Just one small way to wish you all a wonderful Valentine Day coming up. If I could, I would send chocolate and flowers to all of you, thus the picture is the best I could do under the circumstances.

I did this two years ago and thought it would be great to bring it back at least once more.

Some of you have never seen this, some have, and others still, missed it completely. And some of you have taken sabbaticals from Prose. But I did my best to remember all of those who have been to my pages and I, theirs. I may not have the best of memories, but I do try to remember those who have filled blank pages with words worth reading.

I tried to find songs that would have your name or a portion of your name in the song, or perhaps an artist with your name or portion of. Honestly, it didn’t work out for all of you, but I would like to think the intent is there. Most are in English and there are a very few that aren’t.

I do hope this brings a smile.

Just scroll down until you find you.

… and sorry guys, you are on your own and will have to make do the best you can! But of those of you married, engaged, or dating, I wish you and your better half a great Valentine Day as well.

… oh, and one last thing, if there are one or two of you I left songs for that isn’t female, sorry about that, but some nicks are hard to determine without asking and that could be considered rude and besides, this was to be a surprise!

Also, if you feel I may have left you out, please let me know and I will add you to this list.

Now that this is in this book, it will be easy to find when you want to come back to it.,or save the link to your bookmarks.

Thinking on all this ... this could be the consummate list of music ever!

Happy Valentine Day to ye one and all!

