All Cloaked Up For You

Chapter 36 - Alexander

Everyone showed up on the Versalient side of the wasteland. Good, Sophia's mom and Old Hank did their job. I saw people fuming. "Cloak Man!" they all shouted. I quiet them down with my hands. "Anyone know where Sophia might be?" I asked. A guy walked up from the group of people I gathered. I guess my convincing them that Sophia could save the wasteland made people want to fight against Joe Tumbleweed with me. 

It was a surprise to see a guy from the government of Wasteland join me today. "I know where and I have an idea where they are." I paused. "Well, where?" I tried to rush the man. We have no time. "Every government official is invited to Joe's Tumbleweed's house for their wedding today," he broke the news. Today? Today is the fucking wedding? "Does word spread fast here?" I asked. He gave me a no as a nod. "It spreads slowly. In a day." 

That means Joe Tumbleweed knows I went in two days ago. Shit. He probably has guards blocking every entrance of the house. Old Hank shows up with a tractor. "Hey C.M.," he said and raised an eyebrow. "This is Frank," he introduced his tractor. "He's ready to go on a spin." I look at Hank in disappointment. "Frank isn't going to be fast enough to kill the son of a bitch," I retorted. He gave me a sad look. "Alright, how about good old Tank?" he asked. 

I furrowed my eyebrows. Does he have a Tank? "Can you show Tank?" I asked. He nodded and went to his house real quick. While he was at his house, Mrs. Reynolds showed up. She has her stuff ready. Sophia's archery set. I remember it. I used to do archery with Sophia in the woods. Seeing Sophia's archery set getting into battle reminds me a lot of Sophia. Except, she isn't here with me. I need to ruin her wedding before they get pronounced husband and wife.

"I guess we do need a sniper somewhere. I guess you are doing that Mrs. Reynolds," I said. She nods. She seems nervous though. I made people who have anything that does with sniping go with Mrs. Reynolds. One guy has a bucket of sharpened rocks. I guess go ape on that motherfucker buddy. There were stolen guns, crossbows, rocks, and stuff to throw at these people. I guess that could work. I saw Hank in the distance. 

He showed up with a kid-sized train. Hank looks like he has a child's personality and the vibes of an old geezer. I could expect that because he thinks too much about tea. "You like Tank?" he asked as he moved his eyebrows up and down constantly. "No. It's way worse than the tractor," I stated. He seem offended. "Excuse me, his name is Frank. You don't do my baby Tank like that" he said and he pet Tank. "You have to go the ceremony is starting," the government official said. 

I thought Tank couldn't do anything, Tank can do a lot of stuff. The tank carried 30 people who I assigned to snipe. The train works wonders. If Tank wanted to battle, no thanks. The tank would die before it even reached one guard. "I can't believe the day has come!" one guy exclaimed. He was very hyped to go into battle. "For Sophia!" they chanted. I joined in. It's my soon-to-be girlfriend we are talking about. 

"I'll distract the guards since I'm on their guest list," the official said. I nod. Everyone snooped behind bushes and trees. As the guard was busy with the official that was on our side. The snipers went up the roof of the house and stayed there waiting for my instructions. The official pulled out his gun and shot the guard at the front entrance. I snuck to the fence of the backyard and saw the priest announcing that they were now officially married. 

The sight hurt me because I was late. The ring was snug around Sophia's finger. She looked beautiful in that dress. "Sir, do we fire now?" one whispers. "No not yet, he didn't do anything yet," I whispered back. I heard a cock of a gun and saw Joe's gun pointing at her. "Fire" I started a rebellion. Joe flinched and saw a swarm of my group targetting him. "Guards! Guards!" he called. "Get Sophia too!" he ordered. Except Sophia was in her running-for-life mode.

The guards were too late and they decided to form a wall between Joe and my swarm. "What are you doing? You are supposed to protect me!" Joe yelled as the other guards who didn't protect him ran to our side. I guess they have gotten the letter too. I smiled. Sophia was running and I saw a guard shooting at her. A man runs in between her and the shot. I saw Sophia on her bare feet running as she cried. I cried. I haven't seen her in a while. I need her. 

She ran towards my way but she didn't see me hiding in the trees. I grabbed her wrist and dragged her into the trees with me. I put my index finger against my mask. I want her to be quiet and stop crying. "Sophia." Her name rolled out my tongue. My body aches. Not because I'm in pain, I'm aching for her. Her dress snatches her curve from the top to the bottom. "C.M." she called out to my soul. She cried and her dress tangled against my legs. 

I greedily pulled her to me. My arms tugged around her head and her arms wrapped softly around my torso. She cried as her tears wept into my chest. These few weeks I have been longing for her. I wanted to grab her face and graze my lips against hers. Except, I don't know if she is feeling the same way I am. I look at her face, her body, her lips, Sophia. The Sophia who my body and my heart want. She stared at me in my eyes. My body melted. 

"Sophia." Her name felt so velvety against the surface of my tongue. I slid my hands under her arms and she rested them on my shoulders. I don't care if I'm being ridiculous. A grim half-smile lit up on my face. My grip strangled the dress. I clutched the material with my fingers, it was a relief to see Sophia again. This time in my arms. I won't let her go like I did to Madeline. I will always be by her side. I want to be there in her past, present, and future.