Five's Fate

Breaking

I wake up and the lights are on. I'm starving and thirsty and consider getting some water from the toilet, but I stop myself when I first smell and then see a plate of scrambled eggs. It's laid on the floor next to a tall glass of water.

I make the bed and sit and eat. It is so satisfying and feels like the first real food I've had in a long time. I think of Nine and Six. They were held captive by the mogs in far worse conditions. And I had played a part in it. From there my mind gets lost within itself. Between the hunger and the pain, I'm tired.

I place the paper plate and cup back on the floor and stand up. I walk around the perimeter of the room. Dragging my hand along the wall. There isn't a doorknob on this side of the door and if you didn't know better you would think there wasn't one at all.

I keep thinking back to last night when I was tied up to a chair too weak to do anything. I fear what's coming and what I don't know. How long am I going to be here? Not that I have anywhere else to go because I really don't. But I wonder if they will ever forgive me or just keep me locked up like this for the rest of our lives.

I know I betrayed them. I tried to make up for it and prove I'm trustworthy but no one will ever buy it. When Nine had fatally injured me I knew that if I had John heal me he and the others would surely take me, prisoner. I awoke tied up and was released on the promise to help fight a crazy monster trying to kill us. All when I had begged, saying John had saved my life and no matter what I wasn't like Setratkus Ra. The evil man who chose betrayal after mercy. I couldn't have done that. Even so, I allowed them to tie me back up again afterward. Then John's girlfriend turned out to be dead and all I knew after that was the sack over my head while we spent several hours driving. Then I was put in a padded cell. When we really started fighting it didn't matter as much what happened to me. But now we're right back here.

Time passes by slowly. The morning eggs filled me only temporarily. And I had little to entertain myself except my thoughts.

The door opens again. John isn't alone this time-it's Marina too. She walks in and comes towards me yelling "I want to know. How? Why? What could have happened?"

I stumble back and sit on the chair. I don't know exactly what she's asking or what to say. I'm shaking and stumbling to ask what she means. Finally, I manage " you want to know about...?"

She finishes the sentence for me "WHY you betrayed us and killed eight."

I swallow the lump in my throat and say "I really don't have a reason. Everything went wrong from the beginning."

She asks "Start from the beginning. That night when you first meet us you told us your story. How much of it was a lie?" I think there are tears in her eyes. And I feel guilty.

"Not all of it was. We landed on earth and my Cepan Rey was old enough to be my grandfather. He got sick and we started going south in hopes the temperature would help. It did but only a little. Then when he died years later, I picked up and left the island but nearly died and somehow ended up in Miami. I picked pockets. Then this guy named Ethan discovered me and took me in. He was once a greeter, but changed sides but only because he wanted to survive no matter what. I didn't learn till later on but I agreed to go along with it all to protect him. He had been family to me. From there they said I had to prove my loyalty and lots of training and reading of "the great book." They lied to me about Nine, sort of anyway. And made me all kinds of promises. Brainwashed me to think that they were right, Lorien was wrong. Got me on their side and I couldn't see the truth. I began to think about what they were saying made sense. That they were right. I really don't know what else to say."

The whole time I had fought to hold in tears. Marina is angry which I understand. But I didn't know what to say or do so I had just started talking and now I'm waiting for a response.

"WHY didn't you tell us when we were at Nines? Stop the madness?" She asks.

"I met you all and all I saw was what I had been told to see." I answered truthfully "Nine was loud and obnoxious like they said and I couldn't see past it."

"You are an imbecile! Stupid traitorous bastard!" Marina yelled and I think back to when I had killed eight and she had said a similar thing while taking out my eye. I can't say anything. I'm speechless. My brain has stopped and I feel really sick.

Marina:

I push him. Throw him to the ground. I'm screaming and hitting him with all my might. He doesn't have his legacies now. Now he is weak.

John pulls me back into reality. I stop and feel a rush of hatred. Not just for Five but for the hatred he brings out of me.

When I look at Five he is only staring at me. His face covered in fear and tears as he mumbles and falls apart. He can't handle it. He can't even deal with his own mistakes. I stomp out before anymore happens.

I hear John come behind me. First, he gets Five off the floor and then locks him in again.

"I'm fine," I inform him. But we both know it's not really true.

Breaking him has broken me.