(ONE DAY BEFORE TRIAL.)
Location: Amarkian Armed Forces Main Office
"All right," said the UN general. He had laid out a map of all the Amarkian Armed Forces Units on the table. Several other superiors were around him. "So we divide the military up into several sections. America gets the best one obviously, because, well, we deserve only the best. And this other one goes to our special partner, the UK. And this one goes to..."
An Amarkian general burst into the room. "What's going on here?"
"Get out! This is not your army anymore! It belongs to us!"
"What? You have no right to make changes before the trial! Now get out!" They all pointed their guns at the UN officials.
"All right. Come on, let's go. We'll have our fun later."
As they were leaving, the grabbed their suitcase with their documents. But they were stopped before they could. "And the suitcase stays," said the Amarkian general.
"What?"
"I said that it stays!" He snatched it from the official's hands. He got angry and started protesting. "Don't you try to grab it!" said the general. "Now get out of here! It's not safe for you here anymore!"
(AT THE ROYAL PALACE.)
The situation was tense. The entire country felt like it was ready to blow. The entire world was holding its breath, waiting to see what would happen. On TV, radio, newspaper, Facebook, Twitter, and the whole nine yards. This was quickly becoming the most televised thing ever.
"Well, Spiny, you only have one day left here," said Larry.
"Did you have to remind me? I kept telling myself that this was all a dream."
He sighed. "They tried dividing the army up into sections and distribute them amongst the nations. Fortunately, they were stopped. We managed to kick them out of the military office. But we do expect a lot of trouble after you leave. That's when we'll initiate Hammerdown Protocol."
"What?"
"Hammerdown Protocol. That's when the Space Armies come down and began attacking." I should probably explain about our space armies. It may seem fake, but we have space armies stationed in distant planets and galaxies. In total, they're dozens of millions; bigger than any earth army. In times of distress, we can call upon them. They arrive in a question of minutes and can begin to operate.
"You think we'll need them?" I asked Larry.
"I don't think it's a matter of if we'll need. It's a question of when we're going to call them."
I sighed and lay back on my bed. "I'm so worried, Larry. About what will happen to my family after I leave. And my friends."
He nodded. "Yeah. I know what you mean. I was thinking…Lilia hasn't even come to visit you."
I sighed. The mention of her name not only made my heart start racing and made my stomach sour, it also brought wonderful memories. At that moment, a flood of emotions hit me. First happiness, then sadness, and finally a deep nostalgia.
I wondered what Lilia was doing at that moment.
"But you know what, Larry? I won't let them get away."
"Not by hairs on your chinny chin chin?"
I glared at him. "I don't even shave yet, you dope! But a more appropriate expression would be, 'Not by the hairs on my head head head.'"
"I guess so."
"You know, I've changed my hairstyle over the years. Remember back in the 50s I had a DA haircut?"
He nodded. "I remember. And in the 60's you had a pompadour hairdo."
"And in the 70s, you started to wear your hair longer, like the Barry Gibb. You hair was just like his."
"Except my hair's black and without the moustache and the beard."
"Then in the 80s you had mullet haircut. In the 90s you had a business haircut."
"Then in 2002 I changed to my current style. I wear it in layers and wavy, and it covers my ears and reaches my shoulders."
"Like Tom Cruise?" Larry said.
"What?!"
"Bruce Willis? Uh…Vin Diesel?...Chuck Norris with a BB gun! I give up."
I glared at him. "Will you please shut up? At a time like, you're making jokes?"
"You're the one who brought up the subject of hair."
I…oh. Okay. Maybe did. "Well…I'm scared. I guess I'm just trying to distract myself." I mean, when you're scared to death, you have to take your mind off things, right?
(MEANWHILE.)
Location: Force Field Central Operations Center
"Come on, move it!" yelled the UN official. The soldiers were struggling with all their strength to rip off the force field machine. "Hurry! This will make us millionaires!"
A young lieutenant struggled to disconnect the confusing web of wires. "You…are…coming off…whether…you…like…or…not!"
Their work was interrupted when a group of Amarkian soldiers burst in. "What on earth do you think you're doing?"
The UN official ordered his men to point their guns at the Amarkians. "What are you doing?! This is all ours now! You have no right to be here anymore! We're taking this machine to where it belongs: in America."
"That's exactly where it doesn't belong! Your country has caused so much suffering in it and in the world. Now put that back! Or else I'll order my men to fire and we'll all die!"
A tense silence hung in the air. "Oh…all right! But we'll be back. Then you'll be sorry."
"I'm sure you will be."
(AT A UN FIELD OFFICE.)
