Lisa picks up Hope again, who has calmed down from her earlier crying and looks about ready for a sleep.
What I wouldn’t do for a sleep right now. I think I could drop into a coma for months and it still wouldn’t be enough to fight away this exhaustion.
“So what are the chances that we’ll run into a McDonalds down here? I’m starving,” Hannah whispers and my stomach growls in agreement.
This is going to be a long walk.
Chapter 5
Marduke
Hannah’s voice carries down to us—and Mattie’s—as they talk. Initially, I’m sort of embarrassed by their blatant discussion of how “hot” I am, including a comment about my ass. Then I feel pleased about Hannah’s assessment of Mattie’s lack of dating history. I know humans are a lot more open about dating in their culture. Mattie is my first everything, and I like that it feels a little bit like she was waiting for the right person and decided that person is me.
Once they begin speaking of their parents, though, my heart squeezes painfully in my chest. Mattie’s inner strength is so strong I sometimes forget she’s gone through so much already.
When I hear them crying, it feels painful to not go to her and offer her comfort. However, this is something she needs to get out, and I know her sister and her need this time alone together.
I shift Logan’s sleeping form in my arms, feeling right having him back with us. As much as I feel protective over Mattie, I have the same protective instincts for him, too. I feel responsible for him, and even though I told Mattie back on Roth that we might have to leave him behind, I know now that it would have been a mistake.
“What part of… this tunnel will be filling up with… water at any moment did they not understand?” Ival growls from next to me.
I know his voice carries back to the girls and interrupts their moment. I punch him in the arm, glaring at him, and stand my ground when he turns his annoyance back to me. I didn’t really hit him hard enough to cause him any pain. However, it’s difficult to put any strength behind it when Logan is asleep in my arms.
“We shouldn’t have brought them… with us. They are already slowing us down.”
“Leave them alone. They have all gone through a lot in the past few months. Give them some time to grieve.”
“How about they grieve after… we are sure we won’t drown?”
“Give them some leeway here, Ival,” I beg.
“Humans are too emotional. We aren’t like them, Marduke. Whatever… you’re feeling for the human, it’s not normal.”
“Just because we’ve been taught not to feel love our whole lives, doesn’t mean we’re not capable of it.”
“So you’re an expert on this now, are you?”
“I’ll admit that I’m still learning some things, but it’s mostly just instinct. I sense when to leave things alone, when to let things go, and when to push. Mattie is incredibly strong, and I’m proud of her, but sometimes, I think she’s too strong. She needs to learn to put herself first sometimes.”
“Her bravery might come out from her inability… to separate her emotions, but it is a quality that I… can almost admire. She is willing to sacrifice. Sometimes, I believe… it is more than you are willing to do,” he sneers at me.
“I love her, and I will do anything for her, even if that means leaving Oden behind.”
“That, to me, just sounds like a coward speaking.”
I grind my jaw, refusing to get into a fight with him.
“So what do you plan to do once we make it to the tunnels under our home in Jyin?”
“We need to find our guards and figure… out where our defences are at. The hinemas are obviously fighting, but what about… our soldiers? What situation are our people in? Why can’t… we bypass their systems and get our spaceships in the air?” He takes a sharp breath. “I tried to use a tamdet portal earlier, but they have managed to disable that as well.”
“What about what he said about our mother? Do you really think she is dead?”
“I don’t see why he would lie.” He shrugs, not displaying any grief or concern, only a wince when it jars his ribs.
“And our father?”
“Getting Father out will be a priority, but if it… endangers getting the upper hand in the war, then he… would not want us to risk it. We all know, as… leader, you take an oath to protect our people and put… them first. He will do what he has to do with… Jeprow, and we will do the same.”
“As the oldest child, you will become leader if he is dead. You might already be our leader.”
“I’m aware of that. I realise how… important my role is and how much weight is… on my shoulders for me to survive this. There is no way that you can be… expected to take over if I were to also die. Oden would be in shambles, and no doubt, it would be… the most embarrassing chapter in our family’s history.”
“Thanks for the confidence, brother.” I roll my eyes at him without really feeling the sting from his words.
“Your actions have already proved me correct. If… this war was not happening right now, you would not be on Oden because you would have… already left with your human. That is a cowards action right there. You’re a disgrace.”
“But we are at war, and I am here on Oden—next to you—and willing to fight. So lay off me,” I snap.
“You’re here because Jeprow forced the issue. If… you had been given the option to flee and not come here, you would have chosen that.”
“I would have chosen whatever was best for Mattie and my child. Furthermore, she would have chosen to come here because Logan and her sister are here. She wouldn’t have allowed them to be left behind.”
“Then she has more character and loyalty for… her own family than you have for yours.”
“You know, when I mentioned that our father might be dead, you didn’t even blink. You are the closest to him. Does it not concern you that he might be dead?”
“I would like for him to be alive because he… still has much to teach me about becoming a leader.”
“But he’s our Father. Shouldn’t his children care about whether he is alive or dead? Not because of a job, but because he’s our blood?”
