Released (18 page)

“Yeah man, we don’t know that for sure yet. Maybe they shut it off cause they needed to conserve power. We can’t just give up when we’ve come this far.” Carter just sat there, his head in his hands, shaking. “There is no one here.”

Seeing my brother so defeated brought tears to my eyes. We had come al this way and been through so much and it was al for nothing. I walked over to Carter and sat on the floor across from him.

Taya looked up at me her eyes clearly pleading me to say something, but I couldn’t. Hot tears ran down my face as al the terrors of our journey fel onto me in giant waves.

“We came al this way for nothing. I’m sorry you guys, I’m so sorry. It is al my fault.” Carter sounded so ful of anger at himself it almost scared me.

“It wasn’t al for nothing. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you.” Taya pleaded. She smiled when he looked at her, but he didn’t return it.

“She’s right Carter. We saved her and that definitely counts and you didn’t make us come. We decided as a group we were going to do this, so don’t take it al onto yourself,” I said.

We weren’t getting through to him and I could see his grief building as he continualy shook his head and cursed himself under his breath.

I couldn’t let us fal apart; we needed each other now more than ever or maybe I just needed them. I looked over to Max and he was busily flipping switches and turning knobs, trying to find anything that would be of help to us. I knew he was desperate to find something not wanting to accept that Carter was right.

“What are we going to do?” Taya asked me.

“What’s wrong with you guys? Don’t you get it? There…is…no…one...here!” Carter shouted at us. He quickly stood up and stormed out of the room and slammed the door in his wake sending picture frames crashing to the floor. Taya sat frozen for a moment and then ran after him.

I couldn’t help myself and buried my face in my hands. I cried like a baby, not caring how I looked and holding none of it back. I didn’t want to bury my fears any longer and finaly let myself be weak and vulnerable.

Max was quickly at my side trying to pul my hands away from my face.

“There’s no one here,” I wailed through my sobs.

“You’re wrong Abs, your wrong. Look at me.” I reluctantly let him pul my hands away and looked into his chocolaty brown eyes. “There are people here Abs.” He said as a smal but reassuring smile spread across his lips.

“What? Where? How do you know? We need to tel Carter.” My heart pounded in my chest and I couldn’t believe he didn’t say anything sooner. I looked at him expectantly, wiping the tears from my face.

Max brushed wet strands of hair away from my face and smiled at me again. “We’re here Abby. We’re here.” My body shuddered as I realized the truth in his words. I took a deep breath and squeezed his hand as I brought it to my lips. “I love you Max.”

“I love you too,” He said as he kissed my forehead. Then he stood up and without a hint of hesitation he turned the transmission back on.

I stood up and walked to his side, letting him take me under his arm. I stared at the orange blinking light that showed the transmission was on and watched the monitor that displayed the familiar text of the message we had al prayed would lead us to salvation.

“Do you think people wil come?” I asked him.

“I hope so.”