The Road Home
Title: The Road Home
Author: christianscott
Person the story was written for: odette_river
Rating: pg13
Summary: He was there when the world ended.
Word Count: 1,756
Author's Notes: I went with the post-apocalyptic prompt. Tried and tried to work some of the other elements into this story, but it just wasn't having it, so... Anyway, I hope it's still good enough. My thanks go to all the patient people to whom I complained when this story didn't want to go in any kind of direction. ;)
I shield my eyes against the sun, and wonder if I'm seeing things. I've done almost ten of my twelve months here on this outpost, and that much time alone, particularly out here, can drive a man crazy. It's a bum deal, whichever way you look at it. I know the Authorities don't really give a shit if anyone gets this far or not, because they'll wind up dead enough in the end not to pass along any of what they see. I'm pretty sure that goes for the Guards, too. Well, most of 'em.
As for me, I'm pretty safe. I can't talk to tell anyone what's out here, and nobody ever even taught me how to write my own name. I've never gone crazy, neither. So I'm the safest bet they have for this job. Rest of the guards? Well, they're convicts, and them that don't go mad out here and kill their own selves wind up dying in prisons anyhow.
I adjust my bow, and take another long look. Yeah, I ain't seeing things. Two of them, ploughing through the snow all huddled together, and a skinny old mule bringing up the rear.
I watch their slow progress along the road, wondering how they even made it this far. There's no other way 'cept down this long road or one of the other three, and just to get to my post is a good solid month of walking. I don't know, you try to tell them there's nothing out here and along they come anyway like damn lemmings. Way I see it is, if they're stupid enough to want to go there, they deserve everything they get.
Finally, as they near, I lift my bow and notch one up, levelling it at them.
They walk a few more paces, but when I don't make a move, they both stop in their tracks.
"Let us by," one says, and I shake my head at her. Just because I know it's suicide to go that way, don't mean I won't do my job properly.
I still want to know where they came from, though, and how they got past the midway post. There are some mean sonsabitches out there, wouldn't think twice about stringing up these women, even if they held up their hands and turned around to go back the way they'd come.
"Please," the other one says, and neither of them looking me in the eye, nor at the point of the arrow trained on them. I take a step towards them, hoping they'll just get the message and go, already. Do they get that? That if they just go, I won't do anything, won't tell anybody?
The taller of the two comes closer again, handing off the mule's reins. I pull back, knowing I'll shoot her if I need to. Can't deal with crazy women who think it's cool to mess with-
"Please, Rowan."
"Hebe, don't-"
"Shush, Sophie." She's still looking at me, and I don't know what to do any more. How does she know my name? I don't know her, ain't seen either of these women before in my life, and she's not backing down. All of my training's telling me I should let loose an arrow, but my gut's telling me something else entirely. "Do you know who I am, Rowan?"
I shake my head, and she smiles, though there ain't a bit of happiness to it.
"I found you. When-
When our world came to an end, I was a part of the rescue team. We scoured the epicentre for survivors, and I found you, Rowan. You were so small and so afraid. I didn't know, when I handed you over to the Authorities, what would happen. I didn't know anything."
I realise I'd let my bow fall, and lift it again, quickly. I don't want to hear anything else about it.
"Hebe, they probably brainwashed him. He's not going to let us go by; he'll kill us as soon as look at us. Why can't we just go back now? We'll figure it out. This, this is suicide."
"Going home is suicide, Sophie. You know what they'll do to us, if they find out what we are."
I listen to them, and try not to waver, not even when the one called Sophie pulls Hebe to her, and kisses her. Least now I know what they meant. Authorities take a dim view on those that don't procreate. Not me, I guess they just didn't want nobody seeing me. Just took what they needed from me and dumped me on my first outpost when I was sixteen. Here I am now, almost nine years later, another 12 months to serve, another point on the road to guard. I've seen them all, now; East, West, South and now North. The worst road in. Hades on either side of the road, a sky that'll still be there behind your eyes when you close them. It's a living nightmare for most, but I've seen worse. I can deal.
