The Sway by Ruby Knight

Eisenhower. I needed to prove my worth, that I was trustworthy. I wouldn’t break.
    â€œJulia. Did you hear me?”
    Crap. “I'm sorry, can you repeat that?”
    â€œWill you walk away from your current allegiance to join our cause?”
    What cause? Who am I joining?
    â€œWhy in the hell would I join you? I don’t even know you.”
    A collective gasp went through the crowd, followed by about two hundred eyeballs giving me the stare down. My heart started to pick up pace. Sweat broke out on my hairline.
    â€œJulia, this is a unique opportunity.”
    Unique opportunity, my ass. The Sway, we have nice facilities, join us, be in our cult. Jab a needle in your thigh. Switch allegiance. Hell no. I started peeling the electrodes off my face and pulling at the wires.
    â€œTake off the straps.” I started fighting against the chair. “Please, I just need a minute. I can’t think!”
    I made the recliner jump back and forth, I must’ve looked slightly insane to half these kids, but I couldn’t breathe. It was like my mind had stopped calculating the exact outcome of scenarios and how I felt actually meant something. It made my lungs tighten and my head swim.
    â€œPlease, just give me a minute. Please,” I said through shaky breaths.
    Apparently, I could resort to begging. Hipster Dude glanced down at a monitor, and a hiss of air released the cuffs around my wrist.
    â€œJulia, we will expect an answer.”
    My bodyguards came back, pulling me up and effectively putting me in a box between their four bodies, with me like a pinball in that space as we walked out. Sweat dripped from my brow. I glanced up and finally spotted Cole. I couldn’t understand the expression on his face. Disappointment? Regret? Fear? Why did I care? I was stronger than this; I could push the emotions back.
    I stumbled over my feet as confusion clouded my brain, which seemed to cut synaptic responses to my legs. The guards put me in a tiny holding room. I hated being on the other end. How many prisoners, captives, had I held just like this? I wasn’t a bad person. Patriotic work was just work. Karma was on the side of justice; she wasn’t sadistic like this. I could probably lie down and have my toes reach one end and my head touch the other. The metal door slammed with a sort of finality to it. I looked around, the gray cement walls sending a chill through my skin.
    â€œWhere is the furniture?” I whispered to myself.
    â€œYou’re a prisoner, or did you forget?”
    I glanced up, finding a speaker integrated into the ceiling.
    Of course . I sat down and crossed my legs, like a kid at circle time, and started to focus on my breathing, centering myself. That’s all I could do right now. Breathe.
    Deep breath in. Was everything in my life defined by Eisenhower?
    Deep breath out. I think I’m meditating wrong.
    Deep breath in. Come on, mind. Slow down.
    I kept breathing and trying to understand the situation I was in. Footsteps echoed beyond my tiny cell. Someone was coming. The door swung open. I slowly raised my eyes to meet Cole’s.
    â€œWhy is this a hard decision for you? We’re saving you! Can’t you just get that?” he said.
    My hand curled into a fist as I imagined the satisfaction the sound of breaking his nose would bring me.
    â€œCan’t I just get that? Really? So you, knowing exactly who I am and how I’ve been trained, think I can just blindly accept this new alternate path for my life? One that doesn’t exist as far as anyone knows. I don’t know, Cole. How easy would it be for you? And what is The Sway, anyways? Who are you people? What the hell do you do? What’s your end game?” I spat.
    My breathing sped up and I clenched and unclenched my hands. Cole sat down across from me, mirroring my position.
    â€œI didn’t mean it like that. I just want this for you.” He ran a hand through messy