Isabel and the Grenade

by Kat Terrell

Isabel pulled the pin on the grenade and slipped it into the library’s book drop. She ran like hell down the curve of the driveway. Please work, please work.

Someone had found a cache of old weapons and brought them to Michael, who’d scratched his head through the short grey bristle he called hair and declared them salvageable.

She dove in front of the large brick sign that announced to the dictator-crushed world this was the Greater Metro Library and landed sprawling across bright pink tulips as the serenity of the spring morning was shattered. Fragments from what was now a hole Josh could drive his Hummer through pattered down around her. A smokey dust cloud followed. Isabel lurched to her feet, staggered to the sidewalk, turned to gape at the damage and tried to look surprised, not elated. It worked!

She steadied her footing and tossed long blond curls from her face. The black Hummer barreled past and did indeed fit into the opening she’d made for it. A pipe of some kind scraped along one side, but Josh, Gerson, Kiko, Michael and Shelby were in. Isabel heard glass shatter as Josh accelerated through the lobby doors on the way to the conference room where there was an oh-so-secret meeting with the The Dictator himself, the Ministers of War and Economy, and the heads of agencies everyone knew existed but didn’t dare mention.

Isabel held her breath. The rattle of the AK 47s sounded distant, like old videos, like toys. The screams, as short as they were, tore into her chest. She fell to her knees, head hanging, fingers grasping the moist soil. Why did it hurt, hearing the monsters die? Gasping, retching, struggling to breath, she felt a large hand grab her shoulder.

She was hauled upright. Forced around. the security guard kept one hand painfully gripping her shoulder. The other held a stunner to her temple.

“At this range it’ll kill you” he said conversationally.

She swallowed hard, feeling if her eyes opened any wider they’d fall out of her head. The guard’s grey eyes darted from her face to the library. He shook her, as if that would help her ragged breathing.

The Hummer should be coming back out. If... There it was - the growl of the powerful engine.

Her knees folded. She slumped straight down as if she’d fainted. The guard swore. A single gun shot and he no longer had a face. Isabel screamed as she was covered with his blood.

“Bel! Bel!” Gerson was half out the side door, one strong, black arm extended. She stumbled, leaped, and hit him hard. Both of them tumbled into the Hummer. Shelby hauled the door closed as Josh gunned the engine.

Grinning faces surrounded her.

The opening salvo of the Spring Revolt was theirs.