Here it is at last! Sorry its overdue, i didn't get much free time over the weekend.
Chapter 3
Splat
"Splat?"
I stirred and looked up, bleary eyes. He was finally back. It must have been past midnight, over 3 hours since lights out. As the sleep cleared from my eyes I realised he was bleeding in a lot of places and had one hand hidden behind his back.
"What is it? What happened?"
He gave a weak grin, "Tripped on the way back. Knocked over a guard."
"Are you ok, it’s at least 3 hours since lights out. What did they do to you?" My eyes travelled from the various cuts on his face to the arm held forcefully out of my range of sight."
"Nothing out of the ordinary, just started late. Hit me a little harder than most I guess."
He looked down at me through the row of iron bars that separated our cell. He was a good half a foot taller than me, even when sitting. But he was 2 (Earth) years older (or 1 Odd year). He turned away from me and leant against the back of his cell, no longer looking at me. I could just make out the shape of his head and chest, rising and falling sharply, in the darkness of the mudokon bunks. I could tell there was something wrong with him but I didn’t speak; I knew better than to disturb him. He never got angry, but…
"Splat?"
"Hmm?"
"Do you… I mean… If you were on your own, I mean… Say if I had been shot, well, you know, killed… would you… Do you think you could have gotten along without me?"
"Does it matter? You’re here and we’re ok. Looking after each other like Dad would have liked." I wished I hadn’t said it the moment it was out of my mouth. He had died a decent death, before the glukkons attacked. But it was still painful: it was all so close to the past we’d lost.
"Yeah, but suppose… suppose it hadn’t happened like this." He sighed, "Could you have coped?"
"I… I don’t know, it doesn’t have mattered anyway does it?"
"YES, it DOES, Splat."
I was surprised: he was usually so calm - he hardly ever raised his voice.
"Well, I… I guess so. I mean, it would have been hard on my own. But… But I would get along, if I’d lost both of you." I was forcing back my emotion again. It was like trying to stop a volcano erupting with my bare hands.
"Splat. They’re… The glukkons, they’ve decided to… they’re… Splat, they’re moving me away to a different factory. They’re… Splitting us up."
It was the one thing we’d both been so scared of. But after so many years we'd stopped worrying, but now... That volcano was rushing lava over my head, face and arms. "WHAT?" I couldn’t keep the hysteric tone from my voice.
"SHHH, Splat, they’ll hear us, listen." He reached a skinny arm and bony hand through the bars separating us and grasped my wrist, pulling me back down off my feet onto the floor where I started to sob uncontrollably, "Listen Splat, I promised you when we first ended up in this hell-hole, remember? I promised that I’d get us both out of here. As soon as I escape Splat, I’ll come looking for you, whatever the cost. Splat?"
He wrapped his arm around me. Silently, I swore to do the same. I would never leave him to die here if I escaped.
"WHO’S THAT?" A glaring torch beam washed over my, cutting through the darkness like a blowtorch through butter.
I tried to leap to my feet. Anyone who’s ever tried to leap to his or her feet in a hammock will know roughly what happened in the few seconds between that moment and when my brain finally caught up to my body to find me lying on a heap on the floor of my hut.
I picked myself up and walked to the door, taking in a deep breath of the cool night air. The dreams had started up again recently: the memories of my past that had been dormant for so long.
I slid down the ladder between the door of my hut (built around 2 trees) and the soft earthy ground. It had been 2 (earth) years since I’d had a chance to find him (one Odd year). I’d chosen to rescue the ten mudokons kidnapped from this village and conclude my life here, rather than find him. But I’d been so close and it had haunted me ever since. If that stupid computer had been slightly faster at loading… Dammit, I hate WINDIES!
I found myself walking once more across the village to the stream running past where I sat down, my 4 legs bent around me. The sound of the running water was comforting. I guess it helped pull my mind forward out of the factories and labs where I’d spent so many years. I’d completely forgotten the sound of running water during my time there; it had had been like waking from a nightmare to hear it on my first night of freedom. The feel of gentle wind and cool grass under me after years of faulty air conditioning and ice-cold metal.
And over a year later it still comforted me when I felt lost. I stood up again and gazed up the village to the only hut still lit. A minute later I was standing outside the door. I took a deep breath and stepped through the curtain barring the entrance.
The Thing (or Omnipotent Being as Alf insisted we called it) was still in there. Still as bazaar and indescribable as ever and still standing next to the shut window, staring at me with those deep, black eyes. "You have still not chosen. Tomorrow you leave."
I sighed and sat on the bed. For the last 3 nights I had come up here and tried to decide what I wanted most. The 2 things I wanted more than anything else in the world, the 2 things that could have restored some of my past and the 2 things I couldn’t decide between. I looked up at the Thing.
"You know the 2 things I want."
"You may only have one wish." I sighed again, 3 nights I’d asked and always the same answer. We were leaving tomorrow. "But with you there are 2 things you want more than any other. You want to restore your past but I cannot grant that wish." I sighed again; for a moment I had hoped the answer would come, "But I will grant you one wish. I will restore him for you."
I looked up, suddenly exited. "Paras?" It nodded, "That’s the one I want most?"
It gazed into my eyes for a few seconds and turned away from me and faced the window. "That is the wish I will grant you."
I looked at him curiously for a few seconds. It didn’t say anything else and eventually I got up and left, wondering what it had meant.
Fragments…
I can’t cope anymore. It’s all become too much; the glukkons have taken everything I have except this book. I don’t want it to end like this but I can’t cope. I know I’ve failed everyone that ever mattered to me in doing this but… may Odd have mercy on me…
I can barely move to write this. I’ve fought it for so many months… And now I’ve lost. I don’t have the strength to fight, or to live any more. I’m sorry. If you ever read this, try to understand. I couldn’t continue. My body hurts so much. I can feel it ending now. Please, keep fighting. Do better than I did. I know you have it in you. Don’t forget me. Promise me you won’t give in to anything. I miss you more than I miss life…
Sorry guys, it had to get serious sooner or later. I hope you don't mind this sort of stuff cause this fic isn't all joy and laughter.
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