“We honour our father by remembering the work he has… done for Oden and the sacrifices he has made.”
“Do you know this little guy,” I lift Logan up in my arms, his eyes still closed as he sleeps soundly in my arms, completely trusting me to keep him safe, “lost his father during the invasion. He had already lost his mother, and he is an only child. Mattie helped save his life, and we both took responsibility of protecting him. He depends on us like we’re his parents, and already, I love him. I would die for this boy. I would kill for him. I know that, if anything were to happen to him, I’d never fully recover. I also know that he would be devastated if anything happened to me or Mattie. He trusts me and loves me, and right now, I’m holding him in my arms, giving him support and comfort while he sleeps. That is how most humans view their parents at this age. They have freedom to be a kid. They have the unconditional love of their parents, and a trust that hasn’t been stolen or broken. Did you ever feel that way with our father? Did you even know the man when you were five-years-old?”
“You say all of that as if it is a good thing.”
“I’ve never felt so much before, Ival. I’ve gone through life like I’ve been asleep, just following orders and training. I didn’t know there was more to life, but then I saw Mattie. She woke me up inside. She made me feel things, and suddenly, everything was better.”
“Better for whom? Not your family, not… your home, and definitely not for that human back there you claim to love. You have… put a target on her head for life. And if that child gets the… chance to be born, it will be forever an outcast, an abomination. If… you want to start feeling things, then start feeling the guilt and responsibility your actions have… brought upon you and us.”
I shake my head at him, knowing I’m not ever going to get him t
o see things my way, knowing the longer I stay and try to get through to him, the more he will twist things around until I don’t know anything.
“Hurry up!” Ival screams back at the girls, his voice loudly echoing off the walls, jolting Logan awake.
He shakes when he sees Ival, therefore I quickly pull back, giving him some space from him. I think I could use the space, too.
***
There is no way to tell time in these tunnels. I would estimate we have been walking for at least ten hours. I’m starving, I’m thirsty, and I’m exhausted. Even Ival appears to be suffering, and his limp is more pronounced now, his arm glued to his side. He was speaking easier before, given our slower pace, but even now, it doesn’t matter. He can’t catch his breath enough to speak, which is a good thing. Everything he says isn’t helping us; it only adds fear, resentment, and anger to any discussion.
Logan and Hope have three various states of mind, which are whining, distressed, or sleeping. Neither of them has the energy to walk, subsequently we take turns carrying them, except Ival. Seeing Logan suffering is driving me mental. I feel useless and like a failure watching him ask for food and water. We didn’t have any time to get supplies before we came here, and now we are suffering because of it.
Mattie hasn’t complained, but I know she’s suffering, too. She often winces when she thinks no one is looking, and she refuses to say no to Logan when he wants her to hold him. I know his added weight is too much for her. I don’t comment about this, though, because the one time I did, she snapped at me that she could handle it.
Now we are all tired, and there doesn’t appear to be an end in sight. We’re walking at a slow pace, and twice, Hannah has nearly fallen asleep standing. It’s during the third time this happens that I insist we all sit down and rest for a short while. Even with the looming threat of drowning in here, no one appears currently too concerned in the face of their exhaustion. I think, right now, we would welcome the water to drink.
Ival grunts and grumbles, but he does sit down, leaning against the wall then wincing as he jolts his side. Whatever has been done to him, he hasn’t had time to fully heal from it. Our bodies heal a lot faster than humans, but it doesn’t help when we’re sleep deprived, starving, and dehydrated.
Mattie has been holding Logan, and she keeps him in her arms. The tunnels are cold, but with our constant moving, we’ve been able to keep the chill away. As soon as we sit down, however, I feel it creeping up.
Once she’s settled, I sit down next to her, moving in close enough that her head rests against my chest and I wrap my arm around her and Logan. I kiss the top of her head as she instantly falls asleep.
I close my eyes, too, feeling myself drifting off to a much needed sleep when someone taps me on my arm.
I reluctantly open my eyes, seeing Hannah crouching down beside me.
“What’s wrong?” I ask her, glancing around us to find Ival passed out farther down, and in the opposite direction, Lisa is holding Hope, both already asleep.
“I want to talk to you about Mattie,” she whispers in reply.
“Now?”
“This is the first time Mattie’s been asleep. Now is as good as any, I think.”
“Okay, what do you want to know?”
“Mattie likes you, a lot. I can see it, and I know you probably can tell, too. She’s never liked a guy before, and I don’t want you to mess her up. So I need to know your intentions.”
“My intentions?”
“Yeah, like, what is your long term plan with my sister? And if you say you have no long term plan, I’ll kill you right now.”
I frown at her, not understanding why she’s threatening me. Or at least, why it’s not a threat caused by me not being from Earth.
“I plan on spending forever with Mattie. I love her, and I want us to be a family,” I say honestly.
As she stares at me for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly, I feel sweat building up over my forehead. I suddenly have the impression that this conversation is important and I’m taking a test, one that will affect my future with Mattie if I fail.
