by Nelson, Kip
“Isn't that what we always were going to have to do in this new world, adapt or die? I'm looking forward to getting to know the new Luis,” she said, squeezing his arm and letting it linger for a little longer than usual.
Luis looked down at the gesture with a surprised look on his face. He started realizing that even in the darkest times there were still moments of light that shone through.
Chapter Fifteen
Word soon spread among the people they thought they could trust. They made sure to warn those they told that this plan had to be kept secret, or else there would be no chance for success. Most they told were ready, although a little scared. Talking about a rebellion was far different than actually putting one into action. As Mack, Grace, and Luis talked to people they could see the fear in their eyes. However, in some there was a fierce determination, such as Danny. He was devoted to the cause and wanted to make Mr. Smith pay for what they had made his younger brother become a part of.
Soon Mack had a good idea of who he could count on for the rebellion, and he hoped the rest of them would rally by his side once they saw the tide starting to turn. It still was going to take some time, however, and Mack wanted more information. Mr. Smith still sent for him to discuss various matters, and it was this seeming need for an equal that Mack wanted to exploit, although so far Mr. Smith had been difficult to manipulate. He still didn't fully trust Mack, and wasn't giving him any more responsibility around the camp; Mack was still a prisoner, and he wasn't sure if he ever would be taken fully into Mr. Smith's confidence. However, he had the leader's ear and he was determined to make use of that privileged position.
On this occasion, Mr. Smith was taking a walk around the perimeter with Mack. There were no walls surrounding the camp, but there were guards posted intermittently along the perimeter to ensure nobody ran away. Furthermore, the trees in this area were thin. So if anyone did try running, they still would be visible. Since Mr. Smith's group had horses, bikes, and wagons they had the advantage over anyone who attempted to flee. It made Saul's efforts even more impressive, as by the way he told his story he had managed to evade capture for a few days. However, since he had lied to Mack about being Mr. Smith's brother, Mack wasn't sure how much of what Saul said he could trust.
Mr. Smith had spent a while talking about his vision for a new world, which seemed to be his favorite topic. Mack had to feign interest as he had tired of the subject a long time ago. He nodded along and pretended like he was paying attention, when really he was noting how far apart the guards stood and how many of them were along the camp’s outer rim. As they walked along, Mack nodded to people inside the camp, many of whom were a part of his planned rebellion. They nodded back, waiting for the time when he gave his signal to rise and defeat the enemy.
“So you really didn't like the old world?” Mack said after Mr. Smith had been passionately talking about his vision for a while.
“It was a bloated mess of broken promises and worthless dreams. Everything we were told was a lie. The world never was going to become a better place. No, what happened was for the best. It was a cleansing, a way for us to begin again and avoid the mistakes of the past.”
Mack nodded, deciding not to argue with Mr. Smith as that would have been a futile endeavor. The man was so convinced of his own rhetoric that nothing could sway him from his ideology. Mack wouldn't have been able to persuade him to take a different course of action. Instead, he wanted more information, specifically about Saul.
“Tell me a little more about your old life. We haven't really spoken about Saul yet...the two of you seem so different,” Mack said. He had heard Saul's side of the story and now he wanted to hear Mr. Smith's.
“We are… We always have been… As I mentioned before, I think somewhere the cosmic forces that guide our life made a mistake and I was born into the wrong family. You've seen what he's like. My parents were no better. They were people of no ambition who were content to settle for their small house, numbing their minds with beer and television and sports. They didn't really care what I wanted to be; they didn't try to encourage my mind. Saul was the same. He was big and strong, and that gave him an advantage when it came to the social side of things, but I was more popular. He was jealous and kept humiliating me to stop me from having friends. I think I would have been much better suited to being an only child.”
“That's funny, he told me he stopped you from being bullied,” Mack said. Anger flashed in Mr. Smith's eyes.
“He didn't know what was going on. They just were playing a few jokes on me that was all. That's what friends do to each other. The older we became, the more we grew apart. I knew from an early age that my destiny lay away from that place. I didn't belong there, and I had seen too many people throw their lives away by staying at home. I wanted to be an explorer. I wanted to leave and see the world and discover new places. I thought if I just left I could start a new life and be the person I always had wanted to be.”
“But that didn't quite happen.”
“No, it didn't. The one thing I didn't count on was the ineptitude of people to see genius when it walked among them. They didn't understand me, and because I wasn't the tallest of people or the most handsome, they didn't pay me any mind. And because I had to pay bills and rent, I was subjugated like the rest of them. That's really how they controlled us. They prevented us from going after our dreams by making us pay to live in this world. I heard an old saying once. I can't remember it exactly, but it basically said humans were the only beings that paid to live on the Earth. Even then I wanted to break away and form my own society because I knew I could do a better job than the people in charge. But who was going to follow someone like me? In that world I was nothing, but here it's different.”
“Saul said you got in touch with him to bring him up here. Why would you do that if you didn't feel any affinity toward your family?”
