The Unwritten Sin

Chapter 35

The group was directed onto a large stage directly from the ship's gangplank, which appeared to have been constructed as a sort of dock. There were benches set against the stark black drapes at the back of the stage. A strange hovering apparatus stood at the front of the stage, resembling a large grate. It must be the broadcasting audio device, Wilder thought. James had his hands clasped, and his mouth moved in prayer as the group was led down the long gangplank and onto the stage, still about a hundred feet above Phase City. The streets were filled with PCP robots as well as patrol officers, all positioned, aiming their tanks and weapons at the ship.

"They're going to kill us all," Neptune said. "Well, that's fine, the machine will be overrun."

A crowd of Terrens in different robes were sitting on the benches at the back of the stage, flanked by captains and guards. Wilder fingered the rosary anxiously as he was directed to sit down next to them. James, absolute terror in his eyes, was moved to the front of the stage, in front of the audio device. In his hands he held both the Holy Book and the scroll he had been given in the study room.

A crackling booming voice echoed upwards toward the ship. "Announce yourself or we will shoot!"

The captains all looked at one another, amused. The voice was coming from a huge boombox down on the ground, sitting between two tanks.

James took a deep breath, and a projection on him, and the stage behind him, was directed up at the clouded sky. 

"You are....broadcasting to all of earth," Lo said, from James' side.

"People of earth," James began. "I have been chosen as....as a diplomat if you will. My name is Father James. I have worked at the Ministry all of my life. I am here to explain. And I must let you know that this message is of the utmost importance. The Terren's are not new to us. Quite old in fact. We have been collaborating with them for centuries. In fact, Abel was a friend of theirs, and the Holy Book is not as we know it!" He held up the scroll. "The Ministry has rewritten history! They have lied to us."

"You will be given one more warning!" the boombox announced from the ground. "We will shoot! Hostages are of no consequence. The machine keeps us alive and regenerating! We will continue on as we always have."

A new voice came over the speaker then, and Wilder immediately recognized it. Theodore.

"We are the Ministry. We do not recognize this imposter. Whomever is working with our enemy is considered our enemy. We will not negotiate. Surrender now, or we will shoot."

"Theodore!" James cried. "You know this is wrong! You have read the old holy book! This is not as Abel would have wanted it! You know you are lying to us all! Please! I beg of you!"

As he spoke the last words, a hail of bullets rained upon the stage. Terren's fell around them as Wilder ducked for cover. James had fallen, and he lay, flat on the stage, the Holy Book still in his hand. Wilder, crouched down, rushed to his side.

The others had gathered behind the benches, screaming at him. "Wilder! Come back!"

"Oh fuck this," October said. "I'd just as soon jump off this damned ship and come right back out behind the firing line!"

"October! Don't!" Opal cried. "I have a really bad feeling about this!"

October walked to the edge of the ship, arms outstretched, and took a swan dive off of the edge.

Neptune was huddled against Adonis, crying in the blue hoodie.

Wilder lay on the stage floor next to James, feeling the thrum of the engines through the metal. He grasped James' wrist and felt for a pulse. "James?" he asked, his voice breaking. "James!"

He rolled James over on his back. His chest rose and fell in shallow gasps. He was bleeding from a graze on his neck. Wilder ripped off his shirt, and pressed the cloth to James' skin. Blood seeped through the cotton and onto his hands. "Dammit dammit," he cursed. The Terrens had managed to haul their dead and wounded back up the gangplank, and he realized Adonis and the others had followed them. The gangplank was now raising up, closing the ship as the engines thrummed even louder.

"Wait!" Wilder screamed as the door closed. "We're still out here! Don't leave us here!"

James opened his eyes weakly. "The curtain," he said. "Wilder. We need to get to the surface."

"James, that's a death trap," he said. "Either you have to go back through the machine, or we are going to figure something else out!"

"I won't go through," James said. "Wilder, I'm tired." His eyes were bloodshot, red and watery. "There's....there's another pill in my pocket."

"James. That won't work. It didn't work on Theodore. I killed him. He took the pill. He still came back."

James shook his head. "Then he must have deceived you," he said. "I believe the Ministry is lying to us about more than we know." He coughed, and blood splattered on Wilder's face.

The ship began to rise from the ground. "Oh my love," he said. "I'm sorry."

"James, I swear to the gods, you're not going out like this." Wilder looped his arm around his shoulders, and lifted James to his feet. "Hold this," he said, pushing the shirt into his empty hand. "Leave the book. And leave the scroll for all I care. James, I need you. I need you with me."

He half drug James to the back of the stage, and set him down on a bench. He yanked the curtains down, a huge expanse of dense black fabric. "This should be long enough!" he yelled over the rushing wind. "It will break our fall!" 

As he spoke, the ship rose higher above the city, gaining momentum. Wilder tied one end of the curtain to the bottom of the second curtain, still attached. He picked James up once more. 

"Hold onto me," he instructed. He looked into his eyes. "This was your idea," he said. "Just remember that if we die, okay."

James laughed weakly. "Yes," he said. "I shall never forgive you."

"Do you trust me?" Wilder asked. 

James nodded. "Yes."

Wilder held onto the curtain with one hand, and James with the other. They stood at the very edge of the ship. "Okay, one....two....three....jump!"