* * * * * * * * * * * *

anarosewood - https://youtu.be/mRhePwsYjS4

Mnezz - https://youtu.be/rFdrZzz1rnM

chainedinshadow - https://youtu.be/eYv_1D8URBY

Clarity - https://youtu.be/J-_30HA7rec

Undermeyou - https://youtu.be/sK2g8NlZuHM

justaperson - https://youtu.be/Ze2TmFy0bm0

IvyBee - https://youtu.be/3zNRG-1mFoU

EstherFlowers1 - https://youtu.be/aXXqDWsCzuk

MsUnderstood - https://youtu.be/YMDrTMnm1IE

DaretoDream - https://youtu.be/_nz32FITcRA

RaineDrops15 - https://youtu.be/ebt0BR5wHYs

Jessica_Rose - https://youtu.be/qYkbTyHXwbs

IGaps - https://youtu.be/W-KGk9c9xMI

Antas - https://youtu.be/QAYkKFZjrA0

willowBending - https://youtu.be/p9JxAQqtxkg

randomgirl - https://youtu.be/cBVGlBWQzuc

writtenbyjane - https://youtu.be/ToTyU91vink

LoneGirl - https://youtu.be/pTQh3HRJSAc

JessicaJohnson - https://youtu.be/5MN74BXH4jc

bird57 - https://youtu.be/roPQ_M3yJTA

PoeticMC - https://youtu.be/eZku7yyALbc

RebelliousAngel - https://youtu.be/5af7ZN614k8

lostAlice - https://youtu.be/mOJEcEkR1a8

weather_green - https://youtu.be/Hq9b0RMBp2Y

letitbewild - https://youtu.be/MOKaeU5iRmY

SharondaBriggs - https://youtu.be/QSCibaH9AvU

Lisalove77 - https://youtu.be/VKcVDNcAVog

HexGirl - https://youtu.be/DkQ2OuDsIuc

wet_petals - https://youtu.be/6Qut1aTowSE

Tyla - https://youtu.be/Ho7S9Xb9Gls

sarahbobrowsky - https://youtu.be/7K2PHdlRnJ4

kinkinkali - https://youtu.be/p2FXQgtmPDw

Tee_Hi - https://youtu.be/x1cycm3w6Bk

EmberJoy - https://youtu.be/k6dgWg_yrtw

Vee - https://youtu.be/SRC6NEdSLIA

dctezcan - https://youtu.be/JkX8ZU_wVdg

rmshae - https://youtu.be/5aR4ZoFf8bo

BriaD12 - https://youtu.be/1gWAOzPahmc

Love2Write - https://youtu.be/E35Yzr0HGto

wildflower - https://youtu.be/ngYenAbgkr8

reiclements - https://youtu.be/93lrosBEW-Q

LyThoughts - https://youtu.be/4fm6J0NmrHo

YourMomsLlama - https://youtu.be/gYwqVEEMmPk

Immaka - https://youtu.be/IGw6xj6ckPg

Arlana - https://youtu.be/hcBBMKZGo_w

FateAndDestiny - https://youtu.be/gC0zcj43mn0

nikstiks - https://youtu.be/uBi61pgDUP8

Unity - https://youtu.be/74U4FCrsfjI

Jenna_nicole - https://youtu.be/8tLFIO1162Y

hilary74 - https://youtu.be/gua14Z09HR4

DevilishAngel - https://youtu.be/SXQXVWtAxSw

Dawndebraal - https://youtu.be/wT5ms2Nvpco

Kittysailor - https://youtu.be/7khQNR7s1Ho

JadeRain - https://youtu.be/XdM1Hw0WMq8

Hummingbird - https://youtu.be/B412Ij9IAnc

Ariana - https://youtu.be/pZAYHcJA54g

Nwesterhouse - https://youtu.be/753Gl2VlPF8

MayalSharp - https://youtu.be/dkCkN379gcw

Bips - https://youtu.be/qwBcZjYTN2A

SeraphinaLarke - https://youtu.be/GLYx_wjDcec

MediocreMardy - https://youtu.be/lhTHaJjUgQ4

LilyCamille - https://youtu.be/o7K1_g31H0s

Lumosand - https://youtu.be/VNUgsbKisp8

mOOn_ChilD - https://youtu.be/JsGj24U_wjU

CassieS - https://youtu.be/QG3Kzu24LaA

SeeMeNow - https://youtu.be/oDsWn1g3AG4

Dream - https://youtu.be/lTYe9eDqxe8

EyesofArt – https://youtu.be/FJmYUmrnP0o

ShayBertram - https://youtu.be/o_bIMTtl8X8

ana_vega222 - https://youtu.be/iljMxSh--68

Samina - https://youtu.be/_LCX-tLEoaE

Sanjana_S - https://youtu.be/oJE36RlM53E

GLD - https://youtu.be/7IQE62Vn4_U

Roses311Sublime - https://youtu.be/kFzViYkZAz4

Thereisnospoon - https://youtu.be/JhAPKLH2I7Y

poetri - https://youtu.be/LSln5JUAkko

TeaRise - https://youtu.be/AV879I_rc90

Moonsinger128 - https://youtu.be/Z6zAjPosxIY

JaneF - https://youtu.be/eEw1QqxNWAU

HandsOfFire - https://youtu.be/VFroDCsVCeY

SadieBug - https://youtu.be/AXFY6pe-oXo

Firstborn60 - https://youtu.be/ZNnXG9Et-M0

MarieAntionette - https://youtu.be/mTltWXiV8Qw

MClarice - https://youtu.be/dHz85EDUQ2E

nightscribbler - https://youtu.be/VPRjCeoBqrI

AlaskaLaurens - https://youtu.be/lTQym67anMk

slnmten - https://youtu.be/J91ti_MpdHA

mkaeleigh - https://youtu.be/9mI8fdnVvUM

ladybell - https://youtu.be/MpyVysVBfFw

AbstractSoul - https://youtu.be/4ohpmqN0Ql0

VividHues - https://youtu.be/44CWVyoy9EU

Voidkin_Killer - https://youtu.be/n8dEAS5nO5Y

StephanieMarie - https://youtu.be/If4EiYRVH2Q

Plexiglassfruit - https://youtu.be/ShZ978fBl6Y

Mara_C - https://youtu.be/o3672J_nR5k

CfromFL - https://youtu.be/9GO-fscCNdI

PaperbackFish - https://youtu.be/f1TTo9IvE7I

Trousers - https://youtu.be/NfTS7gM7zQ0

EvelynDawn - https://youtu.be/YljYL6b-xfQ

TheDreamer - https://youtu.be/ZOUZvjZnS9Q

Champagnekitty - https://youtu.be/leEmAIyQIz0

QuietSilence - https://youtu.be/Bk7RVw3I8eg

HelenaTherese - https://youtu.be/8tRJFRgjbs4

OceanofStorms - https://youtu.be/18Sua_QTDs0

athenaknowz – https://youtu.be/VHwqiqd_Lq4

LexiCon - https://youtu.be/3WG_pZFSvRQ

REllyn - https://youtu.be/7x13fh3k4XM

NessaNordhym - https://youtu.be/1HmFkmr7sGQ

Ernaline - https://youtu.be/htgr3pvBr-I

JadeRain - https://youtu.be/gSMn9thX-yw

Heartprints - https://youtu.be/O1CTPyLJCdw

After the Christmas dinner, the family went to a sleepover at my house. We played games, told stories, and opened presents. And after all the children left the next day, I realized that my future is heading to a quite retirement.

However, after the dinner, Catherine approached me. “Mom, we’re running short,” was she said. “What,” I replied to her.

Her family was actually running out of money, as Arthur lost his job. Oh dear, then I remembered the graham cakes that I once sold before with none other than my daughter.

After telling Catherine how she helped me sell graham cakes when she was a baby and giving her some money to start her own graham cake business, she told me that she will give this a try.

After I cleaned the house that day, I visited Carlos’ grave, and told him about my experiences in Europe, including my friend Giorgio. Before I left the grave, I wished him a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

If I were to ask myself, I don’t want to die without leaving a mark to the community. I’m now turning 60, and life is getting shorter and shorter.

Since my retirement, I always try to start a day attending mass in the church. Then, I would call my friend Giorgio, who would tirelessly tell about his errands for the day.

By the way, Catherine also called me one day, and I was quite happy to hear her news. Her graham cake business was booming, and I would love to remember how mine did when Catherine was still a baby.

But when I came back home, I dedicated myself to be of service in the church. I then became an ostiary, welcoming parishioners to the church three times a week.

Sometimes, I helped in the charity work of the parish, where I would cook meals, entertain the children, or help out in the distribution. It is fun serving, knowing that they are blessed through you.

Two years after, I’ve heard that Sally is pregnant. I will have another grandchild! And nine months later, Sally gave birth to a healthy girl.

It feels so blessed to be a grandmother to three good and adorable kids. My life still goes on, and I really enjoy being an ostiary and doing charity work.

Sometimes, Catherine requests me to accompany her daughter to school, and I always remember the smile on my granddaughter whenever she sees me. “If only Carlos were alive,” I always told myself.

I can say that together with my children’s in-laws, we became doting grandparents to our grandchildren. We took turns taking care of them, accompanying them to school, and buying them toys.

Three years later, I have seen yet another round of blessings and tragedies. Catherine was finally pregnant again, and the parish’s charity project I’m serving had received recognition from the city.

However, a call from Giorgio’s number had informed me of his passing. He was one of my close friends, but now I can’t attend his funeral because it was far away. His daughter, who informed me of his passing, told me that he was very thankful for our friendship.

And if this couldn’t get any better, I collapsed while attending a Sunday mass, and I remember the same thing that happened to my mother almost 25 years ago.

Unlike 25 years ago, my family wasn’t there when I collapsed, and I was very grateful for my neighbor, who was so kind to bring me to the hospital.

Hours later, Junior and his family finally visited me in the hospital, telling me that he was sorry that he wasn’t by my side. After I reassured him I was fine, I realized a sad truth. My health is starting to fail me, and the following years of my life seem bleak to me.

Chapter 42

“Fe”... he called me Fe.”

For the first time since he lost Faith and Jacob, he’d had a torture free memory. When Jacob called him by his nickname, it had always made Felix’s heart smile. That sweet dose of familiarity was one of those things Felix missed intensely.

He and Jacob had suffered incessant secrecy. A strong couple supports one another fiercely at all costs, but in a world of intolerance, the work never ends. The persistent loss of humanity as the world swirled in hatred and fear, was ultimately what lead to the loss of their lives as well.

He and Jacob were separated by the war. He never knew if Jake had survived or if they’d ever find one another in the broken sad world that was left for them at the hands of the “leaders” who’d perpetuated all of the devastations.

Felix dreamed every night of Faith. He dreamed night and day about Jake and the loss of his unrequited love for him.

He woke so many times in a cold sweat in the night, startled by beautiful dreams of his Faith. He was mostly startled because she always spoke to him and as he woke he looked around for her. Sometimes he wished for sleep. Sometimes he hoped to stay asleep forever. Not just because he felt he’d lost any reason to live, but also because he was with them when he slept. Dreams were his dark pathway to them. They could dance together again. They could laugh together again, there in the ether.

However, upon waking Fe would slip back into a depression that slowed his heart rate, slowed his pulse, slowed his thoughts or desires to even have them.

He didn’t want to talk about it, about them, about his sadness. He only desired stillness and silence.

