Extinction

by Viljoen, Daleen

  “And there I thought you wanted to get me naked.” He chuckled at my red face.

  He straightened leaving the tunic on the table and undid the buckle of his belt. I swiveled and studied the duvet on my bed. I heard him laughing softly behind me.

  “Tell me about the rebels.”

  “What do you want to know?” I heard the edge of caution in his voice.

  “Did you set off the explosions tonight?” I asked. I stared at the swirling blue and red patterns on the duvet of my bed, trying to concentrate on anything except his glorious body. I heard the rustling sound of his pants hitting the floor.

  “Yes. But I wasn’t alone. The others are long gone, but I had other business to attend to first.”

  “Why did you come to my house?” I held my breath as I waited for him to answer.

  “I had to see you.” I exhaled slowly. I felt all warm and fuzzy inside. He wanted to see me. “You can turn around now.”

  “Do you think the rebels stand a chance against the Vandelrizi?” I asked as I turned. Chai was wearing the white cotton pants of the tunic, his chest still bare. As I suspected the pants were too short and he had to draw the strings very tight for them to fit. They hung low on his slim hips and I tried not to stare at the taught muscles of his stomach.

  “I think as long as there are people willing to fight, there’s a chance,” he replied.

  “You sound like my mother.”

  “What happened to your mother?” The dull pain filled me and I turned my back on him staring out the window. It was no secret that my mother had died nearly five years ago, but nobody except Robert and me, and the Vandelrizi knew what happened that day. Until now, I avoided discussing that awful day with anyone.

  “Two years after the invasion she left. She and Robert were arguing all the time. She couldn’t overlook what he was doing. A lot of people left with her and I think they joined the group of rebels, but I’m not sure. After a couple of months she came back to see me and the soldiers caught her before she could get to me. The Vandelrizi held a trial and she was convicted of treason. Robert…” I swallowed hard. “Robert made her kneel before him and he executed her.” I clenched my fists at my side so hard I could feel my nails biting into my palms. “He shot her in the head and made her twelve year old daughter watch her die.”

  Chai moved behind me and his hands skimmed my shoulders. I watched his reflection in the window. “Lexie, I’m sorry…” He stopped abruptly and his body went rigid. Then I heard it too. The sound of footsteps and voices drifted up the stairs. Soldiers were inside the house.

  Chai snatched his gun from the nightstand and faced the door, positioning himself in front of me, as if to protect me. My whole world came to a standstill, the blood draining from my body. If the soldiers came through my bedroom door, there was no doubt in my mind that Chai would shoot and they would kill him. A fear so strong and compelling filled me that I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t let him die. Not him. There must be another way. My mind kicked into overdrive and a plan formed in my head.

  I touched his shoulder. “Lie on the bed,” I whispered earnestly. He glanced questioningly at me over his shoulder. “Please. You have to trust me.”

  He hesitated for a moment and then did as I asked. His gun was still firmly clasped in his hand as he stretched out on the bed, the muscles in his body coiled tight. The footsteps were getting closer, heading up the stairs and I didn’t have a moment to lose. I kicked of my shoes. A knock on the door echoed through the room and Chai looked like he was about to hurl himself off the bed and storm the door.

  “Miss Miller! Open the door!” yelled a soldier and turned the doorknob; fortunately I remembered to lock it behind me earlier. The doorknob rattled and the soldier rapped harder on the door.

  “Go away!” I hastily tucked my shirt over my head. Next was my pants and it landed in a muddled heap on the floor. Chai raised his eyebrows and his eyes widened. His gaze wandered slowly over my near naked body. He was so transfixed that I swore he forgot completely about the soldiers outside the door.

  “Miss Miller, you’re father sent us. Open the door now!” I pulled the elastic band from my hair and my hair tumbled in thick waves down my back.

  “I’m busy.” A slow smile spread across Chai’s face. He didn’t look in the least perturbed anymore at the commotion at the door. I blushed and felt extremely vulnerable standing before him in my white full-on lace underwear.

  “Miss Miller, if you don’t open the door, we will break it down!”

