“Of course, I know your name. You were chosen to be here.”
Ender shook his head. “I don’t understand. What are you doing to me?! My father will hear about this!” He was getting more agitated by the minute, pulling harshly on the restraints.
Suddenly a hand was around his throat, slamming him down, daring him to move. “Your father is the reason you’re here!” The man was snarling at him, anger pouring out from his flesh. “Stay still!” Ender stopped moving but gave the man a fierce glare. “Or what?” he gritted.
The man released his throat and stood up. He looked to his colleague and signaled for him to do something. Before long, the door to the room opened and the man returned with someone new. Ender’s eyes widened when he realized who it was. “Halson!”
Ender screamed but Halson didn’t move. It was almost as if he was paralyzed. Tears ran freely down his face but his body continued to refrain from movement. The man was holding him by the neck, far enough away that Ender couldn’t touch him. “Please let him go! I’ll do anything you want!”
The pair locked eyes, giving Ender time to mouth the words ‘I love you’ but before Halson could say it back, the man grabbed his head and began doing something to him. He saw Halson’s eyes roll into the back of his head as blood dripped from his nose. He shook forcefully until finally he fell to the floor and remained there. “Halson! No!” Ender now struggled with more fury than before.
“No! What did you do to him?! Halson!” He arched his body off the table as he gritted his teeth. “Halson!” Ender’s face was wet with tears as he tried to free himself. Suddenly the man from before was next to him again.
“I warned you.”
Ender ceased his movements but that didn’t stop the tremble in his lip. “What did you do to him?” he whispered brokenly. The man stopped what he was doing briefly to answer him. “He’s dead.”
Ender’s soft cries turned into screams. The love of his life was dead and it was all his fault. He didn’t understand what was happening, where he was or who was holding him prisoner but he did understand that the only person who ever mattered to him was now lying on the floor.
The men didn’t care about his distressed state, instead they continued their work with little distraction. Once the machine was ready, the man held a needle attached to a long tube next to Ender’s arm. He watched as one of the men dragged Halson’s body out of the room like he was nothing but a rotting carcass.
Too exhausted to struggle, he let the men do whatever they wanted to him. He felt the initial sting of the needle but not much afterward. It wasn’t until the machine began to cycle that Ender felt the first inkling of pain.
The liquid being pumped into his body was burning his insides, throbbing as it passed through his veins. He tried to scream but his energy had already been given to Halson. There was nothing left to fight back with except the involuntary tremors that slowly took over.
Once the pain subsided, he tried to finally move his hands only to realize he couldn’t. His muscles from the neck down were frozen in place. He panicked as his eyes searched the room for any sign or hint of what was yet to come.
The man who initially injected him stood a few feet from the table, watching and waiting. Ender caught his stare. The icy blue eyes were unnerving against the pale skin. Ender made an attempt at speaking but found no sound could be produced. The man approached Ender and hovered over him.
“Don’t worry Ender. Soon, you’ll be better.” Ender panicked, unsure of exactly what that meant. The fear in his eyes was the only emotion he could currently convey but it wasn’t enough for the man in front of him. Instead he laughed, producing a large needle and a vial of brightly colored liquid.
Ender could feel the sweat accumulate on his brows in anticipation. He didn’t know a lot but he knew for certain that he wanted nothing to do with the people who had killed Halson. His body however, was in no shape to protest, accepting the injection with little movement.
Just because his body was paralyzed did not mean that Ender couldn’t feel anything. He felt the excruciating fire passing through his limbs as each body part ignited with pain.
Soon his vision began to blur as the effects of the injection started to manifest. The little energy that he had was crumbling away, deteriorating his mind of any logical thought.
Something terrible was happening to him but he was powerless to stop it. He imagined what death would feel like. Would it be slow and painful? Or would it be quick like Halson’s?
He thought back to him one last time, picturing his demise while a single tear slipped from his eye. In that moment, Ender welcomed death with open arms.
