Sky of Dust: The Last Weapon

by Joshua Bonilla

  I broke eye contact with Casey and turned to Pan.

  I hugged Pan, and she started crying, talking about what had happened when they had returned home that night. Steve had been shot trying to keep the Guards out, and they took Cray away. Mom and Lesley were being kept in a holding cell in the building somewhere. Aaric had gone and grabbed her when he had realized that we were on our way.

  “Pan, I have to tell you something,” My voice quivered. I pointed to Dad’s body. “That…that’s Dad.”

  Pan walked over and knelt down next to Dad’s body. She smiled and looked up at me.

  “He looks like you,” Pan said as she placed her coat over Dad’s head.

  The rest had made their way up to the sitting area and gathered around my dad’s body. Abigail and Mary were crying, and Peter patted me on the back and told me he was sorry.

  “We still need to finish what we came here to do.” I urged myself to focus.

  I slid the disc that was meant for President Richards from Dad's breast pocket.

  I walked over and knelt down to President Richards.

  “Mary, do you think you can try to clear his head?” I asked.

  “I don’t know,” Mary admitted. “I can try.”

  Mary placed her hands on the President’s head and closed her eyes.

  She shook her head.

  “I don’t know if it is doing anything,” Mary said in frustration. “I can feel something happening, but it could be anything.”

  “Keep trying,” I urged.

  Mary held the Presidents hand, and there was silence for a few minutes.

  Finally, President Richards gasped for breath and sat up in a panic.

  Mary fell back into Peter’s arms in exhaustion.

  “Good job, Mary,” I said softly. “President Richards, I am Dalyn, I am from….the West. The US.”

  President Richards sat up and looked around in confusion.

  “Aaric has been controlling you,” I continued. “Do you remember anything?”

  President Richards nodded. “I remember almost everything. Like a dream that I could not control.”

  He put his face in his hands.

  “What have I done?” President Richards wept.

  Guards entered the arena and raised their weapons towards us.

  “We need your help,” I told him quickly. “Other countries are going to try and take over the US and Renatus. The only way we can survive is if we work together. We were told you were one of us.”

  I handed the disc to President Richards.

  "This contains proof of the attacks planned on Renatus and the US," I told President Richards.

  President Richards lifted his head and turned towards the Guards.

  “Stand down,” President Richards ordered.

  The Guards looked at each other and lowered their weapons.

  Abigail and I helped him to his feet.

  “Let’s get out of here,” President Richards recommended.

  The eight of us slipped into the elevator, and we climbed to the top floor.

  President Richards placed his hand on a screen after we exited, and a door opened up, revealing a lavish office.

  “Please sit,” President Richards said as he waved to the white couch in front of the fire place. “And tell me why you have come.”

  We sat in a circle as I explained what I could of the situation. About how Aaric was controlling him and how Aaric was also abducting people infected with the CC1586 virus. I explained how The Lost Sons no longer needed Renatus, and they planned to market their ultimate weapon and let Renatus fall.

  “I started here as a spy for the US,” President Richards finally spoke. “I saw the horror and agony that the people have to go through here. I vowed I would change that. I have failed them this whole time.”

  “Sir, you can change that though,” I countered. “What you did was because of Aaric. Join us if you want to make it better for your people.”

  “I…I need some time to think.” President Richards stood up. “I appreciate everything you have done and for your sacrifices. I hope you understand that, even though I am the President, I still have to persuade my counsel. They have grown fat and selfish. If I announced an alliance with the US, they would overthrow me in a heartbeat.”

  “So you will help us?” I asked.

  President Richards looked me in the eyes and said, “I will do what I can, but I cannot make any guarantees. My suggestion is for the US to start looking for more foreign support.”

  “I will have a helicopter take all of you to the border. You should contact your people to pick you up there.”

  “What about our families?” Casey spoke up.

  President Richards’ face saddened.

  “After we abducted the infected, they were placed in different facilities around Renatus, and even some overseas areas,” President Richards recalled. “I imagine the facilities were being run by those loyal to Aaric and The Lost Sons. If I find out any information on their locations, I will send them to you.”

  President Richards turned to me.

  “I will have your mother and sister brought to the helicopter as well,” he told me, then turned towards the others. “None of you are safe here. You have to leave as soon as possible. People will start talking, and not even I can keep the peace here.”

  President Richards stood up, and everyone else rose with him.

  “Head down to the seventieth floor,” President Richards told us. “Everything should be ready when you arrive. I will be in touch once I determine a plan of action.”

  He shook each of our hands as we returned to the elevator.

  The elevator hummed in the silent compartment.

  It was over, but it felt like we had accomplished nothing.

  We exited at the arena’s spectator area and walked over to the door that led to the helipad.

  I could see my dad’s body, but it wasn’t alone.

  Mom was lying across Dad’s chest crying as Lesley rubbed her back.

  The others slowed their pace, allowing Pan and I to reach my mom first.

  “Mom,” I said.

  Mom slowly lifted her head and focused on Pan and me, her thin hair falling over half of her face.

  She reached out for us, and we ran into her arms.

