Chapter 2: We are in Very Big Trouble

I dreamed of my parents the night my life changed forever. My parents were happy with their lot in life, even if their only child was a Blade. 

My father was a police officer and did his best to catch crooks, and my mother was a housewife, but she used to say that was as hard a job as any other. And I was happy. I went to school, had friends, and life was good. Of course, I had to hide my abilities as a Blade, but apart from that, my life was stress free. Until the day the Blade Hunters broke down our door.

I don't know how they found out that I was a Blade, but they did, and that day they were determined to capture me and take me away. And they would have succeeded, if it hadn't been for my parents.

My father wielded his electric cosh (EC), and managed to zap a few of them into unconsciousness before the charge ran out. My mom screamed at me to run out the secret back door in one of the cupboards.

But just then a Blade Hunter carrying an electroblaster (EB) stepped into the house. He blasted my father before stepping forward and aiming it at me. My mother told me to run, before jumping on the Hunter, doing her best to distract him so he didn't see where I was going. 

In real life, after that, I ran out the door, and continued to run. I had heard my mother's dying scream as I ran down the block, but I didn't stop running until I reached the outskirts of the city. 

That was bad enough, but in my dream, I stood still as I watched my mother get thrown on the ground before the Hunter blasted her with his EB. I tried to go to her, knowing that she was dead but denying it, but my legs were frozen. Then the Hunter turned to me and I saw his face. 

I had had no idea that I remembered it so clearly...his face pale, devoid of expression, and the top of his head devoid of hair. His cold blue eyes seemed to bore into me, straight into my soul. He leveled his EB at me and fired. I watched as The sizzling blue bolt of electricity came towards me In slow motion , my mouth open in a silent scream. 

Suddenly, the entire scene disappeared and I jolted awake. Bert was right in front of me, with a fearful expression on his face. "I had to shake you awake, Ron. we need to talk." He said, glancing nervously at the Barn door. 

I groaned "Is it sunrise already?" And I looked at the skylight at the top of the barn near the other end. There was no sunlight. I knew then that the sun hadn't risen yet, and that Bert had awakened me for an entirely different reason. I looked at him quizzically. I realized that for the first time since I had known him, Bert was afraid. It chilled me to the bone. 

He looked at me and said "It's a good thing you're already sitting down, because the news I have for you is rather...shocking." That alarmed me even more. This entire scenario was frightening me to death. I knew immediately that we were in danger, but I waited for Bert to explain, hoping that my suspicions were wrong. Bert ran a nervous hand through his brown hair, and spoke to me. "Frank still hasn't come back. And when I sent Jack out to scout, he sensed a large number of people in our vicinity. And they were hiding." 

My heart skipped a beat. There was only one thing that this could mean: The Blade Hunters had found us. And we were in very big trouble. Noticing my expression, Bert quickly spoke "Ron, please keep it together. You're the only lieutenant that I have left now, with Frank gone. I need you. Please help me wake the others as quietly and quickly as possible. We don't have a lot of time before they attack." I nodded quickly, doing my best to stay calm, despite the fact that my life was in imminent danger. 

We quickly woke everyone, one by one, with the exception of Jack, who was already up. They all woke up complaining about the time before I covered their mouths to make them shut up before explaining the situation we were in. Soon, all the remaining sixteen boys of Bert's Blades were awake and ready. 

They were standing in two separate groups, in the teams that they had been assigned to when they had first joined us (my team and Frank's). Bert had said that dividing us into two teams was supposed to foster a spirit of healthy competition. And it did. My team and Frank's always competed to steal the most loot. I had had fun with the competition. Everyone in front of me were my friends. And most of them would be dead by morning. 

Bert looked at the assembled group grimly, with me at his side. He spoke in a low voice "Come closer. I will have to speak softly so the Hunters don't hear." Everyone gathered closer to Bert, all looking fearful. Bert sighed and said "My dear friends, as you know, the Blade Hunters have found us. We are surrounded, and they are slowly closing in on us. Their plan is to close in until they are right outside the barn, then break down the door and take us down. There is only one option open to us now. We have to go out now, and rush them, and try to break through and escape. Now, you can use your Blade speed. There is no point in hiding your Blade power now.  While it will involve the death or capture of many, I believe that it will let at least a few of us escape." He looked around the room. There was no argument. While everyone knew it was a risky plan, it was the only option left. 

Seeing no opposition, he walked over to the doorway and unlocked the doors, before opening them onto the night. He called me forward. "I and you will lead the way. Agreed?" I swallowed and nodded. "On the count of three," he said in a sot voice. My mind scrambled to save all my memories of this place in the last three seconds that I would be in it. I had spent five years of my life here. I had made friends, and been almost completely happy. And in three seconds it would all be gone forever. 

"One," Bert called out. I would remember waking up in the morning at sunrise, my entire family waking up together, laughing and chatting. "Two," Bert continued. I realized that Bert's Blades had been exactly that: A family, which I had loved, and felt safe in. And most of them were about to die. Even I had a good chance of being killed or captured. I promised myself that I would always remember this place, and would do my best to protect everyone who had lived in it. Then Bert said "Three!" And, bracing myself, I leaped across the doorway, along with Bert, and started to run.