"I saw that place with my own two eyes, there are no demons there. Everything we have to fear is behind us now, Sophie. We no longer exist, remember?"
Sophie nods, and looks at me. She comes in, too close for me to shoot at, though I know I don't want to, not any more. I want to know what they mean, what all of this means, and I can't find anything out if they're both dead.
She pulls at my scarf, and I start waving the bow to try and get some distance between us. Women, though. Persistent creatures, and she just keeps pulling, even while Hebe's telling her to stop. I wish I could do that, wish I could shout at the top of my lungs that she needs to leave me alone and yes, yes, I'll let them go by. Whatever, the demons we're keeping on lockdown in there can eat them for supper, both of them. They don't know what the hell they're talking about - I remember the end of the world, I was right there. I know demons when I see them.
"I just want to see," Sophie says, to Hebe's protests. "And you said you needed to see."
Hebe looks between the two of us, and I almost can't bear the pity in her eyes. It was a long time ago, I've forgotten it all now. Besides, they made me stronger, they made me what I am. I would never have survived if they'd just let me be.
I don't wait for them to ask again, I just rip the scarf from my neck, from my throat, knowing I've made myself more vulnerable by dropping the bow than I have showing them this.
"Oh, my God. It's worse than I thought," Hebe mutters.
No wait, I think. Don't cry. Please don't cry.
"You poor, poor boy. I'm so sorry." Now she's the one touching me and Sophie's backed off completely, to the side of their mule. I didn't mean to scare them, or make them sad.
They wanted to see.
It's a scar I don't look at much any more. Across my throat, expertly done. I heard they did the same thing to all the survivors from the epicentre, so we couldn't talk about what happened there. I drew pictures, back at the rehab centre the Authorities had me in, until they threatened to cut off all of my fingers. Ain't drawn a thing since.
"You should come with us, Rowan. There's a door, at the very centre of the crossroad. That's where we're going."
I pull away from her, because that? Down that road? That's the last place I want to go.
"The demons, they're not real. They were soldiers, Rowan, that's all. Just men in masks. Just men."
But they tore up the mountains and made Hell on Earth, how could men do that? And why would everyone say there are demons inside the epicentre's walls?
She comes closer again, curving her fingers over my cheek. Her wrist's warm where it rests on my skin, either side of the scar. I can feel her pulse beating.
"Everything has been a lie. They built a new world, one they could control, and we've eaten their words like good little children for far, far too long. Now it's time to leave the table. Come with us."
Sophie's still watching us, still staring at my throat. I've never been more conscious of it, and what it means, than I am right now.
I want to ask what's behind this door she mentioned. Why's it so important? I can't, of course. All I can do is close my eyes and take a good long look at my memories.
I was playing out in the street when it happened. Hide and seek. I'd crawled down into an old rabbit warren that my dad dug out for us kids to play in, and I remember sitting there, listening to my friends calling my name. I felt my tunnel start to shift, and I thought maybe they were coming down, that they knew exactly where I was hiding. I started to crawl back towards the entrance when my whole tunnel lit up in absolute, dead silence. It lasted about a minute before my ears started ringing, only it wasn't ringing, it was the whole world coming to an end.
Screaming, that's all I could hear. I saw something coming down the tunnel, big and black all over, shiny red eyes. I pressed myself into the dirt wall and my shorts got wet, but when I looked up, the demon was gone.
What I thought was a demon.
I was only eight years old when the Authorities stole my voice from me. Only thing that hurt worse was when they told me everyone else was dead. All my friends, my family, everyone I ever knew. I knew for years, and for years let myself believe instead the easier truth, that it was demons that ended the world. My world.
I swallowed all of their stories, just like Hebe said.
But I know what I saw in the rabbit hole. In the deepest parts of me, I know.
They were just men, weren't they?
I look back at my guardhouse, knowing that the supplies I have left in there will see us through the long walk to the end of the road. So I reach out, and I let Hebe take my hand.
