by Roman Shepp
“And where are the people who are enforcing the laws? He only has to answer to himself now. If he wants to execute people, then he can execute people and that's the end of it. He doesn't want to live in a democracy.”
Tony's face paled. They were in more danger than he realized. “I can't let anything happen to Saeed or Groot,” he said.
“The only thing we could do is join him then. Maybe if we just say that we're on board we can wait for an opportunity to escape.” Jane said.
“And what things will he have us do in the meantime?” Tony placed his head in his hands. “I'm the one who should be sorry. I was supposed to protect you all. I was the one who took us back to the store. I was the one who has failed.”
“What?! You've done more than any person reasonably could expect. We're in this together, and you don't have to have this all on your shoulders. If anything, I'm to blame. If it wasn't for me, you might have been somewhere other than that store. Maybe you wouldn't have fallen into this trap at all.”
“Maybe there's enough blame to go around,” Tony said, trying to ignore the feeling of guilt that swelled within his heart.
It wasn't so easy to let go, though. He was the only one of the three of them who hadn't been through a trauma. He had no excuse to let his focus slip. He should have seen that it was a trap. He was supposed to be a hero, but he had led them into this mess. The only way out seemed to be betraying their principles, and even then, he doubted it would be enough to save Saeed. The poor man, Tony thought. He had suffered so much in such a short span of time. Was there any hope left for him?
“Did you ever think your life was going to turn out this way?” Jane asked.
“Actually, I did think about it sometimes. I always felt suffocated by the world, as if I was locked into this way of life with no escape. Sometimes I wondered what it would be like if a hard-reset button got pressed and I got another chance. I felt like I finally could be the true me.”
“And now that's it happened?”
“I wish everything was back to normal. I didn't know how bad it would be to be this scared all the time. I keep wondering when everything is going to end for me just like it has for so many others. Maybe that's defeatist, I don't know, but I didn't have the skills to make it through the old world. I don't think I've developed the ones I need to make it through this one.”
“And what skills are they exactly?”
“I don't know, survival I guess, strength, all the things a hero is made of.”
“I don't think it works like that. I think you develop those skills as you go along. You're doing enough as it is. You're doing better than most people. The things I saw as I ran through the city...there were few people like you.”
“What led to you getting there anyway?”
Jane licked her lips before she spoke and ran her fingers through her hair. “I was with Frank. We...we had an argument. He became angry with me and we had a fight. He...he changed. I tried to run but he went crazy and wouldn't let me escape. He chased me through the city until you found us.”
“You two were close then?”
That stabbing pain of jealousy occurred again. Tony flinched and tried ignoring it. He had no right to be jealous, but it was so strange for him to think of Jane and that man. He was plunged back into high school, where romance never made sense to him. The right girls always seemed to go out with the wrong boys. He thought it would make more sense when he got older, but the same people kept making the same mistakes.
“Closer than he and his wife were. I'm a pretty terrible person, Tony. I'm not sure you made the right decision in rescuing me.”
“Don't say that.” Tony was filled with the urge to put his arm around Jane's shoulder, but he resisted at the last moment.
Her self-pitying tone was heartfelt, and yet he was stunned to learn she was the type of woman to have an affair. There were some things that always had seemed right and wrong to Tony, and having an affair was one of the wrong things. He never had been in a long-term relationship, but he imagined if he were married he much rather would talk about the issues than have an affair. Then again, it was all a thought experiment as he had not experienced the ebbs and flows of married life, and he did not want to be quick to condemn Jane.
“We've all made mistakes, and this is just a way for us to have a second chance. We always can make up for our mistakes.”
“I guess so,” Jane said, although she sounded utterly despondent.
Having an affair was bad, but he didn't think it warranted such a bleak reaction. Maybe it was just everything catching up to her. She didn't look as though she had slept at all. In fact, her eyelids were getting heavy and her head was drooping.
“This bunker of yours. How many people know about it?”
“Not many, I don't think. I was considering telling people about it, but then the more people who know about it the more who are going to have to be turned away, and I don't know how anyone is supposed to make that decision. It only will lead to more fighting.”
“I see your point. It seems wrong, though.”
“It does. I'm not sure if there are any decisions that are easy to make, though, not in a world like this.”
“I'm surprised these people don't think the government will have everything in order. You worked for them, they must have some kind of contingency plan?”
“People's first instinct is to panic. Things only are going to snowball from here. The government can't do as much as you think. Especially when the world is like this. People have split apart. We're not one country anymore. We're just groups of people, each of them as hungry to survive as the next. They're willing to do anything they can to be safe, and sometimes that means putting their own survival ahead of others.”
“I used to read a lot of post-apocalyptic fiction and I always wished that if it happened in real life people would be more willing to work together.”
“They would be if they weren't so scared. And think of the world as it is anyway. We're always taught that things are a competition, even within families. When we're in school we're competing against others for grades, then we have to try surpassing others to get accepted to college, not to mention jobs. We must fight for romance, for clothes, the national past time is sports. It's ingrained into our minds. There's no escaping it. We are a nation raised on this idea that you must be better, stronger, and smarter than others to succeed.
