Shattered Horizon

23 Liam

Chapter twenty three
Liam
A jolt of pain wakes me, the dream of rescue a cruel echo. A sympathetic guard had snuck in medical supplies, and Rose cleaned the wounds on my back. Now, he warns us the townspeople are growing restless, eager for more punishment.
"Can you please help us escape?" I plead.
"I'm sorry. If they discover I helped you, I'll be killed." His face is a mask of fear and regret. "You can come with us," I offer.
He hesitates, then shakes his head. A shout cuts through the air. "What are you doing!"
Rose scrambles, hiding the supplies behind a rock. "Nothing! Just checking if the kid's still breathing," the guard lies. The other guards laugh and turn away.
"I have to go," he whispers.
"Wait! Please, let us go!" I beg, desperation clawing at my voice.
He walks away, his expression unreadable.
I slump back, despair washing over me. Tears threaten to spill. "Liam, stop!" Rose rushes to my side, covering my face."They'll whip you again if they see you cry!" She wipes the tears with her shirt then retreats to her corner.
Holding back sobs, I ask, "Why do they care so much?"
"Men are supposed to be strong," she says bitterly. "They think only women should cry, that it makes them weaker."
A guard glances in, then moves on.
Days stretch into an eternity. Sometimes, they toss a scrap of bread into the cell â€" barely enough for one person. Rose devours her piece, eyeing mine.
"Here." I push my bread towards her.
"You need to eat, Liam," she protests.
"I'm okay," I lie.
She hesitates, a battle raging within her, then takes it. "Thank you," she whispers.
My stomach growls in protest. Stupid, my mind chastises me. You owe her nothing. Yet, I can't let the same hatred that fuels this town consume me.
My body trembles violently as Rose dips a cloth in water and presses it to my burning forehead. "Shh," she murmurs.
"Bo," I croak, my voice a rasp. Fever blurs my thoughts, and my stomach twists in painful knots. All I want is Bo's strong arms around me. But a stubborn voice inside insists I stay strong, that it's the only way back to him.
The guard returns. He hands Rose something, and I watch as she approaches with water and a small object. She slips it into my mouth, and I obediently swallow. Minutes tick by, then slowly, my fever-fog begins to lift. My senses sharpen. I sit up and meet Rose's gaze.
"The guard gave us antibiotics and some pain medicine,"she said softly. "He said that the town people want a trail for committing the crimes"
"The guard gave us antibiotics and pain medicine," she whispered. "He says the townspeople want a trial... for our 'crimes.'"
Fury surges through me. "What crimes? Loving someone? Being different?"
Rose's voice is soft, tinged with sadness.
"Liam, the guard...and others...they know this is wrong. They want to fight back, but fear holds them captive. The guard believes if he gets us out, if you can talk to them before we leave, it might spark a rebellion. He asked me to try, but Liam, you're stronger. They'll listen to you. They saw how you defended me that night. It changed things...reminded them how things were before the apocalypse. They'll get us out, but it might take a few more days."
I let that sink in for a moment. These people didn't want me. They hardly knew me.
"What's wrong? Rose said.
"Rose," I paused. "The strongest person here isn't me. Yes, I endured the beatings, but these people need to hear your voice. They don't need another man telling them what to do. They need a strong woman to show them that they're not weak, that they can fight for what's right. I'll stand by your side, every step of the way, but this is your fight, your people." I tell her
She shakes her head and hugs me tight. "I'll do right by you, Liam. I promise you'll make it back to Bo and Iris."
I return her smile. When the guard throws open the gate, I step forward, shielding Rose with my body.
"Move. Now," the guard snarls.
The cage sits beside a well-worn path, onlookers catching sight of the scene. "I will not move!" I shout, my voice echoing down the street.
A murmur ripples through the crowd. "He's got guts, sticking up for her like that," a voice calls out.
Another joins in, "Leave them alone!"
Soon, angry shouts fill the air, directed at the guard. Face twisted in rage, he slams the gate shut. "I'll be back," he hisses through the bars.
"Move, or you'll all be locked up!" he barks at the crowd. Ten more guards rush in, armed with metal bats. A brutal fight erupts, townspeople pushing back against the guards. Then, a gunshot shatters the chaos, striking an older man in the chest. He collapses, and the crowd dissolves into terrified screams.
