Dogchild

by Kevin Brooks

  And now, as my eyes began fluttering open, I could see him.

  Glorian.

  At first I couldnt work out where he was. He was closeby – just a few yards away, directly in front of me – but his great hulking figure seemed to be hovering above me, floating in the night sky, and the night seemed to be on fire, the blackness behind him red with flames---

  I closed my eyes, waited for my head to clear, then tried again.

  Glorian wasnt floating. I was in the upper section of the turret – sitting on the stone ledge of the walkway with my back against the parapet, my legs stretched out in front of me – and Glorian was standing on the walkway directly opposite me, leaning against the parapet. I was on the north side of the turret, facing town. From where I was sitting, I could see the night sky behind Glorian glowing red from the flames of the burning buildings 90 feet below, but I was too low down to see anything of the town itself. There was no doubt the battle was still raging though. I could hear it in the heat of the rising air – gunshots, explosions, helpless sobbing – and as I went to stand up, then immediately sat down again as a sudden surge of pain ripped through my head, I heard a massive crash of stone from below, the sound of another building collapsing, and a moment later an unearthly scream rang out, piercing the night like a needle, before dying away and fading back into the background chaos. I saw Glorian turn his head and casually glance down over the battlements. He watched something for a moment, barely even curious, then he wiped his nose on the back of his hand, turned round again, and stared at me with mindless indifference.

  As I stared back at him, I realized that he wasnt holding a gun on me. He was carrying a 5-shot revolver in a holster on his belt, and his bolt-action rifle was slung over his shoulder – fresh blood visible on the butt – but his hands were empty. I looked down at my belt. The Beretta was gone and my knife sheath was empty, just as Ide expected, but when I looked up again and gazed around, I was surprised to see both the gun and the knife just 3 or 4 yards from where I was sitting. They were lying on top of my knapsack – together with the coil of twined cable – halfway along the walkway to my right. I stared at them, wondering if I could get to them before Glorian had time to draw his pistol – or unsling his rifle – and shoot. I knew Ide never make it from a sitting position, but if I was on my feet to start with, and Glorian wasnt looking---

  I glanced over at him.

  He smiled at me.

  It was the first time Ide ever seen him smile, and I hoped Ide never see it again. It turned my blood cold.

  Phht.

  The sound came from Pilgrims rifle. I looked down into the lower section of the turret and saw that he was still standing at the gunport, still aiming a rifle through the slit – the barrel angled downwards – and as I watched him now, I realized that he was trailing a target – moving the rifle slowly to the left, his eyes calm and steady, his finger poised on the trigger---

  And then – phht – he fired.

  The rifle he was using was no ordinary weapon. It was a Remington R11 – a semiautomatic sniper rifle fitted with a telescopic sight and a silencer – and from the sound of it, he wasnt using ordinary ammunition either. It was hard to be sure with the silencer muting the sound, but the shots didnt have the familiar low crack of handmade bullets, and I guessed Pilgrim must have been saving up a stock of authentic ammunition, which hede no doubt plundered from somewhere – or someone – many years ago.

  Any sign of Hensch yet? he said to Glorian without taking his eye from the telescopic sight.

  I think hese still hanging back on the other side of the wall.

  Let me know as soon as you see him. What about Gun Sur?

  Still in the Quarterhouse.

  Who else is left?

  Henschs Deputy.

  Li Jun?

  Yeh, him. And their last 2 Captains.

  Ive just got them.

  What are you doing? I heard myself say.

  Pilgrim turned at the sound of my voice and looked up at me.

  Jeet, he said, feigning surprise. I thought you were dead.

  All I could do was sit there looking down at him. I didnt know why Ide asked him what he was doing – I hadnt consciously meant to say anything – it had just come out, the mindless words of a broken head.

  You want to know what Ime doing? he said, grinning at me. Why dont you see for yourself? Go on, get up and take a look. This is what youre supposed to be writing about, isnt it? The last war, the final battle---? Well, this is it, Jeet. This is history in the making---the dawning of a new age, the birth of a new race.

