by Francis Bate
“Don’t move and drop your weapons. It’s an order and don’t make me repeat it,” Chris said in an authoritarian tone.
“There’s an order to capture the traitors of the federation that disobeyed and mocked the laws. That whoever will capture will be granted anything from them. At first, they ordered for your demise but they soon said they wanted you alive,” they explained.
“Do you have someone with here aside from you two?” Chris asked but they did not respond. “I am asking you a question!” He yelled at the man in front him.
The two men shook their heads and zipped their mouths in silence.
Glancing over his shoulder, Chris could see the other man pulling out another weapon from his holster. Drew eyed him signaling to take control. But before they could counteract, the man took out the gun and lunged at Drew taking him as his hostage. They stepped back away from the others. It was swift that they didn’t see it coming.
Chris held the other man in his arms pointing the gun at him.
“We could do a trade if you want. I’ll let your friend live and let us go,” the man offered.
Without further ado, Chris locked his eyes at Drew. Chris pulled the trigger hitting the right shoulder of the man with the hand of the gun. When he was caught off guard, Drew hit his back head on the enemy’s forehead and angled his body on the right side swiftly. As he loosened his hold, Drew grabbed his hands and locked him. He twisted the man and made him face Chris. Aiming for the target, Chris shot the man again right in his heart. Moments later, the man fell to the ground.
The other man squirmed from his hold and ducked on the ground grabbing his friend’s gun. He rolled over the floor, firing at them. The men plunged for cover. But before he could hit someone, gunshots were released and Chris killed him in an instant.
Chris kicked the weapons away from the bodies and offered his hand pulling his friends off the ground. They stood up and checked the dead men.
“Thanks, man,” Drew muttered in a low voice. Chris held his hand and leaned onto him, giving him a bro-hug.
Smiling, he brushed it off and tapped his shoulder. “That’s what friends and families do, they save each other’s lives,” he responded and beamed at him.
The men went back to the store, leaving the bodies on the ground. As they walked, they were planning what would be the next thing to do. After some time, they stepped into the boat and loaded their supplies.
“What happened?” Malcolm greeted them in the door. “I was paging you on your radio but you won’t respond.”
“We met trouble with some of the DHS agents back there. So anytime from now, they would be coming here,” Nick stated.
“What did they say?” He asked them with furrowed eyebrows.
“The usual stuff, they are after us. They want us alive,” Nick answered back for his friends.
They sat back on the lounge and watched Chris gather all the necessary items for his plan.
Malcolm shook his head and stared at his friends. They have thought of a plan before they leave the place. Thinking that it would be better to do it their own way, Chris, and his friends started imposing the schemes and spending the day productively.
While the clock ticks, they were crowded with different emotions and ideas. The information was too much for them to bear for a day. But there’s one thing they couldn’t find an answer for that they need to find out.
Chapter Twelve: Home Sweet Home
“I have to leave you here, Jack. I need to check my family back home,” Stan said and he stood up from his chair.
The empty can on his hand was crumpled. Dunking it on the trash, they said their goodbyes and he left him standing on the lawn. Jack walked back to the balcony as he watched him marched off the road.
“I hope to catch up with you soon, Stan,” Jack yelled from the balcony.
Stan decided not to tell him about his journey, leaving some details on his hands. They talked for an hour and he decided to take a walk back to his home.
Leaving his friend behind, he saw how the event damaged the lives of his people. It did not only take their opportunity to live a good life but they succumb to living anymore.
He watched at the houses lined as he snuck towards his home. Preventing the armies to still catch him, he took the secret passage away from the prying eyes.
It felt as though he was nearing to reality. He was closer to meeting the exasperation of his children and the reality that awaits him to his family.
When he felt he was in the neighborhood, he could not contain his happiness. He walked through the back, avoiding some attention in the main road. His heart thumped loudly as he was miles near their house.
Passing through a house, someone saw him as he heard the back door open.
“Stan! Is that you?” A low voice echoed in his ear even if it was quite a whisper.
It was familiar to him. Turning slowly to meet the man behind the voice, he beamed when he saw a well-built man standing in awe before him. The man sprinted towards him and welcomed him with their signature hug.
“Larry!” Stan said in a cheery voice. “It’s good to see you!”
“I’m glad you came home safe! You don’t know how worried we were about you,” Larry’s features turned a little sad. He examined the man and saw that he has changed a lot. “What happened to you?”
“It’s a long story, Larry. But did you hear anything from my family?” Stan asked casting a worried look.
Larry frowned and avoided his gaze. He looked at the house ahead of them, shaking his head.
“Answer me, Larry. What happened to them? Did anything happen? Are they safe? Where are they?” Stan bombarded him with a lot of questions.
The heaviness of his heart caused it to beat faster and louder. He shook his brother-in-law’s shoulder and tears were threatening to fall from his eyes. Larry placed his right hand on top of his shoulders and painted a straight look on his face.
“Follow me inside, I will tell you,” Larry stated in a flat voice.
