Primal
Page 22
Ben and Alison have not looked away from each other. Ben cocks his head and whispers to her with frank honesty, “It’s…not…over.”
She whispers back, “I know.” And then she pulls the trigger over and over blowing Ben Burne over the lawn mower and into the wall! Thomas’ mouth drops open. He shifts his weapon to point at Alison. She watches the life drain from Ben’s opened eyes. Then, she moves very cautiously laying her rifle on the floor and stepping back from it. She says to Ben, “Now it’s over.” A dead breath sighs out of Benjamin Burne’s mouth.
Two Officers in bulletproof vests and with automatic weapons drawn burst into the garage. They assess the scene. Thomas lowers his gun as he stares at Alison. It was an execution. He knows this. She knows this. He witnessed it. The other officers holster their weapons. Alison’s eyes finally leave Ben’s dead body and she looks over at Thomas. Resignation is clear in her eyes.
An officer asks, “Thomas, what went down here?”
She knows what she has done. She knows Ben was unarmed when she killed him. She knows what Officer Thomas must do and she is prepared for it. She accepts it.
Without looking away from Alison, Thomas says, “Mrs. Kraft shot in self-defense. I saw it.”
She nods. Thomas nods.
The officer speaks into his radio, “We need the M.E. and a paramedic back here.”
Hank looks into the garage terrified by what he expects to see. And then, he sees her. She looks at him and really sees him for the first time since the island. A gentle smile graces her as his eyes light up with surprise, with relief, with love and longing. Hank walks over and tenderly takes her in his arms and then they drop to the garage floor together. He begins to rock her softly. They are completely lost in each other.
“Forgive me”
“Yes.”
“Say you forgive me.”
“I do.”
“I didn’t know.”
“I know.”
“I didn’t understand.”
“I know.” And she snuggles into his chest, burying her face in the soft fleece of his sweatshirt. The officers go to move them and Thomas puts up his hand. They back off. Holding on tightly, on the floor of this garage, they sink deeply into each other. Hank notices the burns on her feet and he pulls her even tighter into his body. He wraps his legs around her, enveloping, clutching. Their breathing synchronizes. Their heartbeats synchronize. They rock back and forth on the garage floor and she begins to cry softly.
“Okay,” he whispers, “I’m here. I will never leave you again. Okay. Okay, Allie? Never.”
“Yes.” She whispers back, “It’s over.”
“It is over.”
* * *
Later, holding hands with their fingers intertwined, Alison and Hank will sift through the grey insubstantial ashes of their home, and save what they can while knowing with complete certainty that everything of value has already been saved. The number of neighbors and family members offering them solace, housing, and food, will bring them to tears. The entire community will rush in and cushion them with generosity. Alison will find she welcomes the casseroles, finally recognizing them as a physical expression of affection. She will be accepted back into the school, and she will teach with all the talent and care that she always has. Hank will turn up the music and it will blast out all over his world making him smile. And Alison will tell Jimmy over and over how his little crazy robot turned on exactly at the right moment and saved her life.
* * *