  He stared at me, his eyes burning with a strange black light, and as I looked back at him – still gripped with silence – his features seemed to shimmer. It was as if I was watching a series of masks flickering across his face, each of them changing so rapidly that they all seemed to merge into a single multifaced vision.

  What are you looking at me for? the vision said. Do you want to see the end of the world or not?

  As I struggled to my feet, a wave of dizziness flooded through me and I had to grab hold of the parapet to steady myself. Now that I was standing, I could see some of the southern edge of town in the distance – the black emptiness of the beach, houses burning along the Beach Road – but my view was still restricted by the height of the parapet. Down to my left, I could see the massive hole in the town wall where it had been ripped apart by the explosion – a 20-yard stretch of 8-foot-thick stone reduced to piles of rubble – and farther along, from the corner of my eye, I could see the East Tower rising up into the firelit sky. I was desperate to know if Chola Se was all right, and there was nothing I wanted more than to turn my head and look directly at the turret to see if she was there, but I knew that I couldnt. Glorian wasnt stupid. If he saw me looking across at the East Tower, hede know I was looking for something – or someone – and if Chola Se had made it to the top, and if she had managed to take out Kite, it was vital that Glorian and Pilgrim didnt know.

  The dizziness was easing off now.

  I let go of the parapet to see if I could stand without support.

  I felt okay.

  Steady enough.

  I could probably walk---maybe even run.

  Without thinking, I glanced across at my knapsack again.

  Try it if you want, I heard Glorian say. But you might want to check on your bitch first.

  As I looked across at him and saw that savage smile again, I felt a terrible darkness sinking in my heart.

  Over there, he said, jerking his head to his right, in the direction of the East Tower.

  My breath seemed stuck in my throat as I turned to my left and looked over at the tower, and when I saw Chola Se in the turret, the world seemed to lurch beneath my feet, and if I hadnt grabbed hold of the parapet again I would have fallen back to the ground. She was standing on the walkway, her back to the battlements, facing my way. Her hands were tied behind her back, blood was streaming from an open gash in her forehead, and Kite was standing beside her with a handgun pressed to her head. In the glowing red light of the sky, I could see that she was badly hurt – her face white with shock, her head hanging down to one side – and that she was struggling to stay on her feet. But when Kite leaned in close to her and spoke in her ear, and she slowly raised her head and looked up at me, I knew she was far from beaten. She had the same look in her eyes that Ide seen in the dungeon at the Dau camp – the same fire and ferocity, the same will to keep fighting as long as she was still alive, the same willingness to die before giving herself up---

  The cables were still looped across her chest, and as Kite took hold of them with her free hand and gave them a sharp tug, hauling Chola Se around to her left, I saw something else in her eyes too. I only saw it for a moment – she didnt have the strength to fight against Kite for more than a second or 2 – but just before Kite swung her around, I clearly saw her eyes dart twice to her right.

  She was telling me to look out to the north, away from town---across Nomansland
and out into the Deathlands.

  Kite was dragging her along the walkway now, and all I could do was watch in futile rage as she stopped about halfway along, shoved Chola Se against the parapet, and secured her bound hands to a cast-iron bracket bolted to the wall. She then forced her down to her knees, put the gun to her head, and looked across at Glorian. She waited a moment – her gray eyes glinting like silver – then she nodded at him.

  The bitches life is in your hands, he said to me. You do everything right, she lives. You do anything wrong, shese dead. Understand?

  I turned slowly to him and nodded.

  Pilgrims rifle spat.

  Just the 2 big ones left now, he said.

  Glorian glanced down over the parapet.

  And I turned round and looked out across Nomansland into the Deathlands. I knew what Chola Se had been telling me now. I knew they were out there – Ide sensed their coming---Ide felt their running hearts in mine – and now I could see their invisible shapes in the darkness---streaming down from the mountains---loping across the glassrock plains---heading towards town in their hundreds---

  The Deathland dogs were coming.

  Come over here, Glorian said to me.

