Human Nature

by Finlay Borthwick

  “Miguel!” She exited the house and called out into the open. “Answer me Miguel! Face me like the man you claim to be! How dare you shoot my friend and not accept responsibility for your actions! Come on out, Miguel. Face me!” A few moments passed, before he emerged from the bushes with a gun.

  “Here I am, sweet Annabelle. Did you miss me?” He jokingly remarked, as she frowned and shook her head at him.

  Annabelle had taken Miguel out into the woods, sitting down on a fallen tree. “I don’t get it. You aren’t angry with me?” He was astonished by how calm Annabelle was. “Who am I to judge you for killing a friend for a pathetic reason? I’ve been in the exact same position as you… I killed my friend Andy. I did it to protect my mother. Though now, when I look back, the only thing I can see is my mother’s pure hatred of me. Of who I am, and who I’ve become.” Miguel nodded, “That’s why I had to shoot Keith… In this world, nothing is too extreme anymore. If I love Vanessa, then I love her. If I have to kill the competition, then I’ll do just that.” He sounded proud of himself.

  “I remember a time when I would’ve revenge-killed you for your actions… but that time is long since passed now. I don’t judge people anymore. I’m lower than anyone now…” She looked down at the ground.

  “Hey,” Miguel put his hand on her shoulder, “You did what you thought you had to do… Nothing wrong with that at all. You and me Annabelle, we’re the same. We think we’re guilty, but ultimately, we’re not. No one is truly guilty anymore.” He smiled at her, as she nodded in agreement…

  … Annabelle went silent. “What of Keith?” Tina asked what everyone was thinking. Annabelle shook her head. “I told Miguel to wait outside. I went back in and… Well, he’d already succumbed to the blood loss…”

  Erica looked down and shook her head. “I’m sorry you guys. I know you two knew him all the way back in London, and hearing of his death is the last thing you’d want.”

  Erica moved on to what she really wanted to know however. “Alright, so what about my daughter? Now have we reached the part in your story where you tell me what happened to her?” Annabelle nodded regretfully, “Yes…”

  … Vanessa and Miguel had been separated and placed into two different rooms – locked inside. Annabelle and Cora had a discussion in the hallway. “I’m sorry about Keith, I really am Cora.” She knew how much he meant to her. “I just… I don’t get it… How can he be gone just like that? He saved my life not once, not twice, not thrice, he saved my life a great many times. How many times did I save his? None. None whatsoever!” Cora felt ashamed, as Annabelle comforted her.

  “That’s because Keith never needed saving. He always knew what he was doing. He was always anticipated the consequences.” Cora wiped her eyes. “His dying words to me… In fact, the primary thing he ever spoke to me about, was Beth. You remember Beth, right? Back in London?” Cora made sure they were on the same page. Annabelle nodded, though she didn’t fully remember which woman Beth was. “Wait, let me guess… Keith asked you to find Beth as his final words?” Cora nodded, “Not just as his final words, but all the time. He always said that one day we would have to find Beth again – he thought it to be fate.”

  Annabelle nodded, “Alright, I think I know what you’re about to say… You’re heading back to England to find her, right?”

  Once again, Cora nodded. “I don’t know how I’m going to get there. I don’t know where I’m going to look once I get there. I only know that I must get there.” Annabelle understood. “Good luck,” she put her hand out as Cora shook it, “I’d go with you but… I have to find my mother again, you understand that, right? And of course, your mother is here somewhere as well.”

  Cora shivered, “My mother can take care of herself. She had me for 17 years, I think she can manage without for a while.” They smiled at each other. “I’ll keep these two under control.” Annabelle informed her, “Oh and Cora, please make sure you do come back one day. As soon as you find Beth, bounce right back to France.”

  Cora nodded, “Don’t you worry, Anne’. I’ll be back before you know it…”

  … Erica was finding it hard to comprehend what she had just been told. “But… you said to me. You literally said to me… That Keith was with Cora…”

  Annabelle gulped, “And I didn’t lie about that. Keith is dead, and we do also have to accept the overwhelming possibility that… Cora didn’t make it either. With all the mutants, and all the radiation, all the threats, the fact that she was alone… Erica, I’m sorry.” Annabelle sounded remorseful.