“The world is a rat race. When it ends is it really that much of a surprise that people still are stuck in that mode? Things are more desperate than ever. Instead of working together and thinking other people can help us, we're going to see them as the enemy, and that we must get to shelter or food before them. All I know is the government did project different scenarios for this kind of thing and none of them went well.”
“It's difficult to hear that,” Tony said.
All his life he'd wanted to believe that people were inherently good, that there was a Superman in all of them, and if only people embraced that idealistic side of themselves, they could make it through the world. This was a time in which the best of humanity was supposed to be on show. A time where they rose above their nature. The opposite seemed to be happening, however. Society had proven to be the glue that held humanity together. Without it cracks had formed, and darkness seeped had through.
The worst of humanity was on show and it would be a constant fight to be as good as Tony wanted to be. Being a Superman was easy in theory, and on the pages of a comic book where a writer was pulling the strings. However, real life was a far more different task, notwithstanding the fact that Tony didn't have the power of flight or invulnerable skin. He was merely one man, and there only was so much one man could do.
“You should try getting some sleep,” he said.
“I don't know how I'm going to manage that,” Jane replied, but as they sat in silence watching the candle burn, the soft wax melting down the side, Jane slowly started to fall asleep.
Tony looked down upon her a
s her head fell upon his shoulder. He smiled a little as his entire body tensed. It had been a long long time since he had been this close to a woman. Jane was exhausted. She had been through so much. They all had, really. Tony still wasn't sure what to make of her, though. He still was reeling from the revelation that she had embarked upon an affair. It seemed so wrong, and as he looked down on her he wondered how she ever could have wanted to do it.
All he knew of Frank was the monstrous form he had seen. Yet, women always liked a monster, it seemed. Tony never had had it in his heart to become one. Although now he was thinking he might have to if he was going to survive in this world. To escape the clutches of this leader they were going to have to fight, maybe do things that went against their nature. How far was Tony willing to push his principles?
All the best stories he had read were when his heroes had to be tested, but in real life it meant so much more. Tony wanted to be the best possible version of himself, but he also wanted to live. It was easy to think of staying somewhere safe and warm, but was that really the best way to live life in this world? There were so many other people out there who needed help. So many bullies who needed to be fought. There was a void of honor and Tony had a grim feeling he was the one who had to fill it.
The world needed people to stand up for what was right, to keep the true ideals of America alive. The man who had imprisoned them claimed he was a patriot, but from Tony's perspective he only had served to betray the principles set out for the American people. This was a time when they had to prove their strength by their actions, not sit by and cower in fear. There had to be more people like him out there somewhere, more people who were willing to fight for the right to be free.
Saeed was innocent. Tony had to help him. But how?
Just as he was thinking of that the door opened. Jane stirred and seemed a little embarrassed that she had fallen asleep on his shoulder.
“Come with us,” the guard said.
Tony and Jane rose to their feet. There was no use in resisting. The guard was a lean, wiry man with a seemingly permanent scowl. Tony wondered about the stories of these people. Some of them must have lost a lot as well. If he just could talk to them and reason with them...but no. They were too far gone. Although Tony's arguments would be just and reasonable, he did not have the force of personality like their leader. Just as in high school those with the loudest voice and the biggest personalities were often the ones people listened to. The quiet and unsure usually were ignored.
They were taken back out to the main room. Everyone looked as though they were geared up for war, wearing heavy duty clothing, and this time they were armed with guns. The clothes looked as though they had been ransacked from nearby stores. As for the guns, Tony couldn't say. Yet, he wouldn't have been surprised if the leader had a private collection.
The leader was in deep discussion with another group as Tony and Jane were led out. When he noticed them, he turned and marched up to them. Tony looked around, glancing over his shoulder until he saw Groot tied up. The dog was lying with his head against the ground, although he perked up when he saw Tony.
“That dog of yours is a bit of a wild animal,” he said.
Tony was about to correct him and say Groot wasn't his, but he supposed that Groot was now, and he was filled with pride that Groot still knew how to fight back. At least with him sitting there resting his leg would have a chance to heal.
“What do you want with us?” Tony asked.
“You've got a bit of fire. I like that, boy. I think that could be quite useful, if you prove yourself. I wanted to give you another chance. I must remember to give all good Americans a decent shot at it. I'm Arnold Mapother the Fourth. It is my duty to protect the country and all the citizens within its boundaries, but I can't do that alone. My soldiers are loyal, and all are willing to lay down their lives for the sacred cause. I want to give you a chance to prove you can do the same. It is one thing to say you will join us, but quite another to show it. So, I am going to give you a test. If you pass, then you can have a place within our army.”