  I held my ground for a moment or 2, just long enough to stare into Glorians eyes and let him know that I intended to kill him – but not long enough to antagonize him – and then I started heading towards him. As I crossed over the walkway, I glanced across at the East Tower again. Kite still had her gun to Chola Ses head, but her eyes were focused on me, and I didnt doubt that shede pull the trigger if I tried anything. On the walkway to her right, a sniper rifle with a silencer was propped up against the parapet wall, and I guessed that if it wasnt for Chola Se, Kite would be stationed at a gunport in the lower section of the turret picking off targets, just like Pilgrim.

  I was fairly sure I knew what Pilgrim was up to now, and as I reached the walkway on the south side of the turret, I found myself wondering what Starry would have made of it. The sound of his voice came to me then – not just as a memory, but as a presence. He was with me, within me---talking to me inside my head – Pilgrims a psychopath, Jeet, and a self-obsessed savage, but hese definitely not an idiot---he knows what happens to traitors when they no longer serve any purpose---

  The voice and the presence suddenly stopped dead as I stepped up to the parapet and looked down at the town below and saw for the first time the carnage that until then Ide only been able to imagine.

  It was a sight Ile never forget.

  In the blazing flamelight of torches and burning buildings I could see that the battle was still being fought – fierce gunfights and skirmishes raging all over town – but as I gazed around at the ravaged streets it was clear the town had fallen. The dead and the dying lay everywhere – Fighters, Workers, Youngers, Olders--- people Ide known all my life – their bodies littering the ground below in a nightmare vision of torn flesh and twisted limbs. There were scores of Dau casualties too – Fighters, civilians---it didnt matter, they were all the same in death – but I didnt know them---I had no connection to them. They were nameless. And as I looked around at the bodies I did know, I realized that they were nameless too. Cruke, Van Hesse, Leven Rai and Lolo, Tomas, Ghauri, Luca---their names didnt seem to belong to them anymore. Whatever it was theyd belonged to was gone.

  Cruke was gone – lying on his back in the middle of Main Street, a single bullet hole in his head.

  Van Hesse was gone – slumped to his knees in the grocery doorway, machine-gunned in the back.

  Leven Rai and Lolo were gone – their frail old bodies smoldering on the ground outside the still-burning Olders Home.

  Tomas was gone – lying in the dirt in front of the blockhouse, his rifle still gripped in his hands, his belly sliced open.

  Ghauri was gone – just one of the many dead bodies sprawled on the Quarterhouse steps, the back of his head blown off.

  Captain Luca was gone – lying beside Ghauri, shot in the face.

  The Quarterhouse was surrounded by dozens of Dau Fighters, their weapons trained on the doors and windows. The building was badly damaged – the walls riddled with bullet holes, the roof partially collapsed, smoke billowing from a grenade-damaged window on the second floor – but it hadnt fallen yet. There was no sign of anyone inside the building, but the Dau wouldnt be holding back if it wasnt defended, so there had to be a force of some kind in there.

  When youre ready, I heard Glorian say.

  I turned and looked at him.

  Youre going to do something for me now, okay? he said. And youre going to do it right, arent you?

  I nodded, staring at him.

  Hensch is down there somewhere, he said, pointing at the ruined wall. Hese keeping out of sight at the moment, waiting til he thinks its safe to come in, which should be any time soon. All you have to do is keep your eyes open for him, and let me know as soon as you see him. All right?

  What does he look like?

  Youle know him when you see him. Glorian stared at me. What are you waiting for?

  I held his gaze for a second, then turned away and looked down over the parapet at the shattered remains of the wall. I knew Pilgrim was going to kill Hensch as soon as the Dau Marshal showed himself, and I had no qualms about watching out for him and pointing him out when I saw him. My only concern was keeping Chola Se alive, and right now the only way I could do that was by doing exactly as I was told.

  So thats what I did.

  Or, at least, thats what part of me did.

  Glorian watched me for a few moments, making sure that I wasnt just going through the motions, then – seemingly satisfied – he turned away, leaned against the battlements, and gazed out towards the Quarterhouse.