  Erica’s ferocity had reached boiling point, “You bitch!” She screamed as she pulled out her gun on Annabelle. “Erica no!” Tina whacked it out of her hands, prompting Erica to pin her up against the wall, gritting her teeth. Tina looked absolutely terrified…

  Several seconds passed before Erica realised what she was doing, “Oh…” She released her girlfriend from her grip once she realised what was going on. “Tina… I…” As she went to hug her, Tina backed away from her, running out of the trailer in fear. “Tina!” She called, but she didn’t come back. Erica looked at Annabelle again, “This isn’t over…” She fiercely reminded her before heading out to find Tina.

  Reed was now the only one left with Annabelle in the trailer. “Reed… Do you hate me?” She asked him. “What? No! I’m a peacekeeper here! Well, I am now at least anyway.”

  Reed noticed a cut on Annabelle’s arm which had a pinkish-tint to it. “Oh no…” He remembered the effects of the radiation. “What? What is it? Reed?” Annabelle didn’t understand, but Reed did. “Come with me! We need to decontaminate you right now!”

  Reed guided Annabelle to the decontamination chamber. “Just get in there, don’t worry, you’ll be fine! I scavenged the materials myself. Just wait there, I’ll go tell Gwen and Elliot what’s happening.” He activated the decontamination process before heading back out of the room. “Wait, what? Reed? Hello?” She called out from inside, totally confused.

  Elliot and Gwen walked through the camp freely, laughing with each other. “You know Gwen,” Elliot went onto a serious note, “You’re amazing. Thank you, for everything. Not just for being my stepmother, but also for everything you’ve done for me since all this chaos began. Our time together may have started with you pointing a gun at me, but I doubt that it will end that way!” They laughed again.

  “Elliot! Gwen!” Reed ran over to them, “It’s Annabelle… She’s infected with the radiation!” Gwen and Elliot ran straight past him. “It’s ok! She’s in the chamber!” They ignored him, and continued to run to her anyway. “Great, just great.” Reed threw his hands up.

  “Annabelle!” Elliot banged on the door, as Gwen looked on the monitor. “Wait a minute… why is it so steamy in there?” Gwen was deeply concerned.

  “Reed… He’s an idiot! He doesn’t know what he’s doing! Look at the temperature in there Gwen! It’s rising every single second!”

  Elliot and Gwen panicked, “Sister! Hold on! I’m going to get you out of there!” Elliot tried to find a way to stop the process, while Gwen stepped back, tears of terror rolling out of her eyes…

  Epilogue

  Outside, Reed wandered through the camp. It was quiet night…

  …Until suddenly from over the hill, a convoy of large heavy vehicles appeared, headlights on full brightness.

  “What the heck?” Reed watched as the convoy did not slow down. Instead, the front vehicle drove through the camp gate, breaking it down. Reed ducked behind cover, watching the entire convoy pull to a stop in the camp. It was filled with vans, ordinary cars, trucks, there was even a lorry right at the back. They all drove in, filling up the empty open areas everywhere.

  Reed looked astonished, watching a man jump out of the front van with a megaphone, “People of Camp Hackley!”

  Reed was confused to hear it referred to as that.

  “This is General Leroy speaking!” The man had a clear French accent, “I am sure you all know me as the leader of
Camp Leroy! I come here today, to demand one thing from you… Elliot! Give us your de-factor leader right now!”

  Everyone else began piling out of their vehicles behind the van. Reed watched Tobin exit one of the nearby tents, approaching the convoy – in particular approaching one specific woman who had gotten out of an ordinary car.

  “Ellie?” Both Reed and the members of camp Leroy watched as Tobin approached her. “Dad? What are you doing here?” She responded.

  Reed fell back, away from the tent opening, several different emotions were evident on his face…

  About the Author

  Finlay Borthwick grew up in a small village in South-East England. His entire life he has had a sweet spot for writing and storytelling from a very young age. Whenever it came to writing a story in primary school, Finlay always obtained the highest marks in his class. Even through his teenage years, this carried on, achieving some of the highest grades in his secondary school English classes as well.

  Aside from writing, he also plays bass guitar in his free time. For a while, he also took up the sport of tennis, and even karate. Both of which however he ultimately decided were not for him. Writing on the other hand has stuck with him his entire life.