Arc 3 - Chapter 32: Let's Build Fire

(Reverence 4, 59 / 8:37AM)

Back to the present…

The four of them listened to Johnny’s story, but no reaction was drawn from their faces. Dropping his shoulder, Johnny rubbed his palms together, as sweat filled the crevices. Raising his right eyebrow, a little scoff broke through his lips.

“Please tell me you guys heard my story.”

“Y-Yeah we did.” Said Luke.

“Most of it at least. Got the theme.” Said Miles.

“What story?” Asked Luna.

Benn remained silent.

Folding his arms beneath his chest, Johnny breathed out through his nostrils. He stared at the floor, as wood groveled underneath his boots. Miles let out a soft chuckle, while Luke allowed a wry smile to press his lips. Luna and Benn still having frowns, they took it rather casually.

“Come on you guys, I’m trying to relate to you all.”

“No really, I did listen. Me and Miles mostly.”

“And even if you didn’t listen, it’s no skin off my back…”

“And honestly, I could see why you and Elizabeth are so close.”

Luke didn’t look at Johnny, but at the floor. To everyone, it was just wood that creaked of old age. But to Luke, he stared deeply. The dust, the lore, the stories it held; every building was like that.

And for memories to be made, stories to be told, someone had to be the jester. Or rather, everyone was a jester. But in most romance stories, there was an underlying motive, the reason why some couples click.

“You guys had no one to care for, or someone to care for you both. But once you two met, it was almost love at first sight. So I congratulate you, you and her.”

“Thank you man … but seriously.”

Johnny extended his right hand out, the tips of his fingers barely reaching Luke. With a face so full of confidence, Luke felt appalled by such a man, the same one that looked to be part of a background.

“I need your help to change Sean’s mind. I don’t know if you heard, but he’s on his way toward the Zirardge train. If he gets caught, hell would be a lot better than what my father has in store.”

Luke had his palms stick to the floor. Having his sweat be the glue, he puckered both of his lips, while his eyes twitched. The back of his head pressed on the wall, he felt all of his cheeks sag on his chin.

“I know he’s one of ours … but…”

“He’s your friend right?”

“Well… not exactly.”

“But he’s part of the group. Your group.”

Johnny strained his boots to the wood, while his fingers felt numb from its lowered state. Digging his eyes on Luke, it was like lighting a fire in a downpour. If he tried really hard, he would be able to create flames, but the droplets would extinguish it like foam.

“I don’t care if you guys have bad blood. I don’t care who started what. Letting him be feasted by the wolves would say a lot for one man, or for his so-called comrades.”

Luke couldn’t nod. His palm still laid on the floor, he raised his head up, but in an arched way. Having his eyes on Johnny, while water quivered underneath his eyelids, he felt pintacks stab his fingers.

Whether it was Miles, who sealed his breath per every syllable. Or Luna, who wanted to speak but stayed silent. Or Benn, who acknowledged the hypocrisy completely.

“And your old commander, the one who passed during the counterattack, she chose you to be a leader.”

“But she wasn’t the smartest person…”

“Yet that doesn’t prove she was dumb. Maybe she was just smart enough to acknowledge herself. To acknowledge her own weaknesses. What are the odds she wanted someone with better potential?”

Warmth wallowed in Luke’s fingers, but not enough to twitch. Feeling the rays of the sun burning through, the summer light glimmered on his cheeks. Clearing away those dark eyes, Johnny himself basked in it.

And from Johnny’s point of view, he saw a young man struggling to choose. One final push, one final motive, he cleared his throat once more…

“When you jumped off that building, you proved yourself worthy to be a soldier. But who exactly did you prove it to?”

He remembered.

For a split second, he saw the outline of a woman with a lean figure. Somewhat tall, her shadow began to glow in the sunlight. And with that, he took note of the freckles beneath her eyes, and the scars in her wrists.

[Promise me you’ll lead them with care.]

He took Johnny’s hand.

