AFTERMATH PART X

AFTERMATH

A miniseries set in the world of the Senses Novels

Part X

All but a handful of us were still too afraid of the guards to join with Eli. I was among the few that walked with him toward the gate. As we walked, he spoke to us, “Some or all of you will be hit by gunfire. Cover your heads with your arms as the shooting starts. I will take care of you as soon as I am able. Do not stop unless you are knocked down and unable to move. This is your only chance to be once again free.”

None of us wanted to hear that we were undoubtedly going to be shot. Still, not one man backed out. Freedom was too great an incentive. Oddly, we didn’t think beyond getting out of the camp. What, exactly, would we be free to do, starve? Those of us that had been outside, even for a short time and distance, knew that there wasn’t much out there.

While these thoughts were running through my mind, we had come within a couple of dozen feet of the only way in and out of the camp. Guards were already starting to form up in front of the gate, all had some type of rifle, and two men were carrying a heavier weapon, a cannon typically mounted in the nose of an aircraft. This one had been secured to a skidded platform that could be staked down. This gun fired 20mm high explosive incendiary rounds. This wasn’t a weapon usually deployed against people; it was something that was meant to destroy a tank or building.

When Eli saw what the guards had set up, he stepped directly in front of the cannon. If anyone were to be shot with it, it would be him. The rest of us spread out to the sides. We all kept walking. The guards had been yelling at us to stop the whole time. Now, the entire camp was watching, we all hoped from a safe distance.

Almost predictably, I was the first one shot. The round entered my left shoulder at an angle and took a piece of bone with it as it exited. I stumbled, but Eli was close enough that he laid a hand on me and I immediately felt better.

Some of my friends didn’t fare as well. While they had their arms over their heads and faces, it did little to stop the bullets from impacting them. The slowing of the bullets was all that Eli was after. His hope was that by protecting our heads, there wouldn’t be any immediately fatal shots. Then the cannon fired.

The large gun wasn’t made to fire a single shot. A stream of 20mm rounds traced along the ground and then they climbed up Eli knocking him back with each strike.

Eli exploded in fire.

And the world went white for all of us.

Interested in learning more about the Senses Novels series? You can start with volume 1, the #1 Best Seller, AURA, exclusively on Amazon.