Revive Me

Chapter Nine

I made my choice.
I am not selfish.
If I have to die in order to save someone who's allowed me to feel what it's like to live, I'm more than willing to make that sacrifice.
Rulers make sacrifices.
Heroes make sacrifices.
I guess it's time for me to be one.

***

I need fresh air.
I walk outside onto one of the many balconies in this building.
I know I shouldn't be out here. It's like saying
"HEY! I'M HERE! COME KILL ME!"
but I need to breathe.
The cold, autumn air wraps around my face. I look around and see a few trees beginning to shed leaves.
When my father died, I tried to have as much vegetation grow as possible.
Section 45 was flourishing.
There were plants and trees everywhere. Some animals would come visit to have a bite or two. Insects would fly around.
I think these are the kind of things that makes our world worth living in.
I stand outside for about 10 minutes until a figure creeps up behind me. I can hear footsteps.
I reach inside my jacket for a gun.
I turn around to see a strange man standing behind me.
"Aaron Warner, are you?" he spits like some forbidden word. "The supreme commander? Hi! Any last words?"
Who does he think he is?
I shoot him, but he moves so I miss his heart. I got his arm instead. He shrieks from the pain but doesn't drop his gun.
I shoot his gun out of his hand. He doesn't have a weapon anymore.
Out of some hidden power, he stands up and pushes me into the building.
I hear the sirens blaring.
This man is a rebel.
Rebels are in the building.
And I was so caught up in looking at trees that I didn't even notice.
I'm on the floor and he's on top of me. I stick my index finger into his bullet wound and he cries out in a weird, inhuman sound.
I stand up and point my gun at his face.
"Are you part wolf?" I ask him.
He's about to reply, but I shoot him instead.
I flip my gun in the air and catch it in victory.
I hear footsteps behind me.
"Hello, Warner. I've been waiting a long time for this."

***

Sometimes, I think it's really funny how people think they're so strong.
It's even funnier when the people are four feet tall and skinnier than a stick bug.
Because that's the man who's standing in front of me.
I laugh and see no reason to let him live.
I shoot him in the heart.
He collapses.
I laugh out loud and run.
Some people are just so funny.

***

The sirens keep blaring. That means that we haven't killed the amount of rebels that entered the building.
I see Kent in the distance. I run up to him and touch his shoulder.
He swears and aims his gun at me.
"God. Warner don't do that!" he whispers.
"How many more are there?" I ask.
"6 more. They're all in a group. All 6 of them. If we find them, we can kill them. But that's the problem. None of us can find them."
I nod and run, looking for a group of 6 dumb rebels.
I hear someone breathing behind me. I turn around to see a very muscular man. Beside him is another, but much shorter.
"Lost?" he asks.
"You wish," I reply. I try to shoot both of them, but I feel four guns slammed against my spine.
"Shut up, Commander," someone mocks. "You're coming with us. We're going to kill you, and we're going to enjoy it."
I laugh and shoot the two in front of me in the feet. They fall to the ground. I feel one gun leave my back and hear a girl shriek.
She runs in front of me and kneels next to the muscular man.
"Kyle," she whispers. "Kyle stay with me. No no no no. Why did you do this! You monster!"
I suddenly remember Juliette.
She wouldn't want me to kill a couple like that.

Rulers make sacrifices.

I drop my gun.

***

"LEAVE THE BUILDING. ALL OF YOU!" I shout.
The girl looks uncomfortable.
"You're....you're not going to kill us? whispers the girl.
I shake my head.
She smiles at me.
"Now unless you put your guns down, I will not hesitate to kill you," I say.
The girl gives the three people behind me a stern look, and they all retreat.
"Now. Leave my building. All 6 of you. Get out. Go away and never come back. I will watch you leave this building, and if you hesitate for a split second, I will kill you. Is that understood?" I say.
The girl nods, and I guess everyone else agrees as well because they all come to help the two men I shot.
They both whimper.
"Oh for Gods sake!" I yell. "Get on your knees and get out. Hurry up before my other soldiers get here."
They all hobble to the lower floor and out the door. They look like a gigantic mess, but it makes me smile.
The sirens stop sounding.
I turn around and see Kent coming towards me.
"You let them go?" he asks, clearly shocked.
I nod.
"They were in love," I reply. "Maybe all they needed was some mercy. Maybe one day they'll have kids of their own and they'll know mercy because of me."
Kent smiles.
"You're a goddamn hero. I hope you know that."