  And the part of me that wasnt watching out for Hensch carried on thinking like Ide never thought before – thinking about Chola Se, thinking about the dogs, thinking about Pilgrim and Glorian and Kite and my knife and the guns and the cables and the grenade in the knapsack---

  After a few minutes, the other part of me – the watching part – saw something moving over by the base of the East Tower, but when I glanced over – without raising my head – I realized straightaway that it wasnt the Dau Marshal. It was a group of our people – about a dozen young women and children – being herded along towards the tower by 2 Dau Fighters. These were the ones the Dau were keeping for themselves, I realized – the females for breeding, the male children to be raised as Dau. Among the young women was Prendy, the other female dogchild, and I could see shede been badly beaten and was struggling to stay on her feet. When her legs suddenly buckled and she slumped to the ground, one of the Dau Fighters stooped down, grabbed her by the hair, and yanked her back to her feet again, then viciously kicked her back into line.

  I couldnt watch anymore.

  I couldnt carry on doing nothing anymore.

  Theyre going to kill you, you know, I said quietly to Glorian.

  He didnt respond at first, just carried on watching the Quarterhouse, but after a few seconds, I heard him let out a weary sigh.

  Ime beginning to think you want that bitch of yours dead, he said. Youre going the right way about it if you do.

  I dont get it, thats all, I told him. I mean, youre not stupid, are you? Youre an experienced Fighter, a Captain---you know what the Dau are like. Theyre not weak, are they? Theyre not going to just lie down and —

  You think you know everything, dont you? he said, his voice suddenly cold and hard.

  I know what the 3 of you are trying to do.

  He turned to me. Yeh? And whats that then?

  Youre taking out everyone on either side whose got any power – Hensch and his Deputy, the Dau Captains, Gun Sur, our Fighter Captains and Senior Fighters, our Councillors---anyone with any authority or influence over their people – youre getting rid of them all.

  And why would we be doing that?

  Because youre traitors, and you know the price of betrayal. You knew from the start that Hensch would have yo
u killed as soon as hede got what he wanted from you, so youre getting rid of him and anyone else you think might be a threat – and youre making it look as if they all died during the battle – because you think that will leave the rest of the Dau so weak and disorganized that Pilgrim will be able to manipulate them into thinking that it was him who won the war for them, not Hensch---

  A sudden memory of Pilgrims voice flashed through my mind as I was speaking – and when Hensch finally retires, or upon his death, I heard him saying, Ile be made Marshal. And since the Dau will have wiped us all out by then, that means, in effect, that Ile be the leader of the entire human race.

  And thats the only reason you havent killed me yet, isnt it? I said to Glorian. Pilgrims going to use me to help him win over the Dau. Hese going to tell them that Ime the dogchild theyre looking for, the one who ripped out Skenders throat, the one who murdered their Marshals only child, and then hese going to give me up to them and let them take their revenge.

  Glorian didnt say anything.

  And neither did Pilgrim.

  I was sure he could hear everything I was saying – he was only a few yards beneath us – and Ide been expecting him to show some kind of reaction, but for some reason he was keeping his silence.

  You realize Pilgrims out of his mind, dont you? I said to Glorian. Thats why this is never going to work and the Dau are going to cut you all to pieces as soon as they find you. Its why Pilgrims still obsessed with killing Gun Sur. Theres no need to kill him anymore, is there? The only reason you needed to get rid of him – and Cruke and Luca and all the others – was to cover yourselves in case something went wrong and the Dau didnt win the battle. Because if that happened, Gun Sur and the others would know youd betrayed us, and the 3 of you would be hanged as traitors. But its not going to happen now, is it? The Dau have won, so you dont need to cover yourselves. You dont need to get rid of Gun Sur. And even if you did, the Dau are going to kill him anyway. But Pilgrim still wants to do it himself, doesnt he? He wants to kill the Marshal because he despises him, because hese always wanted to kill him, because he likes killing people, because hese a madman —