by Nathan Ward
A few more crates suddenly dropped to the ground, followed by Enrique and Joy who had landed their falls perfectly.
“Piece of cake!” Joy claimed, patting her hands together, knocking away the debris that had impaled itself to the palm of her gloves.
Now ready to go onward, they began to descend through the ruins of the facility, a small but unified group, confident in the leadership of their Captain.
The group continued to make their way through the ruins of the facility until finally they found themselves at the entrance to the underground cavern, the thick steel doors that had taken the force of a nuclear explosion remained tall, standing strong and withstanding the pollution and other diseases waiting to strike down the humans and animals inhabiting down below.
Murdock approached one of the doors and Enrique grabbed the other, together they pulled with all their strength until the steel structures slowly began to come apart, creating a tight, slim opening for them to fit through with their luggage.
Sasha, Joy and Connor squeezed through first, followed by Murdock and Enrique who stayed behind to close the doors, just to be absolutely certain none of the radiation would creep up on them.
Joy and Sasha activated their suits flood lights which immediately illuminated the tunnel walls, casting a reassuring guiding light up far into the gloom so they knew for sure where they were headed.
After a short trek they had already begun to hear the sound of chatter, a sound that reminded them all of the remnants of that which had been lost -civilization. They turned the last corner and were met with hundreds of ecstatic faces who came hurtling towards them all and throwing their wild arms around them, the celebration was instant and jubilant and so rapid that none of the group could identify those who greeted them. The crowds upon crowds jumped to their feet and accumulated their celebratory joy into one grand cheer, fist punching into the air and grasping each other as if a miracle had landed.
Then a familiar face slowly forced its way through the horde of delighted folk, approaching Murdock who was entirely overwhelmed by the reaction, but he spotted the character advancing towards him and immediately recognized his face, it was the face of a man he had not seen for a long time - one who had helped Josh lead the fighters to glory, with an embroidered patch sewn to his overalls reading Gary.
“I’m so glad you decided to stay, looks like you’ve done a brilliant job of watching over the people, Gary,” Murdock said, grasping on to Gary’s hand.
“I did what anyone would have done,” he replied, gazing up at Murdock’s reflective visor that covered his face.
“Not anyone, only a good man, so where’s Josh and Steph? They’re here, right?” Murdock asked.
Gary began to frown, looking ever so slightly confused.
“Josh? I thought you travelled together?” he replied.
“We did, at first…but we had a disagreement and he turned back…you’re telling me he never returned?” Murdock replied, feeling a sense of unease creeping cold through his bones.
“No one has stepped foot inside here since you all left - it’s been days as far as we have been able to tell…” Gary added, as worry filtered through his mind and reflected in his eyes – a look that Murdock also shared behind his visor, a look of dread at the thought of the possibility that perhaps Josh was no longer alive...
Chapter 25: The Eve of War
A petite girl no older than eight emerged from behind the cluster of people converged upon the new arrivals, as Murdock looked down at the child's face it struck him that she looked familiar - he cast his mind back, mentally sewing fragments of scattered memories into place until it finally hit him.
“Jennifer?” he said, still feeling unsure if the name was correct.
“Where’s mummy and daddy?” she asked, with her wide eyes glued on to Gary – clearly feeling unsure what to make of Murdock with his identity covered. He caught a look of panic on Gary's face so he stepped in, kneeling eye level with the child.
“Hey… I’m Murdock, do you remember me?” he asked.
Jennifer took a glance at his uniform - a uniform she had never seen before – as she at first drew a blank, but then it dawned on her that she recognized the tone of his voice; she slowly looked at the dark metal plated helmet that hid his face as she gave her reply.
“I think so…”
Murdock extended his arm and held out his hand.
“I’m a friend of your father, he sent me to tell you something important…” Jennifer edged closer, placing her small hand inside of Murdock's palm.
“What did he say?” she curiously replied, leaning in with her eyes now peering at the reflective glass that acted as a barrier between them. Murdock looked over either side of his shoulders then whispered into Jennifer’s ear.
“He said, the love he has for you is bigger than the world, deeper than the sea and reaches further than the skies above us. You mean everything to him and he’s on his way back to you and he won't let anything stop him from getting here to be with his little girl again. Your mother too, they are both coming back. He wants you to wait for him…just be a good girl and wait for him, can you do that?” he said in a childlike tone.
Jennifer nodded her head, smiling as hope sparkled in her eyes as her cheeks turned rosy.
It was clear she had never felt so happy to be told her mother and father were on their way back to her and she had no reason to doubt his word. But at the back of Murdock's mind, he felt sickened to think that he had just taken it upon himself to lie to an innocent child who had pledged her full trust in him, as that guilt weighed heavy in his heart he could feel the burn of Gary's bewildered – or perhaps accusing - gaze against his skin. 'I hope he understands' Murdock thought to himself, unable to look Gary in the eye, feeling ashamed of himself but still aware it was the best and only thing he could have said under the circumstances.
