Final Fantasy VIII belongs to Squaresoft of course.
Rated PG-13 for violence and a bit of language.
A pair of small grubby hands reached for the shining
doorknob, and then apprehensively gave it a turn.
"Um…dad?"
His father turned his attention to the doorway. "Hey, there's my boy," he said as that smile that always managed to drive every one of the child's cares away formed across his features. "Where've you been, huh? Its almost time for us to be leaving."
The boy opened the door wide enough for him to step through
and moved slowly into the light.
Tears formed in his eyes as he saw the expression of shock on his father's face.
"I got beat up," he sniffed.
"Come' ere," his father motioned him to sit down on the
bed.
"What happened?" His father questioned.
"Billy Stevens was calling Sara Jenkins names.
The child stopped his story momentarily while the rag washed over his lips.
"And then…his two friends showed up, and they pounded on me too."
"Where was Watts?"
"He had to stay after school to do math problems, cause he
didn't do his homework.
His father chuckled at that.
"I wish I were bigger," Zone muttered.
"Just give it time," his father replied, as he looked his face over for any spots he'd missed. "When you grow into that big heart of yours, you'll be able to kick Billy's lousy butt all the way to Balamb one day."
Zone laughed a little as he pictured Billy Stevens sailing through the air after coming into contact with an enormous shoe.
"But I'm proud of you," his father continued as he ruffled
his son's hair. "You stood up for what you believed in, even against the
odds.
"I felt good on the inside," Zone said. "Even though my face wasn't feelin too good."
This brought another melodic laugh from his father.
A blush spread across the ten-year-old's features. "Yeah…she…she gave me a kiss on the cheek after they left."
"Well, then, it wasn't a complete loss was it?"
"No sir," he smiled.
"You just hang in there," his father said. "One day they'll
get what's coming to them. When they knock you down, fall if you have to.
Zone nodded.
The strong arms of his father enveloped him in a blanket of security and comfort, and he felt safe for the first time that day.
Darrius held his son as his eyes wandered to the dresser
where they fell on a picture of his wife.
He gave his son a final pat on the back.
Zone giggled. "I bet he's still waiting on Watts to get home."
He followed his father to his room where he grabbed a pair
of socks from a small dresser drawer and leapt up on his bed.
"Is a lot of people gonna be there dad?"
"The whole town I think," his father replied while tossing a pair of khaki pants and a shirt onto the bed.
"Good." He shoved a foot through one sock. "I hope Billy Jenkins is there, bet his dad never got an award from the mayor."
"Yeah I know," Zone said as he stretched his arms through the blue shirt and thrust it over his head. "But c'mon dad, awards are still cool."
"Yeah," His father chuckled. "Yeah, they are."
"I wish mom were here to see it," Zone said quietly. "Do you think she'll be watching?"
Darrius smiled. "Oh, absolutely."
After a few minutes and some complaints about choice of
clothes, the pair made their way out the front door.
The streetlights illuminated the sidewalks as the sun bid
farewell to Timber for another day.
Watts's mom could be heard yelling from the house up
ahead.
"When we get back your coming straight home and you're gonna work on that homework till you finish it or your eyes bleed! Whichever comes first!"
"Yes ma'am," he called back to her.
"Mom's got your number huh?" His smirk grew wider.
"Shut yer trap Ochu face!" Watts retorted. "If I weren't sitting on a week of being grounded already I'd…Hey! You've got a black eye! Cool!"
Zone beamed with pride. "Isn't it though?
"Yeah, right!" Watts said as he raised an eyebrow. "And my mom lays eggs like a chocobo!"
"Really?" Zone looked at him with mock amazement. "That's quite a talent."
"I was being sarcastic funguar brain!"
They're snide remarks continued flying back and forth as they walked up the street ahead of their parents.
"I have no idea where they get that from," Darrius said nonchalantly as they made their way down the cobbled street.
"Me either," Marcus replied. "Malboro breath."
"Geezard lips."
Marcus's wife, Rachael, could only sigh and hide her head behind one of her hands as the two men continued to berate each other with names, attracting the attention of the passersby.
Shopkeepers spun around their "open" signs and locked their doors. People vanished around corners, ducking into invisible doorways stepping down into the world below.
And for the second shift of soldiers, Timber was a peaceful town at the end of its day.
Below people filled into the large room.
A small podium stood at the far end of the hall.
The microphone squealed with feedback causing a wave of cringes throughout the crowd.
Mayor Wallace cleared his throat.
"Sons and daughters of Timber.
A cheer went up from the crowd as the applause bounced back from the walls.
"And though this does not do justice to the task you have accomplished," he continued. As acting mayor of Timber, I would like to present each of you with these medals of Honor."
Zone and Watts watched proudly as their fathers made their
way to the front of the room, neither of them knowing that the next few minutes
would be the longest of their lives.
