Here is the story of the main character in the Sci-fi novel I'm writing. This chapter is an epilogue and is set about fifteen years before the other chapters I have written here on Hive.
Nothing ever changes on Bastian, Cutter thought to himself as he was wandering around his house. Like he often did when he was bored. Which, seemed to be all the time recently. His parents seemed upset about something, all of the adults in the whole colony seemed different. He was old enough to know that something wasn't right, but, was too young to know what was going on. No matter how many times he asked.
There was a knock at the door and as he was on his way to answer it. His mother rushed passed Cutter and got to it first. He walked over anyway to see who was there, standing behind her he looked out. He could see two men. They had hard faces, like some of the soldiers he would occasionally see around town. But, they wore different clothes. Old and well worn by the look of them, but, in better condition than the average grown-up from his world.
"I didn't know if you would make it past security." His mother said to the men. "Come in." The two stepped inside, their faces seemed like they were made of stone. As the first one passed Cutter he ruffled his hair. Cutter pushed at the man's hand as he did and the man lightly chuckled.
"Nothing could stop us getting through. Seems pretty chaotic out there. They're running drills I assume?" The man said. As he spoke Cutter's father came from the bedroom and nodded to the men standing in the center of the living room. "They've been running drills for weeks now, the people are afraid. We haven't been told what's happening, which just adds to the fear." Cutter's father said to them as he stood with his arms crossed. "What's going on in free space?" He continued.
"Same as it always is. Mostly quiet. I did hear a rumor that some of the Outer-worlds are preparing for war though. I don't think they would be a major threat to the confederation, realistically. Unless they all act together." As the man spoke Cutter watched him.
War? Cutter wondered to himself. Free-space. That's where the aliens are from. He'd only seen one or two people from other worlds when he was younger. He remembered how they scared him, but he couldn't look away at the same time.
He felt a hand on his back which took him from his thoughts, looking up to his mother with a sad look in her eyes, but, she smiled at him regardless. "Go outside and play while we talk." He wanted to tell her that he wanted to stay and listen to them. Although, he knew there was no point. He felt himself leaving nonetheless and looking back as the front door closed behind him.
Outside it was cold, but, he was more concerned about what they were all talking about. People in the area were walking around quietly, some rushed, and others walked at slow paces with their heads low. The speakers were droning on as they usually did. He paid no attention to what they were saying.
He sat down out on the street by his house with his back propped against the wall, the uneven brickwork dug into his back slightly so he made an effort not to lean too heavily on it. He picked up a stone from the dust track he sat on and looked at it. Bored, he threw the stone away and then quickly looked for another. They must have been star jumpers. He picked up another stone, smooth on one side with a jagged edge, it almost looked like a spaceship, he began to make it fly, sound effects and all. Imagining himself, his mother, and his father inside the ship leaving their planet for a nicer one.
As he was lost in his daydream he heard the sounds of laughter growing in the distance, as he looked, he saw some of the other kids from his road running up the path towards him. "Where are you going?" Cutter asked. One of them slowed down as they were passing by. "We're going to watch the soldiers, come on!"
The boy started to run, trying to catch up with the others, Cutter dropped the stone and took off after them. They all made it to the barracks in no time, where there was a small crowd gathered, the people talking amongst themselves seemed angry. The barracks was a large building which was in a walled-off square by itself, the walls surrounding it weren't high though. They were more for show, rather than being there to stop anyone from entering the grounds.
Cutter and the others found a spot across from the main entrance, a slight hill with some trees and bushes. As soon as they got to the top of the hill some of the other kids started to climb up the largest tree, Cutter decided to climb the smaller one beside it.
He jumped to grab a branch to pull himself up, he thought he was going to fall off at first as the hard bark of the tree crumbled in between his fingers but he managed to maintain his grip. With both hands, he pulled himself up and was able to stand on a large branch. He looked out over the ground.
He looked at the crowd gathered on the path at the bottom of the hill and could hear the murmur of them as they talked amongst themselves. Hearing one voice louder than the others. "We just want to be told what's going on!" A man shouted and as he finished another began. "We deserve to know!" The crowd continued to grow for a few minutes as others joined the mass of people. Others began to shout at the few guards posted outside the entrance of the building.
Within a few minutes, the doors slid open and more soldiers stepped out in two separate columns and moved left and right to stand on either side of the doors, more then walked out and lined up in front of the crowd. "I want to be a soldier when I'm older, look at their armor." One of the other kids said.
"I want a gun," Cutter replied without taking his eyes off the soldiers. "Nobody would tell me what to do if I had one of those." Cutter continued.
Once they were all lined up, a man stepped out followed by four more soldiers in different armor, the Director of their colony. Instead of the normal blue and black coloured armor as the others, the ones behind the director wore blue and white and had their full faces covered with helmets. Cutter had seen the man before, but, had never spoken to him.
He raised both of his hands to the crowd, instantly a hush fell over everyone and all Cutter could hear was the rustle of the leaves surrounding him. "I know you are afraid, but, I can assure you that nothing is wrong." He said, in a calm and even tone. "I've seen ships mobilizing and dropping off more men and supplies and not your average cargo ships, but, the big cruisers from the Inner Sanctum!" A man called out.
"Yes that is true, but, it is only a precaution. As some of you may have heard there have been attacks and raids on some nearby colony worlds. So, we have been granted more forces to defend ourselves." The crowd went up again with inaudible babble. "I've heard there is a war coming!" A man shouted. "There may well be, but, as it stands we haven't been told if it is true or not. But, we have been given orders to cease all incoming and outgoing goods from any free-space worlds." The Director went on.
"We have families here who depend on goods from free-space!" A woman called out. "It was not my decision, but, I will respect and honor it. In conjunction with all of that, each Confederation world is to be placed on lockdown."
The crowd began to push up against the line of guards standing in front of the barracks. Cutter could see them move as if they were one big living blob. "Everyone return home! I will not accept people barking questions at me in such an uncivilized manner." The director's tone at this point had changed. It was more frustrated and angry. "You are holding back information!" Someone shouted. "What is going to happen to us?" Another voice spoke up.
"I have already said more than I had to say. It is a very uncertain time for all of us we need to stand together if we have a hope of coming through all of this without sinking into chaos. Go back to your homes immediately. Those who remain will be forced to leave!" A loud bang that made Cutter's ears ring, sounded. As the Director clutched at his chest collapsing to the ground.
The crowd dispersed quickly, some frantically running away and others erupted into a fight with the guards who were lined up. "The Director has been shot!" He heard one shouting. Within a few moments of a struggle, one of the soldiers in the front began to shoot, and then a flurry of gunfire went off from the others as the people who stayed behind began to also fall to the ground. The doors opened as the Director's body was dragged inside and other soldiers rushed outside. Cutter saw some of the other kids running in the confusion and decided to run as well and get back home.
End
Here's a link to Part 2
A World To Depart (Epilogue) Part 2 @killerwot/a-world-to-depart-epilogue-efe7447be984a