Murdock turned to look for Connor who had disappeared among the crowds with Joy and his crew.
“Connor! Where are you, Lad?” Murdock shouted, trying to catch a glimpse of a grey uniform that only he and his team were sporting. His patience had already begun to wear thin, so he sprung himself up to look over the heads of the people around them.
“Connor! Anyone?” he shouted again, but then suddenly Joy and Connor burst in to sight, pushing through and finding them within Murdock's reach.
“Sorry, Captain… It’s a bit loud down here” Connor claimed, looking slightly exhausted by the occasion.
“Is everything okay?” asked Joy, who had already deactivated her helmet, making her appearance known to the underground freedom fighters.
“Could I borrow Connor? I’d like to introduce him to someone…” Murdock said to her.
“Go for it… That’s okay isn’t it, Connor?” she added as she turned to the boy. “Totally! Where are we going?” Connor asked, sounding rather enthusiastic.
“Not far, just over here. I’d like you to meet Jennifer, she’s just a few years younger than you and she tends to get a bit scared with her parents being away…Would you be her friend?” Murdock asked, bringing him face to face with Jennifer, who had begun to shy away ever so slightly.
“I…I guess, I mean…my parents are, they’re still... travelling, so I know how it must feel,” Connor replied, making an intelligent realisation of the situation and avoiding the truth, which would always be for the best.
“This is Connor. Jennifer… Would you like to show him around and take care of each other?”Murdock asked.
Jennifer shrugged her shoulders while grinning nervously.
“Go on, he’s come a long way to be here. Mummy and daddy would be proud,” Murdock added, and then he felt a flicker of happiness at the outcome of the situation as Jennifer who quickly reached for Connors hand, then quickly pulled him in to the crowd.
“She’s so sweet,” said Joy, beaming with glee.
“We need to find her parents, Josh and Steph,” Murdock added, turning to Gary and Joy.
&nbs
p; “I thought this was the end of the line for us?” Joy asked, convinced she’d reached her final resting place.
“So did I...but duty calls. We have missing crew members and until they’re proven to be dead I’ll make sure I do all I possibly can to find them. Where are Sasha and Enrique? I need them here…”
Joy, Gary and Murdock turned in search of Sasha and Enrique, panning the cavern hoping to spot their distinctive faces but the area remained overcrowded and alive with energy, making it incredibly difficult to spot them.
“I think…I think that’s Sasha over there” said Joy, pointing towards her and making beckoning gesture with her hand. Sasha spotted Joy's movement and began to head over to Murdock's huddle with Enrique in tow. They suddenly broke through into the circle and were as exhausted as Connor had been after fighting their way through the jubilant crowds.
“I’m so sorry, but they really are pleased to see us!” Sasha said in surprise, pausing to catch her breath as she smiled with hands firmly positioned against the top of her thighs as she took in more air. As she got her breath back, Enrique couldn’t help but notice an expression of concern written on Joy and Gary’s face. “Something’s wrong isn’t there?” he asked in a sinking tone.
“They’re not here. Josh, Steph, Thomas and Henry, they didn’t return…” said Murdock, his features still hidden behind his steel helmet.
“And we did not pass them during the flight, perhaps they took a wrong turn?” Enrique suggested hopefully, but as he spoke, fear reflected in his eyes as he thought on the likely possibilities – and none that sprang to mind were good.
“I wouldn’t of thought so, that railway was a direct route back. I hate to be the one to say it, but this might be far more serious than we are anticipating,” Murdock replied.
“We’ll find them, I'm sure we will,” Joy added, pledging herself to the cause without a second thought.
“I will accompany you also, Captain,” Enrique also added.
The loyalty of his companions was not in doubt, but Murdock had begun to take a slight step back, feeling unsure if this would be worth the risk. A theory ran through his mind that he did not voice aloud:
Perhaps this was something he needed to do alone and leave these people with what they deserve - a chance to be at peace, with food and water to last the coming months. He’d already asked too much of them...
Then Sasha spoke up, standing before him, her eyes looking at the visor that shielded his face as she made her plea.
“If you decide to leave, we are all going with you – we’ve been together too long to disband at a time like this and I know what you’ll be thinking, so I beg of you…don’t do it!”
She pushed her hands together in a pleading gesture to Murdock, but he remained silenced by his own thoughts as he thought more on the situation that had arisen: He knew either way they wouldn’t be happy with his choice, but perhaps after trusting him for the past week they had travelled together they would understand that this decision had to go unchallenged, for it would only weaken their bonds... Murdock heightened his gaze and cast his sights over Sasha as the others watched on, waiting on Murdock's decision.
“Sasha, would you come with me just for a second?” he asked.
“Of course!” she said without hesitation.
“We will be right back, just two minutes” he added, taking a step to one side as he pulled Sasha gently in front of him. Murdock looked deeply into Sasha’s eyes as she tried to do the same, sensing his gaze on her, but unable to see through the glass that hid his features.
