Two Symbols--Part 2

 Here is where I really start to not like the story. I can't exactly say why, I just don't. For those of you who would care I have done what you recommended and changed up the part where Stefania is talking to the bearded dude. If you would be so kind as to tell me if it is better or not...I would greatly appreciate it.

I have to warn you that this second part of the story has not been edited either. I simply haven't had time but I am hoping to put your suggestions to use. Soon!

 

Part 1

Stefania

It was a strange camp the hairy man hauled a struggling Stefania into. The tents were similar to those set up in the city park but instead of a feeling of panic and selfishness the inhabitants seemed calm and kind.

 “My name is Beppo. This is my family. We all believe in God here.” The man gently released her.

Stefania took in the scene silently as smiling people came from the tents and surrounding woods with welcoming words.

They were certainly not a biological family. At least five different nationalities were represented and even though most of the locals were in their late teens to early thirties there were several elderly people and a flock of small children.

“Who are you?” Beppo finally asked, his voice was calming even if he had just a minute before drug her somewhere against her will.

She knit her brows. “Stefania.”

A little boy in pants that were a size too big came and took her hand. “Where is your necklace?”

“My necklace?” The little voice softened her a bit.

                                           

His pudgy little finger pointed to a pale red haired woman standing near by. “Mama has one, see. And all the other big people too.”

She glanced around and sure enough, they all wore matching pendants. Beppo took his off and held it close. A gold bird caught the morning sun and shown brightly in her eyes.

“It is a phoenix. And this place is called Camp of the Phoenix. The rising bird is our symbol.”

Stefania saw a ribbon, held in the uplifted beak. Carved into the thin band of silver was the word “Lovelution”.

“Lovelution?” She pointed to the banner.

“Revolutions accomplish things but they are rarely done with love. We believe that the golden rule should be applied. “Do to others as you would have them do to you”. Basically, show true love.”

“Ah.” Stefania agreed but she wasn’t sure what else to say.

“I know it sounds trite, but it’s the point that counts.”

She knodded, still unsure how to take these people. They seemed kind and they said they believed in God but was it just an act?

 “Come,” he changed the subject, “You look hungry.”

She enjoyed the meat they brought her. Though Stefania did her best to hunt she only had a knife and there wasn’t much she could kill with that.

The brown eyed little boy sat near and peppered her with questions.

“Do you like the meat? I don’t like it very well but Mama told me I had to eat it.”

“Yes it is good. Did your Mama make it?” She balanced the tin plate that had been given her precariously on her knees. Her long mouse brown hair kept getting caught in the wind and whipping into her mouth at annoying moments but the meat was so refreshing she didn’t mind.

“Yes. She is a very good cook. Especially out here where she has to cook over a fire. That’s what my Dad says.”

Stefania smiled at him and took another bite.

“Whoa! That was a big bite! Maybe you should spit it back out and cut it up.” He looked aghast.

Stefania laughed and turned red.

“Castus!” the child’s mother descended on him. “Stop pestering her.”

“It’s alright, I don’t mind him. He reminds me of someone I used to know. Thank you for the food by the way. It is very good.”

“You’re welcome.” Then her brown eyes sparkled, “You know, I don’t think I have actually introduced myself. I am Kat.”

“Nice to meat you.” Stefania put down her empty plate and stood up, “Would you mind telling me who the others are? Beppo didn’t make any  introductions.”

Pointing to a thin blonde man tending a near by fire, “That is my husband, Cleon. And over by the trees with the little dog is Ron. Zeppelin is the lady with black hair just coming out of the tent on the right. I still have yet to remember all her children’s names so you might want to ask her about them.”

“Is she married?” Stefania waved as the woman looked her way.

Kat visibly sagged. “Her husband, Stefania, was executed.”

“Oh.” Stefania felt like a fool for asking.

                                               

                                                            Irena

Irena was surprised when her boss did not mention her lateness. He merely glanced at the white jacket and motioned her to get to work. The large burn on the back of her hands went unnoticed as well.

When she arrived at the dorm late that night she paused outside for a moment. It was a uninviting structure. Gray concrete and matching window were all that looked back at her.

