Diary From The Carrot Union

Chapter 25: #Redemption

It came all so sudden. I woke up amidst the darkness towards Leon and the others screaming and thought we'd be dead. Thank goodness it was just a tiny cockroach, or else I won't know what we'd do.

Leon, out of everyone, looked the most distressed when that little girl Star continually chased him around with that jar of cockroach, seemingly in glee to see his overreaction for such a harmless little creature. But, on the other hand, it was sweet to see the little girl genuinely having fun with the bit of insect, though definitely in Leon's misfortune.

I told him he could stay with me for the night since I genuinely felt terrible at my desire to laugh at his ridiculous reactions, though then again, something told me that well...I guess I just need company. And well, there he was, waiting in front of my tent like a small child that's about to knock on the teacher's office.

"It's okay, Leon, just come in!" I said,

He didn't say another word as he stepped in cutely with his nimble feet. Funny, though he might be in his late twenties, his appearance never failed to melt my heart and give me a sense of serenity after all that we've both been through.

"I...Ummm, thanks." Leon said, "Look, I hope I won't disturb you, Miss Violet."

"Just call me Violet," I said, surfacing that word from my heart.

His ears are tucked back, and his hands were shivering like an angered hornet's nest when he laid beside me on the ground. I don't know what pushed me to my following action, but I never took any hesitation as I threw a portion of my blanket towards him, slightly hoping that he'll take it.

And to my surprise, he did take it, promptly wrapping the thin layer of cloth around himself, turning him akin to a small white burrito.

And for some dumb reason, after seeing him smile for the first time this evening, I thought I wanted nothing less of his happiness.

"You know, we barely knew each other since we've met." I asked, "I think it's about time we get to know each other more, you know Leon. I mean it's going to be a long ride."

Leon rustled in his blanket before making a grumble of reassurance when he turned around facing me - his mouth hidden beneath the cloth when he spoke,

"Me? Well...I'm twenty-nine, turning thirty this year, hopefully. I have been working for the government since I joined the Carrot Youth when I was like twelve, and no matter how much those Woofers think I'm sort of Hermano Ford, I know it isn't true."

I'm fond of his voice, one that I can describe being like one of a somewhat tenor New yorker accent that gave him a funny yet pleasant flare towards everything he said, in contrast to the happy-go-lucky English of Joseph and Star, as well Woofer's rough, Moshare-ian accent.

But at times like these, after everything we've been through, it's hard to regard such subtle yet common occurrences as yet another banality towards the pressure exerted towards us, and well, after all that happened today, all that I wanted to do was a hug.

And well...I am not afraid to admit that Leon has become my go-to upon the first sign of emotional duress since I know that he never judged me despite his snark.

"Hey, that's not too old, you know?" I continued, "The way you acted, I thought you were in your mid-thirties or something, heh."

"Heh, why do you even ask, Violet?

"The way Star looks up to you. I really thought you were her dad at one point, and you know, that's quite sweet. And well, despite everyone's shortcomings, even Joseph seemed fond of you."

"Heh," He scoffed, "I don't even know what he sees in me really. We never really had a great interaction save for this evening, and all he ever knew of me is getting a vodka bottle straight in his cranium. Stockholm syndrome probably, that all of his previous mentors are equally as abusive as me."

He proceeded to turn around away from me, showing a small bunch of his tail at me, "Beats it, kids probably raised in a family of religious fanatics. No different than me, my parents are both radical Animalists. When I was seven, I was sent to a boarding school to serve the country, and well, they did it. They created yet another mindless slave fit for this so-called brave new world."

I can hear Leon's exhaustion as he sighed as if he was fed up with the life we've both been plunged into without consent. I thought I was selfish to keep him up, but I guess I am since the beginning, where my true colours finally showed up after so much distress.

And in a moment of shambling emotions and duress, a part of me broke down as I felt my eyes hot with tears, for I don't know if I felt genuinely upset hearing his life story or felt genuinely happy that he was wrong.

"No, you're wrong. That isn't true, and you know it!"

And he turned back to me, his eyes glassy in suppressed emotions "Jeez, what's wrong Violet? Why are you all moody all of a sudden?"

And well, I quickly surfaced my thoughts. "I still remembered what you said back at the cell. I thought I was just cherry-picking, but then I saw how he looked at you, and how that Star girl looks at you, and well...Well..."

But Leon stood back up from his back and came towards me for a hug. I wrapped my arms around his small, furry body, and it felt nothing short as a warm, radiant star upon my cold hard chest.

"Well, you gotta make a living somehow, but yeah. Quite an asshole move to get that poor kid down the shooting range for something I did, but what's important is we're all together now, okay? Regrets, I have a lot, but well...I guess we can't just stay in the past forever...As beautiful as it might be."

He kept himself strong, trying his best to comfort me despite his shaking voice, not letting go as I broke down in tears. "

And in silence, we held each other's arms as we laid back down, and despite everything that transpired today, I felt a genuine warmth of hope as I had him in my embrace.

****

I awakened in the middle of the night as I felt my bladder filling up thanks to the coconut. Then, noticing that Violet is already fast asleep, I subtly crawled out of her grasp and exited the tent.

To no one's surprise, the campfire's burning low, and everyone's fast asleep in their tents. I thought about a simple strategy, a quick in and out near the bushes to relieve myself, though I cannot resist the urge to check up on Star on the way.

And well, seeing him fast asleep alongside Joseph piqued a mixture of sadness and slight relief, for they reminded me of the family I once had and those young, optimistic days of the love of my life.

I didn't want to disturb the two, so I quickly went my way to a nearby bush to do my deeds, thinking about the possibility of the future.

But that is when I heard a distant rumble of a car on the far side of the road coming closer offroad, straight to our location.

I thought it was just a sheer coincidence until I heard the scream of sirens when I realised that the CGB is after us.