Anyone but her.
I watch Vern slowly walking to the girl with sky - blue eyes and grey hair. "Are you like him?" Vern was asking the girl with eyes devoid of fear and sorrow.
ANYONE BUT HER.
I gasped sitting up.
"Easy, soldier."
I turned my head to see the girl with sky blue eyes sitting cross legged sitting by my side. I sprang away from her and looked around searching for Vern. Seeing her in reality just after waking up from my nightmare gave me a double hear attack. The girl only blinked and looked around like me to spot the cause of my overreaction.
"Must have been a bad dream," She finally concluded. By her foot the frail looking brunette boy growled and grunted in his sleep, "Too dark, it's so dark," he muttered and wept. I reached out my hand to shake him awake but the girl grabbed my hand, "Let his body rest even if his mind is suffering."
It was a weird way to convince someone to not wake up another person from their slumber even if it was clear that the other person was having a nightmare. "We need to cover the last hundred miles tomorrow," the girl reasoned.
"What about you?" I asked her, "Don't you need some sleep?" "I've insomia," The girl said matter of factly, as if that made sense. Insomia or not the sheer amount of physical labour all of us in this small party had gone through should knock out any person for twelve hours.
"Try laying down," I suggested, "I'll keep watch." She shook her head, "Harper told me to exclude you from the Watch Duty. Go back to sleep." It was then I realised that for the past few days only I in our small group was getting full rest every night. I knew I needed that rest to keep my body from failing to function untill we reached any Suryan Military Camp but the recent nightmare had made me not so egar to go back to sleep. So instead of lying down I stood up and stretched. The girl wasn't happy with it.
"I told you to lie down," she doubled down, "Or Captain Harper is going to have my head!"
I looked at Captain Harper cuddling with the blonde girl, despite how loud the girl was speaking Harper and her girlfriend seemed like deadbodies. It was a terrible thought. Back in FFF cage I'd seen many of my friends just falling asleep and never waking up. I fought the urge to shake the three sleeping people before us awake. Just to make sure they were alive. But I also knew I should not do that. I should not disturb their rest.
So I started walking a bit away from them. "Soldier," the girl warned, "Go back to sleep that's an order." It was true that being a Captain, even if of a foreign country, she was far high in the Military Hiarchy for me to disobey her. "I'll scout the area," I gave her excuses. For some reason an uneasy feeling kept creeping into my chest which made me more and more uneasy. "You don't have to," said the girl, "The drones are on it," she showed me her electronic pad.
She didn't look anxious or afraid. And I should probably listen to her but I just couldn't. Compared to the hellish months I had spent in the FFF camp, my rescue seemed quite anti climatic. As if it hadn't ended yet.
"Can I be excused to relieve myself atleast?" I finally played a card she couldn't refuse. "You're just making up excuses now," she scoffed. She had a frown on her face. Annoyed. But for some reason I just couldn't take her seriously. Everything she did only made her look like a walking talking human - sized doll. "You're welcome to join me to check if I'm lying," I teased. And she stood up. My jaw dropped.
"Let's go," she waved her gun at my face, "Let's find you a place where you can relieve yourself."
It took me quite some strength to close my mouth. After that I uttered, "You aren't serious." "Humor me," she said and started walking before I could say anything.
"W-what about your friends?"
"My drones can keep watch over them."
Thank God we were passing through one of the abandoned metal scrapyards in Duni. Before World War IV, when people were still not so conscious about environment health and such they still used to use deserts, oceans and basically every bit of open land as dumpsters. Duni was a dumpster for all the countries which existed back then around it before the Gupta Empire took reign over this part of the continent. We made our way climbing over some centuries old rusted metal structures till we could see the clear night sky and the pale moon. I had to be extra careful because I knew even smallest of cuts received from rusted metals could end up being the most fatal wound. We found a giant boat half sunk in the sea of sand. It stood out amidst all the things in the dumpster.
"Is that a freaking boat?" I asked in awe.
"Maybe there's a toilet in there," the girl suggested.
I looked at her to see if she was joking. She wasn't. "It's far enough from our camp," she said non chalantly, "Do your business there. And if there's a toilet in there, inform me about it. Maybe others can help themselves here in the morning if that be the case."
I started sliding down the mini dumpster hill we had just climbed. The girl didn't follow anymore.
"What?" I taunted her, " I thought you were gonna check if I'm lying."
"I can check from here," she said, "This spot is high enough to make sure you aren't going to run away and if you do try to run away I can just shoot you from here."
It hurt me more than it should have, "You don't trust me?"
"No," she replied without hesitation.
"Why?" I demanded.
"Stockholm Syndrome,'' she said.
"What the fuck does that even mean?" I asked. But she didn't reply. She only gestured at the boat with the nozzle of her gun. I started walking. Damn are all pretty girls this cold?
