I heard a loud pop in the distance. Then a little louder, some more. Suddenly, the air erupted with the undeniable sound of gunfire. My hands flew up to cover my ears. I ran into the nearest alleyway and spread myself flat against a wall, my heart ramming against my chest. I realized I’d lost my hat in my mad dash for safety. My long hair, though tied up, was now clearly visible. Great. The last thing I needed was to be recognized.
There I was, cowering in a dank alleyway. It was all wrong. This was my city. Yet I didn’t even have the right to visit without an escort. I was dressed as a man and a peasant, no less. This can’t be how I die! Before I could think anymore, a tremendous blast deafened my ears as the ground beneath me shuddered. Long seconds passed. The ground lay still again as dust floated down from the sky.
I willed myself to be brave and peered around the corner to see a gaping hole in the side of a building nearby, rubble strewn on the ground. Large men in black uniforms were descending upon it. They each wore a red arm band emblazoned with a gold circle. Sentinels. I was suddenly infected with paranoia. Did Father send for me? Quickly, I brushed the thought away. No one saw me leave the palace, I was sure of it.
The sentinels began climbing into the wreckage, filing in one after another. After a few minutes, they emerged with three shellshocked individuals. One was severely injured and blood poured profusely from his head; two guards held him between them, his feet dragging against the ground. They dropped him down in the street, forcing him to his knees. The two others, a woman and a young boy no older than twelve years, were lined up in the same fashion next to him.
By now, an uneasy crowd had emerged from the surrounding buildings.
“Do you see these people?” One of the sentinels addressed the crowd. Both his face and voice were void of emotion. He might as well have been asking, do you have the time? There was a pause as he looked around. “They are not people at all – they are traitors.”
Seeming to enjoy himself, the sentinel brought his sidearm up to shoot the first man in his temple. The man’s head jerked back with unnatural force and his body slumped to the ground. The woman kneeling next to him started screaming, again and again. Her voice ricocheted through the concrete surroundings.
The sentinel whipped her across the jaw with his gun. The screams stopped abruptly. I thought maybe he had knocked her unconscious but she lifted her head back up. I could see the fear in her eyes but alongside it was defiance. She spit a mouthful of blood at him. I could only see the back of the sentinel but he seemed to stiffen. His gloved hand grabbed her roughly by the chin.
“Before this, I was only going to kill you.”
He easily threw the woman over his shoulder even as she kicked and struggled to get free. He looked over at his men.
“Take care of the other one. And burn the bodies.”
The sentinel and the woman disappeared back into hole in the building and this time it was the boy screaming, torrents of tears pouring down his dirty face.
I couldn’t watch any more. I sank down the wall and hugged my legs tightly. I heard another shot and the screaming stopped. I closed my eyes. After a while, I smelled fire and something else. I’d never smelled it before but I knew it to be human flesh. Bile rose up my throat and I fought the urge to retch.
---
I sat there for a long time until I heard only silence. I couldn’t comprehend what had just happened. I’d hardly even seen violence in my life until today. Ignorance is a blessing, in retrospect.
I shakily left the alleyway, my eyes darting around with paranoia. There was no one around. I approached the now smoldering rubble and carefully avoided looking at the incinerated bodies. I wondered what they had done to become traitors.
Slowly, I crept in. Hours had passed since the executions and the sky was darkening rapidly. I wished I’d thought to bring a flashlight. As if being punished, I suddenly lost my footing. Thrown off balance, I stumbled forwards, tripping over a hunk of concrete. I fell to the ground and immediately, a sharp pain prickled from my leg. There was a wretched gash above my ankle. My blood was already staining my pant leg and I felt nauseous at the sight. I looked away and by chance, eyed the glint of something metallic in the waning sunlight.
Grimacing, I lifted myself up and hobbled across the room. The corner of some object stuck out of the rubble. I brushed the ash and char away to reveal a small metal box. It was largely undamaged and remained sealed. I grabbed a close rock and struck it hard against the padlock until it gave way. With eager curiousity, I lifted the lid.
There were several photographs, many of them faded with age. I felt slightly disappointed. I expected to find something more substantial, perhaps top secret documents. In actuality, it seemed I had merely found someone’s family photos. Regardless, I sifted through them.
And that's all I've got so far. Still kickin' around ideas in my head. Let me know what you think, constructive criticism much appreciated
