Blue Moon

Chapter 46

"What are you talking about?" Arlo asked, his arms were crossed over his chest. 

Feliks was trying to explain that Kozlov had blown a large opening in the cave, flooding the cave and dooming them. 

"Right now, we'll go to the bath house, where everyone is loaded onto ships." Feliks pointed at Jerr, indicating he get the ship into the air. "We have the location of an exit, but we're not sure if its large enough for our ships."

"What do you mean?" Alona asked. Her jaw was in so much pain, she had glanced at her reflection in the windshield of the ship, and she had seen how bruised it was.

"Its a break in the ground, a way onto the surface. Drew had men open it up more, but I'm not sure if it is still open." Feliks said, as they buckled into their seats.

"We better pray it still is open, otherwise we're fucked." Vadik said over the ship engine starting up. 

They lifted into the air as an immense explosion rocked the Earth. They all looked back as the castle buckled into ruins. 

"Yeah! That's what I'm fucking talking about!" Hank screamed as they flew away from the crumbled burning remains of the castle.

----

The citizens had been loaded onto ten ships, the entire bath house was empty. 

Except for the hospital wing. They were waiting to see if Drew would make it. He had lost a ton of blood and was not in good shape when they arrived. 

Jonas was personally watching over Drew. Drew being in Jonas's care slightly comforted Alona. 

Alona sat against their ship, she was propped up against the cold metal. It was a lot colder now, she wondered it that was a side effect of of the water receding or if the opening had caused the cold to rush in and make the underground even colder. 

She was so jittery she could hardly sit still. They were going to the surface. She wondered if the surface would look different; it had to. Tsunamis and war had to change it somehow. 

Arlo was checking the ship where Ky was being held. An angry citizen had threatened to murder Ky and Drew had made it very clear that Arlo could not let that happen.  

Alona closed her eyes and laid her head back on the ship. She thought of the warm summer days she had spent at the pool with Meg. They had joked about how pale Alona was compared to Meg. She longed for the sun.

She opened her eyes to see Jonas talking with Jerr, their faces held no signs of relief or hope. Alona slowly stood her eyes never leaving Jonas. 

Greg jogged out of the ship once he saw Jonas, "How is he?" Greg asked once was close enough. 

Jonas laid his hand on Greg's shoulder, obviously the news was not good. 

Alona walked over to them, prepared to comfort Greg. 

"He's not going to make it Greg, I'm sorry. We just don't have the supplies to care for him properly." Jerr answered. 

Greg staggered backwards, his mouth opened but nothing came out. Tears poured from his eyes.

Alona wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close. He fell into her as he began sobbing. Alona knew how Greg saw Drew. Drew was like a father to him. 

Arlo approached them; he could tell what the news was. 

Greg pulled back, "Can I see him?" 

Jonas nodded, "He's in and out of consciousness, but he's already been asking for you."

----

Alona had returned to her spot. Her clothes were stained from the diseased man she had killed.

Arlo joined her, he dropped down into the dirt next to her, and laid his head back against the ship. 

They sat in silence, enjoying the stillness. Alona felt guilty, although she knew there was nothing she could do to help Drew. It was clear their struggles were not even close to being over. 

Arlo grabbed her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers. 

She leaned on his shoulder, she allowed herself to cry once again. Drew had been so good to her, and Arlo. He had given them so much; not only had he given them a place to stay but he had given them something to fight for, justice, freedom, and... love. 

----

The people from the Rebel City, the few people left at the bath house,  Arlo's crew, and Drew's soldiers gathered around the lake behind Jonas' bath house. The tunnel was glowing orange, the water reflected the bonfire they had built.

Drew's body was wrapped in a white cloth and tied. Greg stood next to Jerr. Greg's head bobbed as he silently cried. 

Drew had spent his final moments with Greg. He hadn't said much. He had told Greg that he loved him as his own, as his son. 

Alona had held Greg after he passed. Greg had cried and pleaded with Drew to stay with him, his heart broken.

Greg wiped his face and stepped on top of a rock, he turned to face everyone, "We are gathered here to say goodbye to our leader, who was not just a leader, but a friend." He paused, wiping his cheek, "And a father. Drew meant a great deal to all of us, but war takes sacrifice, and Drew knew that. He once told me that when his time came, not pity him, because he was going to a much better place. A place without tyranny, or evil."

Drew's men, including Jerr, lifted Drew's body and walked to the edge of the water where a small raft waited. They laid his body on the raft and walked it out into the lake until they were waist deep. Jerr returned to the land and grabbed a torch from the bonfire. He lit the raft on fire as they pushed it out into the water. 

Greg raised his head high, "I believe what Drew said was true! Nothing will stop us. We've defeated those who kept us quiet and scared! We have survived. We will carry on, because like Drew we are headed to a place without tyranny!" He lifted his arm into the air, "We will survive. For justice. For our lost ones! For our future! And for Drew!"

They watched as their leader was engulfed in the flames, a true warrior's burial.

----

After the funeral they quietly loaded onto the ships. Alona couldn't believe Drew was gone. She still felt like he would come walking out a their ship at any moment, smiling about their victory. 

She didn't know how to feel: her anger towards Mr. Werner was gone, her anger towards the King was gone, her longing to return home was gone. She wondered what was next for them. 

The surface. Her heart seemed to flutter at the thought of the surface. They needed to return to the surface as soon as possible. 

Alona watched as Meli ran out from the side of the ship closest to Alona. Her face was full of fear.

"Help!" She screamed, her arms flailing as she ran. Behind her were screeches.

Alona reached for her pistol, as did Arlo.

Two of Drew's soldiers came stumbling around the ship. They were diseased.

Meli ran into her father's arms, he immediately scooped her up. 

Alona and Arlo jogged up to meet the diseased. They both fired a single shot, hitting the two men in the head. 

Jerr walked up to their corpses, "They must've been bitten while at the castle." He nudged one of their arms where there was a bandage. "Looks like he was hiding it."

Alona tried to think of why they would hide something like that. She assumed denial. She'd rather shoot herself than put anyone in danger.

Feliks decided to burn the bodies, "Just in case they decided to get back up." He said as he lit them on fire.

----

Sawyer