The Soldiers Key

Chapter 15: When Men Break

I held onto my leg where the man had stabbed me. Looks like it was a knife...

My leg... I can't feel it.

With severe difficulty I pulled on the knife as it slid out of my skin, the blade sizzling in the air. Was this... coated with that poison that the bullet had...?

I dropped the knife as I put my pistol back into its holster, my knife back into its place. I looked at the light emitting from the flashlight on my rifle.

It's only a matter of time before I run into more of them. I shouldn't worry about myself right now.

I need to get to Tari and the siblings... before they do.

I knelt down somewhat and pulled the flashlight from my rifle and limped my way along the street pulling on my injured leg.

I held one hand near my pistol as I walked, the other on my flashlight as it lit up the area in front of me.

I haven't met anyone yet... doesn't mean nobodies there.

As I approached the center of town I came across the checkpoint from before.

No guards...

I don't like this.

I made my way slowly towards past the checkpoint and to the center of a small plaza, three large buildings on the sides and in front of me. I stopped as I looked at the three bunkers. It's a bit too quiet...

I looked towards the bunker entrance to my left as I heard a creak.

I pulled out my pistol and aimed it at the door, my flashlight making the door visible.

"Who's there...?"

A voice came from behind the door.

"So...? You know where Sol and Luna are...? Don't you?"

What...? The men wearing the black suits... they must have told the citizens about the ultimatum.

"Sol and Luna, are just a myth."
I held my pistol firm.

I don't want to kill innocent people... but...

A man stepped out from behind the door and looked at me.

"You're a liar... soldier. We know they are here... we just know it... they told us everything."
So... I was right.

I held my pistol at him.

The man smiled somewhat wildly.

"I see you have blood all over you... did you kill someone...?"

I looked at the blood covering my hands.

"It doesn't concern you... now where are the others?"

The man smiled.

"Well, the others are here... and there... of course... but exactly where they are... I can't say. No. I can't."

This person doesn't seem right...

The person has their hands held behind their back, and they are looking at me with lifeless eyes.

I don't like this...

"Where are they?"
The man sighed.

"I don't want to die... you know? That's why..."
What's he getting at?

I looked slightly around me.

I can't see...

I looked back at the man.

"Why are there no guards?"
The man sighed.

"You know... even good people will do evil things when faced with death... and we are no different-I'm sorry."
I held onto my pistol. I don't think he's here to help me.

I turned around to see a small group of people gathering behind me, both men and women holding makeshift weapons in their hands.

The guards meant to be protecting this area stood with them.

So... mutiny.

Has it really had to come to this?

I aimed my pistol carefully.

One of the guards looked at me.

"Just put the gun down and I'm sure we can settle things..."

I shook my head.

"Afraid not..."

One of the citizens, a short man wearing a black suit and holding a sharpened piece of metal walked closer to me.

"We know you know where Sol and Luna are! Now tell us!"
The man ran forward at me as I pulled the trigger of my pistol.

The man dropped dead, onto the ground in front of me.

The others soon followed in suit as I fired off more bullets. Every shot hit their mark, though not every shot killed.

I backed away slowly, four more people dead in front of me, and two others wounded.

The guards held onto their weapons as they stared at me with hurt eyes.

"Were sorry."
The man raised his rifle, but dropped it suddenly as he fell forward, blood gushing from his throat.

Tari stood behind him, a knife in her hand.

She looked at me worriedly.

"Arian! Thank god..."
The other guard near her pulled up her rifle at her, but I fired my last bullet quickly, the guard dropping the gun, to hold onto his hand where the bullet had hit.

I fell slightly to my side as my leg froze stiff.

Tari ran up to me and held onto my shoulder.

"Arian! You... your hurt! We need to get you-"
I looked at Tari in her eyes. I'm glad to see her...

"Tari... are you ok...?"
Tari nodded.

I looked at the remaining guard as he knelt on the ground, holding his hand.

"I'm sorry... but she said... that you knew where Sol was..."

She...?

I looked at Tari.

"Where are the siblings?"

Tari looked at me and shook her head.

"Arian, something-"
I pushed Tari behind me as more figures came into the light of my flashlight.

More of the people from the bunkers stood around us, and held makeshift weapons.

Cleavers attached to long poles, sharpened maintenance tools, crowbars, and wrenches.

One of the members of the crowd, a guard, stood apart as he looked at me.

"Luna... promised us... that if we found Sol she would help us survive... but she didn't want you or that woman with you hurt. However... I don't think you'll come so quietly... so I'm sure Luna won't know if you 'disappeared'."
Luna...?

Tari held onto me tightly.

"Luna betrayed us Arian..."

Luna...?

I flashed the flashlight around me to find that were completely surrounded.

"Tari... hold onto me... and don't let go."
Tari squeezed me tightly for a moment, before she let go.

I looked at her as she pulled her knife and stood next to me, facing the crowd before us.

"I can handle myself, Arian. And if I die... at least I will have spent time with you."

I smiled.

"Thank you... Tari."
I dropped my now empty pistol and pulled my knife from its place.

People will do a lot of things to survive... whether it's good or not.

These people... are lost and scared. I can see why they would do this...

But why... would Luna betray us...?