  I felt safe again. I know after all I had gone through, I still felt safest with my family.

  “Mom,” I said in a shaky voice. “We need to leave. To somewhere safe.”

  Mom looked down at Dad. “I told you he loved us.”

  “I know, Mom,” I said. “Come on now. We don’t have much time.”

  I lifted Mom to her feet tried to support her weight. I felt another arm wrap around my mom, and her weight seemed to disappear. Casey was looking at me, like he wanted to say something.

  I nodded, and Casey nodded in return, just as we had always done when we understood each other.

  Once everyone was situated, we took off. Everyone fell asleep not long after liftoff, but not me. Too much was going through my head, even though my body was shutting down from exhaustion.

  I noticed that I was not the only one who couldn’t sleep. Abigail sat stroking Jason’s hair in her lap as he slept.

  “Is he okay?” I whispered hoarsely.

  Abigail looked up with bloodshot eyes and shook her head.

  “It’s getting worse,” she said with a sob at the end.

  “What will happen?” I asked with concern.

  “I don’t know,” Abigail whispered. “I can’t let him get close to people anymore.”

  Abigail began to breakdown.

  “Abigail, I’m really sorry,” I tried to console her. “I know how much he means to you. Maybe Renatus’ scientists have found a way to reverse…”

  “Thank you,” Abigail interrupted with a forced smile then looked back down towards Jason. “Dalyn, I’m sorry if I treated you badly. I just don’t like getting close to people that just…”

  “It’s okay. Don’t wor
ry about it, please,” I interrupted her. “Just try and get some rest.”

  I put my head back and closed my eyes. I didn’t sleep; I just listened to her cry in silence.

  Chapter 29

  The rest of the trip was uneventful. We mostly slept or pretended that we were sleeping.

  We were dropped off at the border and picked up by another helicopter that took us back to Oasis.

  When we arrived, President Reeves was there to greet us, or rather to debrief us.

  “So how did it go?” President Reeves asked me as soon as I jumped out.

  “My dad’s dead,” I responded.

  President Reeves looked shocked, but I saw no remorse in her face.

  “And President Richards?” President Reeves ignored me.

  “He will think about it,” I snapped.

  “What’s that suppose to mean?” President Reeves pushed.

  “I don’t know!” I yelled at her. “It means he is thinking about it, and he suggests finding some allies while you wait for an answer.”

  President Reeves’ face turned beet red, and she turned on her heals and stormed off.

  Some soldiers came over, and I asked for them to take my mom to get medical attention. A few minutes later, they arrived with a wheel chair, and we began to follow them to the medical wing.

  I heard some shouting back towards the helicopter, so I turned around. I saw Jason being handcuffed by two soldiers. Abigail was on her knees crying, telling him that she was sorry.

  I wanted to be there for her, but I knew this was something she had to handle, and that I could not help, so I continued to follow Mom.

  After about an hour of scans and blood samples, they determined she had low iron and that she would get better now that she was in a more sterile environment and now that she could get proper nutrition.

  I pushed Mom to the shopping area, Pan and Lesley following close behind.

  I treated them all to a teriyaki chicken, which disappeared in seconds. I told them it had been Dad’s favorite snack, and that it was both of our first meals once we arrived at Oasis.

  We stopped at a few kiosks, and I got everyone some new clothes. Shopping with girls is not fun; I should have learned that when I went dress shopping with Abigail.

  Once our arms were loaded with everything from shoes to hats, we headed home.

  I pushed the door open and pulled Mom’s chair in.

  “Dad got this place for us,” I told them. “All he wanted was to get us here.”

  Pan and Lesley ran to the room closest to the balcony and started to fight over who was going to sleep where.

  I opened Dad’s door and pushed Mom inside. I had never been in there before, but it was clean and neat. Old pictures hung on the wall. Some were of Mom and Dad when they were really young. Many of them were of us.

  “I sent him these pictures whenever I was able to write him,” Mom said.

  “Let’s get you in bed, Mom,” I suggested.

  I held her hands as she stood up.

  “That chicken is making me feel better already,” she joked.

  She took a few steps and lowered herself on the bed.

  “What’s this?” Mom asked, pointing to a red rose sitting on top of two envelopes on the bed.

  “I don’t know,” I replied as I walked over and picked them up. “This one is for you. This one is for me.”

  I handed her the envelope addressed to her.

  I watched my mom as she smelled the flower and opened up the envelope. She slipped the paper out and started to read.

  After a few moments, she looked up at me with a smile and said, “Your dad has always been the romantic type. From what he says, so are you.”

  I felt my face get red. I can’t believe he told her!

  I opened my envelope and began to read:

  Dalyn,

  If you are reading this, that probably means I did not make it back from our mission (or you were digging through the trash).

  I just wanted to let you know how proud I am of you. I know we have only known each other for about a month, but it was the best feeling I have had since I married your mother. Thank you for allowing me to be your dad.

  More importantly, I wish I was there to give you girl advice. What I can tell you is do not be scared. You will never know unless you take a chance. If you like someone, do not stand back and let them ignore you. I also notice you have an interest in two girls. That’s my boy! (Don’t tell your mom I said that please.)

