Life After: POV of a District 9 Tribute

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Goodbyes

          Two minutes later my parents come busting through the door. I hope they've come to tell me that I was hallucinating and they never called Brittany's name, and I'm the laughing stock of the district. I would rather have people laugh at me than people trying to kill me. I look at either of them. Dads cold hard eyes feel like they're going straight through me, like he's disappointed in me. Why would he be disappointed? He should be proud. Every other father would be. Not him. Anger fills me. I have to look away, so I look at mom. Tears have spilled from her eyes. Her skin is blotchy, she's been crying for a while. I just shake my head and hug her. I pull back and hold her face in my hands. This will be the last time I get a good look at my mom. Her blonde hair like mine, only shorter, frames her face. Piercing blue eyes. Perfectly sculpted lips. Some sun spots from being out in the fields. But she's remarkably beautiful. We peck each others cheek. Her tears transfer to my face.

"I love you, Ken" she says, choking back tears.

"I love you too mom."

I'm still holding myself together. I do a 180 and find Rebecca I hug her as hard as I possibly can. Since I won't ever touch her blonde hair again, read to her after she has a bad dream, gossip about boys, make cookies, or make silly promises. I blink away the tears. I pull back and mess with her hair. Fixing it, even though it doesn't need fixing. I just need to focus on something else other than her. I look at her deep green eyes.

"You think you could do it?" She asks, full of hope. I don't know why she's hopeful. I've been planning this as my parting words to them. I don't know what she means.

"Do what, honey? Win?" I ask, unsure of myself.

"No. Kill someone, so you can come back home. Ken, you have to come home." The end is choked off, she's crying even harder.

I'm stunned. Kill someone? Could I do that? No. "I can outsmart the others. You know I have great people skills."

"Yeah," she looks away.

Before I can get to say anything else the peace keepers usher them out. I can't stand the thought of that being the last time I get to see them. I look out the window, everyone is leaving. They're going back to their lives. It must be nice. I wish-

I hear the door open and crash shut.

It's dad.

"Honey, I don't have much time. I convinced them to let me talk to you for just a second."

"What dad? What is it?" He looks stressed. Scared. Scared of what? Then it hits me. He's scared that he's going to lose his oldest daughter.

"Ken, I am so proud of you taking Brittany's spot. But it was a stupid decision. She will never really honor you the way you would honor her if the roles were reversed."

How could he say that? She was my best friend. I couldn't just let her die.

"But dad-"

"No buts Kenny. I only have a few more seconds. Now, when you get in there, go in the bloodbath. You're small and you're quick. You could pick up a knife on your way to the good stuff. If anybody lunged for you, a quick swipe of the blade around their neck would to the trick.

"Kenny, what I'm saying is, you could win. You could outsmart the others. But while you're with them, act dumb and slow. They will think that the environment will kill you off. If you get in and get out-"

He was cut off by the peacekeepers.