It took me some time to make my way through the door that had sand and debris piled up so high that it covered my entire lower half. Inside, the crumbling roof made me bow down in fear that I might hit my head with something. And it was utterly dark. I regretted entering this God awful sorry excuse of a boat. How did I end up here ? I zipped down my pants standing in the middle of the hall room without bothering to find the toilet because I still felt exhausted even though I had just woken up. Also the dark inside of the boat made me feel somewhat claustrophobic. I was egar to go back under the stars as soon as possible.
"Pet!"
Atfirst i thought - ah, I am been hallucinating again.
"Pet?"
I didn't answer. I zipped up my pants with trembling fingers and wiped my hands against a torn piece of fabric lying around.
"I don't remember damaging your eardrums."
I ignored the shadow standing at one corner of the room. I hurriedly made my way to the exit. But something, someone grabbed my shoulder. I squeezed my eyes shut.
I had always been afraid of this. That oneday Vern would just step out of my nightmares and enter my reality and he would drag me back again. All the way through the lifeless desert. Into the sun less dark underground FFF Camp.
Vern didn't look like the way I recalled. He had several cuts and bruises in his face and neck. His once well maintained hair was now chopped. He had stubs of beard here and there on his face.
"Hello, pet," But his eyes were bright and cruel as ever, "Missed me?"
Immediately I fell to my knees. The uneasy feeling I had felt all this time since I had woken up transformed itself into an overwhelming sense of dread and fear. I looked at the floor beneath me and kept my eyes there unable to even lift my head. Vern patted my head softly. His hand travelled to the nape of my neck and from there to my back, "The Freedom Federation Uniform," He whispered, "It suits you."
"H-how?" was the only word I could form but Vern understood. How could he not when he had observed me so closely for months.
"We hacked the drones few days ago. We were tracking you down since then," He answered, "Aren't you happy I came myself to bring you back home?"
I grabbed his legs, "Please, please! I'll do anything for you so please don't-"
"Don't?" He asked, patiently.
For some reason all I could think of was the grey haired girl's face. Captain Kris. Wasn't that her name? "I'll go with you," I said the most awful thing imaginable, "Let the others go."
A part of me missed the cage. Not because I didn't want to return home. But because I didn't want to return home alone. Berry. Joanne. Nil. All my friends who had lived and died in that cage. How could I, the most coward, the most selfish one gets to stay alive to see the sun and stars and the sky when the bravest of us faced the most terrible endings imaginable.
Vern sat infront of me, even in the utter darkness I could feel his face softening with concern and sympathy. It sent a chill down my spine. Vern was a psychopath. It is impossible for him to feel sympathy for anyone. Whenever he had shown me this face had only meant he had something far more cruel planned out of me.
"You KNOW I can't do that," He hushed, "You know I must -" his voice choked as if he was really struggling with grief. Then he took a sharp breath, "Is it because of that girl?"
"What ?"
He smiled sadly, "I have seen how you were watching her when she first came at our Camp." Ofcourse he knew. "Your eyes, pet," Vern commented, "They said so many things without saying anything."
I couldn't dare to speak anything. Something inside me kept screaming there was no lie I could speak of that could convince Vern.
"Was it love at first sight?" He guessed.
"Can I do anything for you?" I prompted, "Please let me do something for you." He sat down. I grabbed his hands, "Please Vern. Not them." He nodded, "Alright, you can do something for me."
He then stood up leaving me sitting on the ground. He turned his back at me and announced, "I have the drones hacked and they are already aimed that your little friends. I have planned to kill them first and then bring you back home."
"But?" I asked him hopefully.
"I can spare the girl," Vern said, "And bring her back home with you."
Ofcourse. There was no way he would just let them leave. "I have noticed you've grown the bad habit of talking with deadbodies. You do need some company," Vern said happily, his face beaming with pride and joy, "See pet, I care for you."
I felt numb. "Pet?" Vern asked fondly, "Should I kill her or bring her back with me?" "Kill her," I said. Atleast she deserved to die under the open sky unlike me. "You do love her don't you?" Vern sounded angry for some reason.
"Kill her Vern," I said, "Kill her and take me back home."
"Don't move."
As if things couldn't get worse. "Ah, the star of the show!" Vern rejoiced, "You can't imagine how pleased I am to meet you one last time before you die little angel."
Even without turning I knew Captain Kris was standing behind me with her gun aimed at us. She sounded pissed as hell. "Fancy meeting you here Vern," she said, "I knew something was off when my map's radar kept glitching."
"You realised too late," Vern lamented, "I have let my pet here," he gestured at me, "Choose whether you live or die. He has chosen your death." He didn't really bother to explain what would have been the cost of her living. And I didn't want to protest.
"It's you who's come to die," Captain Kris said as fearless as ever, "Say your prayers."
She didn't know about the drones being hacked. I turned at her to see her standing by the door, her back open to the roaming drones outside. From the corner of my eyes I saw Vern waving his hand. The people standing behind him moves. There were too many of them. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. And which one of them was the hacker? Where was the device they were using to hack Kris' drones? Kris instead of stepping inside the boat stepped outside baring herself more to the incomig danger.