Their fathers stood as the mayor proceeded to put medals
around their necks.
"What?"
At once the barricaded doors were blown open and the room
was quickly filled with Galbadian soldiers.
Heavily guarded by two elite soldiers, Vinzer Deling stepped through the doorway followed by the Galbadian generals and two soldiers carrying heavy nylon rope.
Guns cocked menacingly around the room.
Zone made ready to run to his father but was quickly halted by a gun that placed itself inches away from his head.
"Don't move."
Everything went disturbingly quiet.
A single pair of hands began clapping slowly as eyes turned to focus on Deling, who seemed delighted in his mockery.
"Oh, well done," His words dripped with sarcasm and
venom.
He met the two men in front of the crowd with a sinister gaze.
"Now it is something I must rectify."
The soldiers quickly restrained Marcus and Darrius; their arms were thrown around their backs as metal clasps came down around their hands, fastening them together.
Deling nodded to the soldiers carrying the rope.
The Timber citizens were horrified as they realized what was about to take place.
"Now wait just a minute Deling," came a demand voiced by the mayor, "You said you were going to arrest them not execute them, this wasn't part of the deal!"
Another shock rocked the room as the identity of the betrayer sunk in.
"You know something," Deling replied, "Your absolutely right
Wallace."
The gunshot reverberated through the hall as the bullet made contact with the head of Mayor Wallace. Blood as well as fragments of skull and brain exploded against the wall. His body slumped to the ground.
"It's high time we eliminated the middle man," Vinzer said as he grinned delightedly at the mess he had made.
"Now," he continued, "As I was saying before I was so
interrupted.
"Quite frankly, its just damn annoying."
He turned to face his two prisoners. "So it is with great honor and pride that I hereby deem you two examples to the public."
"You bastard!" Marcus spat.
"Please don't do this!" came a distressed plea from his wife, who held a weeping Watts closely by her side.
Deling turned around. "Is this the little woman Marcus?" he
queried.
"Don't you touch her you son of a bitch!"
"I'll do whatever I damn well please!"
"Please," Darrius pleaded.
"But your boys here need to learn early," the president replied, "I'm only doing this for their benefit so they'll remember down the road about what happens to traitors."
He looked at Zone.
The boy was silent.
"No?
"Mr. President sir!" A voice interrupted.
"General Caraway, do tell me who put you in charge of giving me orders?" he barked.
"No one sir, but…"
"You have a lovely wife and daughter don't you Caraway?
The general stepped down, and remained silent.
"Do any of the rest of you have anything to say?" Deling questioned as he looked around the room.
Everyone found themselves unable to speak.
"Good.
Two 4-foot supports were carried to the front of the room, and soldiers assisted the prisoners into their nooses and onto their execution blocks.
Zone couldn't contain himself anymore.
His father looked down at him.
He gave his son a reassuring smile as a single tear slid down his face.
And with that…the order was carried out to knock the supports out from under them.
The resounding crack of their necks echoed through the hall and stretched for miles underneath Timber's streets.
Watts held his mother tightly as she fell to her knees
sobbing.
"Do we have an understanding now?" Deling turned to the
horrified crowd.
Muffled sobs could be heard throughout the crowd as they wept for the lives taken, and the ones who were left behind, and the dismal future that lie ahead of everyone.
He raised the pistol in his hand and pointed it at
Zone.
Zone didn't move, he didn't even acknowledge Deling's
presence.
The President cocked the gun.
Zone blinked once.
"You will acknowledge your President when spoken to!"
Zone turned to face the president.
"Zone, no!" Rachael scrambled to reach for him.
Deling turned just in time to see a shining blade plunge
through the air and into his abdomen.
"You little shit!" he screamed as his leg came around and hit the boy hard in the stomach.
Zone crumpled to the floor, he gasped and coughed violently
as he tried to regain his breath.
Vinzer yanked the small blade from his body and bent down to
retrieve the gun.
A figure suddenly appeared between the gun and its target.
"Sir," General Caraway said as he brought his hand down on
the gun. "I must warn you that killing an innocent child will not hold well
with the worldwide public.
Caraway searched Deling's eyes for some sort of sanity that
remained.
Deling shook with rage, but slowly lowered the gun.
"Take your men and leave general," he growled.
Caraway saluted him, though it pained him inwardly to do so.
Soldiers began filing out of the hall and the elite soldiers took their places at the president's sides to ready to fire on the first sign of a threat.
"I want all of you miserable people out of here now!" Deling
said.
The people of Timber turned and walked slowly from the room, defeat and hopelessness written on their faces.
The president turned to look one last time at the miserable boy who had assaulted him.
Zone was on his knees, clutching his father's feet.
The look the boy gave Vinzer Deling would return to haunt him
on a night years from now, as he lay at the top of his presidential residence
taking his last short breaths of life.