Arnold acted as though it was only natural for them to want a place in his army. Tony was about to ask Arnold what would happen if they didn't want to be in the army when he remembered what he and Jane had discussed. If they refused Arnold outright, then they would be summarily disposed of. The only chance he and Jane had was to go along with Arnold's plans until an opportunity for escape presented itself. Tony looked back into the depths of the store and hoped Saeed was faring well, or as well as could be expected under the current circumstances. He didn't like the thought of this test, though.
“What does the test entail?” Tony asked.
A small smile pulled at Arnold's lips. A few of his soldiers muttered to each other. Some of them laughed.
“Time will tell,” Arnold said ominously.
Chapter Fourteen
Saeed groaned as a fist was thrust into his stomach. He'd been separated from Jane and Tony. He was in an office with a woman. It was a barren room. Then again, the world seemed barren for Saeed. He followed Tony wherever he went. Otherwise, he simply would have fallen to the floor and given up on himself. There was no continuing without Nadya and Aaminah. With every grunt of pain that left his body he was reminded of their screams. Nadya's were loud and painful. Aaminah barely had had time to scream. The bullet found her and then blood poured out, along with her life. They both had been taken, and now the world was coated in blood and death.
Pain was the only thing that mattered now. He'd seen it in the boys who had worn the cloaks. Those who had killed other innocent people. They had been brutally beaten. Saeed had been ready to attack the man in the alley as well, he only was stopped by Tony. Everyone needed to feel the force of some kind of punishment. Saeed had been left in this world for a reason. Saeed should have been taken with his family, not cursed to endure life without them. Another blow found his head. Saeed's neck snapped down and stars danced before his eyes. The taste of blood was thick and heavy in his mouth. He barely spoke, though. There was nothing to say. If this was the punishment for not being able to protect his family, then he gladly would take as many blows as they deemed necessary.
When he had first seen the girl outside the comic book store he had been reminded of Aaminah and it hurt him to see how a child was being used by these people. More people who needed an enemy to fight, more people for whom Saeed became the target. All his life he had tried being a good citizen and doing his duty. He always had paid his taxes and had taken part in the community. He had tried doing all he could to make the country better and take advantage of the opportunity he had been given, and this is how it ended. His family had been torn from him and he was being subjected to this torture for the crime of having the wrong shade of flesh.
“You'd better start talking to me soon. The only reason you're still alive is because of the information you may have, but if it becomes clear you're not going to be helping us, then we have no real need of you. You'll just be another casualty in this war,” she said, glancing over toward the gun that rested on the surface of an otherwise empty table.
Saeed couldn't help but laugh. It was met with another punch. His bruised face burned in pain and he spat out some blood onto the floor. That only served to anger her more. She elbowed him in the neck and scratched his cheeks with her nails as punishment for making a mess. Saeed howled in pain and convulsed in the chair. His arms had been bound to the armrests. He panted. His breathing was heavy. Sweat trickled down his face and stung his open wounds. The woman standing before him would have been considered pretty by most, with a slender figure, long hair, and a heart-shaped face, yet her expression was cold, and she showed no mercy whatsoever. If there was anything soft or wholesome about her, it had been buried deep inside her.
“Tell me what you know. All you have to do is say one thing of interest to me and the pain will stop. That's all it takes.”
Saeed almost laughed again. That's the one thing they didn't understan
d, that none of them understood. There was nothing that could end the pain. What was physical pain when compared with the agony in his soul? Every moment he was faced with the vision of his wife's blood smeared on the couch and his daughter dying in his arms. It was as though he existed in that moment. That moment was his reality and the rest of it was just a dream. Dreams couldn't hurt him.
This woman could do anything to him. It mattered not. Saeed merely was waiting for death. He was not going to take his own life, but he was not going to try escaping death if it came for him. All the fight inside him had been vanquished when his family had died. It was a miracle he had managed to escape; his flight instinct had spurred him away from that grisly scene. He almost wanted to go back there to make sure his family received the respect they deserved, but he wasn't sure if he could face seeing them again, not when the light he had loved so much had gone from their eyes. The woman punched and beat him again, but he barely felt her blows.
One of the blows clocked him on the side of his head and his vision blurred. As it did a fragment of a memory returned to him, a memory from a long time ago. It was a time after 9/11, when he and his family had been viewed with suspicion everywhere they went. Saeed had been a younger man then, filled with fury that he could be persecuted when he had done nothing wrong. It was one of the few times in his life when he actually had felt scared in his own home. He was more worried for his mother and father, though. Their community was subjected to threats and abuse. They and their friends were afraid to walk the streets at night, even though the disaster had affected them all. The attack had been devastating. Saeed had wanted to grieve with his fellow countrymen for the lives that had been lost, but that opportunity was taken from him. He had wanted to strike back and make them see that what they were doing was wrong. He had wanted to unleash his anger.
They only strike at you out of fear and anger. They have no enemy to attack, so they attack us. They see us as different and they always will. That is just the nature of the world. But if we attack back, then it gives them fuel. It makes them feel as though they were justified. We cannot betray our principles just because they have betrayed theirs. If anything, we should set an example for them about how to be strong when faced with something that challenges us so much.