The Delivery
This is a continuation of the Captives of Doubt posted on February 16th.
Miles’ attention turned to the warehouse. The door flew open, and out stepped old Black-eye and his goons.
Black-eye unlocked and opened the gate. “Come on,” he coaxed Miles and Tanya out of the cage.
As soon as he and Tanya stepped out, their hands were forced behind their backs. Miles heard a faint zip sound followed by the pain of a plastic tie digging into his wrists.
“Stop! Leave me alone!” Tanya screamed.
“What are you going to do with us?” Miles demanded.
“Never mind. I’m just making sure you don’t run off on me. Now let’s go.”
Black-eye led the way out of the compound. Miles and Tanya followed, and the two gang members guarded them from the rear. The boy with the German Shepard opened the main gate for them.
Miles’ keen sense of direction told him they were being taken farther from their home. He did his best to remember landmarks so that he could find his way back to his community if he ever got the chance to escape.
An hour of walking brought them to a bridge with a deserted military truck partially blocking the road.
As they crossed, Miles studied the river flowing beneath wondering if this was the same river that the train wreck was near. He couldn’t be sure.
“If only my hands weren’t bound. I could easily leap over the railing and escape,” he thought to himself. But he knew it wasn’t possible. There’s no way he’d never leave Tanya in the hand of those rats.
After another hour of walking, they reached the outskirts of a city. Tall buildings with rows of dark windows made Miles uneasy. He had been told the city was a dangerous place. Warring gangs fought over empty streets and rat-infested building.
They passed a park were children once played, now overgrown with weeds. Miles couldn’t help but wonder what life was like before The Great War. He tried to imagine thousands of families living in peace shopping in stores full of food and new clothing.
As they pushed deeper into the city, no one spoke. Miles glanced at Tanya only once. The fear in her eyes made his heart ache. He blamed himself for getting her into this situation.
Black-eye led them down a wide avenue dotted with abandoned cars. Anything of value had been stripped off, leaving eerie skeletons.
In an instant, a gang of five men jumped out into the street, blocking their way forward. As if by instinct, Miles glanced around for an escape route. But another five men had cut off any retreat the way they had come.
“Who are you, and what are you doing here?” The spokesman demanded. He wore a red leather jacket, and sunglasses, even though the sky was overcast.
“We are here to see Cobra. I’m Wolf, and I have a delivery for him,” Black-eye didn’t seem intimidated even though he was outnumbered.
“Follow me,” The man with the sunglasses brought them into a building that must have been a hotel. In the sprawling lobby three more gang members stood watch, two men and a woman. The woman had short black hair, and tattoos that ran up her neck. Miles studied the woman’s face. He expected to find a hint of warmth or sympathy. Instead, she turned away.
Another gang member entered the hotel lobby from a back room. With the emblem of a hooded snake on his jacket, it wasn’t difficult to figure out he was Cobra.
The gang leader eyed the group of visitors as he approached Black-eye. Then he donned a wide smile, “Wolf, my friend, so good to see you.” The two leaders embraced with numerous pats on the back.
“I have something for you that I think you’ll like,” Black-eye turned to his two young captives.
At the same time, Miles and Tanya were shoved forward so that Cobra could inspect his “delivery.”
The gang leader circled the two prisoners, and then nodded, “We can use them.” Then he turned to Mr. Sunglasses, “Give Wolf his payment.”
Miles watched as Black-eye unzipped the backpack he was given. Black-eye rummaged through its contents, but Miles couldn’t see what was in the backpack. Since the Great War, money was of no value. People only traded items of value and, as Miles just discovered, other people.
The gang leaders shook hands and said good-bye. Seconds later, Black-eye and his minions were gone. Tanya and Miles were now at the mercy of Cobra and his gang.
“Take them to the pit,” said Cobra.
The order sent a wave of fear though Miles. The pit didn’t sound like a place where he wanted to go.
“This way,” Mr. Sunglasses and one of his companions marched the captives down a corridor and out into an alley.
With their hand still bound behind their backs, Miles and Tanya trudged along through a maze of streets that led out of the city. From there, they were taken on another long trek. With no food since breakfast, Miles grew weary. He was also concerned for Tanya.
Sometime in mid afternoon they reached their destination, the pit.
To be continued
Read Psalm 27:1-3 (or better yet, memorize these verses)
God reminds us to look to him always, but especially in times of trouble.