When he sat on the edge of the forest, next to the remnants of the garden, he held tight to the deep darkness and its damp underbelly.

Sitting like a school-aged child with his legs “crisscross applesauce,” he closed his eyes and waited. He conjured as he always did. He manipulated his thoughts to create his much needed time with his touchstones. It didn’t always work when he was awake, but he was quite determined. This day he had something to say. He had something he must ask them.

Please, please come...I need you Faith...I need you Jake.

He had a plan in place. For some reason, he was convinced that without their approval, it might not go as planned. In his mind’s eye they came. Peering at him through the pink light that slipped faintly through his closed eyelids. He tried to communicate to them his desires. Faith, angry with him, turned away and slipped from his thought’s touch. Jake stared clearly through the sparkling waves between them, imploring him silently to stay.

“Fe...please don’t. You’re needed. It’s not your time.”

Felix dismissed Jake’s request. He wouldn’t be happy or content ever again. It was time to just let go and quit resisting the urge that everything would be okay—because it wasn’t. Now, he was ready. Ready to take the journey. Being well prepared, organized, and planned out was one of Felix’s fortes. He finally made the decision their approval wasn’t necessary. He was doing this for his parents for Faith, and for Jake. Then and only then would he be truly happy.

Faith had transplanted a small castor bean tree to the garden. This plant had many benefits but also a poisonous attribute. Faith knew it had been used as medicine for centuries. The seeds without the hull are used for birth control, constipation, leprosy, and syphilis. Castor oil is a laxative and can be used to start labor, and to start the flow of breast milk. She was so glad to have a plant with multiple uses. However, the hull contains ricin. If chewed they can cause acute and potentially fatal gastroenteritis. Felix had saved a handful of the seeds with the hulls intact.

Laying on his back with the dappled light like freckles upon the earth, he felt and heard the slow, languorous breezes tickle the leaves on high. The branches danced and shook their little ribbons of green to the beat of the wind. While he enjoyed Earth’s music, he put the first seed in his mouth and started to chew. He took all six that he had. He lay still and waited.

*****

Faith missed her garden. She missed her brother. She came back to take him with her. This wasn’t how she wanted things to be, but he’d found a way. Now it was her turn to help him and be his guide. She nudged him from his permanent earthly sleep to rise and follow her back to Momma and Daddy and the rest of their family and to Jake. He looked at her and smiled with great relief. He wanted to hear Momma and Faithy reading The Giving Tree again so that Jake could hear what he’d told him so many times.

“I wish that I could give you something... but I have nothing left. I am an old stump. I am sorry...”

“I don’t need very much now,” said the boy, “just a quiet place to sit and rest. I am very tired.”

“Well,” said the tree, straightening herself up as much as she could,

“well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come, Boy, sit down. Sit down and rest.”

And the boy did.

And the tree was happy.”

― Shel Silverstein, The Giving Tree

Written By:

Firstborn60

"One man, one woman"

One life to live together

One chance to take that never comes back again

You and me to the end"

Our wedding was a joy

But our married life was a heartache

Our kids were blessings

But our relationship was a mess

It feels so cold without your embrace

How I miss your warm affection

We still can go back to where we started

We can make it to the end.

"One man, one woman"

One life to live together

One chance to take that never comes back again

You and me to the end"

Chapter 34

Years back, when he was a little boy, he’d run to Professor Samuel Smith’s home, a few blocks away from his school. The house was simple, dull and nothing special with a very tall palm tree out in the front, but Professor Smith was the most wonderful person Bryan had ever met. One evening, he’d spied the professor with his telescope and asked if he could watch the sky with him. Minutes later he found himself walking hand in hand with the professor towards his home.

Samuel was in his early fifties, with hints of grey, wise eyes, and a glowing smile on his face. He had books all over the house, on so many different subjects. They would talk about space shuttles and missions to neighboring planets, history and wars, humans, and their indomitable spirit. Professor Smith was known to be mysterious.

The neighbors didn’t know much about him except that he was a private man with lots of suited visitors at odd hours of the day.

“One day, when people would look upon a bleeding world, scarred and wounded by their greed and fallacy, they would be sorry. They would need to reach down to Mother Earth to know what’s worth living for,” said Professor Smith as the setting sun brushed across his bookshelves with its golden fingers.

21 years back, those words didn’t mean much. Standing in the rubble and dust, right at the foot of the tall Mexican fan palm, Bryan understood that rescue awaited somewhere beneath the tree. However, he couldn’t possibly start digging here, that would attract too much unwanted attention.

“There has to be another way,” Bryan muttered to himself as he carefully stepped inside the ruin that held good memories in its fallen glory. There was little light, and broken glass crackled under his feet. One of the bookshelves, now empty, stood in one of the dark corners, seemingly untouched by the havoc. A steel bookshelf.

Steel! It could be a door!

Bryan ran his fingers along its dusty edges, tapping its surface. It sounded hollow near the bottom.

How does this thing move?

He started trying random bolts and screws until one of them moved back in.

Click.

The lowest rack opened up, giving way to a dark passage.

Fuck.

He had no lights in his pockets, just the crumpled map. Matt had gone away, taking Leila to the doctor and there was no one about.

A slight movement caught his attention, a dim blinking light came into the devastated drawing room. It was Felix.

Bryan frowned. “Where did you get the light, Felix?”

“Do you like it? Dr. K helped me put this together from a fidget spinner and some magnets. I need to spin it real fast though..”

Fidget spinners and light? Interesting.

“Would you like a little adventure?” Bryan asked as he motioned a confused Felix to shimmy down the gaping hole in the shelf.

*****

A handful of people sits outside, talking in an undertone. After a grueling day of pounding shards of concrete and making walls, men and women who had lost everything would sit under the stars and recount the old days.

“You know, the pandemic brought everything to a standstill. No schools, no colleges...”

“No offices, no business and no transport,” added another.

“I know. That’s when we started virtual classes..”

“I lost my brother to the virus.”

“I lost my job and my wife..”

“Don’t you think we should start a school of some sort? It may help...”

“It won’t fill your stomach, stupid….”

The voices ebb and flow, shifting from the pre-war days to now and back. Dr. Kalinda Matthews steps outside her makeshift lab. Rosa was recovering but Leila was critical. Her wounds were too deep and too many. When Sam had brought her in, an hour ago, she was in a delirium, constantly whispering something like a chant. She is sleeping now.