  I impatiently shoved Chai’s clothes under the bed, climbing onto the mattress and straddled him, avoiding his eyes. I grabbed the duvet with trembling hands and let it pool around my hips, pulling one corner up over the bandage on Chai’s arm. My body shielded his face. The soldier hammered on the door. They would burst in at any moment.

  I leant forward towards his chest. He smelt of mint.

  “Kiss me,” I whispered.

  Chai studied my face, his eyes soft and caressing, pulling me into their unfathomable depths. I thought that maybe he didn’t hear me, but then he lifted his hand and tangled his fingers through the hair at the back of my neck and pulled me closer. His mouth closed over mine. The tip of his tongue traced my lips. He kissed me slowly and very thoroughly and I lost track of everything and everyone around me. This was the best pretend kiss I ever had. Okay it was the first time a boy kissed me. In the back of my head I could hear the door splintering, but I couldn’t care less. All I cared about was the gentle way his lips was moving and the silky smoothness of his tongue. He lifted his lips reluctantly from mine and I groaned inwardly. I could have kept kissing him like that for the rest of my life.

  A soldier awkwardly cleared his throat. I twisted my body to find two soldiers, dressed in their white uniforms, in the room, looking very embarrassed.

  “Miss Miller, you’re father sent us to escort you to the Vandelrizi palace.” The soldier was very young and looked extremely uncomfortable with the whole situation. I had the urge to giggle at his red face.

  “Tell my father, I’ll be there as soon as I’m finished here.” That was so the wrong choice of words. I could feel Chai’s body twitching beneath mine as if he was laughing.

  The soldier looked uncertainly at his partner; this was not what they were expecting. I bet they never had to deal with anything like this before.

  “We’ll wait outside until you’re…finished,” he said begrudgingly and turned on his heel. The other soldier shot us one last astonished look and followed. They were not happy having to wait for me, but they knew Robert would be furious if they returned without me.

  I waited until I heard the front door slam shut. That was too close for comfort. I was trembling all over and I pressed my forehead on Chai’s chest for a few seconds, slowing my rapid breathing. His hands moved up my arms and rested on my shoulders. I lifted my head and gazed into the brown pools of Chai’s eyes. He lifted a hand and tucked a strand of hair that covered my face, behind my ear and ran his thumb across my cheek. There was something infinitely tender in the way he touched me. Then a playful smile spread across his face and he moved so quickly I gasped. One moment I was still straddling him and the next he flipped me over and was on top of me, pinning me to the bed.

  “Lesson two – I prefer to be the one on top,” he said wickedly. He looked so young and mischievous that I couldn’t help but laugh, the tension seeping from my body. He leant forward and I thought he was going to kiss me again, but instead his lips grazed my ear.

  “You’re beautiful,” he whispered and goose bumps spread over my body. He gave a tortured sigh. “I’d better get up while I’m still able to think clearly.”

  He rolled off me and stood. I joined him and grabbed my clothes on the floor. I was even more embarrassed now by the lack of my clothing than before. Chai watched unabashed while I dressed and I pulled a face at him. He chuckled and pulled the white shirt of the tunic over his head. I peeked out the window at the soldiers impatiently
pacing the pavement below. There was no chance I could slip Chai past them. Even in the white tunic they would immediately realize he wasn’t from Palasium. If he wasn’t so damn gorgeous I could still have tried, but with those looks it wasn’t even an option. I would have to get him out of Palasium through the tunnels.

  I pulled open a dresser drawer and shoved pieces of clothing out of the way until I found the crumpled piece of paper hidden underneath. I smoothed it on the table.

  “There are tunnels underneath Palasium leading out of the city.” I pointed to a tunnel marked in red and Chai moved closer, his arm brushing my thigh. “If you follow this one it will take you to an abandoned shed near the jungle.”

  “I suspected as much yesterday.”

  “You were watching me?” I asked. I remembered thinking I saw him standing at the edge of the jungle, not sure if it was my imagination.

  “I had to make sure you were safe.” I tingled all over. He cared if I was safe.

