Matthew begins to crawl on the ground toward Sydney. He realizes that she doesn't have much time left, and that he wants her to have a peaceful departure, unlike her sister. Matthew crawls up to her and hugs her. The two begin crying as they realize that the horrors of this night or not over yet. Matthew looks at her, wanting to speak. No words can come out of his mouth as he looks into her helpless eyes. Matthew stands and lifts her up with him. She feels weak and lightheaded from the fever and the excessive crying. She almost falls over, but Matthew catches her. Michael runs over and helps her stands as well. They both realize what must come next. Matthew and Michael help Sydney walk back into the store for shelter. Dan follows behind, but he keeps his distance. He realizes what's going on, so he wants to be respectful.
Matthew and Michael lay Sydney on her back in the storage room. Dan stands near the front doors of the store but can still hear them inside the storage room from where he is. Sydney feels weak and exhausted. She looks much paler and weaker now than from before. Her breathing is louder and more excessive. Matthew looks down at his dying cousin. He doesn't want to accept that she is leaving them too. Michael looks down and feels guilt and sorrow. He never thought that the day where his sisters would die would ever come. He had to face the death of his parents, but now he doesn't know how he can deal with this.
“I’m sorry, Sydney. I’m so sorry… I should have protected you…” Michael cries.
“Don’t be sorry… it wasn’t your fault. You’re the best brother in the world, Michael. Don’t ever forget that.” Sydney says.
Michael looks down at his sister and begins to cry to himself. By the look of her, he can tell that she is close to dying. Matthew looks down and thinks about everything leading up to this. He fought so hard, and now his cousins are dead.
“I don’t know how much time I have…” Sydney says.
She reaches for the revolver holstered on Matthew’s hip. She tries to pull it out, but Matthew rests his hand on hers. She looks up at him, and he shakes his head with tears in his eyes.
“It should be someone you love…” Matthew turns to Michael, “It should be me…”
Michael looks at Matthew. He hesitates to allow him to put her down, but he doesn't know if he could even handle that kind of undertaking himself. Michael nods his head. Matthew looks down and he sees Sydney gracefully smiling at them. She accepts her fate and appreciates every second she has with the two of them. She is extremely grateful that she has the opportunity to say goodbye. Sydney looks at Matthew, and tears fill her eyes.
“I love you…” Sydney says.
Matthew holds back the tears, “I love you too.”
Sydney turns to Michael, “I love you, Michael.”
Michael looks down at her and begins to cry, “I love you Sydney. I love you so much…” Michael leans forward and rests his head on her shoulder. Michael holds her hand for a moment, and then stands up. Michael begins to walk out of the room crying.
“Michael.” Sydney calls out.
Michael stops and turns to face his sister. He stops crying for a short moment.
Sydney smiles, “Everything is going to be okay… “
Michael pauses, thinking about who he is now.
Michael looks at his sister with anger in his eyes, “You don’t get to come back. You don’t.”
Michael turns and leaves the room. He continues and exits the store. Sydney thinks about what Michael had just said, but she doesn't understand. She has hope in her heart that things will work out for Matthew and Michael.
Sydney holds Matthews hand and looks up to him. Matthew doesn't know if he can bare the pain, but he knows that he must be the one to put her to peace. Sydney smiles at her cousin.
“You need to get yourselves to the military base. You need to try and rebuild everything that we lost… and make it worth something.” Sydney says.
Matthew sniffles and wipes a tear from his eye. He nods to give her comfort. He’s not thinking about anything other than her right now. Sydney slowly reaches down into her back pocket and pulls out a folded piece of paper. She hands it to Matthew and he takes it. He looks down and sees ‘Peace’ written on it. Matthew looks confused.
“It’s a letter… just in case, you know?” Sydney asks.
“No. Tell me what you need to tell me… please.” Matthew says.
Sydney smiles, “Now isn't the time for that. I need you to promise… promise me that you will only read it when you get to the base. Once you get there… then you can read it.” Sydney explains.
Matthew nods again, “Okay… I will… I promise…”
“Good. You can't see it yet… but I can. I see a world where you, and Michael, and so many others are living… just like it was before. You can rebuild, and you can live again. You guys can hang out in a basement and play video games together. You can stay up all night and talk about some crazy ideas that you have. Let others live and have that experience again.” Sydney holds back tears, “This isn't what life is now… It can’t be. That person… still inside of you… he’s still there. The person you used to be… if that can be you, then that world can be real. It can be.”
