Short Story Collection

Kate's Beginning

Kate looks over the dead bodies of her once-parents, swallowing bile.  The gun in her hand shakes as tears well up in her eyes.  "What did I just do?" she asks herself, taking a trembling breath, that gun feeling like it weighs ten pounds more than it did before she fired her last shot.

"Is it done?" a hand lands heavily on Kate's back.

Kate jumps, dropping the gun.  "Are you blind?" she asks indignantly, "Clearly it's done."

Patsy smiles a tight-lipped smile, brown eyes aglow with pride.  "I know that couldn't have been easy, but you're going to make a great soldier," she says.  

Kate nods, "Can we go now?"

Patsy starts off, "Oh, don't forget to take that gun.  You'd be surprised what scavengers can make off with these days," she turns to look at Kate.

Kate steals one last look at the bodies lying in the garage floor, swallowing hard, before obeying her General and picking up the gun.  

She stays a few steps back, walking behind Patsy shakily, cold and sweaty, like she was going into shock.

They walk in silence for a few minutes before they near the bunker.  

"A penny for your thoughts?" Patsy says, glancing at Kate.

Kate is silent for a moment.  "Do you have an actual penny for my thoughts?" she asks, not exactly keen on sharing.

Patsy reaches into her pocket and flips a penny through the air to Kate.

Kate catches it with a breathless laugh.  

There's another moment of silence.

"So...?" Patsy prompts.

"I...know what I did had to be done," Kate speaks cautiously, "but...they're still my parents, and it's...hard."

"You'll get over that."

"I-" Kate stops herself from responding as they continue walking, reaching the bunker.

"You may be excused from training drills today, but I expect you on the PT field first thing in the morning."

"Thank you, General Graham," Kate says in a barely audible voice before scurrying off to her room, nearly bumping into the medic as she rushes past.

The medic narrowly avoids Kate, heading straight for the General.  "Is she okay?" he asks her, worry filling his voice.

"She'll be fine, Malachi," Patsy responds, "She's stronger than she gives herself credit for."

Malachi frowns, "I'm going to go check on her," he says, turning on his heel, not taking no for an answer.

He goes straight to Kate's room, knocking on the door.  "Medical!" he calls out.

Kate jumps hearing the commanding knock, tears streaming down her cheeks.  "G-Go away!" she tries to sound like she's okay, like she's not crying, like she didn't just kill the people who birthed and raised her.

"Not going to happen," Malachi responds kindly, worry growing hearing the tremble in Kate's voice.

Kate tries to ignore Malachi, thinking he might go away.

"If you don't open the door, Katelyn, I'm going to unlock it and come in myself," he calls, keeping his tone light but stern.

Kate groans and gets to her feet, wiping away tears, before throwing her door open.