*****
Death however, had other plans. Ender woke suddenly from a deep sleep. He had no idea how long he had slept, only that his body was in pain every time he tried to move.
He looked up at the bright lights and turned his head. He was now in a room with more medical machinery, a small bed and a mirror on the wall opposite him. He took a deep breath and even that little bit of movement caused him to cough violently off the side of the bed. The sudden jerk of his body produced a loud scream that he muffled with his hand.
He was still unsure as to where he was and what was happening, so inviting unwanted attention seemed like a bad idea. He slowly brought his legs to the edge of the bed, gritting his teeth when his feet hit the floor.
His body felt ravaged and drained. He couldn’t remember the last time he ate anything and now as he thought of it, his mouth was in need as well. He searched the room for any signs of a sink or water source but sighed when he found none. He ran a tired hand down his face. The rumble of his stomach was loud yet he was unable to stop it. Even his abilities felt miles away. Looking around the room again, he noticed the mirror once more.
He stumbled to his feet and made his way toward the reflective surface, stopping short when he caught a glimpse of himself. They were trying to turn him into something else and Ender wanted no part in that. He thought of Halson again. He thought of their life together and how happy they were.
His emotions were heightened at the memories and that’s when he realized what he needed to do. Truth be told, if he didn’t have Halson, he didn’t have anything.
His mother was a powerful MalJari named MalInsia but motherhood was difficult for her. Empathy was not an emotion she seemed to possess. Ender’s father, MalStryker, worked directly under the Commissioner. He was so devout that no task was ever too absurd, no request too much. Even handing his son over for testing wasn’t beyond his father’s capabilities.
He looked in the mirror and became angry. He hated the person looking back at him. This was not him. This was not Ender. Without much thought, he forced his fist through the framed piece of glass and watched as the fragments fell to the ground. He grabbed a large shard and closed his eyes. This was the only way out, he thought to himself.
He opened his eyes as the blood drained from his body. Stumbling, his body quickly found the floor. His last thoughts were of Halson…
*****
“Pity. We had high hopes for this one,” One man said. They were staring at Ender’s limp body, stepping carefully around the pools of blood.
“He would have been perfect,” another man stated. A third man walked up to them and crossed his arms. “You should not have killed Halson,” he said. The first man looked at him with confusion.
They both turned toward him now. “Do you have any idea what Halen would do if we had actually killed Halson?”
“You did not kill him?” The first man shook his head. “No! I simply wanted Ender to stop resisting. I figured if he thought Halson was dead, he would let us do what we needed to without fighting back.” The third man who appeared to be a leader of some sort replied to them. “Then your gamble did not pay off. We now lost the best subject we’ve had since we started. I will have to inform him of your failure. He will not be pleased.”
The men winced at the threat. The third man sighed and turned to
ward the door. “Put him with the other failures.”
CHAPTER 22
H alson refused to leave Ethan’s side, not even to eat, though truthfully, he wasn’t hungry. Only the constant humming of medical equipment filled the otherwise silent room and Halson was thankful for that. With everything that had happened, he needed to clear his mind and be alone. Ethan for his part hadn’t moved, not even a twitch since they brought him back to life less than twelve hours ago. Halson wasn’t so sure it had even worked, though the color had returned to Ethan’s skin, along with the subtle flux of his chest contracting with each breath.
He wanted so badly to talk to him, to tell him how sorry he was that his own father was part of such a heinous betrayal. Halen was at least smart enough to stay away from his son and give him space. It would take time and a lot of apologizing but he hoped his son would eventually forgive him. Not anytime soon, Halson thought to himself.
He was tired of being lied to and he assumed that Ethan felt the same way. It was true that they were both young and maybe didn’t understand the bigger picture yet, but how could they when every adult around them was lying? Everyone had an agenda, something that they wanted and Ethan was the common denominator. Somehow, he was the answer but Halson still wasn’t sure what the question was.
