Wasn't supposed to end this way

chapter 1

His wife had died during child birth, Daniel looked down at his new born son with loving, caring eyes. "What's his name?" Damien questioned. "Sarah always wanted a son named Max." He gave a hopeful look around to Damien and Zelda. "It's wonderful" Zelda responded with a gleaming smile on her pale, freckled face, she looked to Damien and grabbed his hand and pressed it to her lips. "Daniel" The doctor called "Can I have a word?" Daniel stood up and handed Max to Zelda and walked swiftly to the room that the doctor had gestured to.

"Yes?" Daniel pushed. "Well, first I would like to say that I am very sorry about Sarah, I tried my best but-"

"Thank you, but can we please get on?"

"Certainly, um, due to Max 'arriving' late, I have found that he has brain damage. Only minor, but enough for the government to have him killed."

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN 'HAVE HIM KILLED'!?" by this point Daniel was half over the table. "I am willing to make a proposal." The doctor informed, Daniel sat back A look of sadness, hope and loss smeared across his face like a hastily done painting. "And what would that be?" Daniel asked, the doctor straightened his shirt promptly and announced what he was willing to do. "I don't say anything, you hide Max for his entire life and me, you, Zelda and Damien are the only people that know about him."

"So he would be hidden from the real world? Cared for and schooled by only me, my best friend and his wife?" Damien thought to himself when sharp cries interrupted, he got up mindlessly and walked out the door only to have his son shoved into his arms by Zelda. "I'll give you some time to think" called the doctor from out of the door.  "Think about what?" Zelda asked.

"I'll get to that later, is there any baby formula around here?" Damien handed him a cylindrical tin filled to the brim of yellowy-white powder that smelt of off milk. He opened the tin and began preparing the milk while Zelda comforted Max. Daniel began explaining everything that the doctor had said to him, once finished, Damien and Zelda looked at each other and then back to Daniel, Damien was the first to speak, "maybe it's a good thing that he be kept away from the 'real world', I mean, 2087 isn't really the best year in history, It would keep him away from all the racism, animal cruelty and ginger hate and stuff." At this remark Zelda looked to floor, as she has red hair she has been hiding from the government since birth "Well, my life hasn't been so bad, I was brought up by my parents who taught me that everybody is equal so Max wouldn't be taught that black people are stupid and gays are unnatural, it could be good, you know" Said Zelda matter-of-factly.

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10 years have passed, it is now 2097 and they have all been running from the government since the birth of Max. There have been a few close calls but they are all still alive and well.

"Dad? How much more walking?"

"Not far, we're nearly there."

Daniel handed Max a bottle of water and he took it without hesitation and guzzled down nearly half of the bottle. Daniel stared as his son continued drinking "don't drink the lot!" Daniel said "That's got to last until we get there." At this, Max stopped drinking and screwed the lid of the bottle on tightly and handed it back to his father. Daniel smiled and ruffled up his sons hair as he took the bottle of murky water. "when we get to the springs" said Daniel, "the water will be crystal clear and you can drink as much of it as you want." Max smiled from ear to ear, it was the best news he had heard in weeks.