The Purge
Chapter 57: Halley, Conleth

“Sometimes we need to lose the small battle in order to win the war.”

Art of War; Sun Tzu

A great man once said: Every battle is won before it is fought.

I guess we won the fight. But then we had to leave. It’s unfair isn’t it? Ironic even to leave the place you thought was your home but wasn’t.

When I woke up, I was surrounded my guns and uniformed men. My heart thundered inside my chest and the first thing I thought of was to fight. I guess that would be the quickest reaction I’d possess after days of being in a maze with eyes on you and hands trying to grab you and kill you. You wake up from the slumber, slap yourself of the truth, and know that no one will be there to defend you. You just have yourself. And so you fight. That’s the least that you can do for yourself.

From my blurring vision, a man made his way to my bed. I’m guessing he’s the man in charge of the platoon. He outstretched his hand for a handshake which I refused to give. He introduced himself as Commander Argent; the leader of the Resistance. He explained that he and his team were stationed outside after the uprising began which as a kid inside the Battle Camp wouldn’t know. We were refrained from contact with our families and even social media that would distract us from “the war”. But it turns out we were “the war”.

All the while the commander spoke to me; my mind went back to the last scenes in the maze. I have no time of listening to grownups that would only lie to us. I thought of the Barriers closing in on us; the beasts hunting us; the battles we’ve fought; the friends we’ve lost… I thought of Bri. And that’s when I remembered.

“Where are my friends?” my voice felt like I’ve kept it in a trunk for a long time and I croaked like an old hag.

“They are safe.” That was all he said. I don’t trust him. He’s human. And I don’t think I can trust any human at all.

“I want to see them.” I held my chin up and I kept my eyes straight at the commander, unblinking. “Bring me to them.”

“You are still weak. Look, you are still in a bit of a shock. You need to rest.”

“No.” I retorted. “I got enough of rest. So if you please tell me where my friends are.” My tears started to burn in my eyes. I scolded myself for being such a cry baby trying to be tough so that these men wouldn’t hurt me. But still, in their eyes, I know what they see me wouldn’t change. For them, I am still a child.

The commander and another soldier exchanged glances before he gave the order to shut me down. I immediately reacted by holding both men, making sure I felt their skin and I unleashed the pain that they so deserved. They got off of me and I ran out of the room.

My mind was busy processing. I don’t know where to go. I don’t know where I am. I don’t know where my friends are. The floor felt like ice. My heart was pounding very hard on my chest. I was expecting for the gun shots that never came until I came across a room and saw a familiar face.

Conleth was sleeping on the bed. His skin was unblemished and pale. He looked like we didn’t even endure the complexities of the maze. Soldiers blocked my way and with a wave of my hand, I pushed them towards the wall.

“No need to worry.” I flinched at the sound of the commander’s voice behind me. “My son will live.” That’s when I turned to him. He smiled down at me. “You are just like him, aren’t you?”

I pressed my lips and turned my attention back to Conleth.

“How long have we been asleep?”

“You were down for a week. Two other boys are on the other wing, trying to regain their strength back.” Chivas and Athren, I thought. I felt relieved that they are all right. “A girl with quite a temper woke up the next day after we rescued you from the explosion and tried to submerge my camp underwater.” Imogen. Who else would have that temper like hers.

“What about Bri?” I found myself saying. “She’s our commander. Do you know where she is?”

He shook his head. “No. I believe these are all we’ve got.”

I felt my heart sank. I then hear Conleth, moan and groan. We both turned to him. He opened his eyes and met mine.

“Bri?”

I pulled away. “It’s me, Halley.”

He pulled himself up but the commander forced him down. “Son, you need to calm down we still need to check on you.”

Upon hearing the commander’s voice Con looked up at him in shock.

“Dad? How…?”

“I’ll explain to you later.” The commander said as he forced him back to bed.

“No! Bri! Where is Bri?” he asked. He turned to me and I felt like a candle slowly melting into the fire. I could only look down at my bare feet on the cold tiled floor.

“Halley, where is Bri?”

I balled my hands into fists, my nails digging into my palms. I pulled all the strength left in me to look back at him.

“She’s gone.”

Conleth shook his head as he turns pale. “No. Don’t lie to me, Hal! Where is Bri?!”

I started to cry as I repeat to him the painful truth. “She’s gone.”

“NO!” Tears started to well in his eyes. The commander placed a hand on his shoulder but he swatted it off of him. “Addonexus. Don’t. Die.” He said through gritted teeth as he faced me. A tear finally escaped from his eye. He grasped my arm hard that it hurts. “Don’t lie to me, Halley.”

I shook my head. “I’m not.”

He pulled himself away from me and he surrendered himself on the floor where he slowly crumpled into a painful sight and drowned himself in tears.

Death is the only truth that I know.

Nothing human truly remains in here.

Conleth

I slept for another day.

I couldn’t seem to find myself and move on. How can someone be there for you before you close your eyes and then you just wake up without them? The hurt felt like a permanent wound that will never heal. I don’t want to believe it. I refuse to believe it.

People moved on with their lives. But I couldn’t. I am not human at all. So there’s an excuse.

Every time I fall asleep, I can feel her breathing. Gasping. Crying. I can feel her tears like she’s just there. But she was unreachable. I can feel her fear. I can feel her pain as if she was never gone. Imogen said I was just hallucinating. Athren said I am going insane. Maybe I am. I refused to let go of Bri when everyone else tries to tell me that she’s gone.

And then one night, with a sudden jerk, I woke up from a bad dream. But it didn’t felt like one. It felt like it truly happened.

I can see her in an operating table. Humans in white garbs surrounded her. I can sense her fear. I can feel her pain. But she was too weak to fight them off. They hold her down and started examining her. I felt her like she was my own.

She screamed from the pain, begging for help.

And then I woke up with her last words in my dream.

Conleth, help me.

I felt her tear role down my skin.

I told my squad of what had happened the next day. But no one would believe me. They all just think I’m this lonely, lovesick guy who misses his girlfriend. They all think I am insane.

But I know what I saw.

She’s not gone. I tell them. I know she’s out there somewhere.

Addonexus don’t die.

As I turned my back on my friends, I made a silent promise to Bri:

Through many worlds, Bri, I will find you. I will bring you back. I promise.

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