They had an advantage now with both Preston and the Commissioner thinking that Ethan was dead. It took him awhile to appreciate the edge it would now afford them but if it had to be done again, Halson wouldn’t choose death for Ethan even if he knew for certain that Godrik could revive him. The risk would outweigh the reward every time.
So now, he sat there, staring at Ethan, willing him to wake up or at least move in the hopes of having his beloved back. Waiting had never been one of Halson’s strong suits. It was absolute torture to be in Daventry and not seek him out. When he first got there, he made quick work of leaving the pendant in Ethan’s room at school but it would be months before they were able to properly meet. That didn’t mean Halson had kept his distance; he just made sure he wasn’t seen. He remembered the weeks before they met when he would follow Ethan around. He tried not to be a stalker about it, justifying his actions as preemptive and investigative but honestly, he simply wanted to get to know Ethan better. Where did he go? What did he eat? Who were his friends?
He learned a lot about Ethan during that time, watching him from afar. He liked to think of himself as Ethan’s protector, vigilantly observing but never interfering. It’s all about timing, his father had said. That’s why they waited a few months before introducing him, wanting to make sure Ethan was comfortable in his new station.
In the end, none of it mattered. The precautions that were taken were not for his or Ethan’s benefit but for everyone else’s and that’s the part that made Halson angry. He didn’t like being used and manipulated though, to be honest, he had done some misleading himself but he sustained his guilty conscience when he fell in love with Ethan and told him the truth. He had been forgiven when all of this happened with Preston, leaving him unsure of where they stood. Halson could only hope for the best but he understood if Ethan couldn’t forgive him. Right now, he wanted Ethan safe.
“How is he?” Halson was so wrapped up in his mind that he didn’t hear his father enter the room. He startled but then glared at the leader. “What do you care?” he seethed, crossing his arms in front of his chest. Halen rolled his eyes, a nasty habit he had picked up from hanging around humans. “You’re not the only one that cares about him Halson.” His father’s voice had an authoritative edge to it that rubbed Halson the wrong way. He stood up and faced his father. “I’m the only one who isn’t using him!” Halen glowered at his son with steely eyes. Normally, that expression would scare Halson but in that moment, he didn’t care.
“I’m the only one who wants him to be happy and who doesn’t care about what Godrik did to him! I’m the only one who loves him!” Halen took a step back and studied his son’s face. “So, the fact that he looks like Ender has nothing to do with your affections?” Halson’s expression turned murderous. How dare his father insinuate that his love for Ethan was misplaced? “I know how much Ender meant to you Halson. I remember how upset you were when you found out what happened to him, when you realized you’d never see him again.” Halson’s body was shaking with anger. He turned his gaze to the floor, refusing to show his father the emotion gathering in his eyes. His fists clenched and unclenched, digging his nails into his palms so hard he drew blood.
“You need to let this go,” Halen stated, motioning to Ethan. That’s all it took for Halson to snap. He fixed his eyes on his father, only this time they were glowing with rage. “Halson,” his father warned but the boy wouldn’t listen. Instead he pushed his hands forward, powerfully launching Halen against the wall. But he didn’t stop there. Halson held his father in place, painfully bearing down on him rendering the leader completely immobile.
“Don’t you ever talk to me about Ender like you know what happened because you weren’t there! You didn’t have to watch him die! And don’t you dare for one second pretend to know anything about my relationship with Ethan! My love for him is not up for debate!” By now Halson was breathing harshly, not only from his emotions but also from the strain of his abilities. Halen was powerful, so preventing him from using his own skills was taxing.
After a few long seconds, Halson dropped his hands, effectively letting his father go with a loud thump. He took shaky breaths, attempting to calm himself as he sat back down and focused on the boy lying in his bed once more. Halen wanted to say something to his son, but thought better of it and left the room. Halson hadn’t even realized he was crying until the tears dropped from his face onto Ethan’s arm. When he went to wipe them off he stopped and stared at Ethan’s fingers, watching as they wiggled.
“Ethan?” He stood up, towering over the boy, hoping to see movement elsewhere but Ethan remained still. He glanced back down to the hand but the action had stopped. Frowning, he sat down in the chair and closed his eyes, breathing out a heavy sigh. He wasn’t expecting to fall asleep but the exhaustion of the previous days’ events had finally caught up to him. He didn’t know how long he had been asleep for when he heard what sounded like a gasp. When he opened his eyes, Ethan was staring back at him, eyes glowing their vibrant shade of blue.
They shared a long stretch of silence as they studied each other. Ethan moved first, tentatively holding out his hand, skimming his fingertips across Halson’s arm. The boy shuddered at the touch. He grinned but was met with a taciturn gaze. His brows furrowed prompting him to stand, however, Ethan raised his hand in protest.
“Ender.” It was barely above a whisper but loud enough for Halson to hear. He leaned back in shock. Had Ethan heard him arguing with his father earlier? He was about to ask as much when Ethan spoke first. “His name was Ender, right? The other boy?” Halson nodded slowly, unsure of where this conversation was going. Ethan shuffled closer to Halson, inching toward the edge of the bed. Instinctively, Halson moved closer as well. Touching their foreheads, Ethan lost himself in thought as he grabbed the back of Halson’s neck.
“I’m sorry for what happened to him,” Ethan said softly. Halson shut his eyes and swallowed, overcome with sorrow. He gripped Ethan’s arms to steady himself and took a deep breath. When they pulled apart, Ethan launched himself at Halson, seeking out his lips hungrily. When Halson realized what was happening, he happily kissed back, eager to have Ethan close again. It was exactly like their first kiss; explosive, passionate and over far too soon. They grinned dumbly at each other before Ethan whispered, “I love you.”
Halson laughed under his breath, shaking his head. “You have no idea how much I needed to hear that.” He cupped Ethan’s face with both hands and gave him a quick peck on the lips. “For the record, I love you too.” It was Ethan’s turn to laugh. “Well, if it’s for the record,” he mocked. Soon, an awkward silence fell over them as they avoided the reason Ethan was hooked up to machines in the first place.
It suddenly caught up to him as he noticed the lines attached to his arms, following them along the bed and over to the devices they belonged to.
“What happened?” Ethan asked cautiously. Halson, suddenly uncomfortable, scratched the back of his head. “I remember Preston was trying to… and Godrik… he…,” Ethan trailed off, unable to process the memories correctly. He was still mumbling when Halson finally said, “You died.” Ethan stopped rambling and stared at Halson wide eyed. “Godrik… Godrik saved you.” He practically choked on the words as they left his mouth. Ethan leaned back on the bed, unable to believe what he was hearing. Why would Godrik save him? Wasn’t he the one trying to kill him in the first place? Ethan put his head in his hands and groaned loudly. Nothing made sense anymore.
He twisted up and faced Halson. “Make it make sense,” he pleaded. So, Halson did his best to recount the past day from their interlude on the rooftop to their current state. Ethan’s face was ashen as he heard about Godrik and Halen’s plan, the Commissioners intentions and what was to happen next.
“You don’t have to agree to any of it, Ethan.” Halson assured him. “We can go back to Daventry and be together and forget about all of this.” Ethan smiled pitifully at him. “You know that’s not possible.”
“Why?” Halson asked stubbornly. Ethan sat up straight, resting his elbows on his legs. “The Commissioner won’t stop. Whether I’m dead or not, he will continue with his plan to destroy Daventry and the remaining human cities. I can’t let that happen Halson.”
“How will you stop him? He has an army!” Ethan shrugged. “I’ll talk to him,” he said plainly. Halson narrowed his eyes. “You’ll talk to him?” Ethan nodded. “And what makes you think he’ll listen to you?” Ethan bit his lip before answering, “I don’t. But I have to at least try.”
Awaken_Ethan Drake Chronicles Page 23