Author: christianscott
Person the story was written for: odette_river
Rating: pg13
Summary: He was there when the world ended.
Word Count: 1,756
Author's Notes: I went with the post-apocalyptic prompt. Tried and tried to work some of the other elements into this story, but it just wasn't having it, so... Anyway, I hope it's still good enough. My thanks go to all the patient people to whom I complained when this story didn't want to go in any kind of direction. ;)
I shield my eyes against the sun, and wonder if I'm seeing things. I've done almost ten of my twelve months here on this outpost, and that much time alone, particularly out here, can drive a man crazy. It's a bum deal, whichever way you look at it. I know the Authorities don't really give a shit if anyone gets this far or not, because they'll wind up dead enough in the end not to pass along any of what they see. I'm pretty sure that goes for the Guards, too. Well, most of 'em.
As for me, I'm pretty safe. I can't talk to tell anyone what's out here, and nobody ever even taught me how to write my own name. I've never gone crazy, neither. So I'm the safest bet they have for this job. Rest of the guards? Well, they're convicts, and them that don't go mad out here and kill their own selves wind up dying in prisons anyhow.
I adjust my bow, and take another long look. Yeah, I ain't seeing things. Two of them, ploughing through the snow all huddled together, and a skinny old mule bringing up the rear.
I watch their slow progress along the road, wondering how they even made it this far. There's no other way 'cept down this long road or one of the other three, and just to get to my post is a good solid month of walking. I don't know, you try to tell them there's nothing out here and along they come anyway like damn lemmings. Way I see it is, if they're stupid enough to want to go there, they deserve everything they get.
Finally, as they near, I lift my bow and notch one up, levelling it at them.
They walk a few more paces, but when I don't make a move, they both stop in their tracks.
"Let us by," one says, and I shake my head at her. Just because I know it's suicide to go that way, don't mean I won't do my job properly.
I still want to know where they came from, though, and how they got past the midway post. There are some mean sonsabitches out there, wouldn't think twice about stringing up these women, even if they held up their hands and turned around to go back the way they'd come.
"Please," the other one says, and neither of them looking me in the eye, nor at the point of the arrow trained on them. I take a step towards them, hoping they'll just get the message and go, already. Do they get that? That if they just go, I won't do anything, won't tell anybody?
The taller of the two comes closer again, handing off the mule's reins. I pull back, knowing I'll shoot her if I need to. Can't deal with crazy women who think it's cool to mess with-
"Please, Rowan."
"Hebe, don't-"
"Shush, Sophie." She's still looking at me, and I don't know what to do any more. How does she know my name? I don't know her, ain't seen either of these women before in my life, and she's not backing down. All of my training's telling me I should let loose an arrow, but my gut's telling me something else entirely. "Do you know who I am, Rowan?"
I shake my head, and she smiles, though there ain't a bit of happiness to it.
"I found you. When-
When our world came to an end, I was a part of the rescue team. We scoured the epicentre for survivors, and I found you, Rowan. You were so small and so afraid. I didn't know, when I handed you over to the Authorities, what would happen. I didn't know anything."
I realise I'd let my bow fall, and lift it again, quickly. I don't want to hear anything else about it.
"Hebe, they probably brainwashed him. He's not going to let us go by; he'll kill us as soon as look at us. Why can't we just go back now? We'll figure it out. This, this is suicide."
"Going home is suicide, Sophie. You know what they'll do to us, if they find out what we are."
I listen to them, and try not to waver, not even when the one called Sophie pulls Hebe to her, and kisses her. Least now I know what they meant. Authorities take a dim view on those that don't procreate. Not me, I guess they just didn't want nobody seeing me. Just took what they needed from me and dumped me on my first outpost when I was sixteen. Here I am now, almost nine years later, another 12 months to serve, another point on the road to guard. I've seen them all, now; East, West, South and now North. The worst road in. Hades on either side of the road, a sky that'll still be there behind your eyes when you close them. It's a living nightmare for most, but I've seen worse. I can deal.