If humans could be demons and destroy civilizations, it’s humans who would have to toil hard to bring new life.

Every waking moment, Kalinda was searching for a cure, something that would save the race from going extinct and bring joy to the people. She couldn’t save her Naomi, but she was trying to salvage of what remained in the crumbling world. She was trying her best but....

A familiar face sat at the edge of the fire. Her eyes had a distant look, she was thin and sickly, the only thing that remained unchanged was her high cheekbones, now jutting out painfully.

It was unmistakably Dr. Eleanor Perez, the famous obstetrician!

“Oh my goodness! Is it you, Dr. Perez?”

Clouded eyes searched Kalinda’s face.

Do I know her?

“Dr. Perez.. It’s me, Kalinda, from the City Hospital.. Remember?”

Recognition flickered across her eyes. “Hi.”

“I was wondering if you could help me. I have my diagrams inside, there,” Kalinda pointed to her makeshift lab, “if you’d care to take a look at them. Not a single fetus survived since the blasts and the problem lies with the uterus. So, I thought of modifying Greenberg’s artificial womb machinery a bit. Would you please come in, Dr. Perez?”

Words flowed through her like the wind, but something tugged at her core.

Analise. I’m sorry. Let me do this.

For you.

After a long time, she moved. Kalinda saw her eyes regain focus. Dr. Perez got up and dusted her clothes. “Let’s do this.”

They will.

The two women walked inside discussing external womb structure and survival chances of the fetus.

*****

“What now?”

They almost tripped down the stairs and walked through the only cylindrical vestibule crisscrossed with diagonal beams and had come to stop before what seemed like a dead end.

“Could you make that light of yours a bit steady?”

“Umm.. Let me try.”

There has to be something, a chamber, a door. Bryan felt the cold walls under his palms. Nothing.

Concentrate. Think.

“What is this?” Felix aimed the light to his right. A small circular switch in the wall.

“Press it.”

Click.

Silence.

Both of them jumped back in surprise as a partition of the dead end flew open, revealing a password protected steel door.

What is the password?

“Felix, light.”

“Yes, sir.”

Words were scratched below the password punching machine.

fbsui nbst kvqjufs tvo

key 1

Felix used to read a lot of story books before everything went downhill. He used to think it’d be nice to go on an adventure with the Famous Five or the Hardy Boys and here he was stuck in a dark tunnel with a strange code, a blinking LED, and a fidget spinner in his tired hands.

Bryan scanned the grotesque characters for a minute.

key 1... Let’s move back one alphabet at a time.

f becomes e, b becomes a, s becomes r, u becomes t and i becomes h... e-a-r-t-h. Earth!

“Look Felix! It’s a Caesar cipher with a shift of one letter. The first one is Earth, then Mars, then it’s J-Jupiter... ”

“Sun,” Felix finished. “But we have numbers only. Then?”

Bryan thought for a moment. Numbers.

“Okay, Earth is the third planet, Mars is fourth and Jupiter’s fifth in our solar system...”

“The Sun? It’s not a planet. It’s a star.”

Right.

“What is in there anyway? Why are we doing this?” Felix stopped the fidget spinner. Everything went black.

″ Zero.”

“Huh?”

“3-4-5-0. The Sun is at the center of the solar system but is not a planet. If all the planets were assigned numbers, the Sun would be given a null value, which is zero. Now work your spinner, Felix.”

Bryan punched in the numbers while Felix watched him in utter amazement. This man who had agreed to protecting all of them had a flair for solving codes?

The metal door creaked.

Bryan pushed into a dark room. There was a rustle and a muffled ‘ouch’ before blinding lights flooded the small room. Bryan turned back.

Apparently, Felix had tripped on a complicated set of gears and switches and was presently gawking at the neat room. Three wide passages labelled ‘Laboratory,’

‘Ammunition’ and ‘Miscellaneous’ spread out from the small dome shaped room.

A table with stacks of paper and lots of pencils and pens sat in front of them. An envelope rested on top. Bryan pulled out a typed letter.

Dear Survivor,

If you are reading this, we can safely say that you have experienced the Third World War. You are in dire straits because fools decided to play with power. What is stored in here should help you. There are medicines, equipment, computers, generators, all kinds of things we thought would be necessary. There are some books, paperback and hardback and some more in pen drives, in case you need them. There are some weapons too if the devils choose to return.

One last thing: Never give up.

Yours truly,

Team Phoenix

Bryan’s voice broke the calm. “Felix, bring in Dr. Matthews and anyone who could work in the labs. I’ll be on guard. Be fast.”

Before Felix took off, Bryan grabbed a torch from a drawer, and handed it to him, so he would be able to see better when bringing them back.

*****

Sitting outside, Matt was massaging Haley’s legs as instructed. Inside, Rosa, Eleanor and Kalinda were poring over test results and analysis, debating, and discussing the probable solutions.

“Dr. K! Dr. K!” Felix came running into the room, flailing his arms wildly.

“Labs... Underground... Now.. Anyone who could help...”

Everyone looked dumbfounded.

“What? I’m serious!”

“Really?”

“Yeah.. Come with me.”

“Okay. Calm down first,” Kalinda spoke as she gathered the most essential papers and diagrams. “We need to take someone from the power grid construction site, right? Matt, please stay here, okay?”

“Sure.”

Eleanor picked up the setup for embryo preservation along with the tangle of wires that helped to keep the container frozen.

Felix led the way.

*****

The entire structure is earthquake proof with ball bearings all around and underneath to make it more resistant. There are inbuilt ventilation and water purifiers. The plans and other documents that Bryan had gone through in the short while since Felix left mentioned the San Andreas fault line. They were damn lucky to still be alive. He had rifled through ‘Ammunition’ and found lots of walkie talkies, batteries, flashlights, knives, guns, revolvers and rounds of bullets.

He had never expected Miles and Sue to return from Banks’, but they did. They were still shaking and holding onto each other as they recounted everything.

“There are lots.. around 237 men. I counted them. And 18 shelters.”

“They have lots of weapons, firearms. Where did Banks get those?”

“And Sue, what about Leila?”

“Yes. She shot one of Banks’ men just before we managed to escape.”

“She had a lot of injuries, though..”

“Do you think she switched sides?”

At least, they had more weapons now. He’d have to remember to gather some able bodied people to keep their newfound facilities secure.

Footsteps.