I collapse to my knees. A man strolls past, a jagged scar bisecting his face, a tapestry of tattoos snaking across his skin.He throws us a cruel grin before disappearing into the crowd.
Night falls. A woman approaches the gate, slipping us a loaf of bread and water. Her eyes, filled with a mother's warmth,lock with mine.
"Mom," Rose whispers.
"Shh, baby. I don't have much time. I'll see you soon." She presses the bread into Rose's hands and vanishes into the shadows.
Rose tears off a piece, offering it to me. The bread is still steaming, and I take a bite. The richness, the simple joy of it,nearly sends me to my knees again. I could live on this forever.
"Liam," she says softly, holding out another morsel. I nod but wave it away. "No thanks," I managed, my voice choked.
A flicker of disappointment crosses her face. She carefully rewraps the bread and hides it away.
We sit in silence, the day's horrors clinging to us like shadows. When sleep finally finds me, it's Bo I dream of. We're entwined in bed, the scent of wildflowers and earth a comforting balm. His breath whispers against my skin, his hand on my arm a promise that everything will be okay.
Then the dream shatters. He's kissing me, the touch tender, his love flowing through me. His hand finds mine, and his voice is a warm caress: "I love you."
It twists again. Bo and Iris are screaming. Their pleas â€" "Don't shoot us!" â€" are drowned out by the gunshot. The scarred man's laughter echoes as Iris collapses, then Bo's body slumps to the dusty ground. I scream, the sound ripping from my throat, but my dream-self is frozen. I can't reach him.
I jolt awake, gasping, a sob tearing loose. Rose stirs beside me, her arms wrapping around me. "It was just a dream," she murmurs, her voice a soothing balm against the lingering fear.
The guard returns. "It's time," he announces, then leans closer. "Act like you do all the time," he whispers.
I stand tall. "Move, girl!" he barks at Rose.
"She's not going anywhere!" I shout, my defiance cutting through the air.
The crowd murmurs, their eyes fixed on me. The guard strikes, a sharp blow softer than usual, but I amplify the pain,crumpling to the ground. He snatches Rose's wrist, cuffing her. Then, his rough hand grabs my hair, yanking me forward.
The crowd erupts â€" gasps, shouts of protest aimed at the guard. A hand grips my arm, helping me up. He's an older man,his voice trembling, "Can't you see he's injured!"
I look at him gratefully. "Thank you."
Before I can blink, another guard charges forward, fist connecting with my face. Pain explodes as blood spatters the ground. "Faggot," he sneers. Then, he lunges for the older man who helped me.
"He didn't do anything! Focus on me, leave him alone!" I plead, desperate to protect the kind man.
The sympathetic guard gruffly orders us to keep walking.
We stumble through a red door. "Where are you taking them?" another guard calls out.
"Rara's orders," the sympathetic guard replies curtly. The other guard nods in grim understanding.
The guard shoves me forward, and I tumble to the ground. Scrambling aside, I watch as he uncuffs Rose and helps me stand. "Sorry, had to make it look real," he murmurs.
I nod, understanding flashing through me. "Liam," he says urgently, "take this shirt. You must leave now!"
I glance at Rose. "I'm not leaving her."
"Can I talk to him alone?" Rose asks.
The guard nods and steps back.
"You need to go back to Bo and Iris. I'll be okay. They'll respect me. You protected me enough â€" now I know what to do." She smiles, then hugs me tightly. "Next time you see me, I'll be a leader."
The shift in her, from tearful victim to resolute leader, stuns me. I nod slowly. "How do I get out?"
The guard returns. "That door. Down the hall, then it leads outside. Run, and don't look back."
"Thank you." I extend my hand. He takes it. I hug Rose one last time, her smile etched in my memory, then slip out of the room.
Following the guard's directions, I reach the outside. Fresh air, the promise of freedom, bursts around me. And I run
My lungs burning, a single thought pounding in my head: Bo and Iris would have moved on. A week, maybe more,I'd been gone. A sickening wave of dread washes over me â€" they must think I'm dead. I violently shove the thought aside,clinging to a desperate flicker of hope.
Finally, I reach the familiar house, the place where it all began. The door creaks open, and a chill unrelated to the weather seeps into my bones. The house is empty. My belongings are gone, and with them, any trace of Bo and Iris.
I stand alone.