THE GREAT WAR ( aaron warner )

VIII ━ New Room

I'm so prepared for unimaginable horror that the reality is almost worse.

Dirty money is dripping from the walls, a year's supply of food wasted on marble floors, hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical aid poured into fancy furniture and Persian rugs. I feel the artificial heat pouring in through air vents and think of children screaming for clean water. I squint through crystal chandeliers and hear mothers begging for mercy. I see a superficial world existing in the midst of a terrorizing reality and I can't move.

So many people must've died to sustain this luxury. So many people had to lose their homes and their children and their last 5 dollars in the bank for promises promises promises so many promises to save them from themselves. They promised us—The Reestablishment promised us hope for a better future. They said they would fix things, they said they would help us get back to the world we knew—the world with movie dates and spring weddings and baby showers. They said they would give us back our homes, our health, our sustainable future.

But they stole everything.

They took everything.

Zeidan and I trudge further into the building and I see a crumpled piece figure on the ground. As I start getting closer I realize that the figure is my sister.

"Juliette?" I can now here her sobs. I run over to her, "Jules!"

"Hey, hey, what's wrong?" I pull her into a hug, making sure only to touch her clothed skin.

"Look around Luce... Can't you see?" She says in between sobs, moving her hands to gesture to our surroundings. "Imagine all the people that lost their lives for this!"

"Yes I know, I know." I say as I pull her up. "It's -It's disgusting."

She tried speaking again but all that comes out are choked sobs and wheezing. "Shhh... It's okay, I promise." I try reassuring her.

Juliette stands up and turns to Kent. She gives him a pleading look as she starts shrieking at him, trying to let her anger out on him. I keep my hold on her unaware of what she might do to him if I let go.

"You can kill us," she tells him. "You have guns—" Juliette tries wriggling out of my grip but I just tighten my hold around her body. Adam's face shows no emotion but a sudden strain in his jaw. "You can just kill me—" She pleads.

"Juliette." His voice is solid with an edge of desperation. "Please."

Kent turns his head to me, "I'll take her. I need to show her to her room."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," He takes a grip on her arm and sends me a vicious look. "Now let go."

I let her go and he immediately picks her up and starts walking away.

Juliette looks numb and she's just hanging limp in his hands like a rag doll.

Zeidan appears next to me and I ask "What's his problem?"

"You're talking to me now." He states with a clear voice that contradicts his furrowed brows.

"I was talking to you earlier," I say turning to face him completely.

"Barely," he says while scoffing,

A smirk lines my face, "I can stop if that's what you want me to do?"

"No, don't," He says turning around, "I'll take you to your room now." He starts walking in a similar direction Juliette was carried off to as I pick up my pace to catch up with him.

"Hmmm," I make a noise of recognition.

"Hmmm"

I snap my head towards him shooting him a glare, "Stop copying me."