A tear runs down Matthews cheek, “Everything… it was all for you guys. Ever since the start… that's what it was about. When I was stuck in my house… I knew that it was for you. Everything I did… that's what it was for. It… It still will be… nothing is going to change. I promise you that. I’ll make it right. I have to.” Matthew hesitates, “I’m sorry that you can’t be there to see it. But I’m… I’m gonna make it real. I promise you” Matthew cries, “I love you…”
Sydney smiles again and begins to cry, “I love you too… I’m gonna miss you…”
Matthew starts crying uncontrollably. He doesn't want her to die. He doesn't want to go on without her, not after everything he went through to find her. He continues to cry, but he smiles at the sight of her grace.
“I’m gonna miss you too.”
As she smiles at her cousin, she slowly closes her eyes and leans her head back. She knows what's coming next. Matthew can’t begin to comprehend all that has fallen upon him. All he knows is that he has one final job before he leaves this building. He leans forward and kisses his cousin on the forehead as she lays with her eyes closed. Matthew slowly stands up and points the revolver down at her head. Matthew hesitates, but inevitably cocks back the revolver pin, ready to fire. Matthew looks down at his cousin. He starts to cry as he looks at her dying smile, but he fights it and stays strong.
Michael sits on the curb in front of the store with his hands on his head. Dan stands behind him near the door. The sun has risen more, and the area is brightened up. The dead bodies remain still on the ground near the two of them. Neither of them makes a sound.
Suddenly, a loud gunshot is heard from inside the store. They both understand what just happened. Michael leans back and cries out loud uncontrollably. Dan remains silent, standing over Michael as he grieves for his sister. Sydney is gone.
Matthew, Michael, and Dan stand in the grass, digging three separate graves for the three people they lost today. Matthew and Michael dig as they feel empty inside. They don’t say anything to each other; they just dig. Not too far away are the three bodies of Sydney, Shelby, and Joe under white blankets. The sun is higher now, shining light above their heads.
The three of them stand in front of the finished graves and look at the makeshift crosses that they made. Michael realizes how similar they look to the crosses that Sydney made for their parents graves back at their home. Michael wants to cry, but he holds back the tears. Matthew looks at the three graves. He feels better knowing that they can rest in peace under the ground. In Matthews right hand is Sydney’s red handled machete. He takes a moment, but eventually walks up to her grave, crouches down, and places the machete next to the cross. It was her weapon, so he feels that he should leave it with her. Michael and Dan turn around and walk back toward the store. Matthew looks at the machete and thinks to himself for a
moment. Eventually, Matthew stands up, but he takes the machete with him.
Matthew stands in front of a burning pile of the corpses that they killed. The smell of the burning corpses of the Legion lingers over the area. They piled them all up and set them on fire to dispose of the bodies. None of them felt it was right to give these monsters a proper burial. Matthew stares into the fire, filled with nothing but rage. On his hip is Sydney’s red handled machete. He doesn't know why, but he feels it’s best he takes it with him on his journey. Matthew stares into the flames of the burning bodies. Behind him stands Dan and Michael. They watch the burning bodies from a distance. Dan hesitates, but turns to Michael to speak.
“I followed Matthew and your sister home yesterday. I wanted to join you, but it didn't feel right. Once I heard the gunshots… I knew I had to help. I had to stop them. They hurt me too.” Dan explains.
Michael turns to Dan, “Thank you.”
Dan looks at Michael and nods his head. He feels like he belongs with Matthew and Michael. This entire time, he had come across weak people who couldn't survive on their own. Matthew and Michael are strong, and they have a drive to persist in the world. He knows that they will work well together. Matthew acknowledges what Dan had done for him, and what he is capable of. Matthew knows that with what his plans are next, he needs Dan to be a part of his group.
Michael turns and walks up to Matthew. His back is still facing Michael and Dan, and he just continues to stare into the fire. Michael looks driven by emotion. He wants to make his sisters deaths right; He wants revenge. Michael looks at Matthew.
“What do we do now?” Michael asks.
Matthew slowly turns his head to face his cousin. Nothing but rage and hatred fill his eyes. Michael has never seen this expression on his cousin’s face, but he feels the rage as well. A subtle evil grin appears on Matthews face. He knows exactly what they are going to do next.
“It’s simple. We find the rest… and we kill them all…”
To Be Continued…
Mankind Page 27