A Spaceman

Chapter 19--A way out

"You said you wanted to help move bodies." Children these days my god. You want something done right you have to do it yourself.

"He's heavy," Solokov protests, panting.

"And you're dying of malnutrition, while we're stating the obvious," I say, lifting the cadaever the rest of the way onto kitchen prep table. 

"And I'm proud to say I've never carried a dead person until like, two days ago," Sophie says.

"Whine, whine, whine, go on, sit down and have a drink of water, I'll get him ready so you can take the head outside, if you'll feel capable," I say, going to get my knives out.

"This is the third one today," Solokov says.

"Mmmhmm, you said you wanted to get going before IA gets sent down," I say, "Go on, have a rest."

"Is your family gonna escape with us?" Sophie asks, going to get them cups.

"My mother and my-----ah----let's say little brother, are coming, and my sister," he says, accepting the glass of water.

"So, he's not your little brother?" Sophie asks.

"It's a relationship I do not feel comfortable expressing to you even if I had the proper English words," he says, "At least they are supposed to come anyway."

"You think they might not?" I ask, frowning, as I fetch my saw.

"It is this problem I have, believing people will be there for me---no matter what, I think, I assume they will die, or leave me, or stop loving me. and I'm usually right," he says.

"That's as depressing as his philosophy of life," Sophie says, pointing at me for the 'him'.

"It's not my philosophy of life it's just life," I say, "And his is fear based, why? What was the primal abandonment?"

"I am a twin. When I was little, my brother was everything. He is the brave one not me. everyone loves him best and I don't mind because he loves me best. He calls me Russ and he always tells me not to be afraid he is there. Everyone is always happy to see Anatoly, but Anatoly cares most about his Ruslan, and I am happy because I have him at least. Well, then Space Command decides they want me. so I am special all of a sudden, everyone fussing over me, my mum is afraid I'll die she pays me more attention, but Anatoly, he doesn't love me anymore. because I'm someone else now not just his little brother. And that makes me sad, because all I wanted was my brother," he says.

"That is sad. don't your sister and your mom love you though?" Sophie asks.

"Yes, but----I feel like if he quit loving me, then why won't they? And then everything I do, like, i think this is it, this is what will make them stop------oh my god is that how you're getting his head off?" Solokov finally notices me and my saw.

"Yes, how did you think I was going to get through the spinal column, scissors? Oh now you've been in combat haven't you don't----"

Thud. He collapses completely faint. Sophie is a few seconds behind him.

I sigh as I finish severing the head. good help really is hard to find. And these two are actually doing pretty well, they are my second ever set of accomplices, and they're only second most incompetent.

**

"You have to promise not to let him near us," one of them says, rubbing against a tree to get the gag off. 

"Yeah you're in the military aren't you supposed to protect us from people like him?" one of them says, ripping a gag off of his mouth.

"No it's not----Titus you said you wouldn't kill them," I say, stopping him as he draws his gun.