Left Alone

Kane's Father

Chapter Six

I was weak. It had been too long since I'd eaten and I could no longer ignore the pain that laced my center. My head throbbed and vision was unreliable. I kept imagining that someone was in front of me, giving me nourishment, and I took it all. But then the gnawing feeling returned and I groaned, knowing that I was delirious.

"...and we thought that maybe, since there's two of them, you could also provide us with a little food. You know, just for a little while. So that we can continue to bring you hostiles-"

"Stop talking." I looked up to find out who the voice belonged to. The action made me dizzy and bile fought its way into my mouth. In front of me stood the usual agent clothed in the usual gray uniform. His gun was not trained on me, however. It was pointed at Mary. "You have no right to make these claims. If and when I decide to kill you, it will not have anything to do with your usefulness, but rather whether or not I am in the mood."

"But-but-" Mary stuttered.

"Enough." The agent took a threatening step towards her and everyone tensed, including me. "Your life is meaningless. No one would care that you were gone, not even that pathetic excuse for a husband of yours. He would probably be glad that you died, and why not? It would mean more food for him." Below me, her husband shifted, confirming the agent's thoughts.

"Please, Sir," Mary pleaded. Her voice sounded pathetic, even to my ears, which was having trouble picking up the conversation. "I am with child-"

"Save your excuses," the agent snapped. "We all know that the thing won't last past it's birth. You'd be better off killing yourself now and saving you the pain."

"W-what?"

"None of you deserve to live." The agent's voice boomed as he addressed the entire pathetic lot. "You are empty shells of what used to be a great race. Humans do not deserve this kind of treatment. It is because of these hostiles that you all are forced to live like this, like rats. For those of you who wish to live better, I will give you the option of joining us. Become an agent, help us track and kill the hostiles, so that we all may return to our former glory." He waited for a response and, boy, did he get one. Everyone started cheering and running eagerly up to the agents, desperate for some relief. They begged for guidance and the opportunity to end their suffering. I was thrown to the ground and trampled over as people fought their way to get closer. The head agent smiled wickedly, pleased with the results.

"Please help us! Please! We will do anything, just please!" It because a chant that hammered into my brain.

"Bring me the hostile." The agent commanded. All at once, everyone became more frantic, desperately trying to find me or Kane. They got to me first, and I was hoisted up and brought to the agent on someone's dirty shoulder.

"Here she is! She is the wicked hostile! I am not lying to you, I saw it myself! She is a hostile I tell you!" Another chant started.

"Kill the hostile! Kill the hostile! Kill the hostile!"

Someone shoved me forward. I landed in the arms of the agent. Looking up, I could see his face contorted in disgust, even through the helmet.

"Well?" he asked me. "What do you have to say to these charges?"

I vomited.

"You little bitch!" he roared. His gun clicked and he aimed it at me. I did nothing.

Multiple shots were fired and I winced as one entered my shoulder. It took me a few seconds to realize that the shooting had not been from the gun aimed at me. A member of the crowd, who had gotten too excited about the idea of becoming an agent, took it upon himself to shoot me. He was a terrible shot.

Suddenly, all hell broke loose. Agents fired randomly into the rather small crowd, not caring who was hurt. It distracted the head agent enough for me to escape. I ran to the left, trying to use my fear as a way to clear my head. The last thing I needed right now was to stumble into an oncoming bullet. I found Kane lying on the ground, struggling to get up. I ran up to him and collapsed on the ground. I gripped his shoulders, forcing him onto his feet.

"Come on!" I yelled."Let's go! They're shooting at everyone! We need to leave! Now!" God, he was heavy. Kane muttered something and I froze in my attempt to get him standing.

"All this time... I don't believe it..."

"What are you talking about?! We need to go!"

"It's my dad!" Kane yelled. "That agent is my dad!" Fear paralyzed me. No.

"If you want your dad, then fine," I snapped. I was not going to wait around for him to turn on me. Kane must have realized what I was thinking, for he turned to me with blazing eyes.

"We need to leave."

"That's what I've been trying to do!"

We rushed across the terrain, mostly with Kane dragging me. I was still pretty weak, and the gunshot wound was irritating as hell. We didn't make it very far before I heard the familiar click of a gun.

"Stop!" Someone shouted. Dread filled me as we slowly turned around. It was the head agent.

"Dad," Kane breathed. I closed my eyes in anticipation. My legs were trembling with the effort of holding myself up and I knew I couldn't last much longer.

"Son?" The agent hesitated. "What are you doing with a hostile?"

"She's not a hostile, Dad, she's a girl." I could hear the irritation in his voice.

"You don't know that!" his dad spat back. "Liam's best friend was a hostile! We knew that boy from when he was three years old! He kept it a secret. Son, you can't take a chance. Trust me. We trusted Liam with that thing and now he's dead! Don't you miss your brother?"

Kane gulped audibly. "Of course I do." His voice had gone hoarse.

"Then kill her."

"No."

"Then I will." He took a threatening step closer to me and I fell to my knees, too weak to try running again. Kane punched his father away from me.

"Don't touch her!"

I watched wearily as the two fought for dominance.

Kane lost.

His father stood above him , the gun under his chin. He looked at his own son with distaste. Kane was breathing heavy below him, tense.

With effort, I screamed. Just as expected, the agent lost interest in Kane and opted for barreling towards me. I threw my weight on him.

"Go, Kane, go! Get out of here!" I was dead weight on top of this man and his struggling could not throw me off. I could smell the gunpowder on him, and my own vomit. Kane jumped up and left, running as fast as he could from the father that would have killed him. I stayed behind to finish the job. I placed one hand on his chest, the other wrapped around his neck. Taking a deep breath, I ended it.