Beyond All Doubt (In watty awards 2011!)

Lepaor village. Day five

I don’t rest when I make it into Lepaor if I did my dreams would only be filled with nightmares, screams of loved ones, the look in Daniel’s eye when I left. I ride on, tears streaming down my face but my mind shouting to my heart that I needed to carry on to carry this out, once it was over I was free to do whatever, even if it meant taking my own life; after all how can one live in a world alone and broken? I think about everyone I have lost during this war and think why does it have to be all of mine? Why me? I just wanted them back – for them to be with me, to hold them, to love them, to cherish them as for as long as I can. My mother, my father, my unborn brother or sister, Jude, Daniel and everyone I knew in my village Kingston. The horse must have picked up on my feelings as he turns his head and rubs my leg; I hug into him enjoying the love and strength of another even if it was an animal. I stop halfway as I come along a tree, now blossoming with red apples; I smile for the first time in a while and think about how much more this is to the world. I pluck two from the branch and give one to Goldie while I bite into the juicy red apple myself. I moan in delight at the freshness and vitality of it. But the sounds of oncoming people make me drag Goldie back into the marsh of trees and hide.

Surly enough Protectors come and remove the apples from the trees and I wonder what they are up too, when they remove their masks I hold my breath as I see Jude and all I want to do is run towards him and into his arms but I can’t, but only on the slightest bit of movement from me does he look up and at me. If he sees me I do not know, but I hope he does all I want to do is be with him – anyone I know. They begin to retreat and I feel my heart and gut drop, he hadn’t and it was hardly likely I could go running after him, after a few minutes I come out of my hiding spot sure that they were not coming back and walk up the path that would lead to Russie.

“Georgia!” At the sound of my name drifting towards me through the wind, I turn and see Jude approaching me and I can’t help but grin and run towards him and into his big strong arms. He holds me there and I can’t help but lean in further for more of his touch.

“I’m so glad to see you!” I say around the dripping tears. He grips the side of my face and wipes the tears away.

“And I’m so glad to see you.” He says while plopping a kiss on my forehead. We stay like this for a while before he pulls back. “Where are you going?” He asks me while still half hugging me as we walk up towards the horse.

“I’m going to Russie. I need to do something there.” I say to him as he helps me up on the horse.

“To destroy the serum?” He asks me. “I take that as a yes,” I quickly close my mouth and turn forward. “I will help I can’t stand seeing what it does to people and what they’re going to do with it.”

“W-w-what do you mean?” I ask him not bothering to show the terror in my voice.

“They’re going to use it on everyone Georgia, everyone.”