Bryan looked up to see Dr. Matthews standing open mouthed, gaping at it all. The woman, Elanor, who’d smiled at him a few days back was also there, carrying a box and too many wires attached to it. Another man with a heap of papers stood, surprised by the view. Felix was smiling ear to ear, standing behind them all.

“Welcome to... Phoenix!”

“Labs! Oh! That means the power grids would finally be completed!”

The man rushed inside with glee.

The woman tugged Kalinda. “Come on. We’ve lots to do.”

Before she stepped inside the lab, Kalinda smiled at Bryan.

One big heart-stopping smile.

*****

It feels familiar again. I have a purpose. This is where I belong, with my friends. Test tubes, samples, reports, decanters, monitors—they are my friends. I look at Kalinda and Rosa fretting over today’s procedures.

For a week, we three had worked together, setting up the apparatus, making the right solutions. An artificial womb: circular, elastic, complete with amniotic fluid (with extra doses of human chorionic gonadotrophin) for the extracted fetus to lie in, inlets for oxygen and nutrition, outlet for carbon dioxide, ducts for blood pumps, sensors, a dialysis unit (to which the umbilical cord will be attached, indirectly) hooked with the setup ; the entire extra-uterine chamber lined with transparent semipermeable membrane, now sits in a temperature controlled glass case. Vials of hormone line the shelves beside it.

Haley would be completing her first trimester in two days, and we can’t delay any longer. She comes in, clean and fresh, seated in a wheelchair.

Matt walks in behind her with a pensive face. Kirkland stops at the door and gives us a thumbs up. We start with the disinfection processes. As I put on my gloves, I look at the mother, her hand resting protectively on her belly, it reminds me of Analise. Elanor Perez wipes away the tears and sets in to do what she does best.

I’d never fail you. I’d never give up.

Rosa helps Haley onto the surgical table. I pick up the syringe filled with anesthetic. Matt brushes a kiss on Haley’s lips and leaves the room along with Bryan.

This is it.

*****

My little baby floats in the transparent machine. So many pipes going in and coming out of it scares me and I find myself in Matt’s loving arms.

We hug each other for a long time, Matt curling his arms around me as I sit in the wheelchair. Love needs no words. It just needs hearts. And in that moment, I knew, our three hearts would create a beautiful home.

Written By:

Wordlove

Chapter 33

“Kalinda? Kalinda? ¿Dónde estás?” Rosa turns back and forth on the dilapidated bed, her eyes closed, her cheeks flushed and her dark hair sweaty. “They said you were here… you’re the only one left… Kalinda?”

“Shh, I’m here, Rosa. Estoy aquí.”

“Kalinda? I can’t find you.” Rosa’s eyes are still closed. She doesn’t seem to notice Kalinda’s hand on hers.

Kalinda sighs. Rosa’s scars are infected, explaining the fever, and she’s still out of it. She’s been getting herbal medicines every hour, though, courtesy of Faith and administered by Kalinda herself, or sometimes by one of the two “makeshift doctors” who are working with Bryan. And there’s time. Rosa only got here yesterday.

When Sam carried her in, Kalinda had thought she was hallucinating for a moment. The woman looked like Rosa, but the scars had rendered her unrecognizable enough that Kalinda had scolded herself for getting her hopes up. But then Sam said, “She seems to know you? She said her name’s Rosa. She’s speaking Spanish, though, so that’s all we—”

“Rosa?” Kalinda interrupted. “Rosa?” She forced herself to push back the tears that came to her eyes. Now was a time for strength, not tears. But she couldn’t seem to find any words, other than “Rosa,” repeated again and again. She took Rosa’s hand, disbelieving. By that point, Rosa had already passed out.

She’s been asleep, or unconscious, ever since.

Kalinda can’t bring herself to imagine that she might die now, just after they were reunited. That would be too cruel. But of course, fate doesn’t exist. Kalinda has never believed it. A coincidence, then, mixed with Rosa’s willpower, that they were able to find each other again after all these years.

Rosa, Kalinda’s best friend, almost like an older sister to her.

“Rosa,” Kalinda whispers. She pets her hand, then stands.

There are others who must be attended to.

*****

Felix wakes early and dresses. He slips out of the camp and into the woods. He needs some time alone, to think.

Normally, he would wake Faith, and they would go for a run together. It’s a good outlet for both of them- the sound and feeling of their feet pounding, their breath that comes too short for them to think about much else, the silence and each other’s company.

Today, though, Felix wants to be alone. As much as he loves his little sister, she can be … well, she’s still his little sister. And sometimes he just needs some time away from it all, even from her.

He breaks into an easy jog, feet falling into a natural rhythm- right, left, right, left, step over the branch, left, right, crunch through the leaves, right, left. It’s meditative, really.

He could almost fall asleep, even as he runs; the sun on his back, the dew on the leaves around him, the redwoods that have stood here for centuries. They don't care that the world is falling apart, that everything's in shambles, that Felix is alone and lonely in the city of fallen angels. They don't care that he's here, invading their home, or that—that there's a person standing up ahead, watching him.

Felix jumps, and stops in his tracks. The person doesn’t appear to be holding a weapon. Felix steps a little closer. Just a little, so he can make him out. “Jacob?”

“Felix. Long time, no see.”

“What are you doing here? I should—I should kill you for joining Banks. For betraying Bryan.” For betraying me, he thinks, but he doesn’t say that.

“But you won’t kill me, will you? Felix, I know you. You’re so… god, you’re so soft.”

Coming from Jacob, someone who should be an enemy, the word doesn’t sound like an insult. It sounds—fond. “Sometimes, I wish I could be like you.”

“You can be like me, Jacob. You don’t have to work with Banks.”

“No, Felix. You don’t see. Banks is going to save us all! All the ones who combine forces with him, who are loyal to him. Kirkland just wants power.”

“What are you talking about? You’ve got it backwards, Jake.”

Jacob doesn’t say anything in response. Instead, he stares at Felix. “I wish it didn’t have to be this way. I never wanted to fight you. I never wanted to see you on the opposite side of my weapon.”

“Jacob, let me….” Felix breaks off. Let me explain? Is there anything to explain? “I miss you,” he says instead.

Jacob takes a step closer, then another, and another. “I miss you, too, Fe.”

The nickname is like a slap to the face. Hardly anyone calls him that.

His mom and dad, did, and so did Faith, before….

But since then, the only person who’s called him that is Jacob.

“It’s impossible, though,” Jacob says, but he sounds like he’s trying to convince himself.

“We have to part ways. There’s no way we can join forces, and- I wish you’d come with me, where you’ll be safe.”

