Torment

Cigarette

Curtis was as enraged as me. He continued forward with a stern face, I followed, dragging my axe by my feet in a threatening manner, I fucking dared for anyone else to try me, I was not going to lose Curtis. Nam and Yona were in front us, high as a kite but still useful. We walked through a server sort room when suddenly loud, thumping music swamped us. A  curtain opened, revealing a night club. I didn't even have it in me to scoff. The father and daughter pushed their way through the drunk and high dancers, all of which were dressed in exotic clothes. The dark, purple lit room flashed occasionally with the strobe lighting, the almost naked club goers grinded against us and tried to pull us to them as their drug-fuelled partying continued. I didn't even flinch, my eyes were on Curtis and our goal was Wilford. We were walking along a walkway strip in the middle of the carriage. We were slightly risen above the partiers and I shook my head as I watched Yona accept a large bottle of champagne. She began to swig it with no hesitation. Leaping off the walkway with her father to collect handfuls of Kronole from a table.

The music was so loud, and the lights were blinding, but I never took my eyes off of Curtis. I walked closer to him, grabbing his hand from behind. I squeezed and he squeezed back. As I let go, he turned around momentarily, checking on me. Right now, we relied on each other for our survival. People were swearing and shouting at Nam and his daughter about the Kronole; I didn't care, as long as he opened the doors there wouldn't be an issue. The father and daughter made their way back onto the walkway and opened up the curtains leaving the club. Yona held out the bottle she was holding to Curtis and me, her father quickly pulled her away. After the night club was a sort of smoking lounge carriage. People were seated low in the ground wearing nothing but big fur coats and using more drink and more drugs. Nam and Yona scavenged for more Kronole as Curtis and I kept stalking forward. This area was almost like a brothel. It stunk of sex, by the looks of things orgies must have been a regular occurrence to. Nam and Yona were now behind Curtis and me, they'd now grabbed two fleece-lined fur coats, and were parading with them proudly.

The next carriage was another technical masterpiece. Workers sat behind screens enclosed behind metal cages. I could tell they were staring at us, but Curtis and I continued to march on, un-distracted. That's when we came to the bridge. As we crossed over pistons and engine parts, we finally made our stop in front of a large, sealed door with Wilford's logo on it. This was it. We were one door away from the engine. Curtis stopped just before stepping off the bridge, he was looking at the machines beside and beneath us, realising that we were in fact at the engine. He looked at me. I nodded swinging my axe, so I held it between both hands. We were ready. We could do this. Nam and Yona stubbled across the bridge behind us, squeezing past Curtis and me towards the door. I walked to Curtis, removing one hand from the axe, and cupping his cheek. He looked concerned. "Curtis don't back down now, you can do this. After all, we've been through, this is a walk in the park."  I spoke quietly. Curtis brought his hand up and held it on top of mine. "I'm sorry for everything that's happened." I shook my head at his response. Being sorry wasn't going to bring anyone back. I looked down before pulling my gaze back to his. "I love you," I whispered before leaning in and kissing him softly. He returned the gesture. "I love you too." He breathed as we pulled apart, walking toward a giggling Nam and Yona.

Curtis walked past the father and daughter, looking directly at the large metal door. I wasn't too far behind him, still clutching my axe. "Open the door," Curtis commanded Nam, he was ready, he wanted nothing more than the pummel Wilford into the ground. "Huh? Huh?" Nam began before trying to fish into Curtis's pocket with the crowbar he was holding. "Kronole first." Nam slurred. Unbelievable, had he not gotten his hit from the mound he'd stolen from the last two carts. "You want to Kronole? Here" Curtis began angrily, throwing the drugs at Nam before turning to the door. He was kicking it and punching at it with desperation. Nam grabbed hold of Curtis and tried to pull him away, speaking in his own language. Curtis pulled away and began kicking the door once more. I sighed and stepped forward. I wanted Wilford to, but this wasn't going to get us in. I guess this was Curtis's release, just like what I had done to the suited man. We were all so exhausted. So drained. The men continued to fight, Yona passed out, moaning drunk on the floor.

"Alright, that's enough!" I shouted, slamming the axe against the metal door, making the men pull apart from one another, panting. Nam got one more punch in, knocking Curtis to the ground. Curtis sat by my feet, wiping his head with a sigh. Nam slid down the door behind him and also took a seated position, saying something we didn't understand. I sat by Curtis. Nam said something else before pulling out his smoking tin and throwing it to Curtis. Curtis placed the cigarette in his mouth and lit it with one of the two remaining matches. Curtis took a drag before looking down at the floor. I looked to Nam as he pulled out his translator. "You should be grateful. The world's last cigarette you tail section dick." Nam said. Curtis looked at the cigarette sadly. I sat in silence, my anger, sadness, need for revenge and desperation all swamping me.

"You ever been to the tail section?" Curtis asked Nam. "Do you have any idea what went on back there? When we boarded?" I took a deep startled breath. I never thought Curtis would speak about this ever again, to anyone. Nam shook his head. "It was chaos. Hell, we didn't freeze to death, but we didn't have time to be thankful. Wilford's soliders came and they took everything. It's a thousand people in an iron box. No food, no water." Curtis began solemnly. Nam listened intently as Curtis continued to speak, not smoking the cigarette, barely looking up at us. "After a month, we ate the weak." Curtis finally said it, the thing we'd all tried so hard to forget. His voice was breaking, I could tell it wouldn't be long until the tears began to flow. I didn't want to interrupt him, but I just wanted him to know I was there. I held my hand out and gripped onto his arm as he continued. "You know what I hate about myself? I know what people taste like. I know that babies taste best." Curtis began to sob. I gritted my teeth. "After a certain amount of time, even those who didn't want to eat the weak had no choice, it was cannibalism or starvation, there wasn't an adult in the tail section that didn't do it," I said, trying to make Curtis feel better. He didn't have to do this on his own. We were all as guilty as each other, but not as guilty as Wilford.

Curtis continued to sob as Nam listened. "There was a mother. She was hiding her baby. And some men with knives came. They killed her and they tried to take her baby. And then a girl, a young girl, found the baby, she put herself between the men with knives and the baby, she was willing to give her life for that child. But then, an old man, no relation, just an older man stepped forward, and he said, give me the knife. Everyone thought he'd kill the baby himself, and that girl, she cowered. But he took the knife, and he cut off his own arm. And he said, eat this I'd you're so hungry. Ea... Eat this, just leave the baby. I had never seen anything like that. And the men put down their knives. You probably guessed who that old man was." Nam nodded as Curtis referred to Gilliam. "That baby was Edgar. Hazel was the girl and me; I was the man with the knife." Curtis sobbed as the pieces came into place for Nam.

"I killed Edgar's mother. And then one by one, other people in the tail section started cutting off arms and legs and offering them. It was like a miracle. And I wanted to." Curtis began as he reached his other hand over to mine and held it nervously. "I tried, I just— " before Curtis could finish more tears began to fall. "A month later, Wilford's soldiers brought those protein blocks. We've been eating that shit ever since."  I finished for him as he composed himself. "18 years I've hated Wilford. 18 years I've waited for this moment. And now we're here... Open the gate, please." Curtis finished looking to Nam sternly.