"You're doing really well, Runner Five," Moonchild praises, and I smile, my teeth still chattering from my cold wet hair. Apparently my 'drying off' was letting the wind dry me off as I ran. It really is a good thing I can't get sick, or I would have fallen ill far before I reached Abel.
"Thank you," I say with a shaky voice as I keep trudging along in the snow. I'm so tired. I've been going on for hours without stopping.
But I don't want to stop, because she doesn't want me to stop.
"I want to support you, like the branches of a great oak. You told me how Sam's always been so supportive of you; I totally understand that."
"Sam," I whisper. Oh, how I've missed him. It's been weeks since I've seen him. I'm so happy I'm going to get to see him again. I'm going to show him how amazing this feels.
This is wrong.
She's going to make you kill him just like she made you kill Caleb.
My steps falter, just for a second, but Moonchild doesn't notice.
"Like my dad-he always had my back. Whenever anyone criticized me, he was always the first to come to my defense." She pauses. "He died, my dad, a few years ago. Really sent me off the rails, but in a different kind of way, sort of... went onto the rails. I learned so much from my grief. I became a different person, like, you know, like an incredible butterfly emerging from a cacoon, or those seeds that only germinate from fire.
"The natural world had so much to teach us. Sometimes something has to die for something else to be born. I know you understand me. I find our chats so enriching."
I look down at my arm, where the patches would be-the patches she put on me during our chats. They were uncomfortable at first, but I got used to them. She told me I'd get used to them, and I did.
"Listen, I know this sounds crazy, but I do love you. I do. It's like, yeah, you were always meant to come to me. You're the first one, Five. What I've really done, what I've always dreamed of, what I saw in my visions. You're the first one who stayed exactly yourself, just changed your perspective. That's all I hoped for!
"And you know, all that we have together, it could have never happened if you'd stayed the same. Things have to die, man. It's the circle of life."
I tilt my head to the side in wonder. Why does she keep talking about death? She didn't tell me we were going to destroy Abel.
But she didn't tell me she was going to have me blow up all those Comansys ships, kill all those people.
Kill Caleb.
My steps falter again.
"You're almost at Abel. Keep running."
The tones play in my ears, and I feel that little bit of anxiety and resentment slip away. I just want to do what she says, even if it means destroying Abel. It's for the greater good. That's what she said. It's in humanity's best interest.
Those are the phrases that keep repeating over and over again in my head, but still, I hear the whispers, the murmurs of my own mind.
This is wrong.
It can't be wrong. It wouldn't feel this amazing if it was, right? I don't understand why this would feel so good if it was a bad thing. I'm doing good. I'm doing the right thing.
I can see Abel on the horizon. It's harder to see in the darkness, but I see the red beacon of the coms tower flashing. I feel my smile broaden. How I've missed this place. It's been two weeks since I left Abel, and now I'm so glad to be home again. I'm so happy that I'll get to see Sam and Milo and Penelope again.
But what will she make you do to them?
I shake my head. There's no need to think those thoughts. I know why those slivers of emotions are seeping through into my mind, but I had to do that. I had to destroy those Comansys ships. They were close to finding a way to cure the mind control. I couldn't let them continue. Caleb just happened to be on the ship.
If he would've just come back with me and Maxine and Paula when we escaped, he would still be alive. So really, him dying was his own fault.
You know that isn't true.
I'm closer to Abel now-maybe twenty feet away from the gates. The darkness shields me from view, but I still crouch down, keeping my body behind the leafless trees, just to be safe. After a split second, I rush forward, climbing over the fence near the latrine block. It's not very well guarded, so I don't have to worry about any noise I made while climbing over the fence.
Then I start moving, trying to stay silent as the snow crunches under my feet. God, I've missed this place. I take a look around, at the buildings, the empty streets. Of course, no one in their right minds would be out at this hour. Only very few people come out when it's this late, and this cold.
"Just wait there for a second, Five," Moonchild instructs. "You've come through the perimeter and into Abel, but crouch down into those bushes. Someone's coming."
Three people. I see them, their silhouettes casting down onto the snow, the lights from the outside buildings showing me glimpses of their faces. I gasp.
"Haven't heard anything," Jody says, her hands in her pockets. "At least, they aren't sayin' anything."
"You'd think they'd know this is serious." Sam scoffs. "'Just a runner.' Bullshit! She's my Runner."
"And my mum," Milo interjects. He looks down at his feet sadly. "I just want her back home."
"We all do," Sam sighs. "And I'm not gonna give up. We're going to keep looking until we find her."
My heart wrenches at hearing the pain in Milo's voice. I don't want that. I want him to be happy. He's my son-my baby. He and Penelope both are.
