Survivor | John Murphy Love Story

*Prisoner on the run

„Prisoner 324, stand up and face the wall", the guard instructed, his voice rough and heartless. I pittied him, being a guard must suck. Going on boring patrols, watching over reckless criminals.

I rolled my eyes at the man, obeying anyways. My legs were shaking as I stood up from the awfully uncomfortable plank bed I had slept on since I first got here.

„I'm still seventeen", I mumbled, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion:"You can't float me yet"

Up in space, those who were pronounced guilty in crime were either floated or if they were under eighteen, like me, they needed to spend the rest of their life in a stupid cell. Which only is for about a few years until they get floated, too. So in the end, you'll die anyways, the Chancellors never wanted to look cruel while killing an underaged, that's all. I've always thought it was the right thing to do, even if my grandma told me killing was wrong. Dad used to say that we didn't have enough space for bad people on the ark but little did I know not all of them were bad. My friends father for example, he got floated because he had stolen medicine. For his sick son. He was punished by death. The Chancellor didn't listen to their begging, he didn't have any mercy. His mother started drinking and in the night she had died, the guards locked John Murphy away. They took the last family I had left. My mom was dead and my father was always busy working with Jaha. I was depressed and all alone, with no one there to help me. Somehow I managed to push away anyone that showed slight worry and still complain why those who cared were dead or in lock up. I was holding a grudge towards the guard that caught John back then and one day, I ended up lunging at him. I didn't have a plan and I had no idea what I was going to do to him but I kept punching him until another one sneaked up behind me, shocking me until I grew unconcious.

„Hold out your right arm", the guard said, ignoring my protest. He didn't even wait for a split second and violently pulled at my hand, clasping a metal wristband onto my arm, tiny needles piercing my skin. I hissed in pain, gritting my teeth.

"What's that for?", I barked, yanking my arm back and holding it close to my chest.

"For your own interest", the second guard huffed, grabbing my upper arm forcefully and practically dragging me out of my isolated cell. Apparently, I wasn't the only one. Every person in the sky box was being escorted someplace else. I didn't bother looking where I was going, my mind was drifting off, thinking of what would await me. Would they kill us already? To get rid of us? Float each and every delinquent to decrease the population on the ark and save oxygen and rations? It would make sense, but why wait until now? Why not have us floated the day we become criminals?

„Hold up!"

Someone roughly spun me around and I was facing a tall man, in his late 40s. Except from a few soft wrinkles on his forehead he hasn't changed at all.He was cleanly shaven, his soft, a few strands of his soft, brown hair falling into his face.  My father was looking down at me, with tears in his eyes. It seemed as if he wanted to tell me something, but somehow he wasn't able to. I furrowed my eyebrows, turning my head slightly. I was surprised, shocked in fact. I didn't know if I was happy to see him. He wasn't there when I needed him the most and now that it's to late, he decides to just come visit me? My fingers started to twitch as I balled my hands into fists. He was my father. He looked after me the best he could and I guess I should be greatful that at least now he's here. I inhaled deeply, stumbling forward, falling into his arms. I burried my face in his chest and closed my eyes. That's the way it always should've been. I should be with him, not in my stupid, isolated cell.

"I missed you", I whispered, my voice cracking slightly. I didn't want to look pathetic so I had to suck it up. I sighed, trying to look as emotionless as possible as I took a step back, calming down.„I've missed you too, Noah. Listen, you're being send to the ground. If you survive, we will come after you", he whispered stroking my brown hair.