Liberating Barriers

by Roman Shepp

“One day. One day I’m sure we will,” Tony said.

  The group split up as they made their final preparations to leave, needing to gather supplies and rest a while before they headed back to the city. Tony was alone with Groot, standing over Quentin’s body. Many of the bodies had been gathered together and were being thrown onto the fire. The heat seared the air.

  “We did it, Groot,” Tony said. “After all this time, we actually did it. We made a difference in the lives of these people.”

  “You’ve made a difference in a lot of people’s lives,” Saeed said, walking up to stand beside Tony.

  “How are you, old friend?” Tony asked.

  “Better,” Saeed said.

  “You seem more at peace.”

  “I had a chance to think a lot and being around Tara certainly helped.”

  “I’m glad. Really, I am. I’m sure Nadya and Aaminah are as well.”

  “I hope so.”

  “You know, I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to stay here rather than go back to the city. I know it doesn’t really hold any good memories for you.”

  “I have been thinking about it, but I only have been able to make it through these days because of you. I think life is better when spent with friends. I lost the two people who meant the most to me. I have been fortunate to find more who have become my new family. Besides, I don’t think Tara would let me stay behind.”

  “She probably wouldn’t. I’m glad. I missed you. I know we were thrown together in this world only by chance, but I just wanted to say that I’m glad we were. I don’t think I’d have liked this world as much without you in it.”

  “I keep thinking about that day, and what would have happened if you had turned your back on me. You didn’t have to let me in, Tony, but by doing so you saved my life.”

  “It was the right thing to do. That’s why I felt I had to try helping Quentin as well. I got the sense that other people had turned their backs on him, and I didn’t want to do the same.”

  “Let’s hope we never have to deal with anyone like him again,” Saeed said.

  “I’m still not sure it’s right to be talking with such respect about a man who caused so much suffering,” Jane said, walking up to stand beside them. She looked down at Quentin and then bent down to lift up his mask, wincing at the sight of the mottled, burned flesh.

  “Who knew that’s what he had been hiding all this time? Part of me wondered if he just looked normal under the mask. I thought of him as a monster. It’s strange to see that he’s just a man.”

  “He did some monstrous things. He suffered a great deal as well, though. I think part of the reason why he turned out the way he did was because he was alone and felt isolated. I’m beginning to think that any one of us could have turned out the way he did if we didn’t have each other. But it’s more important to remember what he did at the end. He put his life on the line for me, for us. I choose to remember him that way,” Tony said, although there always would be sorrow in his heart for Quentin’s victims.

  Saeed made an excuse to leave. Jane stood up. Things were quiet between the two of them, until Jane broke the silence.

  “I’m sorry for letting you down,” she mumbled.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I should have been stronger. I should have resisted Frank and stayed with Phil. I shouldn’t have been so weak.”

  To her surprise, Tony laughed at this.

  “Jane, in all the time I’ve known you, I’d never call you weak. Look, you made a mistake and so have we all. If Quentin had turned out to be a crazed psychopath, locking myself in the bunker with him would have been the mistake of the century. I get it must have been hard for you to see him again, especially since the feelings between you two were so strong.”

  “They were, and I was so confused after thinking that you had died. I didn’t know if I could go on. It seemed as though there was no point to anything. If a man like you could die, then what was the point for the rest of us?”

  “The point is to keep living life, to always be true to yourself and to your ideals, no matter what. That’s how a world gets saved. That’s how people get saved.”

  “It took me longer to realize that than it did for you. I feel so awkward around Rosa and Phil,” she said.

  “It’ll pass. You have to learn to forgive yourself first. You made a mistake, but you’ve done the right thing. You helped change this place, Jane. You helped keep your friends safe when it mattered most. Life is a learning experience for all of us, and I’m sure we’re all going to make more mistakes along the way.”

  Another few moments of silence descended upon them.

  “I missed you. I really did. When you died I started to think about all the things I hadn’t told you. All the things I wanted to say,” Jane said.

  “I was thinking along the same lines.”

  “I don’t know why. I mean, I’m pretty messed up.”

  “This world messes us all up. How about we just mess things up together?”

  “That sounds good to me,” Jane said.

  “Would you care to help me?” Tony asked.

  Jane nodded and the two of them picked up Quentin’s body and carried it over to the fire. They threw Quentin’s body on it and watched the flames engulf it. The flesh was scorched and seared and soon turned to ash. Eventually, there was nothing left but the mask. Tony spared a thought for him and hoped he had found some peace with his beloved.

