by Max Masen
Chapter 18:
Reunions
Should I have trusted him? No. And I didn't. Should I have known this was the end? Of course.
Marley walked completely devoid of emotion. He knew too. We were passing by some sort of work camp surrounded by a fence laced with barbed wire on the top. Large, beige tents surrounded the outside, close to the fence. It was then I started wondering if we would just be put to slave labor for the rest of our lives. It wouldn't have been the first time. I could always try to escape. If I died during the escape, even better.
Marley and I wrapped our arms around the others' back as we walked to the entrance of the camp. Jason and his constituents walked behind us, weapons carefully trained on our backs in case we were to veer off the path given to us. It wasn't like we would get far.
"Jason, where are we?” I asked suddenly, hoping to get some answers.
He looked to me and scoffed.
We got close to the entrance, and a rifle hit Marley over the head as he reached for the gate. Marley fell to one knee and gripped my back even tighter, relying more on me for support in that moment.
"Sorry about that," Jason said, coming forward to grip the gate. "I usually open it.”
I grabbed Marley and lifted him up. He was weak and with every step we took, he grew weaker and lost resolve. Marley faltered again.
"Pick him up or it will just be one of you going forward." Jason was growing impatient.
I used all of my strength to pick up my friend. I had no idea what was happening to him. He knew something I did not.
"Marley, what's going on?" I whispered to him, hoping Jason would not overhear us and take action.
"I'd rather die than step foot into this place. Let them do it, Dustin," Marley replied, sounding louder than I had asked him the question, apparently wanting Jason to hear him.
What is he talking about? What could be in this place? Now I don’t want to step foot inside either.
"No!" I yelled, thrusting Marley upward. Whatever was inside, I didn't want to endure it alone. Marley obliged my lifting motion and got up to his one leg willingly.
We went inside and I made note of a strong stench. Once we passed the tents, we came up to an open field on the right. Dead bodies littered it. There had to have been hundreds of them. They were drained, appearing to have starved to death.
"What is this?" I asked, dropping to my knees, and releasing Marley.
"I didn't want anyone to see this. Ever. It was part of my original plan," Marley said with remorse in his voice. He looked away from the horror in front of us. "I... can't believe they went through with it."
This was Marley’s plan. This has to be the real reason he didn’t go through with everything.
Jason grabbed Marley's head and forced it in the direction of the bodies. "Take a look at what you've done! This is on you! This is all on you!" Jason came to me next and grabbed my arm, forcing me up. "And Dustin, you allowed this to continue.”
"No. Had I known..." I had nothing to finish that statement with.
"You would have what?” he asked rhetorically and shook his head slowly. “I'm sure these people wish you would have known too."
"Dustin, is that you?" I heard a familiar voice say from behind us. I turned to identify it and, to my astonishment, I saw Levi, Benny, Emily, and some of the others from our group locked in a cage. I ran up to it and hugged the bars of the cage. I shook it wildly and realized it had a lock on it. I attempted to tear the lock off in a fit of rage and anticipation. I felt a calming hand on my back which quickly relaxed me and stopped my fruitless attempt at getting my friends out.
"Dustin, I'm going to give you your friends back, but first, you have to play my game," Jason said soothingly.
"Just tell me what you want me to do so we can leave!" I screamed, grabbing Jason's breastplate armor and shaking it.
Jason pulled a pistol from his holster and flipped it, pointing the barrel at himself and the grip in my direction. I looked over and noticed that one of the other bounty hunters did the same with Marley.
"I want a fair duel between the two of you. Only one of you gets to leave here. Once one of you lies dead, your friends are free to leave with the victor. Are we all understood?" Jay asked, looking back and forth between the two of us.
I nodded my head in confirmation that I understand his rules. I said, "Before we do this, I have to know something. Why? Why track me down like this?"
“I need you to know what I went through. When my family was killed, I knew there was nothing that could bring them back.”
“Dammit, Jason, I lost family too! This isn’t the way!”
I grabbed the pistol from his hand unwillingly, pinching my teeth together and shooting him an angry stare.
“It is, though. I was supposed to be your family too. You didn’t care what happened to me, Dustin.” He started walking away but quickly turned back around to face me. "And Dustin, if neither of you shoot, I get to personally kill your friends. Or should I say your family? That way we're even."
