Frank Klus - Azaleas Don't Bloom Here

“I was coming to that. You were in Hell House, buddy. You were a soldier in the Blues. We kicked the RAC’s ass, but we were set up. We didn’t know about Casimir at this point. He disbanded us, but he kept you. You were taken to Hell House.” Ray coughed up some more blood, and stared at the oozing blood from his guts. Then he looked up at his brother and smiled. “You were a real pain in the ass to those pricks. You gave them holy hell, Den. They had to double the guard detail on you, but it wasn’t enough. They had you strapped to the chair—both arms and legs. It didn’t matter. You wrenched the whole chair, bolts and all, right out of the cement floor. Then you clobbered the doctor with the back of it. It took four guards to wrestle you down; then the nurse gave you an injection of something to knock you out.”

“No, I don’t believe you. You’re lying. You’re the biggest liar. You’ve always been that way. I ought to just finish you off right now.”

“Look at the last page of those documents. It’s your discharge from ‘Treatment’—Hell House. Look at the signatures at the bottom. Look at the patient. That’s you!” Dennis was horrified. “Look at the nurse. It’s Teresa Herrera. That is your wife’s maiden name isn’t it?”

Dennis nodded.

“She was attracted to you. She had a pretty crappy life and wanted you. She convinced Dr. Frankenstein—Eugene’s name for him—to plant in you a memory of you falling in love with her, and marrying her. A judge, bought and paid for, married the two of you right there in Hell House. He put into your memory the story of how you met. It isn’t real, Dennis. You have a real wife. Teresa was always deathly afraid you’d start remembering her, and remembering your real life. She reported every dream you had to Jaydan Casimir.” Dennis began sobbing.

“Do you remember Anna? She’s your real wife.”

“Anna? I heard about a woman named Anna that was killed in a road rage incident. I know that Casimir was having an affair with her.”

“That’s your wife. Casimir tried to do the same thing to her as he did to Catherine, but whereas Catherine killed herself to escape from Casimir and protect Eugene, Anna tried to escape to the new country. She wouldn’t have made it. Casimir got wind of the plot and sent some men to kill her. They wanted to make it look like road rage, but I beat them to the punch. I killed them, then staged the road rage incident and let Anna leave.”

“I had dreams of a woman. We seemed close, but you’re telling me that that woman was my wife?”

“Is your wife. She’s waiting for you in New America. She figured that you’d wake up and realize who you really were, then you’d come home to her. She’s waiting for you in the New World, waiting for you to come home.”

“But why would Casimir think she’s dead? There wouldn’t have been any body.”

“That’s true. There was no body, but Casimir only cared that she was taken care of. Judy did that.”

“What about Judy?”

“Judy was our spy. Casimir told her a lot, and what he didn’t tell her, Judy found out because she monitored his phone calls. Then she reported to me. When I was sure Anna was safe I called Judy. She knew what was going on. She would have given Jaydan some bullshit story of how they made sure she was dead and local police took care of it.”

“Judy is a spy? That bitch.”

“You recruited her, bro,” Ray said, nonchalantly.

“How do you know all this? Communications with New America are closed down. I know you have a special phone. I listened in on your conversations. You never talked to any Anna.”

“So that’s how you knew so much,” Ray said, still smiling. “I used my own encrypted phone. Even Cass didn’t know about it. I used it sparingly and late at night only.”

Dennis, who had continued to aim at Ray, finally lowered his weapon, and began sobbing. “I don’t know anything anymore.”

“You will, Denny. Give it time. Search your dreams. Remember them. When Sandy did, she remembered more. She investigated and learned still more. Eugene will help you, and so will Chad Armstrong.”

“Armstrong? Was I his leader?”

“More than that, Den. Do you know that when you’re a Legionnaire, even when inactive, but in trouble, any legionnaire will come to your assistance? When you and I formed the Blues you needed their help. Armstrong was your buddy. He came to help. So did Bones, Foote, and Wrenn. They’re all Legionnaires. They’re your friends. They’re here because of you, not me. They charge me for their services, but not you.”

“I can’t believe this. I was this hero? They put me in Hell House? Oh my God! The dreams were coming more frequent. I stopped telling Teresa about each one because I didn’t want to scare her.”

“She knew they were becoming more frequent. She kept calling Casimir up and reporting your moods.”

“But what about Teresa and Jerrell? I love them,” he said, still weeping.

“It’s a false memory. You were coerced into marrying her. She lied to you every day you’ve been together. New America won’t recognize that coerced marriage. Your real wife is there. You have a son and a daughter too. The boy is about fifteen now, and the girl is about eight. They’re waiting for you. They just think you’re here, bringing down the government or something. They don’t know about you now. Anna didn’t want to tell them. They weren’t ready for Hell House. No one is.”

Dennis continued to stare at the documents and sobbed.

“Look, Denny….” He winced from the pain. “I don’t have much time left. You must cross the border. Don’t look back, and, for heaven’s sake, don’t go back. They’re going to know about your encounter with me. They already know you’re starting to remember. You want to know the truth about Alt House? It wasn’t set up for Eugene. If they catch him they’ll probably just throw him back into Joliet, and then execute him. Alt House was built for you. Once you go back, they’ll stick you back in there. Let me die in peace, Denny. Promise me you’ll go there; go back to your real wife and kids.”

Dennis, as tears now streamed down his cheeks, put his gun away. “I’m sorry I shot you, Ray. I didn’t know.”

Ray was smiling through the pain. “Go now, while you can.”

But Dennis reached down and grabbed his brother.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m taking you with me. I’m not leaving you here to die alone.”

“I can’t leave Cassandra.”

“I’ll come back for her.”

“No, Den….” It was the last words he would ever speak.

Eugene and Sandy heard shots all around them, one whizzed by Eugene’s left ear. Sandy gave a holler, but once again she only stumbled. The two were running faster now since their brief rest.

“Okay, to the road.”

“I’m scared,” yelled Sandy.

“If we’re near the border gate, we can get help from them.”

“Where are Chad and the others?”

“I don’t know.”

Sandy feared the worst.

More gunfire, but now it was to their left. Maybe they don’t know we’ve changed direction , Eugene thought. One thing I know is I want to make it. I want to live. I want this New World.

Sandy gave a holler. Gene feared the worst, but it was a holler of joy. They had reached the road, and they were only about twenty yards from the border. Eugene turned around and didn’t see anyone. It looked like they’d make it for sure. A militiaman at the gate motioned for them to run; then he yelled “GET DOWN!”

They both dropped to the pavement. Gunshots rang out from behind them, then gunshots from the border guard.