The UN official laid out a map across the table. "Okay, we'll divide up into a dozen or so units. We take over everything. Remember, everything in this country is ours. If there are protests or riots…well, you know what to do. Clamp them down with force and have no mercy. These are inferior beings that don't deserve humane treatment."
Then he pointed on the map. "Our next objective is to find where they're hiding their gold. We don't know where it is, but we have ways of making talk."
"But sir," said another official, "even with this, we can't do anything until after the court makes its decision."
"Oh, don't worry, soldier. They'll declare him guilty. And when that happens, we begin our operations. After all, with the King out of the country and declared guilty, nobody will be able to do anything."
"What if, just suppose, that they don't declare him guilty?"
He smiled. "Don't worry, they will. I mean, abortion and LGBT are both controversial and strong. But we need something stronger. What if something worse even happened?"
"You mean…you intend to do something to make his situation worse?"
He nodded. "I'll make sure that he's declared guilty and given the worst punishment."
"How?"
"Don't worry. I'll take care of it."
(BACK AT THE PALACE.)
Larry and I stared at the clock. The seconds seemed like hours. The minutes like days. The hours like weeks. I couldn't take it any longer. The suspense was killing me. Tomorrow morning would be it. It was now late evening.
This would probably the last night I'd sleep in Amarkia. I was sitting at my desk, with my suitcases ready for tomorrow. I kept remembering those great moments in life. And even those that were not so great. But all those problems of the past seemed vague in comparison. I'd give anything to be in those situations instead.
I fell asleep on the desk. All that stress really took its toll. I had one last dream of Lilia and I. She was wearing a gorgeous spring gown with flowers in her hair. I had a blue dress shirt and a gray coat. We were in a field of flowers and blossoming cherry trees. The pink of the trees made her brown hair and her red cheeks more beautiful than what they already were.
I woke up to the alarm. It was nine in the morning. And no, it was not sunny. The skies looked gray and…frankly, gloomy. Melancholy. Even depressed. Thick dark gray clouds covered the entire sky.
It was like the mood of the day. Larry put his hand on my shoulder. "It's time to go." I nodded and sighed, feeling bluer than a sad jazz player.
I grabbed my suitcases and stepped out of my room. When I got down to the front door, the whole gang was there. My family and friends. My loved ones. Kathy came up to me, her eyes red and watery. She hugged me and kissed my cheek. "Goodbye, Spiny."
"Goodbye, sis."
Patty came up and hugged me too.
"Take care, cousin," I said to her.
Then I came to Robert and Greeny. "Remember what I said, Robert. I trust you. I know you'll be a good leader." He bit his lip, trying to hold back the tears. I wanted him to be strong for the family's sake. I kissed Greeny on the head and run my hands through his hair. "Bye, Greeny."
"Spiny, please don't go!" he threw his hands around me and started crying. I almost lost it myself.
"I'll be okay. You take care of the girls and mind your brother, okay?"
He nodded and sniffled. "Okay."
I stood up and went over to Roger. He hugged me. "Take care, man."
"You too, dude." I pointed at Darla. "Take care of him. Or her."
Darla smiled and hugged me too. I have to admit, that even wearing her baseball cap and her life-preserver, she still looked cute. "I'll miss you," she said.
"So will I."
Dimetroodon and Rudy were also too. I hugged Rudy and shook hands…or tried to, with Dimetroodon.
Then I went to Lilia. We threw our arms around each other. She started sobbing. I ran my hands through her hair. Her soft, silky hair. I looked at her straight in the face. Into her beautiful caramel/honey brown eyes. I gently wiped the tears from her face and caressed her cheek.
Then I kissed her affectionately and softly. "I love you," I whispered.
She gave me a small, sad smile. "I love you, too." She kissed my cheek and sniffled.
Then I went to Larry. I shook his hand and he pulled into a killer hug. "Thanks for everything," he said.
I shook my head. "No. Thank you. For being everything to me. You've been my brother, my best friend, my protector…even a father, almost."
I wasn't mistaken this time. His eyes were getting watery. Then he spoke to me in a tone of voice that I'd never heard before. A quiet, raspy voice on the point of crying. "I just want to tell you…that…I love you….very much….brother."
I looked one last time around me and at the Gang. My family. The best one I could have.
Then one of the officials knocked on the door and told me it was time. I grabbed my suitcases and stepped outside. I wanted to look back one last time, but the official shut the door and yelled at them to not open it.
As I was walking down the front steps, one of the officials who had his back turned to me, threw a rock in my way, making me trip. I wasn't too hurt.
But one of my suitcases came loose and came open.
When I saw what was inside it, I wanted to die right then and there.
It was full of guns.