“No one will ever be safe with Banks, Jacob. He’s a madman.”

“I know, I just,” Jacob chokes on a sob. In an instant, Felix is there, wrapping his arms around him.

“It’s okay, Jacob. You’re gonna be okay. Just stay safe, you hear me? Stay safe.”

Jacob looks up, his eyes watery. “I love you,” he whispers.

Felix pauses. He knows it’s true, but they’d never said it out loud before. It had sounded too much like goodbye.

“I love you too,” Felix whispers, and leans closer to kiss Jacob. Would this be the last time?

He steps back. Jacob’s eyes are closed. Without saying goodbye, Felix walks backwards, back into the trees and away from Jacob, turning away only when he’s almost out of sight.

Felix’s feet pound against the ground as he continues running, and if he focuses hard, he can still see Jacob standing there, eyes closed in the sun. But the image is already fading.

Written By:

PaperbackFish

my dear prosers snd prosettes. this Friday, when the sun sets, will be the end of the jewish year. i am not an atheist but i am certianly not an observant man. but this holiday, is one of my favorites. like most holidays, a lot of food is involved. A LOT..honey cakes star the list.

but this year, so much has happened that we’d all have wished that it didn’t, so much suffering and ugliness, and so much more stands in the near future. it brings me to wonder if it is in any way wrong for EVERYONE to celebrate the END of the year. it needn’t be just this occasion. there are plenty of other holidays and festivals throught the world that celebrate an end to this year. the more the better , I say. the passing of this miserable excuse for a year, should be shared and repeated. and a new, better year should be welcomed and celebrated.

so here’s what you need. take an apple. preferably a real sour one. cut it up. then take a bowl of honey. dip wedges of this wonder apple in the honey. throw that in your mouth. done. as you masticate, you notice that the contrast between the unbearable sourness and sweetness gives a remarkable taste.

let the sourness and bitterness of the past wash away in a sea of kindness and joy.

to play it safe, you can drink something beside. my favorite would be Benedictine liquer. but brandy, whiskey, schnapps work well too. red wine will also work nicely.

but friends, don’t get beer involved. bitterness has no room in this event.

personally, i dont drink anymore. but i wish you joy...

as you are drinking, chewing, make a wish, not for yourself but for others, that the year that is coming, whenever it arrives, will be a better one. think hopefully; it will not be much to improve upon the last one.

and so, until the next new year celebration, which could be the Celtic Samchein , i wish you all nothing but happiness, health, love and satisfaction.

Incidentally, i just realized that this is my 500th post on this site. 500 is a nice, round number which does not mean anything more or less than 501 or 637. i plan to be as argumentative, tedious and annoying as before, regardless of the number of previous hack jobs I’ve done. i plan to continue to foment and set an example for mediocrity, crudeness and superficilality. if you enjoyed something i wrote, it is not a bad reflection on you. it’s perfectly acceptable to indulge in trash on occasion.

i hope you all stay creative , supportive and patient as i have learned from you.

be well, and happy new year again (it doesn’t hurt to wish this repeatadly.)

There’s a sort of tension nestled in the back of my mind that I can’t shake. Miles and Sue left at the first hint of dawn, hopeful and drastically unprepared. They left with smiles. They left like they thought that they had a chance.

Expect the worst.

Leila’s open ended disappearance doesn’t help with my trainwreck of thought, it’s like a taste on my tongue that won’t fade away, acrid and bitter. She has to still be alive. I know her so well. She’s a fighter, a survivor. She’s out there somewhere.

I’m overseeing the mixing of the sludge that will somehow turn into a wall, watch as this group of people, in between useful and useless, dump buckets of chunky concrete into toxic water from the river that could kill you in six seconds flat. This isn’t going to work. But if it’s going to lull them into a false sense of security, then I’m not exactly going to stop them.

One of the scouts steps in through a gaping crack in the wall, speedwalks over to me. He’s slight and so thin it’s like he has wires underneath his pale skin instead of bones, can run like the wind but can’t do much else. He has one of those names that’s meant to be forgotten- Matt, Ben, Jay- so I don’t remember it.

He runs a hand through his grimy hair, nervous. “Sergeant?”

I raise an eyebrow. “Yes?”

His eyes land on the uneven floor. “I found a body.”

“I appreciate you doing a thorough job, but is that really that important?”

Bodies are such a common occurrence now. The world’s trying to kill us, after all. Some of them aren’t even found soon enough for a flash funeral. They’re scattered everywhere, like dust.

“I know, but there’s something… different about this body.”

Something in his tone of voice sets me on edge. Not that far. I was already teetering in that direction.

Is it Miles? Sue? Can’t be. I know that they probably won’t make it out alive, but it’s too soon. They have some skill. Enough to get them in. In, but not out.

….then who is it?

Curiosity kills cats, and will also probably kill me. But I have to know. It’s my duty, after all. I’m the leader.

And if these people can’t pour and mix by themselves, then we have much bigger problems than I had originally thought.

“Let’s go, then.” I tell him.

There are wisps of fog in the sky, or maybe smoke. The air is thick. I hope it isn’t a long walk.

We hurry through the shambles of what was formerly the business district, the buildings seem to sigh as they loom over us. Hopping into one of the cramped alleys, I swear I see a frog with three legs.

The war, the aftermath, changed us all. Not physically, like the frog, but mentally. It left scars on our minds, scars that no one could see.

“In here.” A squat building with giant windows, rimmed with sharp spikes of glass. An office building, most likely. I imagine when it was full, full of people who milled around like ants, sipping lukewarm coffee, disgusted with their boring lives. I long for that boredom, I wonder if they would now too.

The body is right by the door, in plain view, impossible to miss. A chill shoots up my spine.

Veronica.

Eyes wide open, staring at the burned ceiling. Severe ponytail, even in death.

Mottled bruises circle her neck.

The scout was right. This body is strange, indeed.

Veronica was strangled. Murdered.

Her fingers are curled loosely around something.

“Head back.” I order. “I’ll be back soon.”

“You sure?”

A grim nod is all I can muster. He takes one last look at the body, then dashes off like there’s fire at his heels.

Veronica’s hand is like ice as I peel her fingers off of a box. Thin. Cardboard. Empty. I remove it, hold it up to my face, to inspect it, to get a closer look. To confirm my suspicions.

It’s a box that held ammunition. Bullets.

That brings me a scrap of relief, only because I have something rational to cling on to. Some straggler must have found her, wanted bullets badly enough to kill her.