He edged towards the door but Stan wasn’t moving. He was not following either. Trying to breathe heavily, Stan puffed some air and inhaled deeply puffing some more.
“No! I want to see my family,” he insisted, tears were threatening to fall.
“Stan, follow me,” Larry repeated making Stan move his feet.
They strode inside the house and he led him into a bedroom. Larry gave way to him urging him to go inside and check it out himself. Larry left him for a moment as he stood in front of the wooden black door.
With shaking hands, Stan creaked it open and it exposed a spacious room with a queen-sized bed. The white duvets made it elegant with the creamy wall painting. The floral curtains were tidily slid down covering the sunlight from passing through.
On the bed, there were two little angels sweetly sleeping as if waiting for their daddy to come home. He edged towards the bed and sat on the side sinking on it. Stan kissed their foreheads and lightly woke his girls up.
Rubbing their eyes off sleep, they beamed upon the sight of the man in front. They leaped from the bed and attacked him with tight hugs and kisses.
The tiny hands and feet wrapped around his body as they cheered in glee.
“Daddy!” Stan missed those sweet little voices that called him daddy every day. He wrapped them in his hug and kissed them endlessly.
The girls told him how much they missed him and how sad they were when he was away. Their endless chats and talks became new to his ears which were one of the things he missed so much.
His daughters relayed stories to him and told him how they felt when he was gone.
“Stan?” A voice came out from behind making him turn his gaze at the door. “Stan!”
Stan dashed from the bed to his wife and gave her a tight squeeze. She buried her face on his shoulders crying her heart out. Stan daubed the tears on her face as he kissed her head gently. He discreetly stretched his arm and dried the tears off his face.
“I coul
dn’t imagine that I will see you again,” Stan whispered to her ear, tightening the embrace.
Tears started surging from their eyes. Adel was speechless and she could not open her mouth to react. But no words could fathom what she was feeling at that moment.
“Thank you, thank you for coming back home to us,” she muttered after every sniff.
“I missed you,” he said, clasping at her back.
Adel paid the gesture back, giving more warmth and affection. They remained that way for a little longer when their daughters jumped up and down on the bed exclaiming the same level of bliss. It caught their attention so they walked back to the bed and enclosed them in a circle.
Stan was still floating in delight, stealing kisses from them constantly. With a sweet smile on his face, he glanced up mumbling his gratitude in thin air.
“Have you eaten yet? Look at you, you look like a sick puppy that has just gotten home to his family,” his wife teased.
“I missed your cooking. I need to get the canned goods off my system, I think my taste buds could no longer take in more of those,” Stan chuckled lifting his daughters in his arms.
They marched off the room and headed to the dining room. The two girls were wiggling in his arms while they were teasing each other.
Adel pulled a chair for his husband as he put his kids down. She disappeared from the room and when she came back, she was already holding some home-cooked meal in her hands. After preparing his food, Stan ate as they watched him finish the food quickly. He drunk a glass of water and rubbed his stomach.
When she was finished cleaning the dishes, she ushered the kids to the family room to play.
“I’ll stay beside daddy. I don’t want him to leave again,” their daughters urged in protest.
Smiling at them, Stan patted their head and held their hands to his.
“Daddy won’t leave again, sweethearts,” he assured in a sweet, calm voice. “Follow what mommy said, I will go check on you later.”
They gave him a bewildered look. Stan extended his hands and caressed their cheeks. Their eyes were waiting for something from him. Something that could assure them that nothing will happen again.
“You didn’t comply with your promise that you will be out for a day or two,” the older daughter exclaimed with her hands on her waist.
“I know I haven’t and I’m sorry for that. But I know you’re old enough to understand now. Daddy was out there, I got lost and I had to fight bad guys in order to survive,” he responded, looking closely at his daughters.
Unsure of how to explain, he looked at his wife for help but she turned her gaze away from him. Shrugging, she was preventing the tears from falling not wanting for her daughters to see.
Bedazzled, the kids stared at him which made it even harder to explain.
“Daddy, you weren’t there when those bad guys tried to hurt mommy,” the youngest articulated making him gawk.
Stan was taken aback. He looked at his children and to his wife, infuriated. Strong tinges of fury poured onto him as he tried to calm down inside. His wife was avoiding his gaze and she stepped off the room to grab some water.
“What if you leave and bad guys will come take us?” they both asked.
“That won’t happen again. I won’t let that happen again,” he insisted.
“Really?” They asked with a mixture of uncertainty in their voices.
“Come here,” he urged opening his arms for them. While staring at him, they took a step closer. Stan kissed their heads and shaped a reassuring smile. “Mom and I will just have to talk and we’ll play later. This time, I will fulfill my promise to you.”
“Promise?” He heard them ask and he responded with a smile.
“It’s a promise,” he replied.
The kids leaped as they dashed towards another room. Stan edged to the kitchen and swept his arms from her behind. He turned her around to wipe her wet face. Leading her back into the dining table, Stan caressed her arms leaving tiny kisses on her hand.
