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- Chimera of Life -
Story Three: Remnants of Reality
He forced himself not to
lose consciousness as he fell down onto his hands and knees… He strained to
keep his eyes open, and then slowly, he looked up just in time to see Morley,
with condemning eyes, walk inside the room. Two guards grabbed Quatre’s arms
callously, bringing him to a stand.
“Take him to the dungeons.
He had wanted to see them since his first day on Arche… Now he will have the
pleasure.”
Before he could reply,
Quatre felt another inexplicable pain at the back of his head and… this time…
he passed out.
He woke up breathing in dust
and damp, musty air. The whole room was so cold and he shivered. His hair felt
sticky and it was throbbing so painfully… He wants to hold it but when he moved
his hands-
‘Chained… I should have
known…’ A moan escaped his cottony mouth instead and he closed his eyes once
again as he let his body go limp and hang by its shackles. How long had he been
out?
“Good… You’re finally awake. I didn’t know that you were such a heavy sleeper, Mr. Winner.”
Quatre slowly looked up and
saw Morley’s face through the bars. He quickly straightened his back, to show
that he was not afraid. “What is the meaning of this?”
Morley didn’t answer as he
motioned for the guards to open the iron bars, and then walked inside with
another soldier. The soldier looked at Morley and started to talk after the
dictator gave a nod.
“Quatre Raberba Winner, you
are hereby charged with treason against the Supreme Ruler and the government of
Arche. You have stolen information and you are hereby charged and found guilty.
Your punishment is the line of fire at sunset 0600 hours, two days hence.”
Quatre frowned. “What are
you talking about?” They couldn’t have known that he was able to take secret
information after he accessed their databank! He’d been careful… He knew he had
been! “There hadn’t been a hearing yet! Why was I charged?!”
He watched as Morley
motioned for his men to move outside the cell while he sauntered to Quatre. He
smiled, a menacing smile, and in a low whisper, only for Quatre to hear, he
answered the question. “She was mine… always will be mine…”
Now he understood. Hate for
the man erupted in Quatre and he wanted to just… just… punch the man to
unconsciousness.
“She will be mine even if I
have to force her… mine to relish… mine to touch…” His eyes glittered
dangerously, cruelly. “… and mine to make love to. Do you understand that,
Winner?”
“Morley! You lay one hand on
her…!” He couldn’t move, his chained hands and feet were stopping him but he
still struggled to get free.
Morley only laughed at his
prisoner’s demise. “You can’t do anything about it, Quatre… All is fair in
love… and war… I’ll kiss her for you…” His eyes slanted malevolently before he
turned away from the pathetic gundam pilot.
“Your are going down,
Morley! You are going down even if I have to come back and haunt you until you
die!!!” The mere picture of Morley kissing Yvan… Damn the man! He watched as
Morley walked to the open iron doors. “You come back here! Come back here and
fight!”
The answer he received was a
smile that sent a chill down his spine and then laughter… The group of men
walked away with their lamps, and Quatre could only watch the fading light.
“Morley!! You asshole!!
Coward!!!”
He heard the sounds of a
heavy door creak open and then shut close. Darkness covered his vision once
again and he slumped against the wall.
“Yvan… Yvan hide… Don’t come
back… Just hide…” Quatre whispered as he knocked his aching head against the
wall. “Don’t come back… please…”
He didn’t know what time or
day it was when he heard iron clink against iron once again… Wearily, he looked
up and saw two guards, opening his cell. His wrists were sore and rubbed raw
from the countless of times he tried to struggle free. If he doesn’t die of
tetanus from the rust on the chain, well… it’ll be the line of fire…
“Hey you! Food! Wake up!”
Quatre glared at the two.
“Let me go.” His voice was also different, hoarse from continuous shouts.
“And get our heads shot? No
thanks.” The skinny man answered while the slightly better built soldier walked
up to Quatre.
“Here. Eat.”
Quatre opened his mouth to
tell them off but before he could speak, a cold, hard bread was suddenly pushed
into his mouth, nearly choking him.
“Heh… there’s a lot of mice
down here, eh Boggo?”
“Yah, Miko. And rats…” The
skinny one replied while he kicked a large rat away.
Quatre’s eyes turned to
slits. He’d known that fact since he came here… Rats had been moving around his
feet, one even climbed up his leg- it’s a wonder they hadn’t bitten him and
made food of him!