I’m about to stand up when I see it. I peer at her wrist.

Carved into her skin, carefully and methodically, is a symbol that makes my blood turn as cold as Veronica’s.

Twin snakes, wrapping around each other.

This was no accident. No unrelated event.

Because that symbol can only mean one thing.

Banks. He knows.

*****

He hopes Bryan enjoyed his little surprise. Bryan, that idiot. Thinking he didn’t know. But he had eyes and ears everywhere. He knew everything.

He was enjoying this, perhaps too much. But he was untouchable. He could do what he wanted.

And what he wanted was for Bryan to think he had a chance. For Bryan to get so close to his goal, he could almost taste it.

And then, he would destroy him.

The search for Officer Leila Espion must stop!

A few weeks have already gone by, and we still do not know where she is. Where could she go? I have no idea. But her sudden disappearance is causing a little panic amongst people around me and also becoming a roadblock, which I do not need right now. We are on the brink of a vicious war with Banks and life itself, and I rather not have another headache thinking about her.

I know times are difficult, but I only have two shoulders to lend for people to cry on. There is not enough time for emotional therapy to comfort everyone while also dealing with many impediments at hand, and worrying about missing people, too.

My priority now is laying out a viable blueprint that keeps us alive for another day.

There are always hurdles standing in the way of progress, however, with a good strategy, we can be well-prepared to fight enemies within or foreign. We are battling for survival, and that real combat will be tough and requires sacrifice. It demands a sharp and focused mind of peripheral vision to see the abrupt issues ahead of time that could hinder our mission. I want to keep on moving forward.

Things are looking upbeat, reconstructing the City of Angels from the shambles, trying to mimic what once used to be a shining and vibrant city full of promises, beauty, and mystery, where many people yearned to get lost in their dreams. All we need is a clear road map that could save most lives, so we can enjoy the sunset later on the beaches whenever the chaos is over.

I hold an emergency meeting about Leila’s disappearance. I know everyone is getting tired of these gatherings but this one is critical.

The room is crowded as usual. I clear my throat and speak with a fiercely loud voice to not show my exhaustion and fear of the unknown. Leaders must suck up setbacks and implement resolutions; they’re thought to never show fear or failure or hesitation. You cannot win a war with that kind of attitude or tactic, especially the unknown battles that are lurking in the shadows.

“Listen up everyone, with the inadequate manpower and resources we’ve got, we’ve exhausted searching for Leila, and we need to quit and proceed with our work. We have a lot to do. I know it’s not something you’d like to hear from me but that’s all we can do now.”

I am not a statesman or a guru of motivational speakers, but a grit of pressure can do justice today. Looking around the room at all the sullen and worn-out expressions, I resume. I need to be honest and transparent.

“It’s been a few weeks where no one has heard from her. She has either joined the rebels, given up her responsibility, or the worst-case scenario; is dead, lying in a ditch somewhere. No one knows her location. But we cannot afford to be distracted in repairing our city by just wasting another minute, day, or weeks looking for a dead or deserting soldier. For all we know, her disappearance might be another Lionel Banks’ doing. We just don’t know anything!”

I can feel a dread of smoke filling the room when I mentioned Banks’ name. I do not blame them though; the man is a ruthless sociopath and a killer.

“No worries folks, from this point on, we’re going to be paired with someone to watch our six in a group of two or three at most. We will be joined in holy matrimony until this thing ends. More than ever, we must be true soldiers now; that way, we can stay vigilant and safer until everything becomes normal again. Can I get a volunteer to take Leila’s place, please?”

I can see the disappointment on their faces, but everyone nods to show their support on this decision.

Then, Haley Kings raises her hands to take Leila’s place.

“Haley, you know what to do, and Veronica will be your wing woman. Watch your backs please!”

“Yes,” both say.

“Good. But before we are adjourned, can I also get two volunteers? I have a new mission for you.”

Miles Thomson and Sue Jenkins signaled their desires for the new mission. Both were young teens when things went down. They lost their parents and many of their friends, but the two remained close and are very much in love with each other. Where one goes, so does the other. In these times we live in, they still have that look of youth on their side.

Everything now seems in order.

As a marine, carrying responsibility on my shoulders is nothing new. I got used to it. I have the scars to prove it. The weight only becomes heavier and burdensome when I lose soldiers on the battlefield. That is something you can never get used to or get over. It haunts your soul, searing your entire being from the inside out. Now, I am about to send Miles and Sue undercover into the underground and mobster organizations.

I cannot stop the eerie feeling inside my head. Planning a mission like this, especially with such untrained and unequipped individuals is often deadly; we could easily be exposed to an attack, targeted by Banks and his crews overnight. Banks is a dangerous and unpredictable man who stops at nothing to achieve his goals. Miles and Sue, however, are not trained in the politics of disguise and pretense, to hunt and kill a shark mercilessly, even while it's sleeping with its eyes closed. I'd be disappointed if something bad happens to them; it is like feeding them to a pack of famished wolves; anything could go wrong unexpectedly; a slight slip of the tongue from Miles or Sue could get their heads cut off, if not bullets between their eyes. Thinking of such kinds of outcomes makes the worrying feeling in my guts even worse; I know the risk, but it must be done under the current circumstances, even though I cannot guarantee their well-being.

A good shepherd keeps his herds safely in the barns. Now Leila’s missing, we are down to 1,999 people. That is not a good badge for a leader. It could also cripple or slow down the pace of our advancement. Thus, every breathing soul is vital to repairing a brighter future, our future, and I cannot afford to lose another person on my watch again.

We must open our eyes and stay alert because there are many sharks in the shallow waters. The culprits are waging dangerous wars with what is left of our lives. We will not let that happen.

“Our meeting is adjourned for today. Miles and Sue, please stay behind. Let us discuss your missions!”

It is time to infiltrate Banks’ underground organization.

click

shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

There is a sudden hissing in the darkness as the radio turns on. I’m not sure why I bother anymore - I haven’t heard a human voice from that thing in forever. The radio is old and battered, military grade from when the military still graded things. Its camo pattern is still visible, although it’s so dark now that all I can see are the barest glints of metal from where the paint has been scraped off.

