Renevere Mars: Part Two

Episode 14: Rescue Mission

Ren stood on the turf lawn of the massive stadium. The last time she was here had been for her test. It looked very different now, though maybe that was all just context. It was a sunny, warm day for the time of year, but the chill of evening was setting in as the sun crested the horizon. The open stands and sky above were streaming with deep orange and pink. In the center of the turf stood a wooden sculpture of a bird, like the one on the Ossilith flag. It's wings were splayed out wide and on each wing were photographs. Sam on one side, Cara on the other. There were pictures of them when they were babies. There were pictures of Cara on her father's shoulders, and Sam with sauce and noodles stuck to his face, smiling a messy, toothy grin. Ren clutched the candle and pamphlet they had handed out at the entrance to this vigil until her nails started to dig into the wax.

It was Cara's birthday today. She was turning 12 years old. Most of the other people standing about the turf knew Sam and Cara from when they were just children. Very few, maybe just Ren, were here for them as fellow warriors. She felt out of place, standing there beside Sam's first grade teacher. She felt responsible. Like she came from the part of their lives that got them taken, their hazardous occupation that created this unnatural scenario, adults morning children that hadn't even been found dead yet. Ren felt eyes on her and knew they must think that, but the truth, what they didn't know, was even worse.

She had left them behind.

Ren turned her back on the great bird and its outstretched wings. Her eyes were swimming but she needed to fight back tears. True as it was that she felt singled out as a warrior here, she needed to carry that identity with some semblance of pride and strength. Then her eyes caught on a familiar face and relief washed over her. Duren stood a few paces away, talking to a man and woman with candles in their hands too.

Ren approached, coming into the conversation mid-way, "...it's just been so hard not knowing," said the woman to Duren.

"I understand, and I wish I could give you more information," Duren said. "All I can do is give you my word that we will find them." He noticed Ren approaching then. "In fact, here's the proverbial we I'm speaking of."

Ren blinked at him and nodded a greeting at the other two.

"Ren, this is Cara's parents," Duren said. "Mr. and Mrs. Bechard."

The women gasped as though in recognition, looking at Ren with a mixture of joy and sadness. "Oh, you're Ren," she said. "Please, call me Marsey. Cara's told me all about you."

"Really?" Ren said, a little nervously. She wasn't certain everything Cara would've had to say would be positive.

"Oh yes, I'm glad I'm getting to meet you, even over this... terrible cause," she said, looking around a bit glassy eyed. Her gaze drifted back to Ren. "She really looks up to you, you know."

Ren smiled abashedly, but it was also pained. I don't deserve to be looked up to by her. I let her down. But she wouldn't say it aloud.

"I-..." she started to say, not sure exactly what was going to come out of her mouth. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry that I couldn't..." She looked down at the candle in her hands. By now, the bottom of it was indented to match the inside of her squeezing fist.

"Oh dear, don't be sorry," Marsey said, putting a hand on Ren's shoulder. "We may not look it, but we were once warriors too."

Ren's gaze popped back up to meet Marsey's. Ren supposed she could see it. Marsey was a softly shaped woman now, but there was a scar that ran from her ear to her collar bone. She had a gentleness to her tone, but a strength and confidence in her gaze. Mr. Bechard had yet to say a single word, and had severe features with heavy brows. The grey hair and receding hairline showed his age, but to imagine him with a knife in his hand wasn't too difficult.