Rising up from the ground, he felt all of his bones pop from their old joints. Having his boots put pressure on the wood, hearing it crackle from stress, it wasn’t long before he stood tall. Still having their primary hands grip one another, the two of them nodded.

“Thank you Johnny. I needed that.”

“Anytime.”

Letting go of Johnny’s hand, he turned toward his friends. Looking like they stood by and watched, Miles folded his arms.

“So we’re getting Sean back?”

“Of course. I can’t let him get killed, or be put in prison for what I did. It was my mistake, my screw-up as leader.”

Walking toward the door, Luke grabbed the handle and turned it down. Feeling the oven air slam his face, he continued his push forward. Not looking back, everyone followed him through the hallway. His feet close together, they heard the sound of their boots thump the old wood. Seeing splinters stick out from the walls, its age showed, and its husk nature mellowed his throat.

Once they began their descent down, the stairs screamed. With every square inch, each splinter rose by their totalled weight. But it didn’t take long before they reached the main floor.

Being in the center of the group, Luke pushed his fingers into his palms, and swayed his arms back and forth. Having half the group behind him, all he needed was the other half to be in front of him. Christian, Pacifica, Chris, and Jack; the four of them sat on wooden crates. While Hope and Elizabeth walked out from the freezer.

“There they are!”

She noticed him.

Like a mouse, she trailed the floor with silent steps. No decibel to quake the ground, she had them balled, but for no blood to be drawn. Stiffening her face, all of her eyes narrowed on the young man who separated from the group.

Stopping his walk, the others began to assemble without him. Feeling like a moist cracker, he looked away.

“H-Hope…”

Stepping right in front of him, she saw his averted eyes, while he scratched the back of his head. Unable to voice a thought, his throat jumped, before he spoke through crackled lips…

“I’m sorry…”

Her shoulders dropped, and her fingers loosened from their balled state. She thrusted her hands out, and grabbed his arms with digging nails. He held his breath, as nothing came out through his nose.

“Say you’re sorry again.”

“I’m sorry…”

“Again.”

“I’m sorry.”

“And again.”

“ … I’m sorry.”

After his last sorry, she pulled him in.. Unwilling to break away, he felt her heart beat against his own chest. Even when her head was nudged on his neck, she spoke.

“Don’t let that happen again.”

Without saying a word, he took the whisper with grace. Turning her body away, she walked toward the others, her hair blocking her upper eyelids. Blewing out air like a deflated balloon, he scratched his arm, and followed Hope from behind.

Feeling all of their eyes, all of their gazes, a single line of sweat swept from his temple. Finishing his walk, he had his hands to his sides, and his face and chest facing them.

“So what now Luke?”

Christian had his arms folded beneath his chest, all the while he sat on top of wooden crates. While Pacifica and Chris were side by side, their hands were gripping their own wrists. Seeing most of their nerves flare in flames, they were jumpy, they were twitchy.

They needed consolation. An answer that they rode on their buckled knees.

“We’re going to get Sean back. Or rather, try to make Sean change his mind.”

“But where is he now?”

“We don’t know yet. But the biggest answer would be the Culkia train station.”

He heard a couple of gulps, as most of them clicked half of the puzzle. Miles, who raised his right eyebrow up, wrinkled his forehead.

“Hold up, we’re not going to raid the train are we?”

“No. But Sean is.”

The light from the high windows rained down.

Letting their bodies glow, the rays that were packed with heat warmed their souls. Whether it was symbolic or a coincidence, everyone that was in front of Luke saw the sun blanketing him. Will, courage, it was like he was being born anew.

“I know many of you have your opinions about him. In fact, I think I have the strongest ones out of everyone. But he’s human, and we all make mistakes. I made mistakes…”

Luke balled his left hand. Glancing at his right, he noticed the outline of his knuckles. Soft yet hardened, scratches and cuts were shone on his bones, but he had a fire lighting in his heart.

Hope and Luna noticed, and so did most of everyone. Pushing his eyes away from his hand, he pinned his eyes on everyone once more.