I’m standing in the ruins of the library, the musty smell of old, mildewed books all around me. On the ground nearby, the large bag - camo, again - I liberated from my old bunker earlier lies in a heap, somehow managing to draw my eye even in the gloom. I think of all the times I swore I would never be desperate enough to use the weapons inside. Even now, I am unsure. What am I doing fighting Lionel Banks by stooping to his level? No. We need this advantage if we are to defeat him. I can't stick to outdated morals in a changed world. I turn my back to the bag and glance at the dark space around me.

The library was not a place that I frequented before. Before. Before the world turned on its head. Before the sun set on this skeleton kingdom. Before our lives were worth less than a good pair of boots.

But the library is somewhere I have found solace in. It is one of the few places not stripped to the ground, because who needs books? Several hundred were taken in the first year or so after the disaster, until the buildings became too damp and the books too degraded to make the trip for firewood worth it. So now what’s left are dark lines of shelves with books fused shut and more often than not stuck down with mold, slowly crumbling into piles of debris. Maybe that’s the other reason I come to libraries whenever I can. To remind myself of what we’ve lost. What we’ve taken from ourselves.

shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

The radio crackling knocks me out of my reverie, and I realize that I’ve been standing here in the dark for some length of time I don’t want to contemplate. Everyone is relying on me, so what am I doing staring off into space? This is not the sort of thing I can let myself fall into the habit of doing. But the Marines seem so long ago, and I’m not getting any younger. I click the radio off and the sudden silence settles over me like a thick blanket. God, I need one of those.

I force myself to take a step forwards, and then another. Although I do go to libraries often, this time I’m looking for something specific. I feel my way carefully along the aisles, watching closely for stepping stools and other obstructions. The only light shines from a staircase window high above me, so everything around is clothed in shadows. Concentrate. I need to get upstairs, although how I’ll manage that I have no idea. The closer I get to the staircase, the brighter it is and the clearer I can see the damage ten years of neglect have wrought upon it. The ballustrade - an obsolete word if I ever saw one - is missing in several places, and the stairs themselves don’t look like they can support much weight.

Something shifts in the darkness and I tense immediately, every muscle ready to fight. If the Marines taught me one thing, it was how to respond to a sudden attack. Part one: pinpoint location. The shift came in a shadow by the back of the library, where I’d come in from. Probably a recent arrival, trying to be quiet. I curse in my head as I realize that the assailant is between me and the weapons bag - I'm going to need to get that back somehow. Part two: mark exits/exit strategies. This one is trickier, the only exit I know of aside from the window - two stories up - is effectively blocked by the assailant. If I tip over a bookshelf though, I could loop around enough that I would be reasonably safe unless the assailant doubles back as well, which is unlikely. That way I can pick up the bag as I leave as well. The other option is to use my firearm, but the limited supply of ammo makes that a last-resort strategy. Part three: understand assailant. They are still hiding, unwilling to show themselves. They might be someone just looking for somewhere out of the wind to sleep, and scared witless by the armed ex-army type haunting the building. Or they could be one of Lionel Banks’ crew, looking to gain some extra points by taking me out. Another Marine training kicked in - assume the worst - and I began to move towards one of the bookshelves. Push over the bookshelf to block the path, move around to the other side of the room, grab the bag and exit through the back of the library. Simple enough, and the commotion with the bookcase should draw the assailant’s attention away from my other activites.

When I move, I move fast. I had already knocked over the bookshelf and started running when I heard a scream and a surprised voice behind me.

“Sergeant Kirkland, is that you?”

I pause, because I know that voice. I’d have thought he was back at camp by now.

“Felix?”

He steps carefully out from behind the overturned bookcase. His hair and eyebrows are completely covered in the sticky dust kicked up by the commotion, giving him a comically surprised expression. “Sergeant! I’m so glad I found you.”

“Felix. What are you doing here?”

“I came to find you. You’ve been gone a long time. I got back to the camp with the rest of them, but... ”

I supress a sigh. “But you figured I might need help.”

He looks awkwardly at his torn and ratty sneakers. “Well, yes. It’s like you said. We’re all worth more than a bunch of rubble, and you’re for sure worth more than whatever you’re looking for. We need you alive if we’re going to face Banks and his gang.”

“Thank you. I appreciate that you’re looking out for your teammates - that’s what we should all be doing. But I don’t need help. That’s not how I operate.” I turn away.

“You want to get up those stairs and you don’t need help?” I can’t see him, but Felix’s tone is laced with disbelief and goddammit, he’s right. I do need the help. Felix could get up to the second floor in a heartbeat, whereas my climb could take hours. And by that time, it might be too late.

I turn back to Felix and say, “Okay. You want to help? Up on that floor is an atlas section with a big table. I heard - never mind how” I add as he opens his mouth to ask, “that there’s a book up there we can use. The title is Historical Sketches of the L.A. Area. It was one of the rarer ones, so it should be protected in a glass case. Get the book, get back down, and we get out as quickly as possible. Got it?”

Felix’s eyes are shining and I start to wonder what I’ve gotten myself into. “Of course Sergeant! I’ll be right back.” And he is away, scrambling up a bookcase by the side of the room.

I carefully lean back against the wall, wincing as I flex my shoulder. It must have turned the wrong way when I pushed that bookcase over. Felix has made it halfway up to the second floor, carefully pulling himself up hand over hand. Even in normal times he would be slim, but the hardship of surviving has made him practically invisible sideways. He would have been thirteen when the disaster struck, about to encounter high school for the first time. Grand dreams of-

"Felix?" I call up to him. "What did you want to major in?"

He looks down. "Space technology. I was going to send people to Mars."

The matter-of-fact way he said was going to broke my heart. To have to give up on your dreams at thirteen, to throw away everything you were told would happen. His voice is so hollow, so realistic. I shake my head. All of this and he still came back to help an old man because he believed it was right. For a moment I see me through his eyes. Nearly twice his age, twice his weight, with guarded blue eyes and experiences that he can't comprehend. Sandy hair cut short in respect to an organization long since defunct.

Would he even know what to think of my tours in Afghanistan? My silver star? These things are of a past so distant, even I sometimes forget what they used to mean. I suppose all he sees is a battered, scarred old man with an ancient history. I've heard the younger ones whispering at night - it makes me laugh every time they tell another story about how I got my scars. An assasination attempt. A fight to the death at sea. Sometimes even I can't remember which are real.

But every time I see his storm-grey eyes looking at me with hope I remember why I'm doing this. Why I fight. First chance I get, I'll have to give him some lessons on sneaking up on people.

“Be careful Felix,” I mutter under my breath. “Someday your generation will inherit the world. I’d rather you be around to experience it.”