An Era Of Zombies

Part 24: Mothers

Sonnet wondered around the halls of the place. She had looked around in Lucien's room to see if there was anything in there of importance, but the plans weren't there. She had to be quick, Lucien wasn't a normal zombie and would come back to life soon. Sonnet was going to buy Ford and the rest of her friends time. She was going to do all she could to prevent her mother from getting any stronger.

But she felt so conflicted. Her mother was, well, her mother. She had raised Sonnet. It was weird though, How even though Sonnet had been with her mother for whole life except for a couple of months, her stay at Fort Resilient seemed longer.

She had to make a choice eventually, which side she'd decide to take. It should've been obvious, but it wasn't like Sonnet had never loved her mother. There were many childhood memories of them both together, but Lucien had changed over the years. The childhood memories weren't that happy though, they were mostly Sonnet's physical training and her mother telling her it was good.

Monsters didn't make good mothers apparently. Sonnet wanted to rest, she was so tired. She avoided thinking about Ford though and their conversation. His eyes had been so filled with dread and fear, but fear for Sonnet. I will come back for you Sonnet, I will never give up on you, not ever.

His words had been filled with hope. Sonnet missed him, no, she needed to stop thinking about him. Sonnet went back up and walked around more. The place was empty. Then only zombies she could see were all dead. It was a good thing Sonnet had ducked under the counter just in time, right before the bomb went off.

"Sonnet?" She turned around. It was her mother. She had revived herself quickly. Sonnet gave her a small smile.

"Yes mother?"

"Come with me," Lucien said and Sonnet followed her out. Her heart threatened to beat out of her chest. Lucien had suspected something.

They came to a cell, Asia's cell. Oh no. But before she could react, her mother had grabbed Sonnets arm and pinned it behind her back. Lucien's hold was like iron and it was too tight for Sonnet to break free of.

Then her mother clasped something around Sonnet's neck. She was released and Sonnet stumbled a bit. The collar made her neck tingle. It was a thick silver while. The collar didn't choke Sonnet but it felt weird. She tried to yank it off but it was locked. The collar must've locked right after her mother had placed it around her neck.

"What have you done?"

Her mother smiled a smile that made Sonnet shiver. "You are my daughter Sonnet but you have changed. More than I had expected you too, did you think I was oblivious to the way you looked at that boy. The golden haired one with the blue eyes."

"You don't trust me?" Sonnet tried to make her voice sound betrayed and hurt.

"Not t yet at least. That collar is to make sure you don't sneak off to your human friends. You are not allowed more than ten feet from the outside of this building. I will take it off when I know I've earned your trust and loyalty."

Sonnet was speechless, she was being locked in. She was being leashed as if she were a dog. Her panic increased, what could she do now? So she just nodded.

"Good, Now go to your room." Then her mother left. Sonnet found her room. This had been her room before she'd came upon Fort Resilient. The walls were white and the bed was made. Its black sheets fresh and clean. Sonnet hadn't decorated her room with anything else. She laid on her bed. It was still very early morning and the stars were still glowing in the dark sky outside her small window.

Sonnet would have to be careful from now on, she couldn't risk her mother finding her plan. She had to tread carefully, for it was not only her life on the line, but perhaps the lives of mankind. The Tempest would destroy everyone.

Even though it was destroyed, there was no doubt that Lucien would try to rebuild it, or come up with some other way to turn every human into a zombie or dead.

Sonnet opened her closet, her clothes were blood splattered and covered in dirt. She had bathed in the river yesterday, right before going to rescue Asia.

Yesterday, more like a year ago. Sonnet had been a different person then, she'd been happy, with Ford holding her and the rest of her friends beside her. They probably thought she was a traitor now. She'd had to pretend to betray them when Lucien was watching, she's seen the shock on their faces.

Sonnet wondered what Asia had thought. Asia was so different from Sonnet, she was surprised they were even friends. Sonnet was quiet and shy, while Asia was bold and a leader.

Asia had looked surprised like the rest of them but she'd been hiding her feelings, was Asia mad at Sonnet? She hoped not because Sonnet admired Asia, like a personal idol.

Then there was Kate. She had left so long ago, she was like Asia too now that Sonnet thought about it. Both bold, both cunning, and both had that quality of doing brave things and acting as if they hadn't done anything cool whatsoever.

But the last time she'd seen Kate was when they were twelve. Kate's last words to her were goodnight. Then she'd ran away that night, leaving only a letter for Sonnet. It'd explained how Kate had not wanted to leave, but couldn't stand living with Lucien any longer, Kate had never called their mother anything but Lucien since they were toddlers. Sonnet had asked her why once, when they were 12 and still lived together. Kate had said, "Because this is not what mothers are supposed to be like."

Sonnet had then asked, "How do you know?"

"I like to read books and the mothers in those books are nothing like Lucien. They have love for their children. A mothers love for her children is unconditional, for who wouldn't treasure their own creations the most," Kate had answered. And so simply too. She was twelve like Sonnet but Kate had been so old at the same time, she was wiser and more knowledgeable.

Sonnet at the time, had not understood. But now she was grown up, nearly a woman. Life went by too quick in this era. Sonnet sighed and picked out a blue tee from the closet and skinny jeans. She changed and tossed her dirty clothes in a corner of her room. She'd deal with it later.

Sonnet looked in the mirror beside the dresser. Her chin had a small scratch on it. It'd likely scar, but it was small anyways. Her blonde hair had broken loose of its ponytail a while ago, it now fell down way below her shoulders. She'd cut it soon, long hair was a disadvantage for fighting zombies. It could grab her hair or it could get stuck in something.

Sonnet laid on her bed. She closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep. It took a while but eventually Sonnet drifted to dreams. Her dreams were dreadful, memories of Sonnet with her mother.

Kate's little speech about mothers came to her mind. That description fitted Janelle better than it did Lucien. She wished Janelle had been her mother instead.