“Reminds me of an old
English song…” Miko said as he started humming.
“What song?”
Quatre was finally able to
push the whole bread that was stuffed into his mouth. He could hear the rats
and mice rejoice from the cold floor, probably tearing the bread to pieces, but
he didn’t care about that. Hoarse or not, he was about to shout like hell about
what he thought of the two when Miko started singing.
“Hickory dickory duck.
The mouse went up the clock… The clock struck six… the mouse went down.
Hickory, dickory duck… I think that’s how it goes…”
Quatre frowned as he stared at the guards in disbelief.
“Eh? That din’t sound right.
Ah well. It’s an old song.”
“Yah… Let’s leave this man
with the four legged critters.”
Quatre couldn’t stop the
incredulous look he gave the soldiers before the only shaft of light faded once
again… Laughter started to bubble in his throat while squeaking rodents feasted
on the floor… The sound that left his lips… so eerily akin to a man on the
verge of madness… of insanity…
…
Yvan frowned as she
instantly noticed extreme security around the palace. Her taxi driver was also
showing a state of nerves, mirroring her own. ‘I wonder why…’ She stepped
outside the cab as soon as it stopped and a guard was instantly beside her.
“Ms. Matfei! I… We… We
thought you’d be back next week!”
‘I couldn’t stay away for
long…’ She nodded instead, wondering about the guilty expression upon the young
soldier’s face. “My mother recovered quite quickly…”
The soldier turned away from
her and faced another one standing on guard by the door. “Corporal! Report to
General Morley!”
“Yes sir!”
Her heart stopped when she
heard his name. “James is back?”
“Yes ma’am… Two days ago.”
Yvan swallowed while her
whole body grew cold… She turned and her quick eyes saw- “Why is there a
platoon in formal dressage?”
The guard gulped and
sweated. “Er…”
…
“Sir! General Morley!” The
guard ran into the room without knocking. “Ms. Matfei is back!”
James stood up from his seat
in surprise. “What? She isn’t supposed to be back until next week…” His words
died as an idea formed in his head. No… Maybe this is better… it will show her
not to play around with him… He quickly walked out of his office, toward the
front door where he saw Yvan questioning his guard, and smiled his greeting.
“Yvan! My darling… how is your mother?”
Yvan turned to face James
with wide eyes and nearly cringed when he hugged her. “I… My mother is fine…
James… What is happening?”
“Let me show you…” James
offered his arm to Yvan and against her will, she placed her hand on his.
“Lieutenant, what time is it?”
“Fifteen till, sir!”
Yvan saw a satisfied smile
on James face, one that looked very much like when a cat caught its mouse… A
smile that made her want to run. Escape.
“Just enough time… It’s so
good that you came here just on the right time, my dear.” He turned away and
gave a command- “Bring out the parade!”
“Parade?” Yvan asked as she
was herded east of the castle. Today was not a holiday… what is special about
today that would warrant a parade?
“Yes… we planned it
specially for you… and we’re going to the best seat.”
Her hands had grown cold and
clammy, even though it was in her mitts. The way Morley was practically
dragging her... ‘Something’s… not right…
There’s something wrong…’ The words kept on repeating over and over her
head.
“You know, my dear… no one
can escape the eyes of God… Every sin is reported and with that, punishment is
sent.”
Yvan’s eyes whipped back to
the man beside her. What was he trying to tell her?
They stopped by a settee
with a table and two glasses of wine.
“Wine, Vanyah?”
Yvan shook her head. “You
know that I do not drink wine, James.”
“Oh yes… of course… You are
missing a joy in life by doing so, my dear… Especially not drinking red wine…”
He poured some more into his glass and motioned for his servant to get water
for Yvan.
“Look at this…” James
brought the glass in front of Yvan. “It almost looks like blood…”
Yvan cringed and almost
couldn’t stop the grimace on her face when James drank the wine even after his
comment.
James snapped his finger.
“What time is it?”
“Ten till, sir!”
The softly growing sounds of
drums reached their ears and James smiled widely. “Ah… here comes the parade…”
Yvan turned to the sound and
watched as six men with drums heralded a tone that made her think of death… She
heard that melody before… in the theatre… It was what soldiers play when
someone was about to be executed during the olden days…! She turned to face
Morley with questioning eyes but James only motioned for her to look back at
the show.