***

Two days passed and no rebels showed up.
That was a new record.
Kenji didn't talk to me, so I didn't talk to him. We would pass each other in the halls or see each other while eating our meals, but he wouldn't even glance in my direction. He was ignoring me, and two people can play at this game.
That night, Delalieu came running to me in my office and handed me a letter.
"This one girl who claimed to have broken into our building in the last attack asked me to deliver this to you," he says as if he rehearsed his line several times.
I nod, take the note, and dismiss him.
I feel something very wrong, and I feel as if its circulating this whole room.
Once Delalieu leaves, I unfold the note.

To Sir Warner:
The Supreme Commander,
I wish to write to you in peace.
I wish to write to you asking for peace.
My name is Eve. I may sound like a total wimp, but I did manage to break into your building.
I would like to inform you of something very important:
Most (I cannot say all) of the rebels that have been breaking into your building were from the same sector. We are sector 31. We are all one group who were working to overthrow you.
We want a fair and just system of governance.
We thought you could not give that to us.
However, two days ago, you showed us mercy. I never thought people like you could show something as precious as mercy.
I would like to thank you with all my heart for saving Kyle's life, along with my own.
We are known as the Great 6 in our sector. We came to overthrow you once and for all and take charge of this place. We thought we could be the fair and just leaders that could shape a better tomorrow.
We were wrong.
I don't think we will ever have leaders better than you.
I write to you on behalf of all of Sector 31.
We wish to ally with you.
We will not send any more of our men and women into your building to overthrow you.
We agree to assist you in any way you need.
We are with you, hand in hand.

With hope, peace and mercy,
Sector 31.

I put the note down and smile.
Mercy is such a beautiful thing.
I push the note away but notice a smaller paper dangling from behind it.
I detach it from the note. The writing is scribbled and obviously rushed. I clutch it tightly in my hand and read it

Warner,
This is Eve. Do not reply to this message addressing it to Sector 31.
They do not know I am sending this along with our alliance request.
When I came, I did not notice Ms. Ferrars fighting alongside with you.
Is she alright?
Is she hurt?
Are any of our soldiers responsible?
They have not mentioned such a thing to me about her not being able to fight.
It was a surprise to us.
I would like to know of her well being.
If you wish to reply to this message, I am sending someone from our sector tomorrow at 10:00 AM to ask for your answer on our alliance request. Write another letter and address it directly to me.
Thank You once again,
Eve.

I crumple the piece of paper in my hand. I tear it apart. I grab a lighter and light it on fire.
Every single theory of mine thinking that the rebels were responsible for Juliette just proved to be wrong.
The rebels know nothing of this.
I plop down on my chair and slam my head onto my desk three times.
I hear the door open.
"WARNER!" Castle screams.
He runs over to me and grabs my head with both his hands.
"ARE YOU INSANE?" he screams at me.
I stand up, pushing my chair away as I do so.
"Yes Castle. I am. She was the only thing keeping me sane and now she's gone and I don't even know if she'll wake up and everything I thought is wrong and I just don't know what to do," I reply.
Castle seems shocked to see any sign of weakness from me.
He pulls me into a hug despite my bloody forehead. I allow myself to cry into his shoulder.
"Castle," I whisper. "Don't tell anyone about this. They'll think I'm weak."
I can hear him laugh very softly.
"Weakness is only part of being human," he whispers. "But don't worry. Your secret is safe with me."
I tighten my grip on him and let all the frustration pour out of my eyes.