War For The World

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Deep within the bowls of a Martian War Machine, Joan continued to sob.

She couldn't do it. She knew she couldn't. Though she may have been forced to in her bout with Roma, this was different, and she knew it.

She lowered the pistol, feeling a deep bout of shame wash over her.

"Joan... what was that"

She shook her head "Don't worry about it. Let's just focus on getting these people out of here"

Alex nodded. For a split second she noticed his head waver, as he kept his attention focused for a moment longer on the man control panel.

"Is everything alright Alex?"

He nodded

"Yep. Just though I saw something..."

Joan was only half listening. She was too busy unplugging and unscrewing the coffin like structure housing her young son. Pistons hissed and steam shot out as she threw hoses and wires to the floor.

It was a difficult job, though she flew through it with ease. She took no notice to her aching muscles or bruises gained from her tumble within the catcher. All she was focused on was Louis. It gave her strength, a special kind of strength allowing her to break apart the Martian machinery in a matter of minutes. Before long her and Alex were gripping the sides of the lid and heaving with all their might, the heavy piece of glass hitting the floor with a loud clang.

Cold air could be felt emanating from within. In one quick dash she shot up and into the machine, ripping wires from her boys face as he began sputtering to life.

"Louis!"

"Mama!"

"Oh my dear boy"

They hugged. The low droning of the interior mechanisms of the Tripod a distant background noise for Joan now.

"Did they hurt you" she said pulling him back to look at her son now more clearly "are you alright"

"Mama it was so scary Im sorry for running off. Im so sorry"

"shhh" she pulled him back towards her chest.

"Its ok little one, mamas got you. It'll all be ok now"

The two held one another, embraced in a moment that made Joan's journey feel all the more worthwhile. For the briefest of moments there was no Martian invasion, no Nazi plot. Simply the love of a young boy and his mother.

She was crying. Though this time they were tears of joy, a rarity in this new day and age. She could feel the boys weak arms grip tightly onto hers as she refused to let go. Not even when Alex's worried voice began to pick up.

"Joan... We may have a problem"

She didn't want to deal with it. Whatever it was, whatever new issue they had to face... she refused to.

"what about papa"

The icy chill Joan expected to rush over her never came. Instead, a sombre acceptance of things to come came to greet her. She was prepared for this moment, she welcomed it.

"What do you mean Louis"

"He was with me. He went up before me, is he here too? Will we be a family again?"

Joan sighed. She stood up from her crouch and sat along the rim of the containment pod, staring into the adjacent one. He lay there in his frozen cocoon, unmoving.

She knew she had to come clean. IF anything, she'd promised it to herself and knew that it'd be the right thing to do.

"Louis... mummy and daddy don't love each other as much as they used to"