The Fear Between Us

Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Tell them I died.

"What am I supposed to tell them?" Rosewood asks me as she stands against the door frame. But I know what she wants to say, she means to ask me is, what can she do to make me stay. Do I have to go? And the answer is I don't know, but it feels right, "I don't know. Tell them I died. I'm sure they'll celebrate." I say still packing before she grabs my hands drawing my attention towards her, "I'm being serious." She says quietly but it doesn't have to be loud to make a statement, "So am I." I retaliate which makes her sigh, yet she isn't annoyed. We are both keeping our distance, neither of us getting too close because we both know what this means for us. This isn't guaranteed. Josephine is quiet, she doesn't know what to say, or if speaking is even appropriate at this point.

She stays by my side until the time comes for me to escape the compound, I know that she wants to beg me to come with, but she knows that this isn't a tag-along type of mission for her to join. She hands my bag over to me before grabbing my arm making me turn around, "Promise me. Promise me that you won't die." She says searching my eyes, I don't answer her immediately and it makes her nervous. We both know how this works. She knows that a promise like this is nothing but an excuse for us to lie to ourselves, "Josephine--"

"Aleekseeva, you won't die. Promise me."

"Okay," I say quietly before pulling her in for a hug as I kiss her forehead before letting go. I swing the bag around my shoulder walking out of the room, only looking back before closing the door.

The ride was short despite us flying in a low-grade small plane. The pilot lands us in a forest that feels oddly familiar, explaining that everywhere is run-down by police officials so it's best to just avoid cities together. After landing, the pilot stops me, handing me a new ID with documentation involving a passport, "You can keep your name, but the surname has to go." He says after he saw my face surprised by my name, "People might not recognize you but word of advice: keep the hood." He adds as I lift the hood over my head, he explains to me that it's best at this point of time not to trust anyone reminding me of my father, "Trust no one." The pilot stops abruptly before he eventually says, "Oh, and that reminds me. You shouldn't ask about Aleekseeva." He says which draws my attention back to him, "Why?" I question him but he dismisses it, "It's just best you don't. If they ask about you, you tell them you died." He says before getting back on his plane getting ready to leave almost as quickly as what we had landed. Feeling pointless in staying I begin walking in the direction he told me would be best to start with, just before I reach the edge of the trees, I hear his engine fly overhead suddenly making me feel alone. Reaching the edge of the trees I begin to see a few buildings that seem blown apart and old, only a few people surrounded the area, but it was enough to make it feel crowded. Something about this place feels so familiar but nothing seems to look the same. I continue walking, minding my business avoiding contact with people and keeping my head down just like he told me to do. The road is uneven, and every house seems apocalyptic with torn curtains, a few without any roofs with dust still lingering in the air.

People here minded their business too, but they still seemed frightened by the sight of a new face, the children, however, are happy because they don't understand yet that their circumstances could be better. The road I'm walking on soon begins to incline, the uneven gravel making it difficult to climb along with the graters from bombs and grenades. Stepping over to the side I begin walking through another small clump of trees mainly consisting of pine trees towering over the buildings. Amazing how they only suffered minimal damage. I continue moving forward trying to ignore the weighing feeling telling me that I have been here before. In the distance I eventually spot a house, speeding up my pace. The sun will be rising soon, I know that I need to get out of the open before that happens before troops start patrolling-- if that's something they do in an area like this-- the house becomes closer in view making me recognize the exterior despite nothing being the same. I stop abruptly seeing a truck drive past waiting before I slip inside drawing out my M1917 and walking slowly throughout the house trying not to creak the wooden floors. Everything was empty and black from scorch marks. There was hardly anything in here anymore, making my way towards the kitchen stopping as I took a note off the fridge with numbers on it in my father's handwriting. I stare at it for a moment before drawing the gun as I turn around pointing it towards the way I came in, "Aleekseeva, is that you?" A hoarse voice of a middle-aged man speaks from the shadow, "Aleekseeva is dead." I say sharply as the voice approaches slowly into the dim streetlight outlining his features, "All but one, I should have known. They said you died." He scoffs still keeping his hands in the air, "Pa, said the same about you." I respond keeping the gun on its target, "I suppose in a way we all died that day." He says, lowering his hands slowly but I don't drop the gun, even with his watering eyes searching for the same niece he knew four years ago. Four years is a long time away from home.