Lachlan Walter - The Rain Never Came

The commander frowned before giving up on her. He looked us over, smiling an oily smile.

‘As you are no doubt aware, I am Commander O’Neil, senior officer of this camp. If you’ll follow me…’

He spun on his heel, started a brisk walk toward the cyclone fence, a pair of Creeps accompanying him. The remaining Creeps shuffled around behind us, gesturing at us to get a wriggle on. Almost running on autopilot, I shambled after the commander.

Tobe and Ruby followed. None of us spoke.

Up close, I saw that the fence was dotted with gates. The commander stopped at one and unlocked it. He and his escort strode through; we continued after them, the remaining Creeps forcing us forward. I stepped through the gate, stopping in front of a second cyclone fence that ran parallel to the first. The commander and his escort hurried through a gate in this second fence, locking it behind them. The remaining Creeps stayed on the far side of the first fence.

They locked their gate, too. Tobe, Ruby and I turned as one, unexpectedly trapped.

‘Bullshit,’ I said.

‘No bullshit,’ the commander answered.

Tobe looked bored, his arms folded over his chest. Ruby eyed the wire corridor that hemmed us in.

‘Bastards,’ she said in a voice so quiet that it almost disappeared on the wind.

‘I love a captive audience,’ the commander said. ‘Now, before the three of you set foot in the camp, there are a few things we must attend to. First, you’ll need to offload your belongings. Please don’t try and slip anything past us—you’ll also be frisked once you’re through.’

He followed the fence for a few metres, stopping at a hole that had been cut into it. It was about a foot square, running up off the ground, its edges burred. A shallow metal tray sat on the ground on the commander’s side of the hole. He pulled out a strange high-tech pistol and pointed it at us.

‘We’ll start with your packs. We can’t have you smuggling in anything untoward, can we?’

Tobe didn’t move. The commander pushed the tray through the hole in the fence. He cocked his gun, his hands shaking slightly. Tobe hauled the packs over, looking the commander in the eye. Blank indifference filled the commander’s face.

‘Now, please.’

He waved his gun in a way that suggested he wasn’t entirely comfortable with it. Tobe dumped my pack in the tray. The commander bent down, hauled the tray back, quickly rummaged through the pack, then shoved it aside. He once again pushed the tray through the hole. Tobe nonchalantly lowered his pack into it.

The commander broke Tobe’s stare and dragged the tray back, wrenching the pack open.

‘Well, you are a beauty,’ he said, his eyes lighting up.

The commander slowly drew my sister’s wedding dress from Tobe’s pack. Gently, so as not to snag or tear it, he pulled it free and held it high, appraising it with a practised eye. He spun it around, smiling a greedy smile.

Tobe took a step forward.

One of the Creeps behind us cocked a gun. Ruby and I watched, transfixed, as Tobe took another step forward.

‘Be careful, boy.’

Tobe finally stopped. The commander folded the dress over his arm, passed it to one of the Creeps flanking him.

‘It’s been a long time since anything this beautiful has graced us—thank you for the gift. It’ll fetch a pretty penny, next time I’m up north.’

Tobe threw himself at the fence, reached through a gap in the wire and caught the commander by one of the absurd epaulettes on his shoulder. He did this without making a sound. It happened almost too fast to see.

‘Shoot!’ the commander screamed.

I heard the Creeps behind us shuffle around. The two that had accompanied the commander drew their guns, but there was no clear line of sight.

‘Shoot!’

The epaulette tore; the commander fell back. Tobe kept reaching, thrashing, clutching. He still hadn’t made a sound.

‘It seems that you need a lesson,’ the commander said.

He got back to his feet, keeping well out of Tobe’s reach. He pulled his gun from its holster. Ruby and I took an involuntary step forward. The Creeps escorting the commander raised their guns, forcing us back, forcing us once again to just watch helplessly.

‘It seems that you have a problem with authority,’ the commander said, taking aim.

Tobe didn’t answer. Smiling cheerfully, the commander pulled the trigger.

‘Tobe!’ Ruby screamed.

Instead of the crash of a gunshot and a red bloom of blood, I heard a sharp whistle as a metal dart trailing a long drooping wire embedded itself in Tobe’s chest.

‘Bang!’ the commander said with a laugh.

The dart sparked. Tobe started to spasm. He bit his lip; blood dribbled down his chin. Limbs jerking uncontrollably, he fell on his back, banged his head and seemed to knock himself out. He kept convulsing.

‘Stop!’ Ruby yelled, running to him.

The dart was still alive with electric fire. Acting on instinct, I dropped my stick and scooped Ruby up, pulling her back.

‘It’s not safe…’

She fought against me. As wounded as I was, there was still no way I would let her get the better of me.

‘Stop!’ she yelled again, her voice thick and blubbery.

Tobe kept convulsing. His eyes rolled back in his head; he started to drool. I wanted to throw myself in the way, to take Tobe’s place—seeing my best mate in such a state was killing me. But the commander was a rock and the world was a hard place and I was stuck between them.

‘Leave him alone!’

Ruby’s tears shone on her cheeks. The commander ignored her, didn’t put a stop to Tobe’s pain.

‘Please,’ she said.

‘Good girl.’

The commander flicked a switch on his gun. The dart stopped sparking. Tobe slowly fell still.

‘In these parts, politeness will get you everywhere.’

He kicked Tobe’s unmoving body.

‘Don’t think that we’re animals. I could have killed your friend, but here we only do so when it is absolutely necessary. We behave the way civilised people should. Contrary to the life you degenerates live, ours is one based on civility and respect for authority.’

I crouched, picked up my stick, and didn’t say a word. Ruby sat by Tobe, stroking his head. Rage burnt in her eyes. Tobe suddenly groaned. He might have been regaining consciousness, or he might have been voicing his disgust at the commander’s pompous bluster.

He opened a bloodshot eye, looked around glassily, let his head drop.

‘It seems that your friend has heard enough of my voice,’ the commander said with a smirk. ‘Very well. Men!’

The commander’s escort levelled their guns at us. Ruby and I didn’t speak, move, or take our eyes off them. The gate behind us creaked open. Three more Creeps walked into our line of sight. One of them dragged Ruby away, while the other two hauled Tobe to his feet.

They completely ignored me.

Tobe groaned deeply as his injured arm was wrenched sideways. The commander flicked another switch on his gun and the wire slowly reeled back in. Two of the Creeps dragged Tobe through the gate; the third let Ruby go and followed them into the camp.

They were soon lost in the shantytown maze.

The commander stared at us coldly.

‘Neither of you are going to give me any trouble, are you?’

I raised my free hand in surrender. Truth be told, Tobe being dragged away had left me numb and unmoored—the fact that I had to tread a nightmare path alone was beginning to sink in. Ruby caught my eye, tipped a tiny wink my way, a pathetic attempt at comfort.

I smiled gratefully; I wasn’t completely alone. ‘Cheers.’

She mouthed the words ‘no worries’.