The Encroacher's Trilogy: Dystopia (COMPLETED)

Chapter 21

"Take another step," he taunted, "feel the bullet in your leg." He notched the safety guard off the gun.

"Why, Brian. What does this achieve?" Mother said with despair. She made to take a step but fortunately remembered the kind words of the bald man and remained where she was.

"Stay out of this!" He turned the gun on her and then back to me. "Return the children, and all will be well."

"They live in fear." I tried to talk some sense into him. Like that would work.

"That's the whole point..."  He smirked.

"What is wrong with you? They don't have a family! They deserve freedom." I was ashamed.

"No one deserves freedom." He said with disgust.

"What will you do if I return them?"

"Don't worry. They will be in good hands." The bald man laughed maliciously and ever so slightly looked towards the room of the sedating guns.

"No!" I sounded cowardly and foolish but the word came out before I could try to stop it.

"Yes, that will do them good. And a little... trauma to make them realise it's safer inside than out."

"You coward." It was the only insult I could come up with through my anger.

He chuckled to himself, "I told you your life would be hell out in the real world... I must admit all thanks go to your precious mother." He turned the gun on her.

"No! You don't need to take her again."

"How brave..." I saw his thumb pull the trigger as mother said, "It's a shame you won't have any scientists to 'care' for the children..."

"What?" The statement surprised him.

"Might want to check the weapons in Wilma's enclosure," I joined in.

"Why you little..." He pulled the trigger and I closed my eyes.

A sorrowful yelp reverberated around my brain and time itself stopped as I took in the limping stature before me.

Aldo.

I scrabbled towards him, no longer caring that I was in the target range of the Bald Man because this dog was my best friend, my sole companion... my soul mate.

He limped towards me with his leg oozing with the sickly blood and lay down before me whimpering. His breaths became ragged by the minute and I stroked the back of his neck softly to soothe him. He began to pant while my mother behind me began to sob. Why didn't the Bald Man take his chance to kill me? I wasn't sure. I think he liked watching me... us... suffer.

"There, there, Aldo." I said gently as if talking to a crying baby, "Not long now." I almost choked out the words.

Aldo gave a pitiful whine and closed his eyes as if he awaited the near future. He began to pant from the pain and his drool lingered on my clothes. For the first time, the stench of his typical dog breath didn't bother me; in fact I was comforted by it. It was the last warmth of his life.

His breaths became shallower and I knew that his time was running out. Very gently, I put my forehead against his and matched my breathing rate with his. They became slower than mine and I had to release him.

"I love you, Aldo." I whispered into his silky ear as he heaved a final staggered breath before falling limp in my arms.
I slid him onto the floor next to Wilma.

Standing shakily, I returned to the conflict between my mother and the Bald Man. I acted out of pure emotion. I took a gun left on the floor and pummelled him.

He was taken aback and stumbled. He held his throbbing left cheek with a merciless glare and (without my attention at the time) clicked his head to the side as if pretending nothing had happened. Instead, I fell into my mother's warm embrace and sobbed, her summer rain tears falling onto my forehead in turn. I wanted to cry the pain away, and let the tears drown us so we could live in peace.

"Why attempt when you can't achieve?" I stammered. Mother stroked my hair with her coarse hands and took me outside. The smell of lavender shifted to lemon and Noah was cradling me.

"Noah..." I stared into his eyes. His beautiful, ivory green eyes.

Before he could answer there was a sudden noise like a car back firing and several loud shouts of what must've been anguish. I suddenly noticed the disappearance of my mother.

"What was that?" I wondered if Noah had any ideas,

"I have no idea... Where's your mother too?"

"I have no idea either."

We mutually gave a look of concern and headed back towards the Lab. The Steel Doors were thrown open and mother ran, followed closely by extremely translucent grey mist.

"Mother?" I ran from Noah to her.

"Don't worry my child, all is well."
She cupped my cheek and limped off to the rest of the children without another word.

"But what about the Lab? The scientists? The prisoners?" I called after her,

She stopped and turned around with a suspiciously happy beam on her dirt and blood marked face.

"All taken care of." She raised her eyebrows and notched her head to say 'don't ask any more questions', and then carried on moving away.

"Noah... what on-" I took Noah's outstretched arm.

"I guess... she's done it?" He chuckled to himself.

"That doesn't make any sense..."

"It doesn't have to. The fact 45 children and your mother will be boarding a ship and sailing to Liverpool also won't make sense. This entire year hasn't made sense. But you know what we'll do?" He kissed the tip of my nose,

"What?" I replied dumbly,

"We'll improvise." He took my cold hand in his squeezed to remind me that I was safe. On our first date he had done this and it informed me that he would protect me and never leave me (intentionally).

As we joined our mismatched group of children and teenagers, he said something so softly that I almost had to stop in my tracks and make him repeat it,

"Why attempt when you can achieve?"