I do not own Salad fingers. I'm not even sure I own the live version of Kenneth. But he belongs to the army. This is set before Salad went completely mutated and before the Great War had properly ended (a.k.a before EVERYBODY DIED!)
Clunk Clunk Clunk
That was the sound of the man's footsteps. Limping across the dead grass. His speed was slow, but his eyes darted across the plains, taking in every detail. There wasn't much. What remained of the man's beloved home were a few wrecked and smoking houses, a few strands of sickly greenery, and a dead tree. The man chewed on his knuckles tearfully, whilst his mind conjured up the most blissful and painful memories of what it once was. A happy street, walking bystanders, foliage of all kinds.
And now, it was gone. The man stopped walking for a second, traumatised from the shock. How could it be? His corner of the world, his very centre when he was growing up, dead. Well, not completely dead. Houses still remained, however damaged, and there was a little bit of greenery. He sat down next to the few strands of grass, collecting his thoughts. His general said he was a fool to visit here. His general, had in fact, forbade it. He could picture him well. Addressing him and the rest of his private battalion, most of them from his hometown, most of them young boys and most of them scared.
"Now men, I have received some bad news. Before I say it, I want you all to stay calm and think rationally. Do you promise me that?"
"Promise sir"
"Good. Now, I have received intelligence that your hometown has been bombed."
The collective gasp that had gone up from that was heart breaking. It wasn't your average, oh-that's-bad kind of gasp, but the type that showed real pain. These men and boys had all been raised in that town, been educated. Probably had a girl back there as well. It was a country estate in the middle of nowhere, mostly surrounded by lush fields, so everyone knew everyone. That was one of the reasons why the news was such a shock. It wasn't the kind of place you'd expect to be bombed, so nobody was evacuated. On the contrary, all the city people had been brought in instead.
"Sir?" Said a small young private called Jason, who claimed to be twenty but in reality barely made sixteen.
"Yes, private 406?"
"When can we visit it?" He asked timidly.
Then the general laughed. It wasn't even a cruel laugh. A genuine one.
"My boy, it wouldn't be safe and it would be pointless! It was bombed to the ground! Nothing would remain of it but a smoking wreck!" He chortled.
Kenneth had gritted his teeth at that point. He was one of the oldest in his little troop, at twenty-five. He had always disliked authority figures that abused their power. He personally felt teachers constantly flexed their ability. This general wasn't bad, and Kenneth did have some respect for him, but when he made that comment about the smoking wreck, Kenneth resented him. How dare he? How dare the man slander their birthplace? How dare he dash a boy's hopes like that?
It made Kenneth want to go back. He had sat in his nuclear bunker with the rest of his troop, twiddling his thumbs and making thoughtful sounds. No, he decided, the general was wrong. The place would not be burned to the ground. His home wasn't like that. His home was happy. He had to find out for himself. The whole reason he joined up for the Great War was because he wanted to find out things. To be brave, to travel, and to find out what real life was like. His family had always been sceptical about him signing for the army, but they couldn't stop him. They did seem proud (and teary) when he boarded the train that would take him to the barracks. Particularly his older brother. He had been denied access to the army due to mental illness. Kenneth missed him. And his little sister too…their smiling faces were heart-breaking…He simply had to find out what had become of them. And he would. He swung his legs off the top bunk bed, and tiptoed over to Private Jason.
"Hey, Jason…psst!"
"W-what? Kenneth? Am I late for morning roll call?"
"No, no Jason. It's just…I've been thinking…"
"About what? What does it have to do with me?"
"It's about our hometown. I don't think it would be bombed. I believe it still stands."
"You do?"
"Yes. And I'm going back there tonight."
"You can't…"
"I don't care. Will you come with me?"
Jason thought for a moment, staring deep into Kenneth's brown eyes.
"No." he said.
"What?"
"No. I'm not going back."
"Why?"
"Because…I believe what the general said. I trust him. He wouldn't fool around with us. Besides, if it is true, what will there be? Nothing." Choked the boy.
Kenneth frowned.
"Fine. I'll go by myself."
"Wait…Kenneth…don't…please…I know you don't believe me…"
"Too bloody right I don't."
"It'll be deserting! When you come back…"
"If I come back."
"…You'll be shot on sight! I'm begging you Kenneth, please, just stay with us."
"What about your family? I bet they'll be glad to see you."
"Get away from me!" snapped Jason, covering his face with the blanket.Kenneth did feel bad after that. Jason was just a boy, and it was an impossible chance that his family- or anyone- had survived a bombing. But nevertheless, Kenneth realised he had to do this alone. He packed emergency rations (issued to every solider in the event of a nuclear bombing and/or separation from the army) and slipped off into the night.
Night and day he had walked, trudging over dead grass and smouldering remains. What remained of the outside world wasn't much. It wasn't a total wasteland, but he still had no clue where he was going. He was convinced he was going the wrong way, though he memorised this route back home in his sleep. He didn't know why, but instead of learning the route to the next army bunker (as they were instructed to) Kenneth had convinced himself to learn the route to hometown. Impractical and improbable, but Kenneth knew it nonetheless.
And so, after days of walking, he had reached what his guessed remained of his hometown. His lips were parched and his tummy rumbling, all the food and drink long gone, and here he was, on the edge of nothing. His heart sank. He was a fool. Why did he come here? Was he sick of the war? The war that had been going on for years? Countless years. So many nights…The war had consumed new lives, old lives, anyone's lives. It had been eating at him away for ages, the horror of war. Kenneth shrugged the thoughts off. He had to go back. He couldn't start thinking about how he hated the war. He was a soldier. He wasn't a little boy anymore. This wasn't his home anymore. The nuclear bunker where he spent his days was his home. He had no family. The soldiers and the rest of his troops were his family now.
He was slowly but surely tearing himself up. His mind was twisted and undecided, and silent tears rolled down Kenneth's cheek.
He didn't want to go back.
He wanted to stay here. He wanted to stay in what was once his happy place. He wanted to re-live his old life, where he was joyful, carefree, without responsibilities. It sickened him. He wouldn't want to go back to war. He couldn't even properly remember what started it. He vaguely knew it was another country, one with nuclear weapons and large armies. But what country, he couldn't remember. He knew that they ganged up on each other, other countries taking sides until they were like two vicious gangs, street gangs with not just stones, knives or insults, but with weapons of mass destruction. No, he did not want to go back to it. His eyes scanned the landscape, looking for some sign that there was still life, one sign that would reboot his happiness. To his surprise, he found it.
22
The numbers on the cabin were clear and shiny. They didn't even have a scratch on them. Neither did the cabin. Their old house…Kenneth's old shack, his families' dwelling…was still alive.
There was hope.
He found strength. Kenneth lifted up his tired body off the ground and ran to the house. He stumbled few times, but always got back up. He was home…he was FREE! His pace quickened the closer he got. Family, friends, everyone…waiting for him behind the door…
Family, friends, everyone…waiting for him behind the door…
In his excitement, he slammed into the door with all his might…It creaked open….