  I love all of you and hope your lives are better. I wish I was there with you, but, if you are reading this, that means my greatest wish came true—my family is safe.

  Goodbye son,

  Dad

  A lump formed in my throat, and I couldn’t talk.

  I walked over to Mom and kissed her forehead, pulling the blankets across her chest.

  I left her door open, and I went to my room and opened my dresser drawer.

  “Bye Dad,” I whispered as I slipped his letter under a pile of books.

  I lowered myself into my bed, not caring about the crud that covered my body. I fell instantly to dreamless sleep.

  I was awakened by my sisters banging on my door screaming, “Dalyn, your girlfriend’s here!”

  When I went to sleep, I had a bulge in my throat. At the sound of those words, that bulge slammed to the bottom of my stomach like a bag of rocks.

  I leaped out of bed and swung open the door, putting my hands around Pan’s and Lesley’s mouths.

  Pan slid from my grip and looked at me.

  “She can’t hear us stupid!” Pan snapped, then her mouth widened into a smile. “But I bet she can read lips.”

  Pan turned, and I looked up to Annie beaming at me.

  I pushed Pan to the side and said, “Shut up.”

  I made sure not to move my lips.

  Annie ran forward and wrapped her arms around me and squeezed. She then backed away and waved her hands in front of her face and pointed at me.

  “She says you stink!” Lesley giggled.

  “Ha-Ha, your real smart,” I spat sarcastically.

  I guess I forgot to hide my lip movements and the look of sarcasm because Annie cleared her throat and waved her finger in front of her face as if to say, “Be nice to your little sisters!”

  She then smiled and took out her pad and started writing.

  “I am glad you are back. I am sorry about your dad,” it read.

  “Thank you,” I said.

  Annie began to write again: “There was an announcement over the radio and television saying Renatus has agreed to help us.”

  “Really?” I asked.

  Annie smiled and nodded.

  “Yawr ouwr earo,” she said softly.

  She leaned forward and kissed me on the lips and pulled back just as fast.

  Her face got red, and she waved to me and rushed out the door.

  Pan and Lesley looked at me stunned, then each other, and then started to scream in sync. “Oh my god, Mom! A girl just kissed Dalyn!”

  For once, I did not care what they said. I felt good, and I was not going to feel embarrassed about it.

  I had other things on my mind though.

  The clock on the wall showed it was after four in the afternoon. I couldn’t believe I had slept that long. Well, I actually could. It had been rough the past few days.

  I walked into the living area and turned on the TV. I changed the channel until it was on the public broadcast of President Reeves announcing that they were now in talks with Renatus as allies. We would be sending food and aid to the Renatus people as a sign of good faith. She announced that we would help them snuff out those loyal to The Lost Sons and free those wrongfully detained.

  She ended with, “To show that we are not scared, and that we will not be intimidated, we will celebrate our unification as a government tomorrow night. Everyone, please join us, and rest assured that we will be at full defenses during the festivities.”

  I turned off the
TV. Great, another party—like the last one wasn’t bad enough.

  “Does that mean we get dresses?” Pan asked in an innocent voice.

  “Uhhhh—” I tried to avoid the question when I heard a knock at the door.

  I walked over and opened the door where I was surprised to find Abigail.

  “Hey,” I said a bit nervously. “What’s up?”

  “Is she dead too?” Lesley asked rather loudly.

  “It’s deaf, not dead, Lesley,” Pan corrected just as loudly. “I don’t think she is.”

  “Oh,” Lesley said.

  "Hey." Abigail said like she had just forgotten what she was going to say. “I just wanted to stop by and, you know, see how everyone was doing.”

  “We are doing fine considering what happened,” I replied.

  “I also came by to invite your sisters to go do a little shopping with me,” Abigail said as she poked her head around.

  “And not me?” I asked a bit confused.

  “It’s a girl’s thing, Dalyn,” Pan said as she walked passed me into the hallway.

  “Yeah, mind your own beeswax,” Lesley added as she slipped out the door.

  “Fine, just be back for dinner,” I told them like I needed to get the last word in.

  I handed Abigail my credit chip, and they hurried off in a wave of giggles. I would regret that I was sure.

  I closed the door and headed back to my room to take a shower.

  When I got out, I went into the kitchen and attempted to cook, but I gave up after about five minutes. I picked up the phone and called for Chinese delivery like I had seen Dad do before.

  Within thirty minutes, a man knocked on my door with two huge bags of food. I paid him with a credit chip that my dad had hidden on top of the refrigerator and lugged the bags onto the table.

  A few moments later, there was a knock at the door again, and the girls were all standing outside giggling.

  “She is so cool!” Pan yelled as she burst into the apartment, arms full of bags.

  “Yeah!” Lesley agreed with her own arms full.

  “What did you get?” I asked. “I only got a few things when I came.”

  “Because you have no fashion, Dalyn,” Pan said as she rolled her eyes.

  “Go wash up so we can eat,” I demanded.