Mr. Smith sighed and his head hung down as they walked. “It was a mixture of things, I suppose. My life hadn't turned out exactly the way I had imagined, and doubts were beginning to cloud my mind. I was living in a small town, and while I never have been averse to my own company, I was starting to feel a little lonely. My mother got in touch with me, as we still exchanged letters now and then. I thought that since they had so little going on in their lives they would appreciate hearing updates of mine.
“Anyway, she told me Saul was finding it difficult to get a job and wondered if I knew of anything going on here. She seemed to think a fresh start would be good for him. Personally, I never thought you could teach an old dog new tricks, but I did hear about the bridge being built, so I sent along the information. I wasn't too enthused at seeing him again but, in a way, I suppose I was excited. After all, our lives had taken much different paths ever since I had left home.”
“In what way?” Mack asked. Mr. Smith's head shot up.
“Oh, I suppose that's another thing he hid from you. It's funny, when we were younger my brother always used to go on about honor, but he never quite could live up to his own lofty ideals. Did he not tell you about his prison record?” Mr. Smith said, with a smug grin on his face.
“No, he didn't,” Mack said in a guarded tone.
“Ah yes, well, he was in prison multiple times for assault and petty theft. He fell in with a bad crowd and went along with them. One of the assaults was particularly brutal, if I remember correctly. It made me glad I had distanced myself from all that and hadn't fallen into the same traps. Not that I blame him entirely, given the influence around him. But you see, you can't treat anyone at face value. I'm sure he presented himself as a noble person, but he's a liar. I tried to bring him back into the fold, but he was never good at following orders, something which I'm sure you've learned. I'm not the bad guy here, Mack. I never have been. It's a shame my brother tried destroying my reputation. I never wanted to treat him this badly, he just leaves me no choice.”
Mack listened intently and tried parsing the truth of what Mr. Smith was saying. Perhaps if
Mr. Smith had told them this when he first had arrived at camp, Mack may have believed him. But he had heard all about Mr. Smith's philosophy, and now suspected that being deceitful was a family trait. If Mr. Smith wasn't lying, and Saul had indeed been in prison, that was another truth he had omitted. So Mack had to wonder if he could trust Saul at all. One thing he was sure of was he couldn't trust Mr. Smith, but he had to pretend to agree with him to gain Mr. Smith's trust.
“You know, I was thinking, perhaps I could be given a little more responsibility around here? I know I haven't been the easiest person, but I'm sure you can understand why I would be averse to being kept prisoner? I can't say I fully agree with your methodology, but I'm getting tired of tending to the horses. I think I could do more.”
“What did you have in mind?”
“I don't know. Maybe I could go out on patrol with the others. It would be nice to get a lay of the land around here, and perhaps I could use a gentler touch than they normally do. Sometimes people respond better to the carrot than the stick,” he said.
Mr. Smith tossed his head from side to side, and Mack had to restrain himself from saying any more. When there were long silences such as these, people had a tendency to speak more, to try convincing the other person, when that actually showed desperation. In reality, Mack wanted to become part of the patrols to get access to the armory, but still, Mr. Smith seemed reluctant to give him access to the weapons.
“Perhaps in time you will become one of the most trusted members, but until you fully accept my way of thinking I'm afraid I always will have my doubts. Still, I do enjoy our little chats, Mack. I hope that they provide you with much to think about,” Mr. Smith said, and by that it was clear their conversation was over.
Later, as soon as Saul had returned from his own duties, Mack pulled him aside for a private conversation.
“I need to have a word with you,” he said.
“I suppose this has something to do with your little conversations with my brother?” Saul said.
“You've been spending a lot of time with him recently. I'm beginning to wonder if you're hating it here as much as you say.”
Mack glared at him and stepped into his personal space, making Saul back away against the back side of the tent. The aura of intimidation that Saul had when they first had met had disappeared completely and now Mack wasn't afraid of him at all. Whatever fight Saul had in him apparently had evaporated, presumably after being humbled by his brother.
“Don't you dare question my loyalty to the cause! Every waking moment I spend here is devoted to planning a way out, and it has been ever since we were brought here. Your brother, for some reason, enjoys my company. I'm not going to turn that down because every moment I spend with him is a moment I get to try convincing him that what he's doing is wrong.”
“Or maybe he'll convince you that he's right? I know you think you're some kind of big deal, but you haven't dealt with anyone like my brother before and you shouldn't treat him lightly.”
“Oh, trust me Saul, I'm not treating him lightly at all. I'm on my guard at all times, as I should have been when I first pulled you out of the river. I knew you were hiding something, but I figured I'd give you the benefit of the doubt. That's the type of person I want to try being, but you repaid me by lying to me, lying to us all.”
“Look, I already told you why I didn't tell you about my brother.”
“And what about the fact you were in prison for assault?”
Upon the words leaving Mack’s mouth, Saul appeared vulnerable for a moment. Then his face displayed a deep scowl again. “Figured it was only a matter of time before my brother told you about that. What does it matter?”
“It matters!”
“It shouldn't! I get why you're mad, but I wish you'd get off my back. All I hear from you guys is it was my mistake that got us in here, and it's my fault for not telling you my brother is the leader. Sure, I messed up, I made a few mistakes, but that's what I do and I'm not the only one. You think I like it here? You think I'm not beating myself up for not listening to you? Classic Saul, doing his own thing, making his own decisions and it lands him right back in the crapper again. The last thing I need is to keep hearing about it again and again.
