Unheard Screams

Loss of Humanity: Who are you?

I just stood there, hands by my lap like a f*cking idiot as Jonathan caressed Yanith's dying cheeks, wiping away the tears. "It's gonna be ok..." Jonathan's voice cracked as Yanith spat blood from her mouth. I felt so useless. I checked the corner for safety, the gunfight was still on and heating up. To make myself useful, something I could never be, I knelt down next to Yanith and Jonathan, and checked her pulse. I didn't want to say it, but Jonathan knew it, and needed to hear it straight up. "Johnny...she's dead." I whispered. His face darkened. I got nervous. It looked like his entire world had been ripped from him. He was emotionless, heartless, you could say, after that last tear dropped. His frown and cringeworthy face had faded away with the sadness. Nothing was left. Thing was, Jonathan had never cried before. Not when he broke his bones; not when his mother, little brother, or father died; not ever. This was the first and probably last time Jonathan cried. "Rest in peace." He whispered in a monotone voice, facial expression untouched. He closed her dead, paralyzed eyes and laid her on the floor. He stood up slowly, raising one knee after the other and without even looking at me, said "we need to avenge her." "Wait, what do you mean? We can't kill people." I refused. He looked at me. I had never been so intimidated by him in my entire life. He could probably crush me just by touching me in that state. He had this glare in his eyes, black fire sputtering out of his pupils as if he had met and conquered death. "If we don't...we'll end up like her." He said, turning back to stare at her. "Let's discuss this once we get out of this mess." I asked of him. "Right." He answered. "The gunfire alerted the authorities and now they've blockaded every single edge of the area. The exit must be the collapsed building." I explained. "Let's go then, follow me." He said as he gave Yanith one last look and ran around the corner. We ran, taking cover every chance we could as to not get spotted; hiding behind every single trash can, broken window, news stands, and cars that we could find. "There it is." Jonathan said as he pointed towards a building that looked cut clean in half. There were two guards standing in the front doors. "We have to take them out." Jonathan whispered. "What?! No!" I said back. "We have to." He said with his death-like eyes. "No, i'll just knock him out." I refused. We crouched and crawled towards them, and I grabbed a metal rusted pipe on the way there. Good thing the building was organized as we could both go behind them and attack them at the same time because they were both standing next to bushes. Must be new, there wasn't much greenery left after the first rebel attack. I walked around the bush, watching my every step, and waited for Jonathan to do the same. He got in position, and he nodded at me. I went up to the guard in complete silence, then, using all of my strength, knocked him over the side of the head with my pipe. The other guard noticed, and aimed his gun at me. Comically, Jonathan tapped the standing guard on the shoulder, who turned back in surprise, and Jonathan punched him right on the nose. He tripped on himself, and I made the finishing blow. "Let's run before they wake up or someone notices." I hurried. I walked right through the front doors of the building and Jonathan followed behind me. Suspiciously, there was nobody on the first floor of the building. We freely stepped across the noisy marble floors of this modern, yet broken building, and towards the window to see the exit. We cautiously looked through the window, only to find what was probably an entire division of marines waiting to kill us outside. "We need to find another way..." muttered Jonathan. "What?" I asked. "Follow me." He commanded. He walked away before I could refuse so I followed. He slammed the front doors open, scaring me because there might've been soldiers around. He picked up the guards' guns, threw one to me, and walked away. It caught me by surprise as I made sure not to accidentally pull the trigger and I fumbled with it before getting a good grip on it. He walked across the street and opened the nearest manhole. "What are you doing?" I was confused. "Sewers. Only way." He replied while climbing down there. Damnit. Its about to get dirty. I followed him, climbing down the broken down and rusty ladder down to the sewers. My grip loosened and I almost fell as the smell struck me. Jonathan wasn't even phased. I hesitantly stepped into the brown water, and couldn't believe that Jonathan still had not reacted. "Which way?" I asked. "This way. South." He answered without looking back. We slushed through the sewers as we got out of the hot zone. We went around a corner, and I felt a blunt force hit my head as I blacked out.
I woke up, dizzy and with a big headache. Hands tied behind my back, sitting on a chair. Jonathan was next to me in the exact same position, it looked like we were in some type of  cellar, still in the sewers. A tall guy who looked like he came straight out of an action movie walked through the cellar doors. "Sorry for the big surprise, but we're just really cautious." He said as if we were in a light mood. "Where...where are we?" I managed to groan. "Division 3 USFRA Headquarters, son." He replied, putting a cigarette in his mouth. "Are you two Marine Recruits?" He asked. "No..." Jonathan woke up. "Fine, big guy, then imma need you to do something for me." He said as he untied both of us and helped us up one at a time. We limped behind him as he led us to another room. Walking there, he asked "are you guys part of a faction?" "No" Jonathan answered. "Why?" I continued. "Good, if you prove yourselves right here then you'll join us, if not, you're dead." I warned. I flinched, Jonathan just kept walking. We made a right into another cellar in which 2 marines were tied up and looked tortured and beaten up. "To prove that you're on our side, kill them." He said as he handed Jonathan a silver carved pistol. "Johnny no..." I whispered. You wouldn't do it. Not the Johnny I know... He took the gun. Raised his arm. "Gladly." He remarked. And pulled the trigger.

—Chapter plot sketched by Nandococo12