The First Time

Marcus Kane was always sitting up in bed, waiting for his mother to come into his room before he went to bed. She came in at 9:45pm sharp every night, the second that the door slid shut after her husband left for work. Tonight was no different, when the door opened and Vera's head appeared, Marcus was sitting up, his back propped against his pillow. She always made the same comment, "Up a little late for someone so young."

"I'm almost six!" He replied proudly. She smiled as she walked into the room with her tablet in her hand. "What is it tonight?"

"Oh, one of my old favorites," she said, sitting down on the edge of his bed. "Now that you're so grown up, I thought I would share it with you."

"What's it called?"

"The Alchemist," she replied, offering him the tablet. He took it eagerly, staring at the title and author's name. "It's about following what your heart desires. What do you desire, my son?"

He looked up at her and contemplated it for several moments. She waited patiently. "I want to be a Guard."

"A Guard, really?" She asked and he nodded. "Your father wants you to join him in maintenance when you're older."

Marcus shook his head. "I want more."

"Good," Vera said with a smile. "Now, this story starts with a boy named Santiago. I think you'll like him."

She reached for the tablet and flicked to page 1. She cleared her throat and launched into the story. Marcus always liked it when she read. She was passionate, she did voices for the characters, and, most of all, he enjoyed spending the time with her.

She read for 30 minutes, as she always did, and ignored his protests for a few more minutes. She set the tablet on his bedside table and stood up. She turned and tucked him in. He settled against the pillows and she kissed his forehead. She whispered, "Tell me your dreams in the morning, my sweet boy."

He nodded as she pulled away, grabbing her tablet. She walked toward the door, but stopped dead when she heard the door to their quarters open. She turned back to Marcus and whispered, "Stay in bed."

He nodded again as she walked out of the room. He could see his father through the open doorway. He held a bottle in his hand and seemed to be swaying a little. His mother walked over to him and asked, "Is something wrong? Why are you home so early?"

"Boss sent me home," Edward said, angrily. "Said I was unfit to work tonight."

He took another step into the room and looked towards Marcus' room, where the light was still on. He asked, voice raised, "Why in the hell is he still awake? He has school in the morning."

Vera replied calmly, "We were reading."

"What the hell are you reading to him for?" He asked, taking another swig of the bottle in his hand. "He doesn't need that."

"He likes it," she replied, trying to get away from him. They went out of view from the door and Marcus slowly crept out of his bed to get a better look. Edward caught Vera's shoulder and said harshly, "Don't you dare turn away from me."

Vera turned her head to look at Edward, but looked past him at Marcus. Her eyes darted toward his bedroom. The movement didn't go unnoticed by his father. Edward turned around and found Marcus in the doorway. He slammed the bottle down on the table next to him and marched across the room to Marcus. He grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and hurled him back into his bedroom. "It's past 10. Go to bed."

Marcus didn't get up from the floor as his father walked back out of the room. He heard him yell, "You have one job in this household and that is to raise that fucking kid! And you're not even doing that right!"

Marcus rubbed his elbow as he stood up from the floor. He almost went to his bed, but he heard a thump from the living room. He rushed to the door and found his mother crumpled on the floor, holding her head. She muttered, "Edward, please, stop…"

"Not until you learn your place!"

Marcus stood frozen in the door, unsure of what to do. It became clear to him that this was not normal when his mother screamed after his father hit her again. He charged out of the room and ran at his father. Edward, momentarily surprised, was hit across the arm with his son's small fist. Marcus backed away as his father turned his full attention on him. Edward growled, "Looks like you need to start learning your place, too."

The Last Time

The stench of moonshine on him was evident the second that the door to their quarters opened. Marcus sat at the kitchen table, pouring over the Guard Training Manual in front of him. He ignored his father as he walked to the fridge and pulled out his bottle of moonshine. He assumed that he would leave again to go drink with his colleagues, but he lingered. Marcus glanced quickly to his mother on the couch and found her face buried in her knitting, trying not to draw her husband's attention. Marcus tried to do the same and focus on his book, but it was snatched from him. He sat there, his eyes on the spot his book had been; he did not look up at his father.

"Guard Training Manual," Edward read slowly. "What the hell do you have this for?"

To the table, Marcus said, "I'm entering the Junior Guard program."

"Since when have you wanted to be a Guard?"

All of my life. Marcus replied, "A while."

"Was that sass?"

Marcus shook his head. "No, sir."

He heard his father chuckle and heard a thud. He glanced at the trash and found his book tossed on top. Edward said, "You don't need that. You're coming to maintenance with me."

"Like hell I am," Marcus muttered.

The room went eerily silent. He looked toward his mother and her mouth was open, eyes wide. Edward slammed his bottle down and leaned across the table. Marcus turned to look at his father. Edward snarled, "What did you just say to me?"

Marcus stood up suddenly, shoving the chair back with his legs. "I said 'Like hell I am.' I'm not becoming like you."

Edward looked at him in surprise. His eyes narrowed at him, but Marcus couldn't tell if it was because he was drunk or angry. He commented, "When the hell did you get so big?"