“And as for my prison record...that was a long time ago. I'm trying to learn from my mistakes. I'm not saying I'm an angel, but I'm not as bad as you're making me out to be. The good thing about this apocalypse is people like me get a second chance to be good people. You might not think I'm good enough, and maybe I do have a long way to go, but I'm just trying to make my way through the world, same as you.”
With that he pushed into Mack's shoulder and barged past him, walking out of the tent into the fresh air. Mack considered Saul's words and immediately thought about Grace and how she, too, was trying to make a fresh beginning. In fact, Mack had started forgetting she had been his prisoner. Perhaps Saul should have been afforded the same respect and patience. It was clear to Mack the tension that came with being held in the camp was starting to affect him. He had to make a concerted effort to remain aware of it, so he could stay in control of it. But it was taking its toll on the others.
The rest of the day went by as it usually did until night settled in. At the bonfire Mack moved between various groups, giving them updates on his plans. He tried moving naturally, as though talking with these people was the most natural thing in the world. He was glad the man with no name still was recovering from his injuries as he had been keeping a close eye on Mack. They had a better chance of succeeding while that man was out of commission.
Whispers started moving among the people in the camp, and the excitement and hope were starting to rise. Even talk about fighting back was enough to brighten their moods, especially in people like Danny, who had been itching for revenge ever since he and his family had been brought into camp. And even people such as Chris, who would rather have kept their heads down, were now more interested after seeing how many different people were becoming involved. Mack was sure that with a little luck and some good timing they would be able to pull this off soon. Unfortunately, it was not the easiest thing to talk with all of them at once. Mack could not give an inspiring speech or discuss his tactics, either. So he hoped everyone received the correct instructions and that things were not lost in a game of telephone.
The following morning, just as they were given the signal to rise and begin their day, a guard came in and ordered Grace to go with him.
“Why? Where am I going?” she asked.
“You'll find out when you get there,” the guard said. Mack stepped in front of Grace.
“You're not taking her anywhere until you tell me where she's going. We've all been doing our duties. Is she being punished?” he asked.
The guard's hands moved down to his gun and he locked eyes with Mack. “I've been given my orders, and you have been given yours. If you interfere I will kill you,” he said, and then grabbed Grace by the shoulder.
She began struggling but Mack shook his head, for he knew any disturbance now would jeopardize their long-term plan. So it was with a heavy heart that he watched Grace being led out of the tent. He only could hope she would be safe. Because if she wasn't, then to hell with the plan; this place would burn.
Chapter Sixteen
“So do I get to know where you're taking me now?” Grace asked after she was roughly pushed out of the tent.
The guard grunted at her and told her to keep walking. It wasn't long before she figured out where he was taking her, though. Soon Mr. Smith's hut loomed ahead. She went in and the leader was waiting there for her. The table was still there, but this time there was no food on it. Grace had not seen the leader much since that initial meal, but she had heard from Mack how he had been trying to find someone to join him. Other than that, the only times she had seen him were when he addressed the camp.
It was surprising how removed he was from the day-to-day proceedings. She wondered if it was just to shield himself from the inhumane displ
ays she witnessed daily. He was the type of person she would have been able to ruin. She would have hacked into his bank accounts and transferred all his money, then she would have changed his password and made postings on social media. His life would have been destroyed. Yet now she could not do any of that.
Mr. Smith gestured to a chair, which she took, folding her arms and looking away with a sullen expression on her face. Mr. Smith remained standing, and as he spoke he paced around the room.
“As you can see, there are no knives to grab today,” he said, and smiled to himself.
“I have to admit I was impressed by your spirited display. Most people I have met quickly lose that part of themselves, but you seem to hold onto it tightly. I think I may have misjudged you when we first met. I thought you were nothing more than a child, but after receiving reports of how hard you've worked, I now can see there's more to you than that. Yours is the kind of attitude that this world is going to need. You're the kind of person I envisage standing on the pillars of the new society. I want to help you reach your potential, Grace. I want to see you grow and become one of the leaders of this new world I'm building. I want someone to stand with me, to be by my side and help usher in a new era for humanity.
“I thought that perhaps Mack was going to be the one, but his mind is too tied to the old way of thinking to be of any use. He's been brainwashed, like so many unfortunate souls. I pity him, really, but I realize I need someone with a younger outlook. I'm sure you must have seen how broken the world was. Now you can be a part of building a new one, a better one.”
Mr. Smith ended up standing behind Grace, and he rested a hand on her shoulder. The mere touch was enough to make her skin crawl.
“You're deluded,” she said, “the old world wasn't perfect, but neither is your vision for a new one. You're just as broken as you think the old world was, and you're insane if you think you're the man to put it all together again. You think anyone would follow you willingly? You lucked out with this place. The only reason people are still here is because of fear, and it's not even fear of you. It's the fear of being out there on their own. People don't want to be lost in the wilderness when they have a camp like this. You're just an annoyance, something they must deal with, like fleas. If you didn't have the guns you wouldn't be anything.”
