Guaneus closed the gate of the Slaughterhouse, gladly leaving the terrible stench making him squint. There was a big delivery the next day. Guzzoline and bullets for his precious goods.
He had built a perfect system. He closed the gates of the Citadel, to make it safe for everyone. He promised them home. He would personally supervise each person was given enough crops and water to show his deep care. He made them believe in it. Because he knew that they would not notice…
Disappearances.
The old, the weak, the sick. Why should they pay any attention to them anyway? Weren't they the weak point after all? And they thought sorting was a good thing. All had to contribute but in accordance to their dispositions, of course.
He was happy for every new child, having his men inspect all new-borns to estimate to which section put them later.
Guaneus allowed himself a little smile.
Perfect system.
On the way to his quarters he stopped in the Chamber, although Qyh was informing him every day.
"Not a single word, my lord."
Guaneus would never accept he was not able to break her. It only needed more time.
That one-armed bitch!
"She wants to be killed," Qyh said with his slobbery voice. Guaneus felt the bitter taste of disgust at the back of his tongue.
So she would rather die than speak?
"Move," he ordered Qyh, walking closer, watching the helpless form hanging in the chains. He shot Qyh a glare. The servant was licking his cracked lips, a lustful grin on his face, his spine like a dorsal fin of a white shark. His children would be deformed.
But Guaneus had use for everyone.
"I can guarantee your suffering will have no end," he uttered, only his determination to fulfil his statement greater than his loathing. Women like that thought they were something more. Stronger, independent, clever – whatever. But that was only an illusion, just like the world of happiness he had created behind the gates of the Citadel.
He would make sure to take the illusion away.
Every day he believed he would not be able to lift the rocks any longer. His muscles were burning. Lava was running in his veins. His head was heavy and he was just expecting it to break open any second.
"Move!"
The well-aimed kick sent him to the dust, dirt and sand digging into his skin. He rolled over, looking at his hands. Skin was hanging from them in tatters. Blood drops were falling on the dusty ground.
When he moved, he heard the rustling chain on his feet.
Was that how he was going to die?
He got up to avoid further kicking. He wished he died in the car crash.
She witnessed me…
Grabbing the stone again, he tried to lift it up. Nothing happened. With a strange feeling of relief he realized the day had come.
"What the fuck did I say?"
A few more kicks and punches but he almost did not feel it at all. He was spread on the ground, helpless, not able to move a single muscle.
"Shit!"
The spit missed his face by an inch. He felt someone's rough hands on him and saw a stone above.
He wanted to crash his head with a stone?
Somehow he managed to crack a weak smile. He was glad nobody witnessed that.
The cry cut through the hot stiff air. Nux stirred. Was it his cry? He could not tell.
The stone fell on the ground next to him but Nux could not say if it hit him or not.
A shadow spread above him, shielding the sun.
"Long time no see…"
The growl of a beast…
Nux put the rest of his strength to lifting his eyes up. What he saw assured him he must have died.
"What the fuck you're doing here?" the voice grunted.
"You're supposed to be dead, boy."
Nux thought the voice was right. His left eyebrow went slightly up when he was lifted from the ground and taken away. He was watching his own arms, dangling hopelessly like two dead snakes. He would laugh if he had the strength to do it.
But he felt more like the sand around than a human being. All his life juice was sucked away.
"Hope it's comfy," was heard above him while he was thrown into a car.
"You better hold on something," the voice said and the door shut close. Nux finally managed to smirk and slipped down the seats on the floor.
"Your plan is shit."
Max grunted, arms crossed on his chest. The silver moonlight was casting shadows over his face. It was silent around except for the almost inaudible muffled groans from the rags Nux was laying in.
"It's not even a plan," Max added. "You think we just burst inside and renew the peace or whatever?"
He shook his head with a snort.
"Bullshit."
Capable was watching him, resting on the ground next to Nux. She held her hand on Nux's feverish shoulder, feeling his hot blood running in his veins.
"We can try to get in at night."
"Suicide," Max said with a crooked smirk.
"What do you suggest then?" she asked.
"Don't do it," Max said. The smirk was still on his face, revealing his teeth. His eyes were dark, the moonlight reflecting in them feebly.
"He'll kill her," Capable said, not even trying to hold her temperature down anymore. She noticed Max's eyes darkened even more.
"He'll torture her to death," she continued, her voice quiet and shaky.
"I came here for you to help her."
"We can't do nothing," Max growled silently. "Forget it."
"Bastard," Capable uttered, ignoring the dangerous flash of his eyes. Albeit fear was still holding her in its grasp, her anger seemed to be much stronger.
"Do you known what he'll do to her?"
His flat expression did not give anything away but Capable saw his right hand clutching into a fist.
"He'll burn her, flog her, beat her, rape her…"
She paused, catching her breath. She felt sick when thinking of it. She closed her eyes for a second, seeing her face right in front of her.
Furiosa, hold on…
She looked back at Max, whose muscular silhouette was staying motionless in the shadows of the rocks. He reminded of a beast waiting to attack.
"And you'll leave her to die. Just like you've already let them."
In the following second Capable was pinned to the rock behind her, with Max's tall, heavy body crushing her like a giant stone. It kicked the air out of her lungs and she gasped, looking into his face only an inch from hers.
"You don't speak of them," he said through gritted teeth. Capable did not fight back, she only managed to take a breath.
"Still better if you try than if you don't do anything," she muttered with her throat tight. Max kept staring at her, his eyes roving over her face. Capable tried to see through his eyes and she thought she saw confusion in them.
"You want to add another nightmare?" she asked. Max blinked. He opened his mouth to speak but did not say anything. He regarded her with a cold look before withdrawing and stepping aside.
"She said you are the only hope," Capable said, rubbing the wrist he was holding.
"She trusts only you."
Max shook his head and looked away, running a hand through his hair. He stayed standing like that, still like a statue made of sandstone. Capable could almost see his whirling thoughts. He moaned, the sound a combination of annoyance and capitulation. But Capable could translate it to words quite well.
Yes.
She felt the burden on her shoulders lifting and she slowly relaxed and took a deep breath.
"We need to get moving," she said, standing up. "We need to go right now."
"Right now," Max said, turning at her with his eyes flashing, "we need a plan, vixen."
Another instalment. Hope you liked. It's perhaps a bit violent but so was Mad Max :-D Thank you for reading and please, comment!
