To End a War: II.III
A young man, no more than thirteen, left the old Yue oil depot at five o’clock and started walking. He had a bright blonde crew cut and blue eyes that made him stand out against his Eshingtonian peers, with their brown hair and eyes.
The boy had a light stubble on his chin that only just qualified him for marriage earlier that year. Unfortunately for both him and his designated social behaviour officers, has not grown at all. His wife, though, doesn’t mind his lack of facial hair, to be fair however, doesn’t mind when there is a lack of him and actually prefers it. He doesn’t blame her, she’s thirteen and she doesn’t want to be with someone that made her carry a child for nine months at such a young age. He didn’t want to do that to her, but he would rather this than have them both go through pain every four months and eventually get taken away because they didn’t produce a child.
He walked towards his village, Alverton, on the shore and towards the small houses made of bland bricks and dark shadows. Even the beach was bleak and black. It was littered with sharp rocks and dirty seaweed. His parents told him stories of how beautiful it used to look before the war. They said Alverton was home to a great port before the war and how Eshington was a home to great trade and that it was once home to creatures such as pirates and sirens. He remembered how he would ask if they knew any pirates and how his parents always laugh and say that the pirates were all gone and there haven’t any been for years.
He opened the door to his house and walked in quietly to his bedroom, hoping to get changed into his casual attire and perhaps help his wife with household chores. When he walked in, he found her asleep in the bed, holding their child close to her chest.
“Victoria?” He whispered in the dark. Her figure started to move but refused to leave the mattress. The boy sighed and instead went to the kitchen where he heard a sound and then some whispers. “Victoria? Is that you?” He looked around but didn’t see anything. He thought to when his parents told him of things called squirrels and how they would run around and cause a racket. He hoped it was one of those, but animals are never in housing sectors anymore, in fact, some believe that there aren’t anymore.
The boy peered out the small port hole window above the countertop and saw two people, a man and a woman, in black clothing looking at a piece of paper. He jumped up on the bench as pressed his face against the glass and tried to see more of the strangers.
“What are you doing up there, Johnathan?” The boy turned around to see Victoria standing behind him looking confused and annoyed.
“There are people out there! They aren’t wearing proper clothes though. They’ll get lashes for not wearing the proper clothing provided.” He explained
Victoria raised an eyebrow and jumped on the counter, “Move. I want to see!” The girl pushed Johnathan away and looked through the glass. “That’s so weird. Wait, John, move!” She slid away from the window, “I think they saw me! Be quiet!” The two children sat on either side of the port hole as the two strangers approached. One even knocked on the window.
“Charon? What do you see?” The woman’s voice spoke to her partner.
“Sky, just give me a moment,” The two children held in their breaths, “Two children. I think maybe a boy and a girl around 10 to 15.”
“I see those glasses Rose made work well,” The woman sounded impressed.
“Yeah. She added this light perception thing and it allows me to see through walls up to around 10 centimetres in width so that’s cool.”
Victoria and Johnathan looked at each in fear.
“Victoria? What do we do?” Tears started to well in Johnathan’s eyes as he feared the worst.
“I don’t know but be quiet and get the baby! We might have to make a run for it.” She answered with full confidence.
Johnathan looked at Victoria with shock, “But we cannot leave! We aren’t allowed to leave if it isn’t for work!”
Just as Victoria was getting ready to argue, a knock came from their front door. The two slid off the bench and Johnathan walked towards the door as Victoria ran to protect the infant sleeping in the nursery.
Johnathan took a deep breath and opened the oak door. His eyes widened with fear as the two people from before were towering over him.
The man (or Charon and Johnathan picked up) looked down at him, “I’m terribly sorry, but you have to come with us.”
“It is for your safety, of course. We are here to save your lives so if you could cooperate with us, then that would be amazing.” The woman (Sky, perhaps? Johnathan thought that was a strange name. Perhaps it is a shortened version of her name. His parents said that people used to do that) finished off. Their voices sounded similar. Johnathan presumed that they were siblings. Their features also looked almost identical that they could almost be twins.
“I’m sorry but Eshington is very safe and I would like for you to leave before we all get in trouble. And ma’am, I’m afraid that if the guards see you in such a scandalous attire you’ll get in huge trouble.” Johnathan warned. Scylla looked down at her black sleeveless romper-combat suit combo and looked at Johnathan quizzically.
Johnathan tried to close the door on them, but Charon stopped the wood’s movements with his foot, “Don’t try that on us. We’re the two strongest things in existence. Look kid, your leader is a dictator and no matter how it seems like he’s trying to keep you safe despite this war, he’s oppressive and wants control. What kind of sane person make kids have children or forces them to wear the same clothes? Who makes their citizens live in such horrible conditions? We are trying to get you out of here so if you could just let me and my sister Scylla get you, your friend and whoever else is in here to safety, that would be the best option for you.”
“Charon, just got word from Eliza. She, the Quantum Watch and Taylor have arrived at Goodman’s mansion. They want us all out as soon as possible. Let’s get the kids and go.” The woman pushed past Johnathan and marched into the house to retrieve anyone that was inside.
“So, where do you think this weasel is hiding?” Taylor mindlessly walked along an endless hallway, using her two kartanas to slice anyone that stood in her way. This led a disturbing path of blood and bodies that led directly to themselves, but Taylor didn’t care. If someone was going to try to kill her, she had both skill and a group of fine soldiers that have her back.
Eliza sighed, “Not sure, but I snatched a map from Eta’s temple before we left Eoberona and I’m pretty sure that we’re almost at his office, or what once was the office for Eshington’s presidents.”
“Pretty sure?” Giselle laughed in annoyance, “Do you have it with you? I don’t want to get lost in this place.”
“Agreed,” Maeraka tightened her grip on her sword, “This place is riddled with daemons, let us keep our souls together and not lose our sense of being. They will try to tear us down, but you must not let their evils manifest in you.”
Aurora gave her a strange look, “Thank you little miss over dramatic. So, map?” The siren asked.
Eliza pulled out a folded browning parchment from her new black combat suit (of which Satya managed to make seven specialised versions of in two days), “Yeah, yeah, I’m on it. It seems like,” She made a quizzical look and she moved it around in various ways, “Like we are lost, and I don’t know how to read this map!”
“Give it to me,” Maeraka snatched the map and started to analyse it, “Rachel, can you give me some light on the doors nearby?” Rachel lifted her hands and directed beams of light to the door frames on either side of the group and Maeraka pointed out the numbers painted on the top of each door, “See how we are at rooms 15 and 16? Our target is room 21 which is right up at the end of this hallway.”
“Hey!” The girls whipped their heads around and saw a guard at the building’s entry. He pointed a gun at the group, “Surrender now or I’ll call my back-up!”
Taylor chuckled at gestured to the bodies that littered the floor, “What backup?” The guard put his fingers to his ear and very suddenly, more guards came running in from every door and hallways, surrounding the girls.
Eliza unsheathed her staff from its holding place on her back, “Well shit.”
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