The World We Once Knew

Chapter Four

Akoni

Finn and I start to unpack our things, both of us are bursting with excitement. Neither of us have ever been to this side of the post before. This is where the real soldiers and officers live with their families. We are both the youngest amongst all of them, both of us being only 17. It's nerve racking especially since neither of us know what our orders are, there are a bunch of different things we could do. We could be put in charge of the guards that work throughout the post, we could be put in charge of the weapons personal, we could be put in charge of training the new adult personal that arrive on the post, we could also be in charge of the welcoming committee, or we could be in charge of the cameras.

The camera's is a dream job. Of course we probably wouldn't get to be in that position until we are at least 25, since it requires a lot of decision making. See the camera room is the most important job of all. In there is where we watch over the inhabitants of the country once known as America. We make sure that no one gets out and we guide them to where we want them to go. So, in example, if someone where in the Northern Territory of the country and we wanted them to go to the Southern Territory we would make sure that they got there safely. It is the ultimate job ever, I would love to work in the camera room. But we won't know where our new positions are until tomorrow morning. So Finn and I unpack our few things and decide to look around. We head out of our quarters and turn right. We decide to just wander around so we can get the lay of the place.

Finn and I stop in our tracks. "Is that a laser shot?" I ask him. He looks at me and nods. We turn around and sprint towards the sound of the lasers. We take a sharp left and stop. Finn turns to me with a look of shock, the same look that I'm sure is on my face. The kid can't be more than our age, he's standing there pointing a laser gun at the soldiers. The soldiers are pointing their lasers at him. Nobody moves. Then the kid points the gun so it's level with my head.

 "Hello Akoni." he says looking me straight in the eyes. "I hear you're now a Major." 

I look him in the eyes and state "It's Colonel now son." 

He just laughs at me; "Of course you are, and Finn, long time no see, huh?"

 Finn looks at him, and looks at me. "Dylan right? You were sent to the psych hospital on Uranus, what, last year?" 

Dylan looks at Finn, "Good job son. I was higher ranking than you last time I remember." 

"Not anymore, I just got promoted, Lieutenant. Now I'm a Major." Finn says as he moves ever so slightly to put himself in front of me. I have my gun pulled and as he moves I lift my gun higher so I won't hit him if I need to shoot. I look Dylan in the eyes, a cold hard stare. I have about 10 soldiers plus Finn standing between the two of us.

 "What do you want Lieutenant?" I ask keeping my voice level. 

"Well" he says shifting ever so casually; "I wanted to see how the man who put me in the psych ward was doing. I'm surprised they moved you this fast. Especially Finn, he being but a pip-squeak and all."

Dylan is just standing there, casually as if there weren't twelve guns pointed at his head. "But then again he does have his friend Akoni Kale to thank for his success, doesn't he?"

 "Well you know it helps to have friends in high places." I say to him. We are talking as if we were sitting at a table in the mess hall. Behind me I can hear more soldiers just getting here. Dylan starts to walk forward, the soldiers are about to shoot; "No! I order you not to shoot!" I shout, as I don't think its right to shoot a mental patient. They hold off and he covers the distance quicker than I thought would have been possible. 

"Well you got a soft spot for me sport." Dylan says. Now I only have Finn between us. We stare each other down, Dylan and me. I have only enough time to push Finn out of the way, then I feel it. The bastard shot me. I jump on top of Dylan struggling for the gun. The soldiers are all around us, they are waiting to get a clear shot. The gun flies out of his hand and across the floor, I can hear it bang against the wall. I cock my arm back and land a good hard punch to his head. He looks at me with blank eyes. Then I fall off to the side and just lay there. I feel a searing pain in my side. I thought he hit my arm, I guess I was wrong. Everything goes blurry, there's Finn looking down at me and then lights, and then nothing. So much for the best day of my life.