  Turning away, Jane and Tony walked a few steps before their hands brushed against each other. Tony’s fingers caught Jane’s and their hands entwined. A sense of belonging swept through Tony as they walked back to the others, ready to load up the final supplies before they left.

  All in all, they spent almost a week in the community helping Adam and the others to regain control and rebuild. After all they had been through Tony and the others were glad for the opportunity to rest and not have to deal with the tension of being hunted or attacked. They were able to collect themselves, and by the time the week was up they were ready to head back out to the city.

  Tony, Jane, Saeed, Rosa, Phil, Tara, and Groot all were ready to leave. They said their farewells to Adam, Martha, and Belinda. Part of Tony wished that he could stay, but he knew he couldn’t leave the city to burn like it had. There were other things he wanted to do as well. He wanted to find Don’s family to tell them what had happened to him. He wanted to be with Saeed when he went back to his home where this hell had begun for him. Tony was sure Saeed would want to go back there when they returned.

  As a large group they walked through the forest, armed with a map, weapons, and plenty of food and water. They were in better shape than they ever had been since this godforsaken world had begun, and they felt better prepared to face anything that came their way.

  Walking through the forest, they kept their eyes peeled for any sign of wildlife. Occasionally, they came upon a predator hunting for a snack, but the group was well-equipped to handle them. They had a strict watch schedule, and even Tara was able to hold her own. She was being given lessons by Jane and Rosa on how to handle a bow and arrow and other weapons so that she would have the skills to survive if anything bad happened to the group. Tony was certain nothing bad was going to happen. They had proven to themselves that they were strong together, and even when they had been separated it turned out they had been working toward the same goals.

  It took them weeks to walk back to the city. They were careful when they walked along the roads, knowing that people were likely more dangerous and desperate now than they were before. They passed the burning building, and the hot air balloon that still was there. Tony wondered if this is where Quentin had received those burns. The group spoke of the future and about the things they missed from the old world. For the most part their spirits were lighter, and they
often walked hand in hand. Tony with Jane, Phil with Rosa, and Tara was always by Saeed’s side.

  Tony’s burgeoning relationship with Jane was unprecedented territory for the both of them. Tony never had had a proper relationship before, and Jane never had been with anyone like Tony. With the rest of the world in chaos it was good to have something sturdy to lean upon, though, and Tony took great strength from the feelings in his heart.

  The closer they drew to the city, the more trepidation he felt, though. They walked more slowly as they came within the city limits, aware of what could be lurking in the shadowed recesses of the buildings. They regaled Rosa and Phil with tales of what they had faced when moving through the city, although now it seemed unnaturally quiet. The city seemed devoid of life, and Tony wondered what could have happened in their time away. So much had happened to them, anything could have happened in the city.

  They walked through the suburbs without incident. It almost was too quiet for Tony’s liking, although he didn’t want to seem too agitated. However, his grip never loosened on his baseball bat, forever ready to lead the charge into battle.

  In his spare moments he thought about the heroes he so loved and hoped he was living up to them. The city needed healing. It wasn’t just a matter of stopping criminals, but of showing people the way to work together, to unite and fight the common problems rather than each other. Yet, it was so quiet. He did not give voice to his fear, although he was concerned that the city had been ravaged by war. What if the riots had become so intense that the city had torn itself apart and there was nobody left to save?

  Then they came to the edge of the inner city and saw that a huge barrier had been erected using cars and furniture and all manner of things.

  “Stop!” a voice called out. A head peered over the barrier, pointing a gun at Tony. “What do you want?”

  “Who are you?” Tony asked. “What’s going on here? We left the city a while back. It was in chaos. People were fighting. Have the riots stopped?”

  “For the most part. Although we’re still trying to maintain control. You’re not going to find a big war here, though, if that’s what you want.”

  “No, no, we don’t want that at all. We just want to help. Will you let us in?”

  There were a few moments delay before the barrier moved and an entrance was revealed. Tony was greeted by a big man.

  “I’m Captain Joe Reynolds, and any help is appreciated,” he said.

  Tony introduced himself and the rest of the group, then the barrier closed behind them. It seemed as though work already had begun to heal the city. Tony wasn’t the only hero out there, but he always would try to do the right thing, no matter what.

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