The others had heard the gunshot, too. It had come from the city, but most thought not from the Base. All had suspected that we weren't coming back. Ben cried when he saw me.

We trained for four days. We used a rock face as a surrogate Base fence, and I was beginning to think our plan might work for us. Chad, a thirteen-year-old boy in our group, fell and sprained an ankle, but other than that we were in top shape. Everyone was a little raw around the edges from the stress, but we were all ready for the challenge.

It was decided that myself, Ben, Kit, Bridget, and two others would be the first ones over the fence. Kit forbade Amanda to go. It was a wise choice. Amanda spooked too easily.

There were groupings of boulders mere meters away from the fence in areas, and we chose one that was both close and large. The four of us from the original group were there, along with Brent, an eighteen-year-old from the same city as we were, and Steven, a tough sixteen-year-old with a black eye. He had gotten into a fight with someone in the group the day we found him. Since then he's been very loyal and dependable. All six of us were pumped and ready to go.

We had used the heavy tape to attach the two pieces of siding together, one on top of the other, flat side against flat side. We used four of the black blankets to cover one side of the shiny metal. We were all dressed in Protector, our faces painted black. The rest of the group waited behind many of the groups of rocks behind us. Seven people waited in the protection of a group of low boulders in front and north of us. All the Protector was being used, and everyone was wearing black, whenever possible. Everyone's faces and hands were also painted black. I had thought that we hadn't grabbed enough of the paint at first, but we hadn't run out.

Those of us in the first group held hands. In a way, we prayed. We prayed to ourselves, to come out of this alive. Kit was watching the Base, and she whispered that she had seen movement in one of the windows in the first building.

We all stared at each other. We were too far into this to back out now. Each of us had held a silent wish for Amanda's joke to come true. We all shared her prayer that there wasn't anyone at this Base in The Other. Now, we knew for sure. We were going to end up in battle. I felt ready for that. I looked into each of my partner's eyes in turn, and saw the same in everyone. There was no sense waiting any longer.

Kit and Brent were the tallest, so they held the siding, one on each side. We had fashioned handles out of the tape, and they were protected behind the thick metal. Kit whispered "go," and we ran. Kit and Brent led the way, using the siding as a shield, Bridget and I followed, and Stephen and Ben brought up the rear. Two tiny single-file lines. We were quiet at first, but then it got very noisy.

Kit and Brent slammed the siding up against the fence, and it made a loud bang, even with the blankets on the outside, against the metal. On cue, everyone in the group started yelling, and firing at the Base from their relative safety. Bridget and I cupped our hands, and Stephen shoved his foot in Bridget's, Ben's in mine. We were only supposed to help them scale the fence, but I knew I nearly threw Ben over it in my haste and panic. They were still heaving themselves over the top when Kit tossed me up the same way, and Brent helped Bridget. The two had already attached the siding to the fence with more tape and metal fastenings, and they waited until Bridget and I gave them room before jumping to the top of the siding themselves.

Shots rang out from the Base as my hands hit the top of the siding. I flinched, and nearly lost my grip. We had taped the top edge well, and it held. I hit the ground hard on the other side of the fence. I felt a sharp pain in my right calf, but I ignored it. This was no place to stop and check it. We had planned to run for the side of the first building, under the row of tiny windows. I started running as fast as I could.

I noticed Bridget to my right, running. Good, I thought, this is good. I tripped and fell over Stephen. He didn't move. I got up again and ran.

I looked up, and saw Bridget panting in a crouch up against the building. Ben found me and grabbed my wrist as if to pull me there. We made it, a split second before Kit nearly ran through the building's wall. Brent ran up just after her. Kit fired her automatic into the air. We heard the yell as the first wave of our group ran to the siding.

I had a second or two to listen. Most of the shots were coming from our side. It sounded like the occupants of the Base were using mostly pistols. Their aim was better, but we were pelting the building with machine gun fire. Luck was on our side.

We were creeping to the doorway of the building, keeping low, underneath sight from the windows. I saw the muzzle of a rifle come out of the broken glass of the window above my head. I just stared at it. I didn't know what to do.

I saw the first of the next wave of us coming over the fence. The pair of them were blown off the top so violently they easily landed two meters on the other side of the fence. I didn't have time to look for further movement. I nearly cried when I saw the next pair of hands hit the top of the siding.

We were slinking to the door in a line. Brent in the lead, followed by Kit, Bridget, me, then Ben. Brent paused only a second at the door, then stepped away from the building, firing in a continuous stream into the door. Two shots rang out from the window behind us, and the fire from Brent's weapon spun in an arc as he fell. He moved still, but no one could check on him. Kit kicked open the destroyed door and ran into the building.

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Copyright © 1995, Monica Israels
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