When the rains may come (Science Fiction)

72.2. Since we stopped the war

Excerpts from Cathy's journal

Twelve months since the war ended.

The past few months have been the harshest on Lisa. Things that happened almost terrified me too.

After we had relocated everyone from Mathesdale, Lisa, Ana and I moved in together in an apartment in Kingsville.

Now the thing is, almost everyone from the Last Hand has gained a level of infamy. But with Lisa it was the worst.

She didn't just get the hatred of Varon's fanatics but the operatives who had died in the prison massacre started to come to our place.

There was a point where we'd get threatening letters full of detailed description of everything they'd do to Lisa and I and sometimes even Oriana. Some of them just let us know that God was gonna deal a divine judgment on us and we'd suffer the same way all those operatives did.

Things only got worse when word about our location spread among the haters further. Even the families of Ardvenian soldiers that Lisa and Erik had killed in Lichtenheim started to add their own voices to the chorus of contempt.

Lisa was mostly unfazed by the things they said about her. But I saw her absolutely crumble whenever the letters would mention Oriana or Dr. Neville.

And it wasn't long before someone tried breaking in when I wasn't home. I returned from the grocery store just to find the door open, the neighbors watching from the corridor. There was a corpse in the living room.

The man had tried to kidnap Ana. But Lisa had stabbed him to death with a kitchen knife. I went into the bedroom to find Lisa trying to sooth the baby who was sobbing wretchedly.

There was still blood on Lisa's hands. And she was getting it all on Ana. I had to yank the baby away from her.

"Go and wash your hands first and call Erik or Gemma or Brendan! Get a grip on yourself."

I carried Ana to the bathroom and cleaned the blood off her. Lisa had managed to call Erik by then.

Lisa had to undergo a trial. The new House of Justice pardoned her based on the fact that the murder was self defense. Also the fact the, the new First Leader, Gemma was our best friend certainly helped a lot for Lisa to get away with it.

But it went without saying, Lisa was always anxious around Ana at all times. It got to a point where she went multiple days without sleep and insisted that I don't leave the house at any moment of the day.

I suggested we go and live in some peaceful countryside. Lisa was scared of that too. "I don't wanna go somewhere we can't reach our friends quickly," she said.

I had to call Erik again. This time, Gemma took the time to visit too. We had a long discussion on what could be done to solve the problem. The idea of changing identities was brought up. Lisa didn't want to deprive Ana of her father's name.

In the end, the solution everyone considered more seriously was the one Lisa offered. "I wanna leave Ardvenia," she said. "Everyone here thinks I'm a monster. I wanna go somewhere I can still be Lisa Neville. Oriana can still keep her father's name. And people don't try to kill us anymore."

"How about Moudrin?" Gemma suggested.

I was a bit skeptical about that suggestion. "Um, didn't we just have a ten year long war with them?"

"It wasn't Lisa who had the war. In fact, Lisa was the one who practically stopped it." Gemma was grinning. "Also, president Albrecht has gone to some serious measures to blame Ozaan and Varon for everything that happened, not the Ardvenians in general. Also, I'll let Albrecht know to pay special attention to you."

Lisa nodded. "That may be the place for us. I just don't wanna be scared for my daughter's life."

I was still a bit skeptical but I agreed to it. Honestly, I would have moved into any place the grownups agreed upon. Not like I had a home that I felt attached to anyway.

So yeah, I'm in the airport lobby as I write this bit. Ana is sleeping soundly in Lisa's arms. And truth be told, I'm really happy none of the security guards have tried to kill us this time.

#

Eighteen months since the war ended.

Okay, I'll just say it. Moudrin is weird. If Ardvenia was scary. Moudrin just baffles me.

Leo Albrecht himself came to receive us at the airport. We rode in his luxury car. And he led us to a three storey mansion with an acre of land in the backyard. He said the place belonged to us now. I had to ask Gemma if this was the result of her "diplomacy".

Turns out it wasn't.

Moudrin is just insanely grateful for what we did in the war. The entire Last Hand is some sort of group of heroes here. They tell stories of our missions. Our names are gonna be in their new history books.

Albrecht visited us again a week ago, to hand over the documents of our official Moudrin citizenship. The freaking president came to my house to hand over a bunch of paperwork!

I'd been worried we might become pariahs once we got here. But I'm always surprised when some vendors don't even let me pay for my groceries!

Also, yesterday an elementary school principal came to our house asking if I'd like to be a guest of honor for a sports competition they were holding. They also requested me to give a speech on courage and bravery to inspire other girls. I haven't even completed school myself! What am I even supposed to preach to the kids?

But Lisa was really amused. She promised the principal that she'd personally make sure I show up to the event. I'm not good with speeches. And I'm certainly not the kind to be eloquent in front of a crowd, let alone a crowd full of kids.

I don't know what I'm gonna do. The event is tomorrow!

***

Again, I was stumped. The kids were really excited to see me. I never knew kids could actually take some random-half celebrity seriously. I was about to get a serious reality check. I'm not really that random in Moudrin.

I received flowers from at least three dozen students and a special bouquet from the teaching staff.

The speech I gave wasn't anything special. Lisa had written something for me that I recited in the microphone. But the applause I got certainly left me speechless.

And I absolutely wasn't ready for the questions the children had for me. It's hilarious and terrifying how well informed some of those kids were.

One of them asked me how I fought off a dozen men to save a pregnant mom. Another asked me if I'd really died from the virus and resurrected? Another asked how hard had I kicked the 'bad imperialist woman' in the face?

How did they know all of that?!

They even made me officially open up the event by firing a gun. A flare gun!

I'm curious. Has someone written a book about me and my friends? I felt like a mythical hero at that school.

Either way, I couldn't deny that it was fun. And it was obvious the kids had fun too.

They reminded me of another kid in Ardvenia. I also remembered the promise I'd made to that kid. Last week, Albrecht gave us his personal phone number and made it clear if we ever needed something, he'd be there for us.

Might as give him a call for what I have in mind.