When the rains may come (Science Fiction)

37. Start of a revolution

Dearest brother Erik,

If you are reading this then it means that I have finally gone on and done the one thing I was always afraid of doing--speaking the truth.

You were right, Erik. I'm the coward here. If I wasn't I would've said the things I'm about to say in person. But I'm afraid that I'm not as brave as you.

My reason for leaving is about as obvious as it can get. The thing that happened at the prison may have been a victory for some. But for me it's a reminder of something terrifying.

Power in the hands of people is a dream as pure as a cloud bathed in sun. But we saw that dream turn into a nightmare just as quickly not once but twice.

We saw the people's rage manifest mayhem in the riots of Sector 21. Thirty operatives died at the hands of normal everyday citizens. And only a few days ago, we consumed more than twice that number of lives at the prison.

I won't blame Lisa alone for what happened. The blood is on each of our hands. We were meant to be the Last Hand of hope for the people, Erik.

This isn't what we dreamed our revolution to be. With anger, we'll surely take down the government. We'll probably win Ardvenia back. But...would it be the same Ardvenia that was ours?

We are becoming something else, Erik. The Last Hand is becoming something else.

As I sit in my room, writing this letter, I feel like a stranger, speaking for a stranger. The home doesn't feel like the home of our childhood anymore.

And that's why I'm leaving.

I don't know where I'm headed. But I'm taking Dad's old watch with me. Maybe I'll just keep walking until its tiny machine stops working.

I wish you all the good luck for your cause, brother. I know you won't let my departure stop you in your tracks. You've defied death more than once. I know you'll win this with ease. What I don't know is if I want my victory to be this grim.

In closing I only have two things to say--goodbye and I'm sorry.

Yours truly,

Germaine.

###

Cathy found the man lying in a pool of wine and shards of glass down in the wine cellar. And he was muttering non-sense to himself.

"Erik, what the hell happened to you?" she snapped at him, trying to get him to sit up. But he was too heavy.

"...Is...over..."

"Yeah, that's real eloquent." She got a hold of his wrists and pulled him up, leaning all her weight backwards to haul him into a sitting position. She almost succeeded before Erik collapsed back on the damp, wine soaked floor.

Thump!

"Ugh, you're not making this any easier for me, dude!" Cathy snapped. "Fine, if you don't wanna get up, you are free to lie down there all you want. But at least tell me what's got you acting like...this?"

Erik raised an unstable hand which held a piece of paper between two fingers. Cathy frowned and took it from him.

She read the letter and froze in her spot, "Oh shit."

###

Lisa had just fed the baby and now the child was falling asleep in her arms, her head on her shoulder. Lisa hummed a soft lullaby into the girl's ear. The child was soothed and slowly closing her eyes.