"I saw that place with my own two eyes, there are no demons there. Everything we have to fear is behind us now, Sophie. We no longer exist, remember?"
Sophie nods, and looks at me. She comes in, too close for me to shoot at, though I know I don't want to, not any more. I want to know what they mean, what all of this means, and I can't find anything out if they're both dead.
She pulls at my scarf, and I start waving the bow to try and get some distance between us. Women, though. Persistent creatures, and she just keeps pulling, even while Hebe's telling her to stop. I wish I could do that, wish I could shout at the top of my lungs that she needs to leave me alone and yes, yes, I'll let them go by. Whatever, the demons we're keeping on lockdown in there can eat them for supper, both of them. They don't know what the hell they're talking about - I remember the end of the world, I was right there. I know demons when I see them.
"I just want to see," Sophie says, to Hebe's protests. "And you said you needed to see."
Hebe looks between the two of us, and I almost can't bear the pity in her eyes. It was a long time ago, I've forgotten it all now. Besides, they made me stronger, they made me what I am. I would never have survived if they'd just let me be.
I don't wait for them to ask again, I just rip the scarf from my neck, from my throat, knowing I've made myself more vulnerable by dropping the bow than I have showing them this.
"Oh, my God. It's worse than I thought," Hebe mutters.
No wait, I think. Don't cry. Please don't cry.
"You poor, poor boy. I'm so sorry." Now she's the one touching me and Sophie's backed off completely, to the side of their mule. I didn't mean to scare them, or make them sad.
They wanted to see.
It's a scar I don't look at much any more. Across my throat, expertly done. I heard they did the same thing to all the survivors from the epicentre, so we couldn't talk about what happened there. I drew pictures, back at the rehab centre the Authorities had me in, until they threatened to cut off all of my fingers. Ain't drawn a thing since.
"You should come with us, Rowan. There's a door, at the very centre of the crossroad. That's where we're going."
I pull away from her, because that? Down that road? That's the last place I want to go.
"The demons, they're not real. They were soldiers, Rowan, that's all. Just men in masks. Just men."
But they tore up the mountains and made Hell on Earth, how could men do that? And why would everyone say there are demons inside the epicentre's walls?
She comes closer again, curving her fingers over my cheek. Her wrist's warm where it rests on my skin, either side of the scar. I can feel her pulse beating.
"Everything has been a lie. They built a new world, one they could control, and we've eaten their words like good little children for far, far too long. Now it's time to leave the table. Come with us."
Sophie's still watching us, still staring at my throat. I've never been more conscious of it, and what it means, than I am right now.
I want to ask what's behind this door she mentioned. Why's it so important? I can't, of course. All I can do is close my eyes and take a good long look at my memories.
I was playing out in the street when it happened. Hide and seek. I'd crawled down into an old rabbit warren that my dad dug out for us kids to play in, and I remember sitting there, listening to my friends calling my name. I felt my tunnel start to shift, and I thought maybe they were coming down, that they knew exactly where I was hiding. I started to crawl back towards the entrance when my whole tunnel lit up in absolute, dead silence. It lasted about a minute before my ears started ringing, only it wasn't ringing, it was the whole world coming to an end.
Screaming, that's all I could hear. I saw something coming down the tunnel, big and black all over, shiny red eyes. I pressed myself into the dirt wall and my shorts got wet, but when I looked up, the demon was gone.
What I thought was a demon.
I was only eight years old when the Authorities stole my voice from me. Only thing that hurt worse was when they told me everyone else was dead. All my friends, my family, everyone I ever knew. I knew for years, and for years let myself believe instead the easier truth, that it was demons that ended the world. My world.
I swallowed all of their stories, just like Hebe said.
But I know what I saw in the rabbit hole. In the deepest parts of me, I know.
They were just men, weren't they?
I look back at my guardhouse, knowing that the supplies I have left in there will see us through the long walk to the end of the road. So I reach out, and I let Hebe take my hand.