City X ([BxB])

Chapter 9: Damien

(This chapter is all in Damien's point of view, thus naming this chapter 'Damien')

"That idiot..." I muttered to myself, running and looking over my shoulder at the room the Fire Web was in. I can actually believe he would do something like that, him being Pip after all. I never got to finish telling him what I wanted to tell him, since something shut right as I said it.

I know I had some time, just a little bit of time to save him. I had to go fast if I wanted to make sure he gets out alive and isn't somewhere in the lava pit like all the other dead people in there. I ran the way my feet took me, as if my six-year-old self has taken the lead once more. Each step taken was hopefully a step closer to saving someone, even if it was just one person, or the whole world, which would be about a million souls saved. I wanted to help everyone, even if it means sacrificing myself. I seriously think he was right. I am the person he said I was, and I never realized it before.

It brings me back to when I came here that day; the day I tried saving someone who was going to be executed for cheating on his wife with a girl much younger than him. Thing is, he was out one night at a party, and his friends put alcohol in the water he had, the guy not knowing. Of course, no one listened to that part, and he was deemed guilty before even having a fair trial. I was trying to get to the control room to stop them from killing the man, but it was no use. My mom held me back and stopped me as I watched the man get thrown in. His screams echoed throughout the hallway and the room, making me remember his screams for as long as I could remember.

The girl that the man was using was also considered guilty of cheating on her partner, which was, in fact, another girl. According to the rules, homosexuality can actually get you burned immediately. I have no clue if the rules changed since then, but she would've gotten thrown in either way. I didn't see her get thrown in, but I did hear her screams, which also stuck with me. I guess my mom was used to it, considering she didn't flinch or care about the screams of the people getting thrown in each day. After all, she was the head of the Fire Web branch.

Until she got thrown in also. She was thrown in just days after I escaped for losing me. See, even the smallest things can have huge consequences. The only reason I knew about it was that someone in the Outer City had their TV on and I was watching through the window, curious about what was going on back in City X.

I've gotten over her death since then, since I never really did feel any compassion towards her. I didn't even know my dad, which basically meant I was all alone in my childhood years. But now... I found someone who I could actually feel for, and I cannot lose him. I picked up the pace, not knowing where I was in the building. But something kept telling me it was this way, an unstoppable driving force that was telling me which way to go. My six-year-old self never went this far, but something has.

I kept walking towards the end of the hallway, a single door lying there. It looks like it hasn't been used forever, but it felt like only seconds ago someone has touched it and went inside the room. My hand reached out to touch the handle, glimmering from the light coming from my eyes. As I was about to touch it, laughter came from inside the room. It wasn't the sane type of laughter like when your friend plays a joke on you; it's the type that comes from someone who's doing something evil, out of justice or hatred. I guess it was both, since I finally got the courage to open the door to see Mx. Webber pushing buttons and looking down at Pip, inches away from the pit of lava below.

"STOP!" I yelled, pulling a pocket knife out from my bag and ran towards them, in which they pushed a button and made Pip stop in his tracks below. I saw him look up at me while backing up, relieved to see me. I looked back at Mx. Webber, who was shocked to see me. She smirked, anger boiling up in the wires inside me. The knife was just inches away from their neck, in which I could kill them with only one swift move of the blade.

"I'm just doing my job. So, either put the knife down and let me kill your 'lover' or whatever, or... I'll have to take you down instead," They said, hand reaching their pocket. I inched the blade closer to their neck, tears flooding my eyes. I never wanted to kill someone, but it was for justice... right? Pip was trying to escape the room, Butters scampering around to find a crack in the wall, anything that could help them get out of the room. But it was all secure, and no one could help them.

"I'll list every rule you broke so far, Damien: destruction of property, breaking in, disobeying your leader, talking about society in a bad way, going against your leader, illegal use of bombs, illegal use of spyware, homosexuality, and much more!" They said, only to have me ignore them. I did break all those rules, but it's for the greater good. I held the knife even closer, the tip just touching their neck ever so slightly.

"I can't let you kill me..." I started, retracting the knife back into its place as I stood back up straight, unheard screams coming from downstairs in the room. I know he can hear us, but we can't hear him so it could be easier for anyone who is controlling the machine to have an easier time with it to kill, "but I can't let you kill him either." I opened the knife once again and took it right to their stomach.

Stab. One, two, three.

"You killed innocent people for doing normal things..." I started. Another stab, this time in the left shoulder.

Stab. One, two, three.

"You killed my mom for something I did..." I said. One last stab, this time right in their core. The final blow

Stab. One, two three.

"And you're going to kill the person I love because you're just a selfish mechanical who only does things for a world you want to live in," I finished, pulling out the oil-stained knife and watched as Mx. Webber collapsed, her hand just brushing the button that releases Pip. He ran out of the room, most likely on his way to find me.

But there was still one more thing that needed to be done. The actual machine 愛 is, which is weaker now that Mx. Webber is gone forever. By inferring, I guess they were connected mentally, so with one gone, the other would be weaker. I slowly walked over to 愛; a glowing red button below a screen that displaying flashing red words that read "ERROR". On the button, it read "Shut Down 愛," so I mean, I kind of have to press it. It will free everyone, and it's basically my only chance.

The door opened to reveal Pip, in which he ran over and hugged me, both of us falling on the floor. I did hit my head upon impact, but I was just so glad that Pip was okay and wasn't burned to death like everyone else that has been killed here. My core felt like it opened up a new world, a colorful one with emotions, not including as much fear compared to before. We both cried of happiness, knowing we did it and didn't lose each other.

"I heard what you said," He playfully whispered in my ear, causing me to blush a little bit. Oops, I forgot he could hear us from down there. I glanced over at Butters, who has pressed the button himself. The sound of a machine turning off filled the quietness of the room, and the soft sound of a warning sound filled the room also, most likely coming from speakers on the outside of the building.

"Let's go. There's still work to be done," I said, getting up and pulling Pip and Butters out from the room. I guess... this was it. A new world that was like the old one, but better. Better because of how much we have improved off of our mistakes, and better because we're taking old ways and making them new again. Updated, if I must even say that.

I think we're all ready for a change.