Jean Preston - Sledgehammer

“You’re not ill,” she said emphatically. “You— just. You had a fucked up upbringing. I did too. You can’t solve that with drugs or a laser beam, or whatever the fuck.”

“Loma said that – I could be cured.”

“ Could be? Did she guarantee it?”

“…No,” said Kirwyn sadly.

Alana hugged him and held him close. “These Avalonians, they’re not all they’re cracked up to be. I don’t know what the fuck they’ve been up to these past hundreds of years, but I don’t like the results. I mean they left Loma to die. Why do you think they’ll give a shit about you?” They stared at each other a while.

“I know you’re genetically engineered,” she said. He pulled away from her, fear in his eyes.

“It was obvious the day I met you. When you wrestled with that golem and your arms didn’t get ripped off. I don’t give a shit.”

“That golem is how I’ll end up.”

“You don’t know that. I’m not sure if that’s even true. It’s a superstition. So what if you’re genetically engineered? I probably am, if you go back far enough.”

“People hate me for it. They try and kill me, or abandon me.”

“Fuck your parents. Fuck everyone. I’m leaving. Come with me. Keep your nose clean and nobody will be none the wiser.”

“It never works, someone will find out – why do you care anyway? I thought you despised me.”

“If I’m being completely honest… I feel sorry for you. I think you’ve been manipulated your whole life, and I want to put a stop to it.”

Kirwyn shook his head slowly. “I have to go… to Avalon. I have to at least try. Good luck on your journey Alana.”

He outstretched a hand. She looked at him sadly, then offered a gentle gloved hand, they shook and then Kirwyn left her.

Alana returned to Loma and Saburo. Loma handed her three blank holodisks. Alana toyed with them like poker chips. “Thank you,” she said. “And best of luck, Loma.”

Loma couldn’t stay mad at her. She was only a child. “You too, shooter.” They shook hands.

Saburo hugged Alana, unexpectedly.

“Stay out of trouble lad,” she said, patting him. “Look after the two idiots.”

“I will,” he said, unexpectedly emotional.

They parted, and she turned and left.

Loma gave a presentation to the huddled tattooed masses. The holodisk projected a map of the Immortals’ base of operations. Loma slung her rifle on her shoulder and pulled her hood up. She looked for Kirwyn, caught his eye. She waved at him, he got up and followed her.

“If you’re ever in Retragrad, look for me. I’ll show you around. I’m Alana O’Neil. 4th Legion.”

Kirwyn nodded. “I don’t have a last name,” he said. Alana laughed.

“We’ll meet again,” he said. They hugged, awkwardly, and she disappeared into the night. Kirwyn watched her, then returned to the conference.

The alarm woke Alana. The sound was distant, but yellow light blinked through the shutters of her home. She got up groggily and woke her sister. She was a four years younger than Alana, she had the same blonde hair and similar features, though she had a wine-stain birthmark that covered her cheek – a source of much silent pity from adults and ridicule from other children. She was gentle and kind. Alex was her name.

Alana saw people rushing past her window. She urged Alex to wake up. Alex did so, they did not have time to change out of their pyjamas, but Alex took her teddy bear. There was the muffled sound of an explosion, and crumbs of stone fell from the ceiling.

Alana and Alex walked hand in hand out of their room. The hallways were filling up with frightened people. The alarm blared loudly. Soldiers ran past them, running in unison, machine guns at the ready. An official told the assorted people that this was not in fact a drill, and that they were to retreat out of the caverns immediately. There were hushed voices, and babies crying. More soldiers ran past them. The civilians made their way in nervous but orderly fashion.

“Where’s mum?” said Alex.

“She’ll be with us soon,” said Alana.

There was another muffled explosion, the lights flickered and a woman shrieked. Alex squeezed Alana’s hand tight. The crowd of civilians picked up their pace.

“Where is she?” said Alex.

“She’s busy on the surface. She’ll be with us soon.”

They heard the crackle of distant gunfire. Babies wailed, people quarrelled amongst themselves. People screamed. The orderly retreat turned into a rout, as other groups from other sections of the cavern intersected and collided. Alex started to cry. Alana squeezed her hand and ran, dragging her along.

Yet more soldiers ran past them, pushing through the braying crowd. Alex lost her teddy bear in the confusion. She tried to pull Alana towards it, but Alana was stronger. Alex shrieked.

“We’ll get her later!” shouted Alana. Alex cried.

They ran. The hallways pulsated yellow. The grates rattled with the vibrations of so many civilians. A man ran through Alex and Alana’s clasped hands. Alana shrieked, and Alex was lost amongst a scream of frightened human cattle. Alana squeezed through bodies, ducked under legs. She saw Alex crying on the floor. She lifted her up, and she hoisted her onto her back.

There was another explosion, much closer. She heard the screams of soldiers, and the deafening gunfire. She ran with Alex on her back, being jostled and hurried by the people around her. They saw open doors ahead of them, dawn-light poured through. The lights had stopped working. The alarm had stopped.

There was another explosion that rocked the metal grids of the walkway. Alana’s legs burned with effort. The gunfire had fallen silent. She looked back and saw the front gate had been breached. And there were… things following them. Civilians all around her screamed. The rout became a mad stampede, adult legs kicked her, fingernails tore at her skin. She could no longer bear to hold Alex, her muscles could not take the strain. She squatted and Alex got down. They held hands one more and ran. Most of the people had outrun them. She looked back and saw the giants sprinting at them on all fours. She looked forward again, she ran too fast for Alex and had to slow down. She looked back and saw the giants pick up an old man and tear his arms off, tossing him aside.

They ran together. They ran. She heard the clanking of heavy bodies on the walkway, heard screams that muffled horribly. Bones cracking, flesh tearing. Howls. They ran, but Alex dragged her down. Alana looked back across the hall and saw yellow eyes.

They ran together, her grasp slipping. Alex looked at her, her face reddening, her eyes wide and wet. They ran together.

Her grasp slipped, skin slid, their fingers brushed.

She let go. She ran.

“ALANA!”

Alana woke up. Cold sweat beading on her forehead. She breathed heavily and rapidly, gathering her poncho about her. She drew her pistol. She looked about her, in the darkness. The dawn was approaching. She exhaled raggedly, and wiped her face.

Loma looked down the scope. She saw the great Citadel. It was much busier than her last visit. Peons worked the fields, overseen by armed guards in hooded cloaks. She saw a barracks area where raw recruits were being drilled. She saw a GMH, a big one, chained to a slab of concrete. An injured soldier limped towards it. Another shambling figure cut the GMH with a long pole. Hot black blood fell on the injured soldier. The GMH moaned inhumanly, audible even at this distance. The injured soldier walked away. Another broken soldier lined up, taking his place under the shower of blood. Loma handed the scope to Kirwyn. The creature moaned again. Officers of the Sevenokes militia looked on in disgust, passing the limited number of binoculars amongst each other.