  A voice bellowed in the street below and without even looking out the window, I knew Robert was down there. Panic gripped my heart. Chai peeked through the window, before turning to me, his face grim.

  “Come with me.” Chai put his hands on my shoulders. “You can’t stay here.”

  There was nothing I wanted more than to leave this city behind me and leave. It was what I dreamt of for years. Robert’s voice grew louder and I knew I couldn’t leave now, no matter how much I wanted to – not if it would put Chai’s life in danger.

  “I can’t,” I said sadly and my voice cracked. Chai frowned at me. “If I disappear now, Robert will go crazy. He will tear this city apart to find me. The Vandelrizi built the tunnels. They’ll figure it out and if they catch us …” I balled my fists at my sides. “They will kill you. I can distract them – keep them busy till you’re safe.”

  “I can’t leave you here.” There was an edge of desperation in his voice.

  “You must go now before it’s too late. You’re too important.” He was too important to me. My eyes pleaded with him to understand. I couldn’t take the risk of him getting hurt because of me. I couldn’t let him die like my mother. I pressed the small key for the lock in the palm of his hand. “Please. You have to get out of here. I can’t let anything happen to you.” I knew my words revealed far more of my feelings for him than I would have liked to admit, but I had to convince him to go while we still had time.

  He finally nodded half-heartedly and we rushed downstairs. In the kitchen Maria was waiting for us and had already moved the pantry cupboard to the side revealing the stone steps leading down to the tunnel. I could always count on her. Sometimes I was sure she could read minds. She handed Chai a flashlight and he gave her a quick nod. He turned to me and took my face between his hands.

  “Be safe, little one,” he whispered and then he kissed me. It wasn’t like before. This kiss was filled with hunger and despair and left me with an ache deep down inside. His hands dropped from my face. “I will be back for you. I promise.” And with that he disappeared down the steps and I was alone. Maria pushed the cupboard back in place, sealing the entrance to the tunnel. A great sweeping sadness pressed down on my chest.

  “Lexie!” Robert’s voice echoed off the walls of the kitchen. His round face was red with anger. He reminded me of a bloated bullfrog. Of course Benson was at his side and the malicious look he gave me sent quivers down my spine.

  “Robert, I…”

  “Take her outside!” he cut me short. Desperation burnt through my veins, I had to buy Chai enough time to get away.

  “Father…” Benson didn’t give me a chance to finish. His fingers dug into the flesh of my upper-arm as he hauled me through the house and out the front door. I stumbled down the steps leading to our front porch; he didn’t stop until I stood in the middle of the lamp-lit street.

  “Watch her,” he barked at a soldier and hastily returned inside the house. This had bad written all over it. At least they won’t find Chai inside the house if that was what they were searching for. He was long gone by now.

  Minutes dragged by and I rubbed my cold arms with my fists. The temperature was falling fast and I was freezing cold. I tried hard to ignore the soldiers eyeing me suspiciously the whole time. Finally Robert stormed through the door and threw a pair of black combat pants and a black t-shirt at my feet. Shit, I had forgotten about Chai’s clothes that I shoved under the bed.

  ‘Where is he?” he growled at me.

  “I don’t know who you’re talking about.” I would play dumb for as long as I could to give Chai a chance to escape. By now he had to be on the other side of the city.

  “You’re a terrorist just like your mother.”

  Something cracked open inside me and all the hatred I felt for him spilled over. I flew at him ready to scratch his eyes out. Benson moved faster than me and the butt of his rifle cracked into my skull. The force of the blow lifted me off my feet and I hit the sidewalk with a thud. I fought against the dizziness in my head trying to pull me under. The pain was so intense it felt like he stuck a knife into my skull. Blood oozed down my face. I would not let them win. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of passing out. I ground my teeth, forcing the dizziness away. Slowly I pushed myself upright, swaying as I stood. I wouldn’t be their helpless victim anymore.

  “Is that all you’ve got?” I spat blood from my mouth and fought the bile rising in my throat. Benson snarled at me like a feral dog and grabbed me by the throat. His fingers squeezed, cutting off the oxygen supply to my lungs. He pressed so hard that I was sure he was going to crush my airway and dark spots danced in front of my eyes. Robert watched expressionless as Benson was draining the life from me.

