As decided before, I will be doing a bonus short side story. Sebastian won the vote by a landslide!
So here it is Sebastian's story part one of three!
Part One/3:
"Hey love," Mother whispered in that accent I knew so well.
I looked up, my smile growing as I looked at her. She looked like an angel, dressed in blue scrubs, a long white coat, today it was decorated with red. Her dark locks were pulled back so carefully, so delicately. She smiled at me, those blue eyes so bright. Brighter than these white walls, brighter than those yellow lights. Warmer than the stale heat.
Today she looked sad.
"Good morning Mother," I said softly.
Her smile grew, "You've done so well in the tests. Doctor Maxwell will be moving you into the city tomorrow. You're such a good boy, you'll do wonderful things one day."
That meant the city was done being built.
Young me giggled. Moving to the city was our goal after all. That meant I was good enough to survive once the world ended. Good enough that the doctor had picked me over all the other subjects to get the cure all. I was the specialist. I was the best good boy. Number four would survive.
"Which means today," she sighed softly, "You'll need a name."
I frowned, "A name?"
She nodded, bending down to my height, "Yes. For a good boy. But this name will be our secret. Don't tell the doctor ok my love? Just like my nickname for you. Just like my name. Because tomorrow you'll be the fourth to him but you're more than that and I need you to remember this ok? You are more than a number."
Sirens were going off suddenly. Mother looked panicked. Her eyes grew wide, she looked towards the door, suddenly getting up. Mother dropped her scalpel. I paused, my eyes flickering from the silver knife to Mother. She looked back to me, ignoring the commotion in the halls.
"A name," she said quickly, "Pick a name number four!"
I raked my mind for a name, as if it would save her. I thought back to the books she'd read to me, those books that would slip back under her coat when she left. I thought back to the mermaid book. The crab, he had a funny voice too. Just like Mother's, but Mother's was so soft and smooth.
"Sebastian," I remember myself saying.
She nodded, a smile on her face, the door slammed open. I jolted, fear of the loud noise scaring me but she didn't seem to react. Smiling still, tears began to fall down her face and Mother leaned forward. Hugging me tightly. My tiny little arms wrapped around her, I hugged her tightly, inhaling the sweet smell of her clothing. A noise went off, I know now that was a gunshot. They shot her.
Blood fell on my face in drops, I tried to look up, to see her face but her grip was too strong.
"My Sebastian, my little love," she whispered.
I blinked back the memory. How old was I then? When Maxwell killed the nurse that had gotten too close to subject four. I was told she simply broke when hearing that I would be moved and they would be left behind. That's what Maxwell called it, them breaking. Like toys.
"Four," I looked up, back to his grin.
I kept my grin on my face, mirror his attitude, "Yes boss?"
My voice didn't shake, that was good. Normally it shook when I remembered the past. Today it didn't, today it felt strong. Like the day I told Marianna and Felix to leave the city without me five years ago. Like every day after that the guards beat me into submission for failing to kill the two. It made me feel good, it made me feel strong.
Maxwell sighed, pulling me back to reality. I kept my back straight, my eyes stayed on him but I was listening. Maxwell was nothing but trouble, I knew his games. I was ready for the moment the General stepped out of the shadows and began to beat me. I was ready for anything.
"We found her," he said.
I froze, "W-What?"
That, that I wasn't ready for.
"Erin Mira Brooks," he purred, "I found that little bitch. Isn't this great news? With her DNA I can finally figure out what her father did. I can perfect the virus, I can make the infected controllable."
This wasn't good news. I could feel my mouth drying up, my heart pounding. If he got any more control over this world, the world would truly end. There would be nothing left. No one left. I could feel everything inside me breaking. He would kill Marianna and Felix, he would kill Junior and Lisa— everyone that had ever crossed him, everyone that disagreed with him.
"T-That is good news," I lied.
They needed to be informed. I needed to tell them. Jason Brooks daughter had to be killed before Maxwell found her. It was a wonder that she was still alive but now, now she needed to die before anyone else was hurt. Marianna needed to know. She needed to know.
"Would you like to retrieve her for me?" he then asked.
I nodded, eagerly, too eagerly.
Maxwell frowned, his eyes narrowing, "Tell me four, you wouldn't be planning to cross me would you?"
"N-No."
He stood, walking around his desk over to me with ease. Those grey eyes like a monster as he stood in front of me. Only a few inches taller than me and yet he still filled me with fear. His hand found my throat and he slammed me back. I let out a soundless grunt, my eyes wide but I held back. I would not show him my fear. He may be a god but I was still a monster.
His monster.
"Careful," I managed with a grin, "Or you'll get my blood on you."
He paused, letting me go and brushing off his sleeve. Maxwell hid it well, he really did but I still knew. I knew he was afraid of me. Afraid of being doused in my blood and becoming ugly. I was his favourite and worst monster creation. I think that's the only way I've survived this long.
"I will be sending two," he said quickly, "Get out."
I nodded with a smirk, "Sure thing boss."
Calmly, as calmly as I could manage, I walked away. Down the hall and towards the elevator. Making my way through the facilities to the main floor. I couldn't waste any time, I needed to go now before Maxwell sent guards to boil up until I was contained. I found Lori in the garage instantly. She was with Daniel. Again. My eyes rolled as I walked over while they kissed. Her eyes widened as she saw me, pulling away from the man she had no business kissing.
"I need to go," I said simply.