Marley grabbed the pistol from the bounty hunter's hand and I walked to meet him on my side. Marley was assisted by the bounty hunter and got to his position, about one hundred feet away from me. Marley was now leaning on Jason's constituent for support, aiming his pistol right at me. I lifted mine too. My hand refused to stay steady; I couldn't hold the gun straight.
Neither of us pulled the trigger. I looked behind me to see Jason holding a shotgun to my friends. They were pleading with him to let them out, to let them see me one last time.
"Hurry up, Dustin," Jason called to me. "Your friends won't last long in here."
"Whatever you gotta do, Stumpy, just remember that we've been through worse," Benny said to me. "We're gonna get through it together."
"Dustin, we're here for you!" Emily's voice was shrill, scared.
"Dustin, I'm sorry about everything. You're my brother and I have faith in you." Levi thinks I can save them. I only have one last time to let them down. Then this will all be over.
Suddenly, everyone from the cage began chanting my name. "Dustin! Dustin!"
"Your family thinks you can save them, just as mine did. Go ahead, let them down," Jason said, leaning in close.
I looked forward, locking eyes with Marley. His pistol was still aimed at me, and mine at him. This lasted for over a minute. Finally, Marley nodded to me. I nodded back. He looked over to the third bounty hunter, standing watch with a shotgun trained on us. Marley lifted the pistol, firing it into the head of the bounty hunter holding him up. Marley fell with the bounty hunter. I turned around swiftly and shot into Jason's helmet, killing him. His body flew into the fence and shook it. Another blast sounded, this time from a shotgun, making my body numb. My body twisted on its way to the ground. The third bounty hunter was still up, holding his shotgun to me. He was moving toward me, finger surely twitching over the trigger. Another bullet flew through the air, bursting the helmet of the bounty hunter. He fell to the ground devoid of life. Marley saved me. He grabbed a shotgun and stood up, leaning on the shotgun for support. He made his way to Jay's body and lifted a key from his side. He then proceeded to unlock the gate, freeing my friends.
Marley came up to me, holding my newly-acquired wound.
"Dustin, I'm sorry. You didn't deserve this." Marley looked away from me.
"No, I do." It was hurting to talk.
"Now I have to figure out what to do next," Marley said, quickly changing his tone to a rushed one.
"Do what you do best. Play dead," I said to him, smiling and grabbing his shoulder.
Marley got up and grabbed the shotgun. He began walking away, using the shotgun for support.
Benny and Emily came up to me next, Levi waiting patiently behind them. They looked to the holes in my body, and they peered to my eyes with knowing, somber expressions.
"You're a good person, Dustin," Emily said softly.
"And a good friend, Stumpy," Benny said wit
h a smirk.
Emily continued, "We're gonna take care of Levi."
"Th- thank you. Both of you," I managed to say. It was hurting more and more with each passing second. I could feel the blood rushing out.
Benny walked up to Jason’s body and pulled out a small object. He pressed a button on it.
Finally was Levi. Levi grabbed my side and a tear rolled down his cheek.
"Dustin, I'm sorry," Levi began.
"Shut up,” I said sternly, my voice sounding disparate and cluttered. “You're my little brother and I love you. Don't be sorry. That's not gonna help right now. Listen to me. Dad was wrong. The only constant isn't that I'm always with you. It's not that dad's always with you either. It's change, and you're gonna have to get used to that. You're gonna live a long life. You're gonna live a good life. Do that for me." Saying that only weakened me further, but I was glad I was able to get it out.
Suddenly, a swift, continuous chopping sound was heard. A helicopter appeared and landed close to us. Five soldiers appeared from the door of the helicopter. It was the government. It wasn't over yet.
I looked to Benny. He stood calmly and tossed his hands in the air. The soldiers had guns out and ready. They’re here for us and while all they can do for me is put me out of my misery, they will surely kill my friends.
"Dustin Parker." The soldier ran up to me and put a breathing mask over my face. He proceeded to lift a small light and checked my eyes. "We're going to take care of your friends from here on. We’ve been following you for a long time. We know everything you've been through. We know you’ve been held hostage for the past eight years. You're safe now." They’re going to help Emily and Benny. They’ll take care of Levi. What is this feeling consuming me? I feel… complete.
A warming sensation came over my body. The pain finally subsided. It was okay. It’s all finally okay. A smile formed on my face before I closed my eyes for the last time.
Author’s Note: Thank you for reading until the end. As a new author I would love to hear your opinion on the story. If you enjoyed this ebook I would appreciate your support in the form of a review on the sales page you bought the book from. Thank you again.