  “That is enough,” the smooth voice of Nuevo Y'shol commanded. Benson immediately dropped his hand and gave a bow in his direction. Nuevo gazed at me with his ominous red eyes, while his face remained an emotionless mask. “I always knew you were going to be a problem, Miss Miller.” He floated closer and I wanted to flinch at the pungent smell coming from his breath.

  “Have you heard of a toothbrush or for that matter a bath?” I asked hoarsely. Nuevo looked bored by my sarcasm. He moved lightning fast, grabbing my wrists and clasped two metal bands around them. I had seen them before – they were Vandelrizi torture devices that could send pain through your body until you begged to die.

  “Tell me where the rebel base camp is?” he asked with an eerie calmness.

  “I don’t know and even if I did I’d never tell you.” It was the wrong answer. He pressed a button on a little black device in his hand with a bony finger. The bands on my wrists buzzed and pain shot up my arm like bolts of electricity, travelling up and down my body. It filled every cell and molecule of me and it felt as if my flesh was torn from my bones. My knees hit the bricks with a thud and I screamed. He lifted his finger and the pain slowly ebbed away.

  “Where is the rebel base camp?” Nuevo repeated, his finger hovering above the button.

  “Go to hell.”

  He pressed the button again and my screams filled the night air. The pain was excruciating. He didn’t stop pushing the button until I lay in a pathetic heap on the pavement, whimpering. My throat was raw and my voice hoarse and broken. I couldn’t move. My arms and legs were numb.

  “Take her to the square and chain her to the lamp post for all to see. She will be an example to all citizens of Palasium as what a traitor to the New Order looks like. In the morning she will be escorted to Cyrius to be tried and executed.” Nuevo finished his little speech and floated away.

  I painfully turned my head towards Robert standing on our front porch. Wasn’t he going to put a stop to this? I was still his daughter. His face was contorted with disgust as he looked at me. Then he turned his back on me, making it crystal clear that he was not going to help me. In his eyes I was a traitor and deserved to die, just like my mother did. Silent tears rolled down my cheeks. No one could help me now.

  Benson and another guard grabbed me by the
arms and dragged me over the bricks and cement to the square. Sharp edges and stones bit into my skin and ripped my clothes, but I was too numb to care. They dropped me in front of the lamppost in the middle of the cobblestone square and Benson chained my hands above my head to the lamppost. He grabbed my jaw between the fingers of his one hand, squeezing painfully.

  “I’m gonna enjoy watching you die,” he growled at me.

  He posted two soldiers to guard me and left.

  My fingertips had lost all feeling. The chains cut off all blood flow to my hands. I shivered uncontrollably. As warm as it was during the day, at night it was the complete opposite and the mercury dropped to near freezing. My whole body ached and my throat felt like sandpaper. Hours had passed and it must be well past midnight. I pretended to be asleep. A soldier nudged my leg with his shoe, but I kept my eyes closed. They stopped a while ago making derogatory remarks when I didn’t respond to their vile jokes. Footsteps came closer – it was the change of the guard and I peered through my eyelashes. Only one soldier was there to relieve them. They exchanged a few words and the other two left. I shut my eyes again.

  “Lexie?” I opened my eyes warily. No soldier would dare to call me by my name except for Benson. The soldier was on his haunches next to me. He was only a boy. He couldn’t be older than sixteen. The light from the streetlamp lit up his face and bounced off his mop of unruly black curls. He muttered a string of curse words under his breath and I frowned. I couldn’t remember seeing him before. He unscrewed a bottle of water and held it to my lips.

  “Drink this,” he said and tipped the bottle so that the cool water ran down my throat. I swallowed thirstily and some of the water trickled down my chin. He waited patiently until I had enough and then he took the bottle away.

  He reached for the chains and rearranged them so that the blood flowed painfully through my veins to my hands. His fingers tilted my head and he examined the wound on the left side of my forehead where the rifle hit me. Another string of curse words spilled from his mouth.