She frowned, "Alright."
"What?" Daniel gasped, "You can't help him. Maxwell will kill you!"
Lori sighed looking over at me. He didn't understand but she did. We weren't related but we were family. He was just a guard she was seeing. A guard who continued to test Maxwell's patience by skipping his duties to make out with a mechanic behind cars.
"I'll open the door and say it's for something, I-I make something up," she said quickly, leaving him standing there, "You'll have only a moment."
I nodded, that's all I needed anyways.
She talked to the guards near the doors as I saw Holt walk in with a wide grin on his face. Daniel looked from me to them. I knew what he was going to do before he even did it. My hand grabbed his mouth and I shoved him back. It was loud, everyone looked over at us. I needed them to focus on his crimes and not mine. I needed a distraction.
So, I traded his life for mine.
"You keep skipping your duties for a woman, how smart is that mate?" I snarled.
His eyes widened, his face paling. I turned and ran. Not wanting to watch Holt use his thirst for power to kill a man who only wanted to enjoy life and the pleasures of a woman. I kept running, but as that spared my sight it didn't spare my hearing. I could hear Lori screaming.
The doors began closing behind me and I knew it would be another few seconds before they opened again so I didn't stop. I kept running until my legs ached and my head pounded. I could feel branches scraping against my face, against my bare arms but I kept going. Until I was out of the trees and wandering down the road. Then, I stopped. Burying my face in my hands and just taking deep breaths in. I was filled with regret.
Guilt.
They would kill him.
All because I needed to escape.
"Fuck," I whispered.
Lori would never forgive me. I moved my hands from my face and began walking down the road. I knew it was only a matter of time before Maxwell sent someone to get me. Maybe Leon or Arabella. Eventually I'd have to let them take me back or kill one of my own. Damnit. Damnit!
I kept moving, my face towards the sun and I soaked it in. In this moment I was free. It didn't matter that my goal was to reach Marianna, it didn't matter that eventually I'd be found and taken back. In this moment I was free. My mind wandered back to Mother. I never knew my own mother, Maxwell had taken me in as a baby. It was Mother who raised me, sneaking in picture books, teaching me against Maxwell's rules. She always saw me as a boy, not a subject. As her own child.
I never even learned her real name.
"What would she do now?" I whispered then chuckled.
She'd stupidly sacrifice herself over and over for me, that's what she'd do. So I would do the same for those I cared about. I would find Marianna and warn her. Then I would find the child Maxwell loathed—I suppose Erin Mira Brooks was a woman now. A few years younger than myself I'd guess. I wonder if Jason Brooks was still alive, with her maybe?
No. He'd never let her be found by Maxwell's eyes. She must be alone.
My heart panged for the stranger. I was beginning to sweat from the heat now. She must be alone and afraid. I felt for the woman, I truly did but I had to protect the world. Her life was a small price, she was the one who caused all this after all. Did that not mean she meant to die?
I sighed, kicking at the road.
She was younger than me. Which meant she was only a toddler when they began all those tests. When the idea around the virus started. She didn't cause this, her father did and now she was supposed to take that burden on. I felt stupid for wishing the woman dead. There must be such a weight on her shoulders already, I didn't have the right to take her life.
What would Mother do?
I sighed again. Burden or not, right or not, her death meant Maxwell would never get control of the world. As much as I related to the stranger, I needed to do what needed to be done. To save long lost friends and new ones.
As the sun began to set I found an abandoned house. Inside a single zombie. I let it bite me, my blood filling its mouth, the pain of the bite reminding me I was nothing but a test subject. Named by a dying nurse who had grown too attached. Grunting, I stayed in the house, too afraid to sleep. So I waited for the sun to rise. Watching as the moon circled through the sky. Dipping down over the trees. Then, the sun began to rise. It was beautiful, breath taking. A smile found it's way onto my lips and I enjoyed the small sense of freedom.
Then, I began moving again. Down the road, tempting fate to find me. Tempting my bad luck to match me back up with Maxwell. His men would find me at any moment. I was one of his best men. I wasn't tired. Being awake for days on end as a child from the pain of the experiments had made my body used to lack of sleep, lack of hunger. I was his best man and he would take me back. He'd forgive me then beat me until the pain confused my brain into not leaving again.
"I would take the pain," I told myself, "It is worth saving Marianna."
Marianna.
I wondered how she was. A smile found my lips as I thought of her. I chuckled just thinking of how mad Felix would be to see me well and alive. He always hated me, thinking Mari and I had something. She never told him because she liked him being jealous, and I never said anything because I liked the anger. I wanted him to punch me, I wanted him to punch me so she'd pick me.
"Pick me and stay," I begged, "Please Mari. Maxwell will forgive you. We can be happy."
Tears fell down her face, "Survival doesn't mean happiness. I won't stay here. Not even for you."
I sighed softly, ignoring the ache in my heart. Naw, not even if he hit me. She'd always pick him. He was Felix Grant. I was number four. She would always pick him. That was fine, that was good because she was right. The City of Ash was not happiness. It wasn't even survival.
It was hell.
I knew where Mari was, Maxwell kept tabs on them. Wolf Cove. It was smart. Reconstructing a former reserve. I've read all the reports the shadow men wrote. Felix was smarter than I gave him credit for. They were smart. They survived with happiness. I was the jealous one now.
I chuckled to myself, one day I hoped I'd find such happiness.
Naw, Maxwell would never allow me that.