The Altered Path

Twenty-Three - Zeke

He couldn't remember how long it had been after that cold military officer pulled the trigger. He couldn't remember the last time he uttered his name.

He couldn't remember the last time he felt him skin to skin. His fingers intertwined with his own.

Kory.

The boy who he so longed for. The boy he suppressed his feelings towards.
The boy he killed in cold blood. Was it really the military officer who killed him? Or was it Zeke? The very boy who was supposed to protect him.

Zeke regretted all the bitter words he had said to him. All the disgusted feelings and expressions, the avoidance, everything. It was all his fault. He could have stayed still, leaving both alive instead of one. Anger was rushing to his body, he couldn't stop himself from trying to save Kory.
He shot the military officer. He killed him, like the very thing he hoped he wouldn't be. A killer.

But it was his fault. All of it. The pleads escaping Kory's pained voice like steaming hot arrows being struck over and over into his heart. Zeke tried to remember how his voice sounded naturally. The texture of his skin against his. His silky, curly hair that barely draped over his shoulders. He never knew why Kory grew it out. It was against the rules back at the lab. Kory was never one to follow rules, anyway.

Zeke knew something was off from the start. The way his heart rate picked up whenever Kory spoke, the blush rushing to his cheeks when their fingers brushed against one another. This wasn't natural. Boys don't like boys. All those hurtful, nasty words were from a nurse who knew how Zeke felt. He could see right through him like brand-new glass. That very nurse taught him hatred towards his own mind. The way his mind functioned, the way his heart skipped a beat whenever Kory entered the room.
'You will help us when your true abilities have bloomed, D-278.'

It felt surreal. A world without Kory felt impossible. They promised each other that they would stay together, no matter what.
All of those, for what? An incomplete apology. An unfulfilled promise.
Maybe there was one way to complete it.

Kory wouldn't like it, though.

* * *

He stared at his lifeless body. Everyone did. Silence was heard, but voices weren't. Zeke didn't want to hear condolences, the sobs of Aaliyah. He wanted quiet, only the mere sounds of nature interrupting the quiet.

His ears still hurt from the loud gunshots. Zeke was surprised that his ears weren't bleeding. Old tears were still stained on his cheeks.
How long had it taken him to carry Kory to catch up with the others? How long had it been since he was—
Taken.
That's what Zeke said to himself. That's what happened to Kory. He was taken. Not killed.
Zeke looked down at his hands. Blood was dry against his tan skin. He still had the gun he killed the military officer with. The exact gun Kory was killed with.
Who else was killed with this very gun? Children? Traitors? He didn't want to know anymore. He didn't want to think about it. He couldn't get the shrill sound of the gunshot ringing throughout the forest out of his ears. He couldn't get the sight of Kory's limp body in front of him out of his mind.

He just couldn't.
He couldn't do this anymore.

He didn't want condolences, or guilt-ridden apologies from the others. Why would they be guilty? It wasn't their fault. That's the problem with people. They always think it's their fault. They sulk over their own actions and think everyone will console them like they're a crying infant. It felt pathetic. At least that's what Zeke thought.
That's why he wasn't going to sit around and mope around. He didn't want to talk about it. He didn't want a shoulder to cry on. He just wanted to ignore it. Like a papercut. Something so small can be so painful.
But was this really something so small? Was it something he could ignore like invisible dust on his sweater?

He wouldn't be able to see it anyway. The dust, since it was invisible.

Zeke stared at his shoes, before turning his sorrowful gaze to Korys lifeless body. He wanted to vomit at the sight. The blood was dry against the back of Kory's head, the bullet that stopped in his brain as soon as the soldier pulled the trigger first. The bullet that was lodged inside, the very bullet that stopped Kory from finding his true meaning in life. Kory would forever think that Zeke hated him. He didn't hate Kory. He would never hate Kory.
Zeke still shakily held the gun he killed the military officer with. His hands were trembling as they tightly held the pistol, blood on the muzzle, and the side from the military officer pistol-whipping Zeke. It hurt terribly, but thankfully the blood wasn't flowing out of the wound anymore. Zeke would need medical attention sooner or later.

He felt like God was punishing him for being himself. What an idiot he was, right? To disobey God. Why wouldn't he not get punished?

He could only blame himself at this point.

* * *

Raymond was endlessly talking to Zeke, while the others quietly stared at Kory's body that started to already attract flies and bugs. Aaliyah was crying, sobbing while Konrad and Ophelia just stared with pity in their eyes.

Are you okay?

Don't be so hard on yourself, kid.

You did what you could. That takes guts.

It was the same things over and over, just all in different or similar words. Zeke appreciated his condolences, but it wasn't what he wanted right now. He didn't know what he wanted anymore. Everything felt out of place ever since he saw Kory's eyes lose its spark. Zeke mindlessly stared at the ground, his shoulders tense. He blurred out Raymond's voice, now listening to Aaliyah's shaky sobs.

"Why? Why did you let him die?!" She cried, hiccups and sniffles coming from her. Zeke stood still, barely acknowledging Aaliyah's words. Her voice trembled. "What's wrong with you? Why didn't you save him?!" Her voice raised, her tone carrying hints of anger. He slowly turned his gaze to Aaliyah, his heart aching with her grieving expression. He knew there was hate in her heart for him, he could feel it in her words. "I didn't mean to." He said weakly, his dry throat making his voice raspy.

"You did! You wanted him to die! You hated him, why?" Aaliyah insisted.

"I didn't hate him." He raised his head, dark bags under his eyes. He looked exhausted, the adrenaline in his blood wearing off.

"Then why did you let him die?"

"I didn't mean to, Aaliyah, I promise." Tears started to well up in his  eyes, his voice shaking as he raised it. "Please believe me."

Konrad and Ophelia turned their attention to Zeke, pity continuing to stay hidden in their expressions.