earth

chapter 59

I take a deep breath and glance up at the towering building ahead of me. The imposing structure is where all the top officials of the government reside, and I can feel the weight of its power bearing down on me. But as I look behind me, I catch a glimpse of Jason, his figure barely visible in the shadows, his fingers carefully caressing the trigger of his sniper rifle.

I know he's got my back, and that reassurance is all I need.

As I approach the doors, a group of men emerge, looming over me like a dark cloud. They move closer, their mere presence meant to intimidate me.

But at this point, I'm not scared of them. I just want Ava back in my arms, and I'll do anything to get her there.

"William Smith, what an unexpected surprise," one of the men sneers. His name is Benjamin Young, the President himself, and I can feel his eyes scanning me for any indication that I'm not alone.

He extends his hand for me to shake, but I can't bring myself to touch the same hands that hurt my girl. I rip my hand away, the urge to break his fingers almost overpowering.

"What can someone like me do for you?" he asks, a hint of amusement in his voice. "I mean, you have the world at your disposal, so what do you want?"

"I want to turn myself in," I reply, surprising even myself with the firmness of my voice. Benjamin's expression shifts, his disbelief evident. But as he studies my face, he realizes that I'm not joking. "You imprisoned my girlfriend," I continue, my voice low. "Just place me in the same prison as her. I don't care if I'm tortured. I just need to be with her."

"And how does that help me?" Benjamin asks, skepticism etched on his face.

"Jason Amber," I say, nodding towards the distant building. "He'll tell you everything about Riley's organization, and he'll come to prison with me."
Benjamin stares at me for a moment, considering my offer. He knows that this is a deal he can't refuse.

"Where's Jason Amber?" he asks, his eyes scanning the area. I turn around, pointing to the nearby building, and Jason emerges from the shadows, his expression guarded but determined.

"Men!" he bellows. In an instant, three heavily-armored guards charged toward me, their weapons cocked and aimed. The menacing red laser sites were like a hundred tiny daggers jabbing at my skin. They tackled me to the ground and forcibly handcuffed me, yanking me up like a rag doll before shoving me into the back of a sinister black truck.

Every bounce of the vehicle made my heart race, knowing I was getting closer to my girl, Ava. They clasped a blindfold over my eyes, plunging me into darkness. Even then, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the moment of rest. The drive and flight were torturous, spending hours handcuffed with no access to a bathroom or even basic human decency. It made me feel like an animal rather than a human being.

As the blindfold was ripped away, I was ushered into a dank, musty prison. There was a slight chance that this wasn't the same prison as Ava's, but my goal is the same—reuniting with her. Her soft brown hair was what comforted me the most, tangling in my fingers as I stroked it. I yearned to feel her head on my chest, but the anticipation of being with her again would have to do for now.

"William!" Jason's tortured voice rang out, and I turn to see him badly beaten, his nose being gushed with blood, and his lip busted. It was evident the guards despised him. Their grip on my handcuff made it painfully clear they wanted me to move along. But as they opened the prison door, the overwhelming stench of death, despair, and screams hit me like a ton of bricks. The moment chilled me to the bone knowing one of those voices belonged to Ava.

My strip search was invasive and dehumanizing. They dressed me in an orange jumpsuit and informed me that I wouldn't be here long, only two days until they executed me.

They take me down a dimly lit hallway that the forces of Nature had seemingly reclaimed. Rats and other large animals lay dead, while a disfigured human carcass stained the dingy floor with its melted meat and flesh. Our journey comes to an abrupt stop in front of a door, the guard loudly banging on it. However, the ear-piercing screams from inside overwhelm all other sounds.

As the door slowly creaks open, a beam of light illuminates a woman's face. She seem overjoyed to see me, but I was unsure if I could return the sentiment. After all, there was a chance that she was responsible for the harm inflicted upon my girl.

"William Smith! I've been dreaming of the day I'll torture you-" Her menacing words were cut short as Jason suddenly appeared beside me, interrupting her tirade.

"Is this Christmas?" she exclaims as she forcefully pulls us both into the bloody room in unison.

In one corner of the room, there was a grotesque pile of human bones; brown and moldy. Snakes writhed around each other amongst the pile, while feces stained the walls around them. Two torn chairs sat on either side of us, reminiscent of those found at the dentist.

"Make yourselves comfortable," she gleefully sneered, her eyes crazed. "I have so many things I want to try on you.”

Her jagged and filthy teeth glimmered in the dimly lit room as she scraped my hands down the armrest.

With unyielding bravery, I spoke up. "And you will do them, as long as you tell me if Ava Johnson is here?" I didn't flinch, despite her threat.

"Oh her? Yeah, she's here…that girl she's a survivor! She's so strong even though I took out one of her bones." Her response made my heart skip a beat. My arms trembled.

"Hey, bitch," Jason's voice boom through the room. "I see, so 'bitch' is your name."

"Don't call me that," she warns, but he continues undeterred.
As she made her way towards him, She scrape him down to the chair beside me-"She scraped him down to the chair beside me with such force that I could hear the skin rubbing off on the rough fabric. Before she could lock the scrap, a sudden knock caught her attention. She walks to the door and grabs it hesitantly. A guard stood before her, but something was wrong. Blood and foam erupted from his mouth, visibly purple skin indicating there was something deeply unsettling in his throat. Without warning, he walked past her and towards Jason, who was smiling in satisfaction.

"There's my package," Jason declared as he held the man in place. With two fingers, he slowly parts the man's mouth, searching for something. He pushed deeper inside until he finally found it. "Aha, found it!" he exclaims before yanking out a long, bloody gun from the man's mouth, the blood dripping like an anaconda, gruesome and terrifying. It was like holding a freshly born baby, bloody and not quite formed. As Jason held it up in pride, he released it into the air, as if giving it the chance to finally fulfill its destiny.

"Go find your girl," he shout over the sound of gunfire, and I watch in horror as he left the room. My hands shook as I yank my wrists from the handcuffs, blood staining my skin. I had to get out of there.
As I left the room, the sound of the sirens beautifully played over the speakers. But the once soothing notes now only caused a red hue over the room, adding to the violence. People outside the door begged to be let out, just as I begged for my life when she left me, all ugly. I swore to never let anyone put me in that position again.