Warnings: Implied Violence
Within the Garden of Eden
The warmth of the sun felt like a bit of Heaven against his skin, and the rustling of the grass in the spring breeze was like music. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, inhaling the mingling fragrances of the newly bloomed flowers. It was a perfect day to be in the Garden of Eden, especially with his beloved. Though he felt his life before had been filled with importance and meaning, there was no other place he wanted to be. He had done just as he had wished; swept it all away, and nothing had ever made him happier. The world he had left behind seemed like a distant memory, and he was willing to do anything to keep it that way.
She lay beside him, sleeping contentedly with one arm sprawled across his chest. A small smile creased his lips as he watched her, the rhythmic rise and fall of her breathing bringing him comfort. She was really nothing special, pleasing to the eye, of course, but many women were, and she hadn't even proven to be of much use back in the Wastes. In fact, she had put him in some hot water with Tenpenny; hot water he'd had to employ much smooth talking to get out of, and yet... she never failed to make his heart skip a beat.
He took another deep breath, closing his eyes again. Maybe she had the right idea. A short nap would do him some good. The sun was high in the sky, so they would have plenty of time to get home before nightfall, and it would be ridiculous not to make the most of such a perfect moment. His last thought as he dozed was that she would never allow him to sleep too long anyway.
He was only partially right.
As he began to rouse from his sleep he immediately noticed a distinct change in the air. The breeze from before had become a chilly wind, and the wonderful scents had become something foul. He raised himself up a little, reaching under his glasses to rub his eyes. They stung unpleasantly, and his mouth had become unbearably dry. From what he could see, the last of the sun's light was fading. How long had he been asleep? Why hadn't she woken him?
Suddenly, he was aware of something gently tapping against his skin; a liquid. Was it beginning to rain? When his eyes finally felt a bit less irritated he looked to his beloved, and for a moment he thought his heart, and perhaps even time itself had stopped. There was no rain, and for that matter there was no grass, no beautiful flowers. The scene spread before him was the barren, decrepit Wasteland, and more painfully, a scene of death and despair. Her beautiful bare skin was now a sickly mix of red and rust, her hair matted and dry. It was her blood he felt, and the nearby laughter of mercenaries turned his own to ice. His gun. Where was his gun? Soon it wouldn't matter, because they would be on top of him.
Mister Burke suddenly bolted upright, panting and drenched in a cold sweat. His heart pounded in his chest as he looked frantically for the men he knew were approaching, but found only the familiar sight of his room at Tenpenny Tower. A dream... it had all been nothing but a dream. The passion, the warmth, the comfort... none of it had been real. He should have known, but for some reason he hadn't. Where would anyone find a garden in this world?
He winced as his stomach began twisting itself in knots. The garden and the pleasure may have been nothing more than fabrications of his mind, but the mercenaries... they were very real. He remembered Tenpenny ordering him to sign the contract only hours ago. Feelings of guilt welled up inside him, making him feel a little sickly. Her blood was all over his hands, and nothing he could do would ever wash it away.
There was still plenty of work to be done, but Tenpenny would no longer be able to count on his right-hand man as he had in the past. Burke couldn't afford to lose such a valuable resource, but from now on, there would be limits to how far he could be pushed.