“Good answer. How did you get her to notice you? Boys have tried and failed before you. What did you do that was different?”
“I don’t know. I saw your sister and something inside me lit up. I couldn’t stop thinking about her, and I knew I had to keep her safe and protect her. I first saw a beautiful woman, but then I saw her fiery attitude, her bravery, and strength. She makes me feel alive and terrified, and happy. I knew instantly she is special. I don’t know if she felt similar to that when she first saw me.” I shrug, moving Mattie’s head with me. She is still sleeping as I reach out with my free hand and move a strand of hair away from her face, stroking my fingers over her cheek and smiling when she leans into my touch.
“Okay, barf. Next question. You guys look like us; is everything about you the same?”
“Basically, we are very similar. There are some differences, but only very minor. We have implants put into our neck, which are able to deliver information directly to our brains. Our medicines are more advanced than yours, so our bodies are healthier and disease free.”
“What about down there.” When she pointedly looks downwards, I try to follow her gaze, but I don’t understand. She rolls her eyes at me. “Can you have sex? Have you and Mattie done it yet?”
My mouth drops open in shock at the blatant question, and I suddenly feel unsure if I’m meant to answer. I don’t want to fail whatever this is with Hannah, yet I also don’t want to say something I shouldn’t.
“I’ll take your silence as a yes. Hmm…” She taps her chin. “I think I’ll have to ask Mattie for those details. What a slut.” She smiles, but the word doesn’t match the light way she says it.
“Mattie isn’t a slut,” I bark at her, unsure of how to handle this, either.
“Oh!” Her eyes widen. “No, I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant it like… you know, you go girl type thing. My sister might as well have been a nun before she met you.”
I nod, but my temper still feels frayed. I’m tired, and I fear that I might not pass this test if we keep talking because I am bound to snap soon.
“Okay, I suppose you’re all right. I will give you my approval for now. However, mess with her, upset her, do anything wrong, and I swear I’ll kill you. I might not get along with my sister much, but I do love her. You keep her happy, keep her safe, and don’t ever think about taking her away from me. Got it?”
I nod that I agree, feeling the weight of her words hanging over me. I have already decided to take care of Mattie and protect her with my life, but this feels like added pressure to make sure I don’t fail.
“Good. Now I can sleep.” She stands up, wobbling a little on her feet, but quickly collapses next to Mattie and Logan, her back resting against my arm that is around them. I know, with the way her body relaxes onto the ground, she instantly falls asleep.
My mind goes back over our conversation, replaying what was said to make sure I didn’t mess anything up. I fear that my worry over the conversation will keep me from falling asleep and resting properly, however I don’t have that concern for long. It only takes a few moments before I fall into a deep sleep.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t last long enough. Too soon, I’m waking up to panic and find myself surrounded by water.
The tunnel is beginning to flood.
Chapter 6
Mattie
I am drifting in-between dozing and sleeping. My body and mind want me to desperately fall into that deep sleep that is just within reach of me, however something keeps me from fully moving into it.
When I become aware enough to feel water around me, I imagine myself at the beach. I’m standing in the water, looking out along the sand and seeing children and couples doing various activities; building sandcastles, throwing a Frisbee, and some are sunbaking in the sun. The sun is blinding, but I don’t feel its warmth. In fact, I feel cold. Why is it so cold?
�
�Mattie!”
Marduke’s voice pulls me away from the beach, although I don’t want to go. I want to stay in the water and see the normalcy of the people relaxing along the beach.
When I drag my eyes open, I realise the water is, in fact, real. I’m sitting on the ground with Logan, and already, the water is resting over my legs.
Ival yells out something to Marduke in his own language, and then he starts sprinting. Within seconds, I lose sight of him. I can’t believe he actually just ran off like that. What a coward.
I stand, feeling stiff and shaky. My arms ache already from the effort of carrying Logan. Marduke stands next to me as I look back to find Hannah in the process of groggily standing, and Lisa and Hope are both awake and appear terrified.
“How much farther do we have to go?” I ask Marduke, hugging Logan to me tighter.
“I don’t know, but we need to hurry,” he says, his arm moving around my back where he then nudges me forward.
My sore arms are only second to my throbbing legs and feet. When will this nightmare end?
I push forward, afraid when I notice the water is already speeding along to my knees.
“Where is Ival?” I call back to Marduke, water splashing up around us as we run.
“He said he thinks in the tunnels below our house there is a way to manually stop the water from filling the tunnel. He ran ahead to try to get to the controls in time.”
“How high will this water rise?”
“To the very top.”
I gulp down the fear that we might drown in here. Maybe we can hold our breath long enough for it to clear out? His next words crush that hope, however.
“Ival said it will stay like that for a day or so.”
“Are there any exits along the way? A way for us to escape?”
“No, there is only the ocean between Edael and Jyin. My house is the first stop, so making it there is our only hope.”
My heart sinks and the water rises past my knees, moving partway up my thighs.
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