Felix, Kacy and Anna stood by their church with the wooden sign that said Jared's Witnesses. Steve and Lloyd wore white t-shirts that said in black ink make peace not war.
They boarded onto the bus and Felix sat next to a woman. Her blonde hair was in a ponytail.
Felix said, "What's your name?"
"Claire. My brother couldn't come on this trip because he has to look after the sheep on our farm."
"How many sheep do you've on your farm?"
"We can only afford to take care of fifty sheep. If we've too many sheep on the farm, we've to butchered them and sell their meat. I don't want to lose my brother in war, I lost my father he died from inhaling the fumes from shredder gas."
"I missed my father, too. He died because his blood pressure was too high from not taking enough insulin.
Felix and Claire continued conversing for hours. They found out they both had common interests such as writing, and hiking.
The bus arrived into Gem City and the driver parked in an empty lot. They exited the bus.
Lloyd said, "Everyone followed me we're a joining the group of protestors and marching down the city's streets."
They joined the group of protest on York Street. In Felix's hand was a sign that said, no war with Technate and in his right hand was Claire's soft hand. Even though, Felix had just met Claire he'd strong feelings for her. He'd imagined a life of living with her and helping taking care of the sheep at their farm. Five thousand protestors followed behind Lloyd; shouting phrases such as Save our children from going to war, War cripples our economy.
For twenty minutes, they marched until they encountered five hundred police officers in the middle of street, blocking their way. The officers were dressed in all black, full-face helmets, bullet proof vests and carried their assault rifles. Behind them were military trucks and police cruisers.
Llyod yelled in the megaphone, "Move! We're peaceful protestors."
The police officer didn't move an inch.
Claire let go of Felix's hand as she walked. Felix yelled, "Claire! Where you going?"
"We need to get past the police officers. We can't let them stop us." Claire's blue eyes were wide.
Felix bit his lip. "Claire, I don't think it's safe, they armed with guns! I think we should turn around."
Claire said with defiance. "It's going to be fine. They won't harm us."
She ran to the front of the crowd and joined Lloyd. Lloyd stuck the megaphone into his duffel bag, approached the officer and yelled, "Move!" He pushed the officer's shoulders and the officer felled on the road. Claire ran forward and the officer grabbed her right arm.
"Let go of me!" She kicked the officer's testicles. The officer grimaced and let go of her.
The officer aimed his gun at Lloyd's head and pulled the trigger.
Bang. Lloyd dropped to the pavement; blood poured out of his forehead. Claire screamed. A police officer shot Claire in the head with his hand gun. She dropped to the ground and her eyes became hazy. Her blue dress plain dress was covered in blood and she'd a blank expression on her face. Two police officers ran and grabbed the man's arms and threw him against the pavement. His nose bled; the officers placed handcuffs on his wrists. A protestor threw a canister of tear gas on the road.
Grey smoke rose from the cannister. Felix stood like a statute; he didn't know what to do. Kacy grabbed Felix by the sleeve of his coat.
Kacy yelled, "Felix, we've to run back to the bus!"
Felix blinked looking sheepishly at his mother and sister.
"What about Claire? We should go back-"
"We can't help her! She's dead. We've to go!" She squeezed his arm and spun him around. They ran amongst the crowd of people. A frenzy; the crowd of protestors was like a herd of buffalo running away from a pride of lions. If a police officer caught him, he would be tackled to the ground and arrested. The officer would kill him, if he'd tried to fight back. His eyes were bloodshot from the smoke of the tear gas.
It was a supposed to be a peaceful protest instead it's a shit show.
The officers dragged the bloody and bruised protestors across the pavement to their vans to hold them into custody. Protestors were scared out of their wits ends, they were screaming and crying.
They ran until they've reached the bus. Quickly, they'd boarded onto the bus and the bus drove off.
Felix sat next to his Anna on the bus. While Kacy sat alone.
Felix said, "Where's Steve?"
Anna shook her head. "He was arrested."
Felix gasped. "What?"
Anna sobbed. "Steve was tackled to the ground and the police took him away to their police van."
Receiving the news felt like a punch was thrown at Felix's gut.