Generation Infinosil

Chapter Thirty Nine

Chapter Thirty Nine

2041

Twigs snapped and decaying logs crumbled as Paul and Jamie's feet collided with them, whilst sprinting through the foliage. Their hearts hammered at their ribcages, they would not and could not stop running. Images of Will's body falling to the ground like a sack of rocks flooded through both Paul and Jamie's vision.

The abyss of darkness around them was slowly fading, replaced by the dull, faint light of early morning. Looking back for the first time, Jamie could no longer see any hint of what they had just experienced. There was no sign of a laboratory building, no sign of the rejuvenation, and no sign of Will's lifeless body. Just leaves and bark for as far as the eye could see.

Jamie then looked ahead to where Paul was slowing down to a jog. He was fit and strong, but they had been running for what seemed an eternity. Jamie had no idea that he was capable of running for so long, but the fear of what lay behind them spurred little Jamie on.

Jamie looked down for a moment at his disheveled exterior. He thought of what his Mum and Dad would say if they saw him like this, but decided that they would be so pleased to be reunited with him, that they wouldn't mind one bit.

Meanwhile, Paul was trying to think of a suitable time to tell Jamie that his parents were, in fact, dead. He thought of what Will had said to him, "you're all he's got." But what if Jamie didn't want Paul? What if Paul wasn't enough? He would never be able to replace Jamie's parents. He knew one thing: he had to tell Jamie sooner rather than later.

Paul stopped abruptly. Jamie, seemingly shocked by this change in motion, also stopped. "What is it?" Asked Jamie, shaking, "Did you hear something?"

"No, I just need to tell you something and you're not going to like it at all. But you have to promise me that you won't give up and you'll keep trying until I can get you somewhere safe." Paul pleaded.

"What is it? You're worrying me." Jamie asked.

"You promise me you won't give up?"

"I promise, just tell me what it is."

"It's... I... Your... Your parents-"

As soon as Jamie heard those words, his heart dropped. Something was wrong with his parents. Or maybe they didn't want him anymore. Whatever it was, it was bad. A single, glistening tear slid down Jamie's cheek and he started to wish that he hadn't asked Paul to tell him.

"Your parents are dead Jamie, I'm so sorry." Paul said, looking as though he was trying to hold back some tears of his own.

"You're lying." Jamie insisted, in denial. "Why would you wait this long to tell me if it were really true? What sort of sick joke is this?"

"I'm not lying Jamie. This isn't a joke. I avoided telling you because I could tell that your desire to see your parents again was the main reason that you kept going, I couldn't risk you giving up before I got you somewhere safe. I needed to protect you. I needed to do what your Mum and Dad would have wanted me to do, look after you, keep you safe."

By the time Paul had finished speaking, Jamie's single tear had already transformed into a waterfall. "I hate you. I hate you so much! You're a monster for letting me believe they were okay!" Jamie cried, tears streaming.

"Don't say that, please, Jamie. You don't mean that." Paul said, with a soothing tone to his voice. Slowly approaching Jamie's fragile body, and surprised that he didn't push him away, Paul pulled him close to his own body and stood there in silence, allowing Jamie to sob his young heart out.

"I'm sorry son." Paul whispered.