So I lunged at her. She fired at me. The bullet grazed her shoulder. But I successfully managed pinning her down on the ground and covering her body as much as I could with mine. Fortunately, even in my malnutrated condition I was bigger than her.
The drones started firing bullet. They fell like fire raining from sky.
"The drones hacked!" I screamed. Kris understood.
Behind us Vern screamed, "Fools! The drones are gonna kill my pet! Cease the fire!"
On his command, Kris' drones paused midair. I stood up and grabbed Kris by her shoulder, "RUN!" but she didn't. "You idiot!" I cussed, "You little stupid-"
"Grab my pet and bring him in," Vern ordered, "After that kill that bitch."
Kris fumbled with her electronic pad. "I said your fucking drones are hacked!" I said as atleast five Federation Soldiers lunged at me. One grabbed my shoulder and another grabbed my hair, tearing me away from her. I managed to land my elbow on someone's face but immediately felt a solid fist landing on my stomach. Air left my lungs and strength left my legs. I couldn't fight the militants anymore. They started dragging me back inside the boat.
Suddenly a shower of bullets came from nowhere and my capturers started dropping like flies. Dust flew everywhere. I heard Captain Harper and others shouting from somewhere close. I fell on the ground again. Blindly I searched my surroundings for something, anything. Luck had never been really on my side for most of my life. But it was the first time it took pity on me. I found AK 99 dropped by one of the now dead militants.
I started shooting at the boat's door.
"Kris! You dumbass Run fucking run!"
A hand grabbed the back of my shirt and started dragging me away. It was Kris, "This fucking nutjob," she swore under her breath, "Stop resisting!" "You idiot run I'll distract them!" I said.
As we squabbled, from somewhere the brunette boy came running, "The fuck you two blockheads arguing about here! We need to leave!"
"That's what I'm saying!" Kris screamed.
"But Vern-"
Before I could finish my sentence a defeaning roar tore the sky. I turned to see the sixty drone crashing against the boat at full speed one by one. "See?" Kris pointed at the boat, "They've self destruct mechanism if ever hacked! Like I said you don't need to be the fucking hero! I just needed some time to send them the command to explode themselves!"
"Explode what?"
A blinding light erupted the darkness of the night and knocked us off our feet. The three of us flew a good three meters away before crashing against a heap of rubber tires. The earth shook beneath us.
After several minutes the night quietened again. Kris and the brunette boy slowly stood up groaning and grunting in pain. Kris turned at me, her once peaceful eyes blazing with cold fire, "I have never dealt with such a brainless senseless sore excuse of a human being ever before."
"Whoa whoa," the brunette boy chided, "I've never seen you this angry sweetheart." "I know," Kris took a sharp breath, "Me neither."
After some time Harper and the blonde girl found us. The pair of them always seemed to be together. But as everyone decided to leave I noticed a problem. That I couldn't move my legs at all. It took me sometime to realise I was sitting in a small pool of blood of my own. The others seemed to have not noticed yet. They were still hyped up that they had possibly killed all the members of the biggest terrorist group on earth including their notorious leader.
"The last hundred miles will be a cake walk," the brunette boy grinned, "Let's leave now."
"Guys, I think I might have to stay," I announced before it was too late. Everyone paused to look at me. "It's fine just leave me a gun and some food supplies," I sighed, "Once you guys reach the nearest military camp you can inform any rescue team-"
The brunette dropped on his knees. He hurriedly tried to lift me with all his might growling, "Now way in hel we're leaving you here!" But then he seemed to notice something and stopped trying. "Y-your back," he stuttered. I remembered getting razed down by the bullets of the drones when I had tried to shield Kris from them. Ah, it was a wonder how I had been walking and talking all this time.
"You're dying," Kris cut in straight forward as ever. "Yes," I agreed. But it was somewhat comfortable admitting it just like that, "It's better here than in that wretched camp. Atleast I'm under the open sky." Harper, the brunette boy and the blonde girl looked sad. But not the blue eyed, gray haired girl. She looked as amused and unaffected as she had when she had seen me being tortured by Vern back at the camp. Nothing seemed to phase her. Not even death.
The pool of blood grew and grew and I felt sleepy. Perhaps I would be welcomed by my squad members very soon. Urgently I said, "Just tell my mom it didn't hurt at all." "I'll make sure your mother gets adequately compensated," Kris announced.
I looked at her face to see her frowning a bit. Or maybe it was just my imagination. At this point I couldn't feel not just my legs, but any part of my body at all. It was like I had become a separate existence. A half ghost of some sort. So moving any part of this body became impossible. Including the mouth and tongue.
Oh hell, I'm dying anyways, I told myself and balled up my courage. "Goodbye Captain Kris," were supposed to be my final words, "You were a delight."
I fell like a heavy sack of rice to my side. Faintly I could hear some metallic screaching sound somewhere faraway. Perhaps one of the drones survives the blast. In my ears I could hear my own heartbeat slowing down slowly and surely.
Thud...Thud...
Thud ....
....