The Wall That Divides Us (Very Short Story)

The Wall

The wall had divided the nations for so long that no one could even remember when it had been built.

We all know why though...

The massive barrier was filthy with moss, grime, and graffiti, but no one who dared to go near it would ever think to clean the bane of their existences.

I have to do this. No backing down now.

The Free Will nation and the Fatalist nation had been forbidden to contact each other. Patrol officers would hunt down traitors so frequently it had almost become some sort of infamous tradition.

Gunshots. Keep going. You're almost there.

There have been so many Fatalist rebellions that no one has the time or patience to count them anymore. But when her parents were killed for organising the biggest rebellion in history, she knew that she had to continue their legacy. That's when Ayame contacted me.

I'm over the wall. Run. Run!

When she sent the email, it was immediately illegal to reply, or even open it. I was quick to reply. We'd been talking for months before she brought up the safe house on the other side. That's where I'm headed.

***

Rotting tree trunks litter the waterlogged marsh, and the skies are clogged with a permanent grey fog. I'm not surprised. You can see as much from the other side. I walk through the ghastly stench of polluted air that persistently lingers around.

More gunshots. That's all I ever hear. Does it ever stop?

Finally. Some people. I jog over to them. They look friendlier than the gun-wielding ones.

"Do you guys know where the White Lotus Inn is?" I say.

The two men look at each other and say something that I don't hear. They nod, tucking something behind their back.

Wait. That's a gun.

BANG! I only remember my body collapsing, my limbs becoming numb.

A shot from behind.

***

My eyes flicker open. A prison cell. A girl is clinging to the bars, on her knees, shouting. I try to sit up. The roof of the cell whacks my head. The girl is by my side. I look up.

"Ayame?" I whisper, yet she still shushes me.

"Johannes. We don't have much time left. Reinforcements should be coming now. Enforcements... I hope..." she drifts off as there is a bang on the metal door.

I stare out. Rows on rows of cells and cells are stacked on top of each other. No way out. A dark figure steps forwards. It's the Peacekeeper.

"Ayame..." he calls, gloating. "We've found your organisation; it's time to die now. Good night."

It's so dark. I shiver, and Ayame squeezes my hand.

***

I look up. What's happened? Where am I?

The executioners cock their guns. I notice hundreds of us, all bolted together in chains.

Ayame is whispering something in my ear: "3... 2... 1... GO!"

All hell is set loose. Bullets flying through the air. Ayame grins, blood splattering across our faces. I lurch forwards, grabbing a gun from a guard. There is so many of us, even I am overwhelmed.

The Peacekeeper is down. They've reached his onlooking spot. But they are falling in numbers - fast. The chains are falling apart, as the carcasses litter the floor in a bloody mess. Ayame is lying on the floor, breathing heavily. The rest of us are dead.

I take a step forward, clutching my gun tightly.

"Johannes..." she calls, breathlessly, still panting. She was losing blood in large amounts. "The Peacekeeper is dead. You can put... it... down..."

I push the gun to her head and smirk.

"I guess I was fated to do this. I guess I've become the villain of the story."

I pull the trigger.

***

Author's Note: I don't what inspired me to write this, but I hope you enjoyed. I don't think I have the patience to give it the development it really needed, so I guess you will just have to go off of this.