Frank’s post is atop the central watchtower. He takes no days off unless sick or ordered to. He breaks for meals and the odd trip to the bathroom. He won’t watch news streams or vids, he plays no wave games, and takes no lover. Most of all, he tries not to think. He mans his station, kills every human straight that wanders into his site, and suffers restless, nightmarish sleep. Frank cannot stop his mind from remembering when he succumbs to weariness.
When forced to rest by a senior officer, usually one new to his platoon, Frank runs. He runs the three-mile length of the wall his tactile tattoo restraint allows him. He then runs back. Back and forth and up and down. When Frank runs the three mile stretch, he runs up and down every set of stairs leading up the three stories of the wall as well as up and down the fourth set of stairs, leading up to each of the watchtowers within his limits. For Frank, running is the most effective method of emptying his mind. It does not please the MPs assigned to guard him day and night. Whenever Private Frank Hunter runs, the MP is obliged to run alongside him. More often than not, though, the MP trails behind, unable to keep pace with the lithe, powerful man. One MP actually shot Frank in the leg when he was unable to keep up. He claimed he had ordered Frank to halt, and very likely did, but the gap formed between them made it impossible for Frank to hear him. Nor could he have simply voc’d Frank. Being that military service is a life sentence for Frank, he is not allowed any luxuries such as the voc or access to Hadrian’s wave network. Nor does he wish for any. Being granted access to the historic library on his one enforced day off is all he cares for. When he is not running, Frank will retreat to the historic library and read one of the archaic books. The feel of the book in his hand, its weight combined with the scent of the paper as he flips the pages, is oddly relaxing.
Contact with family is also limited to one downloaded letter a week, which one of the senior officers projects from his voc onto the wall screen for Frank to read. Once a month, Frank is entitled to a vid conference or personal visit with family. Frank is forever being ordered to attend these and must be escorted to the meeting room by his MP. Always, his father and Roger come. Dean, initially by his own design and also at Frank’s request, has never attended or participated in any family conference or visit. On this day, however, unknown to Frank, Dean Stuttgart arrives. He does not come into the room immediately. Geoffrey and Roger intend to prepare Frank. They begin with the usual trite conversation about how healthy Frank looks—so tanned, so fit—and then move on to how little activity there has been at the wall of late while Frank tallies off his kills for the month. Neither Geoffrey nor Roger care to hear about that aspect of Frank’s life, but Frank always lists them off anyway. It is grizzly how detailed Frank is when he describes each man or woman’s death. It is as if he has engrained the image of each heterosexual he kills into his mind’s eye. Finally, nearing the end of their visit, Frank asks, as always, “And how is your schooling, Roger? Are you excelling?”
“Uni is great!” Roger ejaculates.
“Do you know he plans to attend for at least six years?” Geoffrey is proud of Roger’s decision to study agricultural engineering and his determination to obtain, at the very least, a Master’s degree.
“Eight,” Roger adds excitedly. “I’m definitely going for my Ph.D. Professor Joel Lipman, the same man who taught Will Middleton and Quintin Laugharne, says I show real promise for an undergrad.”
“Well, get your Bachelor’s degree first,” Geoffrey adds judiciously. “Then you can work on your Master’s. You can talk Ph.D. six years from now!”
On this particular visit, Roger made sure to take a few days off from uni to be with Frank, his father, and Papa Dean for this most important reunion.
“Good work, Roger.” Frank remains civil, containing all show of affection, sitting upright and at attention, as if he were addressing senior officers.
“Roger’s average,” a proud father interjects, “is eighty-eight percent!”
Although there is no sign of emotion, Frank replies, “I am pleased, Roger. Todd would be proud.” The only sign of emotion that threatens to crack the veneer of Frank’s self-imposed emotional exile is the closing of his eyes and an intake of breath held momentarily before slowly exhaling.
“Thanks, Frank. That means a lot to me,” says Roger. Reaching into his pocket, he retrieves a small burlap bag. “I brought you a present.” Handing the package to Frank, he says, “Smell it.”
Working to keep his voice flat, Frank replies, “It smells really good. What is it?”
“Ground cocoa.”
Frank’s eyes moisten. Once more, he must breathe slowly to contain the threat of an outpouring of emotion. “Todd had promised to grow these for Papa Dean.”
“I know. Professor Lipman lets me grow these in one of the Antinous Uni hot houses. He was reluctant at first, hot houses being critical for growing plants for life saving medicines, and the beans having to come from Hadrian’s Global Seed Vault, but when I explained about how Todd…well…how he…well, how I want to…you know, genetically alter them…like he wanted to…anyway, I get to grow a little crop. I roasted and ground these figuring they’d make a great gift for…” Looking now to his father, Roger asks, “May I tell him?” Geoffrey nods; he does not contain his emotions; tears begin to stream, creating an odd image on a face suddenly shining with delight. “And, I figured they’d make a great wedding present for Papa Dean.”
Frank starts. “Pa—Pa—Papa Dean is—but, Dad—he—you—never divorced—did you?”
“No son,” Geoffrey smiles through the tears. “We are getting remarried. Papa Dean wants you—he wants you to stand up for him. He came with us today and is waiting outside until you ask him to enter. May I please go get him, Frank? He misses you dearly. He loves you and wants you back in his life.” Frank is speechless. Afraid to talk, afraid to move from fear of breaking down, he just sits in his chair, waiting. Geoffrey stands, “I’ll—I’ll go get him.” As soon as he opens the door, he calls out and Dean steps into the room. Franks stands, the two men facing one another.
Dean opens his arms, “Frank—”
Frank crumples to his knees, wailing in a sudden burst of emotion expelled from him like an explosion. Sobs and tears rack his body like a tempest-tossed bark. Papa Dean bends down and cradles him. “I’m so sorry, son. I’m so sorry I abandoned you for all these years.”
Through his sobs, Frank manages a plea. “Forgive me.”
* * * * *
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Copyright
Published by Clink Street Publishing 2015
Copyright © 2015
Second edition.
The author asserts the moral right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means without the prior consent of the author, nor be otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other
than that with which it is published and without a similar condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
ISBN: PB: 978–1–910782–98–9
EB: 978–1–910782–99–6
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