"I'm sixteen," Marcus replied.

"Are you now?" Edward asked, glaring at his son. "And you think now that you're all tall and strong that you can stand up to me?"

Vera rushed over from her spot on the couch and said, "He didn't mean it, Edward. He'll apologize."

"He'd better or he knows what's coming for him," Edward said, his fist clenching. He shoved Vera out of his way as he reached for his moonshine.

Marcus felt his blood boil as he slammed his fists down on the table. He found himself shouting, "Don't you touch her!"

Edward's hand stalled on its way to the bottle. He stared hard at his son as he swung his hand back and smacked his wife across the face. Marcus' ears were pounding with blood as he launched himself around the table. He grabbed his father by the arm as he raised it for another blow. Marcus twisted it behind his father's back until he heard a pop.

"Fuck!" Edward screamed, falling to the ground. Vera scrambled to safety on the other side of the table. She stared at Marcus as he advanced on his father. He grabbed the collar of his father's shirt and said, "I said don't fucking touch her."

A laugh bubbled out of Edward's mouth. "About time you manned up."

"It's about time you get out and never come back," Marcus snarled. His hand still on his father's shirt collar, he slammed Edward's head against the cabinet next to him.

Vera screamed, "Marcus!"

He ignored her and did it again before releasing his father. Edward slumped against the cabinet and Marcus sidestepped him to crouch in front of Vera. He whispered, "Are you okay?"

"You shouldn't have done that," she muttered, her words shaky.

"Enough is enough, Mom," Marcus said quietly. "It's been ten years of this. One of us had to stand up to him."

She suddenly looked at movement behind him and Marcus quickly turned around, but his father had his hand around his neck and was pushing Marcus against the nearest wall. He yelled, spittle flying against Marcus' skin, "You are in for it now, boy."

Marcus thrashed against his father, but Edward outweighed him by at least 30 kilos. He looked past Edward and stared at his mom as he felt himself becoming lightheaded. He found it hard to breathe as Edward squeezed harder. But suddenly, Edward released him. He muttered, "I won't be floated over the likes of you."

Marcus fell to his hands and knees and gasped for air. He looked up at his father, who had turned his attention to his wife. He barked, "Clean this place up!"

Vera quickly got to her feet and picked up the chair that Marcus had knocked over. Edward went for his moonshine on the table as Marcus struggled to his feet. He managed to stand in time to see his father take a swig out of the bottle. He walked slowly to the table and leaned against it. Edward lowered the bottle and said, "You fight well. You'll do well in maintenance."

Marcus let out a huff of air as he felt a second wind surge within him. He smacked the bottle out of his father's hand and it shattered over the floor. In his father's shock, Marcus grabbed him by the shirt and hurled him toward the door. He entered the code and shoved his father through it.

Edward fell against the hallway floor and stared up at his son. Marcus snarled, "Don't you ever come back here again."

"They'll float you for this, boy, mark my words!" The door slid shut in front of his face and Marcus quickly opened the access panel on the door to change the code. A small voice behind Marcus whispered, "Thank you."

Marcus woke the following morning as sore as he had ever been after a bout with his father. He slowly got out of bed and struggled to dress for school. He had just managed to pull on his jeans when he heard a knock on the front door. He walked out shirtless and answered it. A Guard stood on the other side. His eyes passed over the bruises on Marcus' torso before meeting his eyes. He asked, "Marcus Kane?"

"Yes?" Marcus replied uncertainly.

The Guard offered him his tablet. On the screen was his father's file. At the very top, in bold red letters were the words: ARRESTED. Marcus handed the tablet back to the Guard who said, "He was caught beating up a man over moonshine last night. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

"No, sir," Marcus replied.

The Guard nodded, again looking at the bruises on his body. "Well, the Council will vote on his case in a few hours. I will let you know the outcome."

"Thank you, sir."

Marcus sat in Earth Skills, unable to focus on anything. Charles Pike sat next to him, taking diligent notes for both of them. Marcus' eyes were on the door and, halfway through class, it finally opened. The same Guard from before walked in, apologized to the teacher, and asked for Marcus to be excused from class.

Marcus stood from his seat and weaved through the desks to follow the Guard out of the room. His mother was waiting down the hall. The Guard said, "Edward Kane was found guilty by the Council. His execution will take place in five minutes. Do you want to be with him?"

Marcus nodded, but Vera seemed reluctant. Marcus whispered, "We have to know he's gone."

He took his mother's hand and followed the Guard to the airlock. They waited a minute before Edward was brought down the hallway, flanked by two Guards. Marcus locked eyes with his father as he was stopped in front of them. One of the Guards said, "If you have any last words, Mr. Kane, I would say them now."

Edward glared at his son and said, "You'll never amount to anything."

The Guards dragged him away and he walked into the airlock. Marcus held his mother's hand tightly as he held his father's gaze. The Guard standing next to the airlock's control system looked back for orders and was given the nod by the Guard who had brought Marcus and Vera to the execution. Marcus' eyes did not waver from his father's as the button was pushed and the outer door opened.