Three lotd-1
Page 39
Three managed a smile. “You did good. Real good.”
“Three, I don’t want you to go,” Wren said. Three felt Cass’s arms squeeze him tighter. He nodded, or at least tried, and felt like he did.
“Why didn’t you fight?” Cass let the tears fall then, let herself cry. “I was in there, Three. I was in there, trapped. Watching. Why didn’t you just kill me?”
“I promised to protect you,” he said. She bent over him then, pressed her wet cheek to his forehead. Wren started crying, and tiny hands squeezed Three’s. He let himself be held, savored the feel of her arms around him, the rhythm of her breathing, Wren’s warm hands around his fingers. Cass was back. Back with Wren. And for Wren. They were going to be alright now. It was going to be alright. Three felt the life slipping out of him. It was time.
“I’m gonna have to go now,” he said.
“Three,” Wren said through his tears. “You gotta kiss the lady goodbye. So she remembers you.”
Three smiled to hear his words returned to him. They were going to be alright. Cass bent further, brought her lips gently to his. Whispered to him.
“I will always remember you.”
“Be good, girl.”
Three squeezed Wren’s hand. “Take care of your Mama.”
Wren nodded.
And with that, Three closed his eyes, and did not open them again.
Epilogue
They built a great pyre for him on the grounds of the Governor’s compound. Wren remembered the rituals Three had taught him, and had prepared and wrapped Three’s body just as he had been shown. They waited for dusk before he set the pyre ablaze, hoping it would be a fitting tribute to the man who had never feared the night. They sat together for long hours, Wren in Cass’s lap, watching until the last embers died quietly in the night, having taken into the wind the final traces of the man they had both come to love.
It was some time before the people of Morningside understood what had happened within the Governor’s compound. One of the guards inside had regained consciousness in time to witness the events, though few believed the story no matter how accurately retold. But of all the rumors and stories that swirled, one thing was universally agreed upon: Governor Underdown’s son had come to take his place, and things were going to change for the better.
Ran died of his many wounds, and was buried in a cemetery reserved for those who had given their lives to protect the Governor. He was greatly honored by the citizens of Morningside in his death, for the sacrifice he had made to save Wren.
Of all the changes, Cass was the most difficult for the people of Morningside to accept. She rarely left Wren’s side, serving as his counselor and his most trusted bodyguard. Many found her a terrifying reminder of the day that everything had changed. But she was the mother of Underdown’s son, mother to the one who had set things right, and if the people did not love her, they eventually came to accept her. And, after a time, she became known as the First of the Awakened.
Acknowledgments
As anyone who has ever written, well, probably just about anything, will tell you, though writing is often a solitary adventure, it is never truly done alone. Many people have contributed to this work, but here’s a short list of those to whom I owe the most. My most sincere and heartfelt thanks to:
…Jesus, for your calling, equipping, provision, and enduring faithfulness.
…my wife and children, for your constant love, encouragement, support, and for making my every single day a blessing.
…Jeff McGann, for your patience and for being Reader Number One. If not for you, I would never have finished this novel. I’m looking forward to seeing yours in print.
…David Mooring, for your advice and encouragement, and for being the brother I didn’t have.
…Richard Dansky, for your long-suffering guidance and genuine friendship, and for giving me a place to practice and grow as a writer.
…Christopher Stout, for your patient instruction, the 80s montage-worthy training sequences, and the Gumby t-shirt.
…Ed and Cindy Bagwell, for your unfailing support and generosity, and for letting me remain part of the family even after I quit my lucrative programming job to become a writer.
…Mom and Dad, for your innumerable sacrifices and constant love.
…Marc Gascoigne, Lee Harris, Mike Underwood, Darren Turpin, and all the Robot Overlords for taking a chance on me and helping this work become more than just a really big text file on my laptop.
About the Author
Jay is a narrative designer, author, and screenwriter by trade. He started working in the video game industry in 1998, and has been writing professionally for over a decade. Currently employed as Senior Narrative Designer at Red Storm Entertainment, he’s spent around eight years writing and designing for Tom Clancy’s award-winning Ghost Recon and Rainbow Six franchises.
A contributing author to the book Professional Techniques for Video Game Writing, Jay has lectured at conferences, colleges, and universities, on topics ranging from basic creative writing skills to advanced material specific to the video game industry.
jayposey.com
twitter.com/HiJayPosey
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ANGRY ROBOT
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An Angry Robot original 2013
Copyright © Jay Posey 2013
Jay Posey asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN: 978-0-85766-364-1
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination.
Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
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