was a light explosion sound and a plume of dirt and rocks flying up in a contained space on top the hill. Followed by a swift rushing of dirt, mud and rocks, sliding down the hill directed at the area where all the guards and drivers were.

There was a panicked shriek as the guards tried to flee and get out of the way, only for the sudden mud slide to crash into the front of the convoy. Slamming into many of the guards and whisking them out from under their feet. The rubble tumbled all down the hill and rammed even further down into the carriages, including Alex's. Knocking his personal crate over onto its side, he had to brace himself as the world was quickly shifted sideways and he crashed down onto the earth with a rough landing. The wooden material of the box cracking sharply all along the outside.

Following that, there was a shout, "AMBUSH!" Coming from the guards of the convoy, Alex could hear gunshots going off, loudly, and close by. The reports originating from both right beside his caravan and up on top of the hill shooting down.

Blasts and bangs from weapons rang out, so loud even from his position that he had to cover his ears. He hadn't heard this much noise before, the sound of a battle ringing out around him, but his viewing slit was now facing the sky, and even if he tried to sit up and take a look, he couldn't get a good glance at anything that was happening.

"THE HILL! ATOP THE HILL!"

"REBELS!"

Voices shouted out amidst cries of pain, more bams and clacks of guns ringing out. Horses panicked, bucking and trying to break free of their bindings. Alex was horrified, what was going on? Who was attacking this convoy? Were they here to just steal everything? Thief's? Or bandits on the road?

He could hear the makeshift metal armor of the guards clanging loudly, along with voices of women and men rushing down to meet the guards up close and personal. There was more clashes of steel, blunt crumples of armor being beaten in, and sounds of struggle.

Alex looked to the crack in his crate, seeing how wide and long it stretched from the energy transfer of the fall. Maybe he could break out of it if he tried hard enough? Get away quietly in the chaos, maybe make his way back to his hide out, or wait it out and steal a horse so he could run? It was a chance?

So he repositioned himself, his back against one wall, he raised his leg up and started kicking at the crate with his bare foot. The wood barely making a groan against his weak attack, he was malnourished and weak, running on fumes and lacked the strength to make much damage. But that wasn't going to stop him from trying.

He kicked the panel as hard as he could, grunting as he did and repeating the effort over and over while the chaos played out all around him. It wasn't until he kicked the crate about two dozen times did he realize the noise died down everywhere else around him. And he froze in place, listening for anything else.

There were still footsteps, sounds of weapons being holstered and some labored breaths. "Alright, round up the supplies and get these crates open."

Oh no, they were opening the crates! Alex quickly envisioned himself being captured by just another band of bad people, ready to eat him up and spit him out. Would they violate him? Were they cannibals? Why did they attack this convoy? And what did the guards mean by rebels? So many questions but too much sheer panic to be able to answer any of them.

He wanted to continue kicking the crate, but now that the fighting had abruptly ceased, he wasn't sure if he wanted to draw more noise to himself. What could he do? It felt like he was back in the hole again, now where to run, no way to defend himself, and he was just waiting for his cell to be cracked open and be at the mercy of whomever awaited him outside.

The footsteps drew closer and closer to his crate, he could hear others being pried open, and finally, the shadow of a person stood right outside his box. His heart hammering in his ears, was this it? Was this how he was going to meet his end? Or was he going to be subjected to torture before hand? Alex didn't know, so he did the only thing he could do.

Defaulting to his little curled up position as far away in the corner as he could manage, bundling up in himself and hoping that whoever it was would just leave him alone. They wouldn't of course, but he had nothing else as a defense. This was it.

He heard something being slammed into the metal chain, followed by a loud crack of wood while a piece of iron was forced into the crack and prying it open. The crate gave out after a few quick stabs and twists of the rod, and before he knew it, the entire top half of the box was being lifted up and pulled away. The wood splintering and flecking off as a hand came through and pushed the wood out of the way.

Bright grey light pouring into his box again, Alex winced and closed his eyes. Preparing for the worst. To hear a gun cock against his head, to feel rough hands yank him out of his cell. Expecting more of the same to be inflicted on him like it always was.

"...hey? Are you okay?" A gentle voice called out.

Alex didn't reply, just remained curled into a ball, waiting for the impact to happen.

"Hello? Sweetie? Can you hear me? I'm not gonna hurt you." The voice spoke again.

"Not gonna hurt me?" Alex questioned in his mind, hen was the last time he'd heard that statement? ...ever? He couldn't think of it, nobody bothered to even pretend they would be kind to him these days. So this was definitely...interesting?

Carefully, one eye began to slowly peek open, glancing up at the source of the voice.

In the light of the grey sky, there was the silhouette of a woman, wearing some makeshift leather like armor. Her hair was a little wild, possibly due to the fight they just had, but he couldn't make out color or most features due to the light making his vision fuzzy and her standing above him like this.

"I'm not gonna hurt you, we're here to help. Here, you can take my hand." She softly offered, lowering her hand down to him, she wore soft brown gloves, and he could see her eyes now. From this close, her eyes looked to be a beautiful golden, orangish yellow, and looking at him with such a softness and concern that he had not known for a very long time.

Alex didn't know how to react, he just stared at her, for a long time, just looking at her and her offered hand. She didn't hit him, demand he move, or just try to kill him. She was offering him help?

He stared at her like she was an alien, unfamiliar with kindness...for nearly a full minute of her just waiting there, until, finally, a very careful, trembling hand reached out, and grasped hers.

*****

A.N. Well? I hope you guys enjoyed :)

As you see, some roughness to kick it off with, but I think you all know where this stories going ;D gonna be some diiiickgirl looviiin. :D

More chapters coming soon, I hope you like the new world! And I'll see you all then!

Next Chapter: A New Home