Had Stefania been right? Was the Y.U.S. not what she had thought it was? Her left hand brushed the burn on her right and her mind returned to her debriefing. Why had they asked her about Stefania? What did it matter who her friends were?

She was thoroughly confused but after having argued with her friend she was determined to prove her wrong. There had to be an answer. The GOV’s might be a little unaware of the people’s condition but they were ultimately working for the good of everyone. She opened the heavy steel door and went in.

“There you are Irena! We have been waiting. Come, there is someone in my office to see you.” The voice of the headmistress froze her feet. She looked up slowly, past the brown uniform and the identification patch, up to the shortly cropped hair and unreadable face.

“I said, come!”

Irena obeyed.

They were two men, both in black uniforms. She didn’t have to read their patches to know they were law enforcement.

“Your friend,” The taller one started abruptly. “We waited all day and she has not come.”

Irena remained silent.

“You lied.”

“No sir!”

They looked at each other for a moment, seeming to have a noiseless conference. After a moment the changed the subject.

“We are going to give you your chance to earn your eagle pin. It’s sooner than usual but you seem to be an exceptionally bright young woman. We think you might be a good asset.”

She looked up eagerly.

“It will take several steps. The first one you can do tonight.” One of the men stepped forward and handed her a map of the small city. “Here is a garden being grown illegally. There are two other Y.U.S. members going to fix that in five minutes. Go with them and help.”

Irena took the map. Whoever had grown this garden was probably hungry but nevertheless it was against the law. In the long run they were slowing the GOV’s brilliant sharing system down. Maybe even damaging it permanently.

Without saying anything she turned and walked out of the room.

When she and the other Y.U.S.’s arrived they saw a small, neatly tended garden. The lettuce was just beginning to poke it’s head above ground to great the spring rains and everywhere she could see makers for other things which had yet to germinate.

The others stepped in and Irena followed.

                                                            Stefania

She spent the day at Camp of the Phoenix. Beppo and Cleon took her under their special care.

They too said they lived by gardening and hunting. Sometimes, they admitted, they spied on the GOV’s and would thwart their plans. In the past few days they had rescued a man sentence to death for refusing to do his appointed job, rescued a flock of goats from being killed and had prevented a bomb from going off.

“A bomb?” Stefania raised an eyebrow.

“A bomb. Well hidden in the city park.”

“But why would the GOV’s plant a bomb where it might kill their own people?”

“It’s a nasty world out there little girl.” Beppo smiled with an air of patronization. “Simply put, they plant a bomb; it explodes killing lots of people. The GOV’s blame it on revolutionaries instilling hatred towards any who don’t go with the flow. Suspicion and fear towards anyone who might be hiding a secret is instilled and the GOV’s have a world of power. They can bend the people to do what they want just by throwing the right words at them. It’s an age old trick Stefania. It’s happened more times than we know.”

Stefania started to speak and then hesitated.

“What?” Cleon prodded.

“The Jasper building. Holding thousands of homeless. It suddenly collapsed with most inside. Was that not a natural accident?”

Cleon shared a look with Beppo. His yellow hair fell over his face a bit as he answered, “That was one we couldn’t prevent.”

Stefania clenched her hand so that her knuckles went white and looked away.

“Are you alright?” Beppo leaned closer.

“Yes. I—um, excuse me for a minute.” She got up, shoved her hands into her pockets and did her best to walk naturally towards the woods. The moment she was in their cover she fled.

Green briar caught at her arms and legs but she didn’t notice their thorns. A small stump jumped up from the ground and hit her shin. She lost her footing and fell full length but in a moment she was up and running again. She had to; she couldn’t let the pain of what she had always dreaded and now knew for sure catch her.

The next thing she realized she was lying down full length gasping for breath and choking on tears. The waving branches of a weeping willow gently moved all around her and she could hear the murmurings of a hundred tired people. The sun was setting and she had come full circle; back to Irena’s tree. Exhaustion over took her and the blue eyes closed.

                                                            Irena

When Irena woke the next morning the first thing she remembered was her burnt hands. Wrapping them carefully in a handkerchief she borrowed from her roommate she decided to go on an early morning walk.