Slowly, she turned to face
it… There was a slight gap between the six drummers, a line of four soldiers
walked just behind and then they turned to their left-
Yvan’s eyes widened as her
gaze fell on a proudly walking man in once immaculate clothes, now tattered and
filthy… She hastily stood from her seat, nearly knocking it down. “Quatre!”
Her gasp brought a smile to
Morley’s face. He could tell that the damnable man meant a lot to Yvan. All he
wanted now was revenge… The small pleasure he had of watching some of his men
beat the senses from this man was not enough… He wants blood. “Yes… Quatre…”
She understood everything
now… He learned about them, somehow…! She turned to face him, wanting to stop
this. “You… you can’t! He’s... he’s known worldwide! He came here as an
ambassador for the World Alliance!!! You’re prompting the people of the world
to bring you down! To hate you!”
Lazily, he looked over his
glass. He couldn’t care less of that damnable government. They will be
groveling at his feet soon enough, but there was only one other person he wants
to kneel upon his feet… the woman in front of him. His obsession. “And you,
Yvan… Do you hate me?”
Yvan stared at the man who
languidly sat under the shade of the wide umbrella. There was not a single care
in his bleak, black eyes… She knew then that he would not back down. A shudder
went through her when his eyes brightened while his lips turned up. She saw…
she saw how much the bastard was enjoying her fear.
A servant had set down a
glass of water by her side.
The oppressor… the killer…
Titles and curses ran through her mind while her hand reached for her glass.
She didn’t care any more now and promptly splashed her drink to his face. “I
hate you from the depths of my soul, you murderer.” She quickly turned away
from his despicable face and started to run to the two lines, walking in
perfect coordination, while one name left her lips. “Quatre!!!”
“Stop her!” James commanded
while he wiped the water from his face and two of his guards instantly grabbed
Yvan before she could take more than ten steps away from the settee. They
twisted her arms heartlessly, and then pushed her down to kneel on the ground.
Quatre heard her shout and
turned. He saw the look of pain flit on her face as the guards twisted her
arms- “Yvan!” He turned to run to her. Being chained didn’t matter, but a gun
instantly struck him on his shoulder and he fell on the ground. Pain shot
through his back and he willed himself not to collapse. He was weak from
hunger, not having eaten since that last bread that was forced to him, and his
body ached from mind numbing, brutal beatings that he endured during that one
long night. Yet the physical pain was not as terrible as the ones that played
with his mind, as he imagined what Morley would do to her… No. He will not let
it happen.
Yvan saw him stagger and
fall down from the blow, then pulled so carelessly by his hair- “Let me go!!
Let me go!!!” She couldn’t fight even if she wanted to. Her hands were held in
iron grips and she couldn’t stand up… every squirm only brought her more pain
as the soldiers pushed her arms in near bone breaking angles.
“You shouldn’t have done
that.”
Morley appeared by her side
but she didn’t care, her eyes were only trained on Quatre as he was herded near
the forest edge by the last line of guards and then they left him with one
guard. She watched as the guard offered him a blindfold but Quatre shook his
head and jutted out his chin proudly, standing straight and tall. He sent a look
to Yvan and she received it…
“No…” Yvan shook her head as
the last guard left Quatre’s side. “No… James… James, stop this…”
She turned to face him but
he wasn’t looking at her anymore… He had that expectant look in his eyes… a
wild glint as he stared at what was unfolding in front of them.
“James! Dammit James! Stop
this!”
“READY!!!
Tears flooded her eyes and
fell down her cheeks while she looked at the ground then shut her eyes. Her
hair was suddenly viciously pulled and pain seared through her.
“Open your eyes, my love…
see what happens when you betray me…”
“AIM!!!”
“No… Please… stop them…
don’t do this…”
“Open them!”
His voice was harsh and
commanding… but it wasn’t what made her open her eyes. She wanted to see him
before he dies… Slowly, her eyes met his courageous stance and saw what she
knew she would see… He was proudly meeting his death…
“FIRE!!!”
“QUATRE!!!” The heart-wrenching scream left her throat
while gunshots erupted and echoed around them. Blood appeared on Quatre’s
clothes as his body jerked…
Yet, as if a last utterance
of rebellion against James, he turned his bloody body from the guards and gave
homage to the forest instead…