“So right now… right this moment… I need your guys' help more than anything.”

Silence took reign on all of them. The background being replaced with absolute nothingness, not even their hearts were heard. No breath, no push of air, Luke clenched his teeth but not that tightly.

This time, he was waiting for their reaction. Whether it be half yes’s, or half no’s, he’ll take the info depending on—

“Well … I ain’t that cruel to leave him with the wolves. Count me in.” Said Miles.

“Same here. I could support you guys when it comes to changing minds.” Said Christian.

“Wherever you go, I go.” Said Luna.

“I always wanted to explore, but raiding a train isn’t exactly what I have in my bucket list. For now.” Said Chris.

“Eh, I’ll follow my brothers. Why not.” Said Pacifica.

“Of course Luke.” Said Hope.

“I mean, I was planning to go by myself, but okay.” Said Jack.

Benn remained silent; but he nodded with a smile. They all agreed.

Loosening the hold on his teeth, Luke felt his lips quiver. Everything in his body was warming up, even his eyes felt hot. Clearing his throat, he relaxed all of his muscles, before he put on a smile.

“Thank you guys … I promise we’ll get him back. You have my word.”

“Alrighty then. The difficult part is how do we get him back. What do you think we should do?”

Luke looked around the building, and detailed the lines of machines he saw when he first came in. He already knew the answer, or rather, knew what the abandoned factory used to produce. Nodding back and forth, he licked his lips, and then turned toward the others.

Pushing his right hand into his pocket, he kept it there.

“Well. This building looks to be an abandoned medicine factory. From the freezer room, I found a capsule of nitroglycerin frozen solid.”

Moving his knuckles and fingers, it didn’t take long before his nails scraped against glass. Pulling out the bottle from his pocket, he shook a little bit to speak for itself.

It was frozen, half of it. Looking like it was recovering from its frozen state, his body and pocket had heated up the dangerous liquid.

“It’s volatile. Extremely volatile.”

“Ok … what are we going to do with it?”

“I’m going to make a buttload of them, and I’m going to need assistants. Fred ain’t here, so anyone is welcome.”

“Sure I could—”

“Not you Jack. Especially not you.”

Jack grumbled, as the memories from before played in his mind.

Keeping it tucked in, he felt his fingers stain the glass with his sweat. Knowing how dangerous of a liquid it is, one fall would be enough for the bottle to explode. Like he had a grenade in his pocket, with the pin already pulled out, he was literally a ticking time bomb.

“I’ll come up with a way to use them. For now, I just want to tell you guys that I’m deeply sorry… for all of you.”

All of their irises were trapped on him. From his friends to his allies, they allowed him to speak. No questions, no raised hands, they had their ears open for him to flow his sentences.

Even when he began to scratch the back of his neck.

“I scared everyone, including myself. It was like being possessed by a demon, like I had no control over. Everything was red, as if the colors didn’t align with my vision. So I have to do the opposite.”

Turning his eyes toward the main entrance, the door was already busted open. Ever since Gabriel’s warning, they couldn’t find the time to fix it. Like it was nothing more than a fable, Luke tightened his left hand further, his nails making creases on his palm.

Everyone else looked at the entrance, as bits of sand littered the rustic metal. The arid desert, the dryness of the air, they were going back in it.

“I can’t live with myself if I let Sean get captured; all too live a simple life. That’s not me, that’s not who I am.”

They all stood side by side.

Hearing the wind howl, everyone felt a sense of doom by just staring at the sand. But it was quickly dissipated by the fire in their hearts. If hell was waiting on the other side, they’ll walk through it together. The heat, the sand, the two of them created a hellscape that they’ll venture deep in.

“Once we are done collecting what I need, what we need to change Sean’s mind, I’ll explain everything. But for now…”

Turning in back of him, he noticed the many rows of machines stuck in time. Crippling from old age, he lifted his right lip to create a smirk, one filled with smugness.

“Let’s build fire.”