A part of me wants to reach out to him, tell him I'm here, I'm safe, I'm happy. And soon he will be too.
But I don't.
Because she doesn't want me to. And if Moonchild doesn't want it, then neither do I, so I push that part of me that wants to call out to my son into the farthest corner of my mind.
"This is wonderful, Runner Five! You can move again in a moment." Moonchild lets out a deep breath. "I want you to understand why this is important. When we talked, you said you thought I was holding something back... I-I know you'll help me anyway. I know you will. I'm so-I'm just so moved by your loyalty! I now know why you've got gold sparks in your aura!"
I smile widely, and inch forward just a bit, to prepare to stand, but in doing so, I cause the bushes to rustle. I freeze, and through the corner of my eye I see all three heads turn to me. I'm far enough away to where they can't run and grab me, but they might just be able to see me.
"There's someone over there in the bushes," Jody says, and I see hope flash across Milo's face.
"Mum? Is that you?"
"Stay still, Runner Five," She commands. "I don't need to tell you that, of course. And you've got your escape route planned. I have been holding back from you. I haven't told you everything about the zombie repelling device, and why I need to have it. And I want to tell you everything. That's the only way we can help each other."
"You're right," Sam says. "There's someone there. I-I think it's Five. Jody, go get Janine! Milo, head to the coms shack and search through the surveillance cams." He looks up at the watchtower not too far away. "Raise the alarm!"
"But-" Milo starts.
"Now, Milo! Now!"
I hear the alarm go off that there's an intruder, and I grit my teeth.
Shit.
"Five, you can still make it. Behind the dormitory block. There's no one there now. Go!"
I sprint off, and I hear Sam gasp. "Five, wait!"
"I've got you on satellite cameras. He hasn't gotten a good look at you yet. Don't let him."
I nod, pushing myself to go faster. I rush behind the dorm buildings, my shadow dancing across the dark wood. I can hear Sam's slightly labored breathing from behind me. Sam's a good endurance runner, but only at a nice pace. He can't keep up with how I'm sprinting, but he's trying.
And I know him. He's not going to stop trying, not when he thinks it's me he's chasing.
"Five, wait!" He yells over the alarm. "It's me, your friend, Sam! You know me!"
I open my mouth, but no words come out. Tones blare into my ears. The sound is nearly deafening. They tell me not to speak, so I don't.
Instead I keep running, the darkness of night hiding my face, and making my moves less predictable, even to the man who's seen me run so many times. I take a sharp right turn, not slowing down for a single second. My heart pounds into my chest as I dart behind another building, going still, staying quiet.
I peek around the side of the building, just as I see Sam turn the corner. He looks around frantically, desperately, and my chest tightens.
Oh, how I wish I could talk to him.
But there are more important things I must do. I can't let these petty desires seep in. I have to keep going.
"Mr. Yao!"
My eyes carefully watch Janine and Milo rush towards the slightly disheveled man. He runs a hand through his hair-hair that's grown a bit longer since I last saw him.
"I lost her!" He groans.
"Which way did the figure go, Mr. Yao?"
"Well, she was-I was right behind her, but then she turned the corner and... I think she might be heading towards the rec center."
"Do you think it was... you've thought you've seen Runner Five a lot." Janine sighs. "I'm afraid it's far more likely to have been-to have been... it's far more likely to have been my brother making an attempt on my life."
"We don't know who it was. We haven't seen anything of Tom, anything at all."
"I think it was my mum." Milo rubs his arm awkwardly, and his face scrunches up in pain. "I mean, with what happened to Comansys this morning, to-to Caleb..." His voice cracks, and I jerk as if I've just been stabbed. "The survivors said they saw my mum there."
"Yeah, but I checked all the surveillance footage we could salvage," Sam interjects, "and I found nothing. Did you see anything on the cams here?"
He shakes his head and I release a small sigh of relief.
They haven't seen me, which means I can still continue with the plan. I can still make Moonchild proud.
"You are correct, Mr. Yao. We don't know who is here, and we only have suspicions at present. My training was always not to allow suspicions free reign. That is a way to make operational errors."
"Your training?" Milo questions, and she sends him a disapproving look.
"Classified."
"Oh, man! Our karma's good today!" Moonchild says, a smile in her voice as the others head off. "They didn't spot you then or now. They're on higher alert than I expected. All that noise has attracted some zombies to their front gate, though. That could work for us. No one's guarding the gate raising pulleys. If you could just-"
"I'm on it," I reply, voice light and eyes gleaming as I rush towards the gate. I still stay in the shadows, but I'm quick, I'm careful. I grin as I reach the pulleys, and as my hands reach out to grab them... I realize how much they're shaking.