“Why are you still wearing that?” she asked softly, sounding sympathetic, having already guessed why he had chosen not to reveal his face.
Murdock paused before answering as he collected his thoughts.
“Because…there are children here and I don’t want to frighten them. I also don’t want to be made to feel different because of the sacrifices I’ve endured for them. This helmet, this visor, is my mask - allowing me to be the man everyone seems to remember,” he explained, and hearing the pain reflected in his word made Sasha blink away a sharp sting of tears.
“But you’re still the same man, with or without the scars, it’s a part of you now that needs to be embraced,” she told him, hoping the power of her words would be enough to ease his pain. In that moment she wished the power of love alone could have the power to heal, if her kisses could have erased every scar she would have taken off that helmet herself and performed a miracle, but all she could do was speak from her heart, and hope that words would be enough.
“No one will embrace something they fear or something they don’t understand,” Murdock replied.
“But I did!” Sasha reminded him, “I didn’t know who you were…But you made a choice and now I will never doubt a word you say, if anything this is the first time I’ve felt I have had to doubt you, Murdock… because you're so much more than this, you’re brilliant! And I love you…with all my heart and soul!” Sasha said tearfully, wept, but Murdock made no move to take off the helmet, instead he proceeded to explain himself.
“I’ve not stopped wondering what you were to me and what I was to you,” Murdock replied, “But something was whispering, perhaps my subconscious, telling me to keep you close - but now I must ask of you something you’re not going to like, but I ask with every atom of love I have to give. Trust my decision, give this head of mine its final lap to knock everything in to place… Can you do that for me?”
As he spoke, he knew he was almost begging now - knowing the importance of her life to the man he was before.
Sasha nodded as tears streaked her face.
“I want you to stay here,” Murdock added, “With Jennifer and Connor. I want you to oversee our future, just look at them…” Murdock began to point towards the community who had never looked so alive and happy to still exist, dancing and socializing to the sound of badly sung anthems, “This is what we fought for; they will protect you like one of their own, I don’t want any harm coming to you.” “What about you? And what about Joy and Enrique?” she asked as a wave of selfishness flooded her mind.
“I’m coming back…and they’re not you, they’re my friends, they’re going to help me…”
“I want to help you!” she cried, begging for reconsideration.
“You mean something to me and I have traipsed this earth for many years with nothing. Give me something to come home to, just do this for me,” Murdock added, placing his hand upon Sasha's face.
His touch reminded her of so much love as he brushed away her tears, she felt herself melt willingly into his possession, wanting no more than to set this right by doing all she could to set his mind at ease, she understood his request and wasn't about to fight it, because she understood he wanted to keep her safe – even if he never recalled how much he loved her, at least he knew she meant something to him, and that meant something of their love had been saved...That meant not all was lost and that gave her hope...As the pain in her heart eased she smiled and nodded, giving a response he had first feared he wouldn’t get, at least not so quickly and painlessly.
Now Sasha had agreed to stay, Murdock wasted no more time and with Sasha in tow, he went over to Joy, Enrique and Gary who had remained where they stood. “Gary, we’re going to find them and bring them home. Are you going to be okay here?” Murdock asked, taking control of the situation, now feeling happier to be in charge and doing what he did best.
“Perfectly,” Gary replied.
“Sasha is going to remain here with you, look after her for me, mate. Then you two, as long as you’re happy to do so, you’ll be accompanying me. Any questions? Any worries?”
They all met him with a look of blankness, unable to conjure up any questions.
“Let’s move out,” Murdock ordered, before heading up the cavern slope with Joy and Enrique tailing him.
Murdock took a short, final glimpse back at Sasha just to put his mind at ease and then he turned back to the gloomy road ahead, which to
him now shone brightly, lit up like a blazing trail by motivation and inner ferocity that was waiting to be unleashed.
“Do you remember her now, Captain?” Enrique asked, with intrigue in his tone. “No, but it was the right thing to do,” Murdock replied, sounding stern and determined. Then he said no more, his thoughts firmly fixed on the mission ahead and what could potentially be looming on the horizon.
Chapter 26: The Search for Josh
“Helmets on,” Murdock commanded.
Then he and his crew, Joy and Enrique, ascended to the divide in the walls, the sealant between the underground and radiation wasteland. Joy and Enrique’s helmets activated, clamping around their faces and feeding them a steady dose of oxygen in the process. The three of them heaved aside the giant steel doors just enough to fit their bodies through the tight gap and then they turned and pushed them back in to place, a task that took all their strength as the doors reunited with a heavy crash - once again closing off the survivors from an outside world full of lurking dangers, they were safe down there, closed away in the place which Murdock believed would be the safest possible location for those most precious of souls to dwell – safe, secure and protected. It gave him a sense of reassurance to see those doors closed, heavy and secure as a thought ran through his mind that pleased him greatly:
