Read Online Absolute Power (Book 1): Origins by Grayson Queen - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Grayson Queen
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me. No one will. They will all be killed.”
Midnight
The night air was stiff and stale. Somewhere in the distance a fire was raging. Anne Marie could see it, but the smoke hadn't reached the orphanage. She leaned against the windowsill and watched the night. Secretly, they’d managed to remove the bars that were once their cage. With the rope they scavenged, Elizabeth tied it off. The other girls in the room all watched; coconspirators who would cover for Anne Marie if need be.
Anne Marie was twelve, but she had grown up a lot. Especially with her new found power. After that, the next step was inevitable. She couldn't sit still and watch innocent people be hurt. It's not like she thought she could save the country, but she knew she could save a few and maybe they would save a few and so on and so on.
It was a child's dream, but maybe it would take a child to do it.
Anne Marie winced as she thought of herself as a child. She checked that her boots were tied tight. She was dressed in all black with a pack strapped to her back. In the pack were food and a flashlight. As far as weapons, Anne Marie was the weapon.
She tossed the rope out the window. She made it to the ground then proceeded to work her way over the eight foot wall. The alley behind the orphanage was dirty and piled with trash. There was no light, so it was easy to get clear without being seen. Stray animals picked at the rubbish and sized her up for food. Anne Marie paid them no attention.
The village she was headed for was an hour away on foot according to the boy. The LRA would be there in two hours. She knew from experience what they would do.
The thought of boys her age having their hands cut off, or the girls used for sex, spurred her on. She moved at full speed through the streets.
There was a curfew in the city, but that meant nothing to the criminals. It did make it easier for Anne Marie to tell who was friend or foe. At this time of night, everyone was foe.
1:00 AM
Anne Marie came upon the village. It was quiet and dark except for the central fire and a few torches around the walls. She could just make out a couple of men who must have been the local watch. One had an old rifle and the others knives and clubs. They would be no match for the LRA’s machine guns.
Anne Marie circled around to the main road and approached the village casually. When one of the guards spotted her, she waved and said, “Hello.”
The man waited till he got a look at her and then said, “What are you doing here, girl?”
“I've come to warn you that soldiers are coming,” she replied.
He waved his machete at her. “Go away,” he said. “You don't belong out here. Go back to the city.”
“They will come,” Anne Marie pleaded. “They'll have machine guns and they'll burn your village to the ground.”
“If that's so, why isn’t the military here?” The man asked. “Or did they send you to protect us?” He laughed.
“Yes,” Anne Marie answered his joke. It only made him laugh harder. “Before I go, do you mind if I warm up by the fire?”
He made a sound that was a cross between annoyed and dismissive, but he waved her through.
Anne Marie lowered her head and walked into the village and to the central fire. She didn’t expect him to believe her. Still, she was embarrassed by the teasing. Either way, she planned to stay as long as it took, even if he came around to make jokes at her expense.
The fire was warm, and Anne Marie took the time to eat some of the food she’d brought. The men left her alone while she waited, but always kept an eye on her. Villagers were notoriously untrusting of strangers, and they were right to be. If they were smart, they should have kicked her out. For all they knew she was a spy for the LRA, sizing them up. It wasn't an unreasonable idea since most of the soldiers were kids.
She hated seeing drug crazed
Midnight
The night air was stiff and stale. Somewhere in the distance a fire was raging. Anne Marie could see it, but the smoke hadn't reached the orphanage. She leaned against the windowsill and watched the night. Secretly, they’d managed to remove the bars that were once their cage. With the rope they scavenged, Elizabeth tied it off. The other girls in the room all watched; coconspirators who would cover for Anne Marie if need be.
Anne Marie was twelve, but she had grown up a lot. Especially with her new found power. After that, the next step was inevitable. She couldn't sit still and watch innocent people be hurt. It's not like she thought she could save the country, but she knew she could save a few and maybe they would save a few and so on and so on.
It was a child's dream, but maybe it would take a child to do it.
Anne Marie winced as she thought of herself as a child. She checked that her boots were tied tight. She was dressed in all black with a pack strapped to her back. In the pack were food and a flashlight. As far as weapons, Anne Marie was the weapon.
She tossed the rope out the window. She made it to the ground then proceeded to work her way over the eight foot wall. The alley behind the orphanage was dirty and piled with trash. There was no light, so it was easy to get clear without being seen. Stray animals picked at the rubbish and sized her up for food. Anne Marie paid them no attention.
The village she was headed for was an hour away on foot according to the boy. The LRA would be there in two hours. She knew from experience what they would do.
The thought of boys her age having their hands cut off, or the girls used for sex, spurred her on. She moved at full speed through the streets.
There was a curfew in the city, but that meant nothing to the criminals. It did make it easier for Anne Marie to tell who was friend or foe. At this time of night, everyone was foe.
1:00 AM
Anne Marie came upon the village. It was quiet and dark except for the central fire and a few torches around the walls. She could just make out a couple of men who must have been the local watch. One had an old rifle and the others knives and clubs. They would be no match for the LRA’s machine guns.
Anne Marie circled around to the main road and approached the village casually. When one of the guards spotted her, she waved and said, “Hello.”
The man waited till he got a look at her and then said, “What are you doing here, girl?”
“I've come to warn you that soldiers are coming,” she replied.
He waved his machete at her. “Go away,” he said. “You don't belong out here. Go back to the city.”
“They will come,” Anne Marie pleaded. “They'll have machine guns and they'll burn your village to the ground.”
“If that's so, why isn’t the military here?” The man asked. “Or did they send you to protect us?” He laughed.
“Yes,” Anne Marie answered his joke. It only made him laugh harder. “Before I go, do you mind if I warm up by the fire?”
He made a sound that was a cross between annoyed and dismissive, but he waved her through.
Anne Marie lowered her head and walked into the village and to the central fire. She didn’t expect him to believe her. Still, she was embarrassed by the teasing. Either way, she planned to stay as long as it took, even if he came around to make jokes at her expense.
The fire was warm, and Anne Marie took the time to eat some of the food she’d brought. The men left her alone while she waited, but always kept an eye on her. Villagers were notoriously untrusting of strangers, and they were right to be. If they were smart, they should have kicked her out. For all they knew she was a spy for the LRA, sizing them up. It wasn't an unreasonable idea since most of the soldiers were kids.
She hated seeing drug crazed
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