Why am I shaking?
THIS IS WRONG!
The thought hits me like a punch to the stomach. It echoes into my brain.
It hurts.
I grimace, but the thought continues to beat itself against my skull.
THIS IS WRONG!
THIS IS WRONG!
THIS IS WRONG!
I shake my head. It's not. It can't be. This can't be wrong.
Milo and Penelope are here.
I pause. That's right. They are here. If I open these gates and let these zombies in... what if they get bitten?
"Moonchild, are you sure this is a good-"
"Raise the gates, Five," She interrupts. "Now."
I obey, but my hands still shake, even as I grin like a Cheshire Cat.
The moans of the zombies are the first thing I hear, and I jump back as they all start heading inside, growling and groaning and hands reaching out for something fleshy and alive.
"That should keep them busy, Five. Time to get out of there. Get to Dr. Meyers's lab. It's time. Run!"
•
The sound of glass shattering echoes all around, and I step back, checking my elbow for any cuts or scratches. There are none. So I step through the broken glass door, and into Maxine's lab.
"Man, you know what I like about you? Your economy. Single movement, like tai chi, man. That fluidity, so zen, you never do more than you need to complete the task."
I smile at Moonchild's praise, then I look around for the ZRD. It's not here, which can only mean it's in the rec room. I turn to leave, then pause before walking over to the desk, where I see Maxine's note about the mind control lying about. I tsk.
Can't have that.
So I pick them up...
And I start ripping them to pieces.
"Good thinking," Moonchild says as I overturn a desk and start ripping up more notes. "If anyone survives this, you'll have put this research back months, and no sense making two trips for that. My dad would've liked that. He was in the army when he was young. He liked efficiency. He was the one who started teaching me maths when I was two.
"My mom was all like, 'Man, let her be a child,' and my dad was all like, 'Look, she loves it!' It's a tough thing for a kid, you know. Even then, I felt like there was a heavy, black cloud over them. If I'd known about auras then, maybe it would have been easier, ya know?
"Humans are electrical creatures. We all emit an electrical field. Ancient spiritual traditions call it auras, modern science manipulates brainwaves with a device like the neural net. It's all the same thing, man. It's just like, different names for the same person. It doesn't change what's inside.
"All I wanted was to make my mom and dad agree with each other. Just-you know! Fighting gets us nowhere. You know that. You're a runner, not a fighter." She hums when I finish tearing up all the notes. "That's good. Now you have to just get back across Abel to pick up that Zombie Repelling Device and we're done here."
"Runners Two And Twelve, gun implements now," I hear Janine command over the speakers. "There are more coming in. Runner Four, guard duty now!"
There's a bit of static on my headset, and I hear Jody come through.
Moonchild's hacked into their coms.
"I'm on it. Position Three, right?"
"Taking Position Six. It's okay," Sam says with fear woven in his words. "Just a few zoms, right? Just a few zoms."
"You've got to get across there now, Five," Moonchild says. "Not all those zoms are under my control. You need to move. Run!"
I nod, sprinting away from Maxine's lab. I make sure to stay hidden, going behind buildings and down the less traveled streets. The zombies are already causing a ruckus. I can hear the screams of fear from those who aren't runners.
I look around, trying to make sure my coast is clear while also looking out for Milo. Penelope will be kept in her dorm with the other children, but Milo was already outside when the alarm was raised. He could still be outside now, trying to fight off zombies. He might be doing it in an attempt to prove himself to Janine and Sam. And if he thinks it's a way to stop me and Moonchild, he'll do it even if it means he might die.
But I don't see him, and I don't have time to wonder if that's a good or bad thing. The longer I stay here, the greater the chances of me getting caught become. I can't get caught. I can't fail Moonchild.
So I keep running, the cold air making my lips chap, and my teeth chatter. Still my smile remains.
The sound of screams and gunshots and alarms echo into the air, but they are like a dull hum in comparison to the sounds of the tones. They're blaring, which I guess is why those... thoughts I was having earlier have died off. It's a good thing. I don't need those thoughts of deceit and lies in my brain. This is for the best. The people trying to stop me just don't know that yet.
"That's it," Moonchild says, her voice an excited whisper. "You're halfway there. Just hide behind that-what is that? A statue?"
"Yes," I reply, looking at said statue. "We made it to honor Sarah Smith, and what she did to help us take down Van Ark. It doesn't really look like her, and I doubt she'd actually want-"
"I really love hearing about this, Five. I do. But you can tell me about this later, when we have our talks, and you have on your patches. Just crouch down behind that statue while I work out the best route for you."
I do as told, but I hear a loud gasp from behind me, and I spin around to see wide green eyes staring down at me.
"Oh, my God. Runner Five," Jody says, as if she can't actually believe I'm here.
"Man, that's some bad luck. She's not supposed to be there. You've got to get away from her."
"Runner Five, are you-are you okay?" She blinks, and I realize she's studying me, watching me for any ticks or fidgets to show that I'm me.
"Five, she doesn't know. That's the thing. She just can't tell."
I grab my backpack strap, and she notices. "I... I..."
Help me.
"How'd you even get in here? Are you-are you hidin'? From the zoms?"
I nod, but Jody frowns.
"You look really weird, Five. Like-just like, spaced out. And you're shaking."
I look down at my hands, and I see that she's right.
"I haven't seen ya, since-since I grabbed the ZRD from ya. I'm sorry! If I could have stopped you too, I would. Have you broken away from the mind control?"
So she does know.
"Broken away?" I repeat.
Help me.
"Like the people on the Comansys ship before you..."
"Before I killed them?" The words leave my mouth before I can stop myself.
I killed them.
I killed Caleb.
This is wrong.
"Before they died," She corrects. "Did ya come back here because this is where ya feel safe? It's not safe here, Five. Just take my hand. Dr. Meyers might be able to help you."
"She's going to try to trick you, Five," Moonchild murmurs as I stand and take the blonde's hand. "But you know that, don't you?"
"Come on. Just follow me."
I do, and I feel words bubbling in my chest, clawing at my throat. I don't want to say them. They're wrong. I know they're wrong. I know they're not true, but they're still there in my mind, echoing over and over again, fighting against the tones, fighting against what I know is right.
Why does it feel like I have to say them? Why does it feel like I need to say them?
"Jody," I say quietly, but stop myself, even as my hands continue shaking in hers. This isn't wrong. I don't need help. I'm doing the right thing.
"It's okay, Five. We're going to help you."
"Five, it's a trick. She's going to try to hurt you. Do it now!"
I rip my hand away from Jody, and when she turns back to me in confusion, I hit her.
I hit as hard as I can.
"What are you doin'?" She yelps, trying to shield her face as I hit her again and again. My blows become more forceful, my fists slamming against her face, knocking her unconscious. My hands still shake as I stare at her limp, bleeding body.
"Very good. You really dealt with her. Now, from where you are, there's only one more guard to get to that ZRD. And-oh, hey, it's your friend Sam."
I hesitate. "S-Sam?"
"Once you've dealt with him, you'll truly be free."
"Dealt with him? But I don't... I don't want Sam to die."
"But you want to do what's right. I'm sorry, but people have to die sometimes." I can hear the tones mixing in with her voice. "You know that, right?"
I nod, my uncertainty fading away as if was never even there. "Yes, I do."
"Good. Now grab your axe from your old locker. And hurry. Time's running short."
•
"Ah, man! I never would have thought of that! Doubling back, getting those zombies to chase you and leading them into the crowd of defenders behind the barricades! That's the thing I've been striving for all along, ya know?" She sounds so happy, so pleased. I love hearing her like that. It helps drown out the growls of the zombies and the guns. "I mean, I don't want to control people! That's like, so out of harmony with nature.
"Think about an apple, right? What does an apple want? To spread its seeds. So does it march up to us and mess with our minds to force us to spread the seeds? No! It works with us. It offers us something we want-nice juicy apple, and in exchange, we maybe eat the seeds and poo them out with a nice little dollop of fertilizer. Win-Win, you see?
"That's what we're doing, you and me. Everyone wants to be at peace; Everyone wants to know they're doing the right thing. All I've done is just... adjust your priorities. It's for the best. I know you know that too."
I do know that. This is the right thing. Sacrifices have to be made in order for things to be accomplished. I mean, Jesus had to sacrifice Himself so I could be free. And many have been persecuted and murdered so the truth could be told.
Sacrifices are necessary.
How dare you compare the death of martyrs, the death of Christ, to what you're doing. How dare you.
"Hey, remember those zombie cult guys? That was an experiment that failed, right? I wanted to see if I could really turn some people's minds around, make them love the thing they were most afraid of. I mean, I did, but they went crazy. Almost got myself killed there." She laughs lightly. "There's been a lot of going crazy. It's been a real problem. Really hard to solve."
"I've been waiting for you."
I look around. That wasn't... my voice-not my thoughts. It was... it-it sounded like...
Simon?
"Something about the balance of neural chemicals. It was the same with that woman who used to be a cook at Abel. What was her name? Uh, Francesca. She started hearing voices."
"Oh, you know you deserve to die for what you've done."
