Free Pahnyakin Rising by Elisha Forrester

usually forbade the teen to go without shaving.  It was not possible for the 17-year-old to produce full facial hair in a matter of hours, to have tired eyes and crinkles around his full lips.  And for Easton to-obviously-be in such a crisis that one of her classmates was hailed as a leader was incomprehensible. 
    Tim’s words repeated in Dresden’s mind.  “You don’t get to act like you don’t know who she is.  You killed my wife.”
    Dresden would never hurt anyone, and she didn’t even know a woman named Lynette.    
    ‘What happened when that Gaia exploded?’ she wondered. 
    “Dodge,” she shouted.  “Help me.”
    She stood with her bodice pressed against the bars of the cell and continued to scream.
    “Dodge, please help me.  Please.  If you can hear me, please help me.  I don’t know why I’m here.  Can anyone hear me?  I don’t know why I’m here.  Help me, please.”
    Her throat was rubbed raw with every plea she cast. 
     
     
     
    -9-
     
     
     
     
         Minni was tall-at least six feet-and carried extra weight at her hips and on her jiggly thighs.  Her breasts were small lumps under a thin teal sweater that brought out the color of her hazel eyes.  Her hair was curled and hung loosely past her shoulders.  She carried a pile of clothes that were neatly folded in squares with a pair of black combat boots resting on the top of the stack.
    “They’re saying you don’t remember anything, but nobody really believes it,” accusingly said the woman.  Her appearance suggested she was in her mid-twenties, but Dresden would have never guessed that judging solely on her high-set voice.  The teen wondered if that was the woman’s real name.  “But if it’s true, there’s one thing you need to remember: Lyle and Brent are going to be in this room the entire time.  And if you do anything stupid, they have this room guarded with at least ten people.  I know you could kill the three of us in just a minute, but you won’t get out of here alive if you do.”
    “What?” Dresden asked with a laugh.  It was far from the perfect time to find anything about the situation humorous, but she could not hide her amusement.  “That’s a joke, right?”
    “Don’t try anything,” Minni warned.  Her voice was shaky.  It was clear that this was her only chance to ever speak these words.  “I don’t want them to have to explain anything to my son.”
    The woman looked fearful as she neared the cell door.  Dresden noticed the woman’s hands were shaking. 
    “I’ve never hurt anyone,” she told Minni.  “And I won’t hurt you.  I don’t even think I could; you’re so much bigger than I am.  Look, I just want to go home.  Can you help me get out of here so I can go home?”
    Minni nodded back to Lyle.  “You can open it.”
    Lyle approached the cell and fumbled with a set of keys he pulled from the pocket of his cargo khakis.  He inserted a long, thick key in the key slot and twisted until the door popped open with a thud.  Minni cautiously entered the cell and walked to the left of Dresden.  She jumped when the door clanked closed behind her.
    “I won’t hurt you,” Dresden repeated.  “I don’t know why you’re doing this to me.”
    “Everyone thinks you’re here to kill us all.  It’s the only theory that makes sense.  It’d be the perfect way for them to win.  Are you here to kill us?”
    “Kill you?  Why does everyone keep saying that?  I’ve never killed anyone in my life.  I need to talk to Dodge.  Can you get him for me?”
    Minni shook her head.  Her chubby cheeks were pale and Dresden could see the fear in her eyes.  “I can’t do that.  I’m only here to get your ready for the Trial.”
    “What trial?  I didn’t do anything wrong.  What am I on trial for?  Do I get a lawyer?”
    Minni shot Dresden a look of confusion.  “A lawyer?  You don’t remember the Trial?”
    “That’s what I’m telling you.  I don’t know