4
Chapter 9
The soldier walked quietly down the dark…and noisy hallway. His face was somber; his breath was gentle and calm.
Two guards accompanied him on either side.
They walked for sometime; they passed doorway after doorway.
Behind each…screams and shouts of some sort could be heard.
Filthy and mal-nourished hands could be seen poking through slits in the doorways.
"Please…I'm innocent!"
The guards didn't seem to notice; his eyes fell to the floor…a look of regret plastered on his face.
They reached a doorway with no opening; the guards produced a small card-like key and inserted it.
The door slowly slid open…revealing a pitch-black room.
He glanced in…furrowing his brow as he looked.
He exchanged a glance with one of the guards; they nodded.
"Are you sure?"
They motioned with their hand into the doorway.
The soldier slowly entered…glancing about the small, dark room.
He glanced at his feet noticing the dirt.
"Have you come to mock me as well?"
The soldier glanced around the room…searching for the voice.
"General?"
"All the guards do. They laugh at me…they laugh at my friends."
"General…is that you?"
The outline of a spindly being slowly retreated from a dark corner. His face was filthy…his eyes bulged out of his skull.
"General?" the soldier repeated…with a look of disgust.
"They say I'm crazy you know! Ha ha…they think I'm bonkers. Its us who will have the last laugh!"
The soldier's face filled with regret.
"General…its me."
The General searched the man's face; he got within inches of him…searching his eyes. The soldier withdrew a bit…the stench overwhelming him.
"Ha ha! It is you! My trusted friend! Have you come to join us?"
"General…I've come to talk to you."
"Please! Please! Splendid! Join me for some tea!"
The General took a seat on the dirt floor cross-legged; he poured himself a glass of filthy liquid and handed another to the Soldier. The General made a face…taking a seat across from him.
"They are gone now…I told them to give us some time alone,"
The look of goofy madness disappeared from the General's face; it was replaced with a somber expression…much like the Soldier's.
"My friend," he whispered. "You must help me."
The Soldier nodded…setting the glass of liquid down.
"General…I've gathered many who sympathize. Its only a matter of time…"
The general's eyes pleaded for mercy. His face held much pain.
"This place…" he whispered.
The Soldier nodded.
"We have not forgotten you. We are behind you,"
The General silently nodded.
"Our people are in danger. We must meet this threat before it destroys us."
The Soldier rose to his feet.
"We will, General. We will. I have those in high places…watching them. Gathering information. When the time comes…"
"When the time comes…we will cross into their realm. And stop them before they can destroy us."
The guards returned. The Soldier exited the room.
"You're a crazy old man! May you rot in your hole!"
The Soldier's eyes met with the General's; they silently nodded to each other…taking pains to make sure the Guards did not notice.
As the Soldier turned and left…he felt a small pang of regret in the pit of his stomach.
And not for the General.