"But you're fine, aren't you, Five? Look at you, heading over to deal with Sam Yao. So graceful."
"The thing is, Five, dying would be too easy."
I shake my head as I head towards the rec center, where I know they keep the device. This is just my mind attempting to stop me. It's the rebellious part of me the refuses to submit. It's trying to distract me, but I have to do this.
My hands shake as I enter the rec room, and I see him. He's standing in between me and the cabinet that contains the ZRD. His back is turned towards me, but he spins around when I grab my axe from my back.
"Hello, Five," He says. He looks so sad.
"This ZRD is crucial, man. It's more important than anyone realizes. There's going to be a time when heavenly bodies will align, and then we'll see our destinies."
"I knew it was gonna be you. I felt your presence." He laughs awkwardly and rubs the back of his neck. "Yeah, that's be a better joke if it was Christmas."
I laugh. I don't mean to, but it's Sam.
I don't want to kill Sam.
My hands start shaking, and I grip my axe tighter. Tears start to form into my eyes.
I don't want to kill Sam.
I have to do this.
He reaches up and touches a button on his headset. "Five's here. I'm okay. Just need a bit of help. Five's here and she's... she's under Moonchild's control."
"No one's coming yet. I know this is going to be hard, but you have your axe," She says.
"Sam," I whisper, and my hands start shaking even more.
"I-It's not you, you know," He says. There's desperation in his voice. "Something's happened to you, but I know you're in there. I do. I just feel it." He sighs. "Look, I've watched you all run so much, I don't even need cameras half the time. I'd know who was who by the sound of their steps. And I heard it in yours, when I was chasing you. You weren't running like yourself. You sounded like one of those drones-mechanical, each step the same, except... for just a second, I heard you go back to yourself, your own rhythm. I know you're in there, Five. I know you can fight it."
There are tears running down my face, and my knuckles are white from the tight grip on my axe.
I don't want to do this.
Oh, but I do.
"It's just like ripping off a plastic, Five. You'll feel so much better when it's done." Her voice sings with the tones. "Get me that ZRD now."
I take a step towards him, and he shakes his head.
"Five, no, please. This isn't you. Y-You don't want to do this."
He's right.
"You're wrong," I say.
"No! Help! Someone, help!"
I lunge for him, axe raised high, but my hands are still shaking, and before I can bring my axe down onto him, he grabs the axe and jerks it away from me. It flies across the room, but that doesn't stop me from tackling him to the ground.
"Get off!" He cries.
"Do it," Moonchild commands, and I try to grab at his throat. Sam is smart though. He fights back. He nearly pushes me off him, but he forgets how strong I am.
"No! No! Stop! Get off!" He cries just as I wrap my hands around his neck.
"You were always meant to come here. I have to do this," Simon says.
I screech at the sudden burning pain in my arm as a something pierces my skin. Then everything starts changing. I thrash around, light flooding my vision, voices echoing in my mind as I scream in terrible pain.
"I want to support you, like the branches of a great oak."
I keep thrashing about, and I hear footsteps; I feel hands grabbing my forearms, holding me tightly.
"It's not safe here, Five."
I can hear a faint beeping, like a heart monitor.
"For a second, you go back to yourself..."
"Five, stay with me!" A familiar voice-a voice I haven't heard in a long time, pleads as the white that floods my vision becomes more clear, and the beeping of the heart monitor gets louder. "Come on, Five, stay here! Patient Five, wake up!"
I blink, and I'm suddenly... in a bed-a real bed. I'm in a room, a nice one. It looks like one you'd see at a rehabilitation center or something.
Where am I?
Then it hits me. Moonchild, the mind control... I attacked Sam. I had my hands around his throat.
My eyes fill with tears. Oh, God... I killed him.
I killed Sam.
"Patient Five, it's okay." The dark haired woman speaking brings my mind back to this... place. She lets go of my forearms, and she smiles kindly, and then I get a good look at her.
My heart stops in my chest.
No. No, this isn't possible.
She's supposed to be dead. I heard the gun, I saw her body. I was at the last to leave at her funeral.
Archie's blue eyes stare at me in concern. "Patient Five, remember, you're here. You're safe in your own room in Abel Ward."
Abel Ward? What is she talking about? I try to speak, but no sound leaves my mouth. I feel the blood drain from my face.
No.
"You've had another episode, but you're coming 'round now-right as rain. There are no zombies. They're all just in your mind. You're safe. No need to run." Archie shrugs casually. "Besides, where would you even run to?"
A/N: Plot twist! Do you really think it's all just been in Five's mind? Find out in the next chapter! Please be sure to vote and comment! Thank you and have a blessed day!