The birds, excited about spring, flirted in the air around her and despite the pain in her hands she felt her spirits rising. She had slept better last night than she felt like she ever had. Her stomach was full from the breakfast rations actually served hot at the dorm and when she passed others she could see the respect in their faces for her white jacket. Perhaps life was finally looking up.

Then, for the first time since she had heard it she remembered something the men in black had told her last night.

Stefania had not come home all day.

Irena puckered her brow and walked more quickly. Stefania had run from her tree after an argument and had not returned home. She didn’t know what her friend might have done. Always, when she had seen her upset before, Stefania had seemed very controlled but spoke less. She had not run, she had not moved, she had done nothing extreme.

Irena turned her feet towards her friend’s bridge. The GOV’s were right. Stefania was not there. Irena called and called but no answer came back. She tried to tell herself than Irena was alright but something nagged at her. Perhaps, she had wanted to make up and had gone to wait at Irena’s old tree.

When she parted the willow branches her breath came out in a whoosh of relief.

Stefania jerked her eyes open and was on her feet in a moment, her hand already reaching for her knife blade.

“It’s just me Stef!” Irena backed away hurriedly.

Stefania dropped her hand but was obviously not comfortable. “I thought you moved?”

“I did. But when the GOV’s told me you didn’t come home all day I got worried and came looking.” Suddenly she pulled back. “Stefania, I told them! I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to but she had an electric baton and I was afraid and—and” She looked away embarrassed at her thoughtlessness.

Stefania grabbed her by the shoulders. “You told who what? Tell me, Irena! What’s wrong? What did they do to you?”

Irena couldn’t look her in the eyes.

Stefania shook her harshly. “You have to tell me. What has happened?”

“I-I told them you didn’t work. And I told them where you lived. Now you’re in trouble I know. I am so sorry.” She made eye contact and then looked quickly away again. “But I’m sure if I take you with me and you go tell them you’ll stop-“

Stefania let go of her friend and took a step back. “It doesn’t matter Irena. I don’t care about anything like that any more. I found out last night that the GOV’s killed my family. Yes, you won’t believe it but they purposely made that building fall. They are all over. I can’t escape them anyway, if they don’t kill me one way they’ll kill me another.”

“No they won’t!” Irena covered her ears, “Don’t you hear what you’re saying? You could be punished for that!”

 But Stefania had gone cold. “No one will survive this. No one good that is. Not I, not the Camp of the Pheonix, not even you. They will get everyone sooner or later.”

“What are you saying? You have to survive. They’re not what you think they are you just have to follow their rules and you’ll be fine.”

Stefania crossed her arms and starred up at the green roof.  A shudder passed through her body and Irena saw the familiar symptoms that said her friend had done something rare: changed her mind.

 “Alright, you’re correct. I have to survive.” She looked back towards the curly haired Irena and clenched her jaw.  “Survive to prove that love will always come out on top. Truth and love will always win. But Irena, I will fight for truth, not for what they say. I cannot play their wicked game.I need to go now Irena. Don’t ever come looking for me again, it’s dangerous for both of us.”

“But it’s my fault you are in the trouble; won’t you let me fix it? Can’t you come back with me and I’ll tell them you’re sorry and you’ll become part of the Y.U.S.? If you go now I have painted such a big target on your back that you’ll be seen from miles away!”

Stefania walked to the edge of the natural curtain, then stopped and looked back over her shoulder. “You know Irena; I never thought I looked good in white. A jacket like yours would wash me out but red and white circles on my back? That just might be the prettiest thing I have ever worn. I’ll be stylin’. Just watch, soon you’ll see my face plastered everywhere!” Then with a wave of her hand she was gone.

Question Time!

1. Always this question: more or not?

2.Does this section even make sense? I personally am not sure it does!

3. My original goal was to have Irena be the one who grows and Stefania the one who is always the same. So far, have I done that?

4.Now which character is your favorite? Has it changed? Do you still sympathize with the same one you did at the beginning?

5.Does Stefania getting familiar with the camp people happen too quickly? 

Thanks for the help!

By the way Grace, I don't know if you have noticed or not but I made the story take place in spring. Just like I promised I would a while back! ;)