He faced his wife on the table, studying her features. Weariness swarmed over his face, gray circles were under her eyes. She has lost some weight even if she hid it under her loose shirt. Her hair cascaded in her shoulders, longer than it was before.
“I missed you,” Stan said and clasped her hands.
“You don’t know how hard I prayed for your safety. I could hardly sleep, thinking of you every day, every night. Every time the kids ask where you are and when you are coming home, I don’t know how I will respond to their questions. I don’t know how to explain everything, that their father is missing and that I am not sure if you are still coming back,” Adel exclaimed, wiping the stray tears on her face.
“I’m sorry,” he said bowing his head. “It was never easy to be away from you. I couldn’t give up; I couldn’t afford to die in the wilderness because I need to live for you. Did they hurt you? Because if they did, I swear to God that I won’t make it easy for them to get away from it,” he added in a flinty tone and burning eyes.
Adel shook her head and stared at the door. He calmed down, changing the emotions into a mellow one. Stan angled her face and met her eyes. He wiped the remnants of tears on her face, holding her hands with his left hand.
“What happened?” He asked.
“The town wasn’t that worse at first until people have no food left on their table. Men tried to barge in the house; I had to let the kids sleep at Scott’s. I think they are aware that there was no man with us. Thieves started wandering around, trying to rob and kill us,” she said. He could not look at her as he released her hands.
While balling his fists, he bent his head and stared at the glass cover of the table. Stan could see his reflection with his fiery eyes while tears moist it. He listened intently to her.
“When the military patrolled the place, I thought it would reduce the crimes. Yes, it did. But it increased military crimes. One night as we sleep, Scott came into the house telling us to evacuate because they have been killing people, torturing the men and raping women. They were looking for people, I couldn’t understand why they have to let the kids suffer too,” his wife added.
“Did they hurt you?” He asked again, hoping for an honest answer. He knew his wife too well whenever she was keeping anything from him.
“They tried but I had escaped. I was alone that time when a man came in. The kids didn’t actually see the scene but they assumed when they saw me crying in the room,” she whispered.
“How did you end up here?” Stan asked.
“Scott said it would be better if we will leave the place because they were also leaving. No one will look after us so he suggested dropping us somewhere while you were gone. He said you won’t forgive him or anyone if anything happens to us so I told him to bring us here before they left,” she replied, drying her tears with a tissue on hand.
“Does it still happen? I mean, are there still men guarding the neighborhood back home?” Stan asked as if he knows nothing.
“I haven’t heard much now but I think it lessened. The town became quieter now but I think they are still there,” she stated tilting his head to meet her eyes.
It was heavy yet warm. Stan edged beside her seat and pulled her closer into his hold. He held here, never letting go. When he was out there saving other people, he wasn’t able to save his own family. The load became heavier to bear but he let out a deep sigh and let it all go with the wind.
When she has calmed down, Larry appeared in the door cutting the tension out of the room. He smiled at the couple in front and tapped Stan’s shoulder.
“I’m glad you’re home, Stan. My sister was so terrified and you wouldn’t imagine how she acted while you were gone,” he exclaimed grabbing a seat and faced them.
“Thanks, bro. Thank you for taking care of them for me,” he said, returning the tap he has given.
“Nah, we’re family after all. But tell me, how did you pass through all those?”
Larry looked at him in amazem
ent but it seemed like he was not ready to talk about it. Glancing at the two, Stan chose to omit some details about his journey in order for his wife not to worry about it.
How do you tell them that you killed many people along the way?
He wasn’t sure. But he was trying to make it simpler for her to bear.
After they have talked a lot of things more, they went to check their children that were busy playing their dolls. He glanced at them silently as they exchanged dialogues with each other.
Adel crossed her hands behind his back and leaned onto his shoulders. Loosening her hold, he walked towards their daughters interacting while they play together. Alas, after how many weeks! They have been together and it felt like home away from home.
Chris and his friends stepped into the boat and started back to their journey. He handed a bag to Glen before they totally left him behind. After they left the store, Glen has also decided to head back to his home. Armed men were patrolling the area but he managed to get home without catching their attention.
While he was unlocking the back door of his house, Glen could see a shadow on his peripheral vision. He stopped and turned back seeing no one in the area but his gut feeling was heavy.
“I know someone’s there. Show yourself,” Glen twirled scanning the bushes.
A short husky man exposed himself in a disheveled button-down shirt and hair. The man stared at him as if he was a criminal. He looked at Glen in disdain, scrutinizing him from head to foot.
“Lamont! What are you doing out here?” He exclaimed, jangling the keys on his fingers.
“I saw what happened back there, aren’t they those personalities the DHS are looking for?” Lamont asked and crossed his arms.
“I don’t know what you are talking about. Leave before the people find you here,” he urged, turning away from him.
Glen unlocked the door and stepped inside his house. The lights were off and warmth came crashing at him. Looking outside the door, his neighbor was still there indecisive of what’s best to do.
“You shouldn’t have helped them! They are dangerous, Glen!” Lamont insisted, rummaging his hair while he twisted and twirled.