XLIV
Execution
The Island
The Arena
April finds herself sitting in a corridor to one of the buildings around the Arena. She sits on a wooden bench in silence and listens to the people outside. There is chatter, but not excited chatter. Everyone who walks past sound so solemn. However, as April sits there, staring blankly ahead, her hands resting in her lap, she can only ask herself what she is doing here. What does she think she is doing? Why did she volunteer to do this?
Her palms start to sweat. Only days before she was certain that she would kill Rodger Barratt in a heartbeat during the Day of Destruction. But now she has that chance, she starts to question whether it is a wise idea. Is Rose correct? Should she have listened to Rose while they were in the meeting?
April listened to every word that was being said in that meeting. But since she left the woods, an overwhelming sense of numbness has overcome her, and she felt like she had no need to participate in the meeting. Before the Day of Destruction, she wanted be distant to everyone to try and save them. But this time, she wants to be alone. For now she feels nothing.
But now she is here. And so is every person living on this Island. Only twenty-four hours ago, everyone was excitedly going on their way towards the woods to witness the start of the Day of Destruction. And now they are coming to this Arena, awaiting for the moment their King to be executed.
And April is unsure if she is doing the right thing.
The corridor is made out of stone walls and flooring, and a cool breeze runs through it. It isn't exactly welcoming. It is dimly lit by oil lamps and nothing else.
April nervously chews on her bottom lip, yet because her facial expression is so blank, besides her scowl, no one can tell exactly how she is feeling.
The large oak double doors to her left open with a loud creak. Light shines into the dark corridor and from the shape of the two shadows reflecting off the stone floor, April knows that the Doctor and Jack Gruntler has come to visit her.
"April," the Doctor says softly as Jack closes the door behind them, shutting out the chatter from outside. "April, please talk to us," there is pleading concern in the Doctor's voice as he walks across the corridor and kneels down on the stone flooring at her feet. "April, please." He looks up at her with his big, round brown eyes.
April only stares back for a moment before looking over his shoulder to Jack who stands a little back. "How much have you told him?" She asks accusingly.
"I haven't told him anything." Jack says calmly.
"April, I'm not stupid. I think I know what you want to do." The Doctor says quickly.
April sighs. "And what's that?"
The Doctor hesitates. "You don't need to sacrifice yourself."
April shakes her head. "What would you rather, Doctor?" She hisses. "The Cytracik to complete its job and kill me instead? Then this battle will never be at an end."
The Doctor stares at April, completely helpless. He then raises his hand and rests it over hers. "There is another way, April," He says quietly. "We can send the Cytracik back to where it came from. We can destroy it by throwing it into the black hole beside Andrymia. It just takes one little trip away from here and you'll never have to be afraid to sleep again. I promise you."
"What about the Black Lighthouse?" April asks.
"The Black Lighthouse cannot function without the Cytracik. Once the Cytracik is destroyed then the Black Lighthouse will not be anything else other than a mere shell."
April stares at Jack for a while longer, reading the expression on his face. It is clear to say that he has told the Doctor a lie. He has made the Doctor believe that this will end with April staying alive. This thought crushes April's heart. It is just like when the Doctor gave April hope that she had a chance to live in the parallel world and work for UNIT, only for him to take that away from her.
But this is different. She can't give the Doctor any hope for her survival when really all she wants to kill herself as soon as possible.
April looks down at the Doctor and then takes his hand in hers. She could tell him right now. She could tell him the thoughts that are running through her mind. That she feels like she has gone in a full circle and that she is reverting back to how she was before she met him. She could tell him now that she can't see any point in going any further. Not any more.
She could tell him now that she wants to die. Not just because it will end this battle for good and gives her brother a chance to live the rest of his life. But because she has been wanting to do this since she jumped in the river back in Manchester.
For a short time the Doctor showed her reasons to live her life as they travelled together. But even after this, she does not wish to continue with her life.
Not only does she have no choice in whether or not she is going to die from this battle. The Cytracik will kill her anyway. But right now she can see nothing past her own death.
"Talk to me, April. Please." The Doctor pleads quietly.
April takes in a shaky breath. "Everything is going to be fine." She manages to say as she squeezes his hand.
"Then it is time, April." Jack Gruntler says darkly.
April nods. Just for these next few moments, April has to stop thinking about suicide. For she has to complete the task at hand and kill Rodger Barratt.
April stands up as Jack opens the oak doors. And the moment they open, silence falls around the Arena. The brightness from the outside contrasted to how it is inside the corridor, is somewhat blinding to April. But she holds her head up high as she leaves the corridor. The Doctor only watches on helplessly.
At first the grey sky above her is so blinding she can't see anything. But then her eyes adjust and she can see the vast space of the Arena. The stalls either side of her are filled with the villages of the Island. All two and a half thousand of them squeezed together, expectantly watching April as she walks through the Arena.
At the end of the Arena where the stage is stands Monroe and the remaining members of the revolution.
And there is Rodger Barratt. He is dressed in grey rags and is being held down on his knees by Orion and Buddy. To their left is Lucien. Lucien is also dressed in grey rags and his wrists are bound together by chains, holding his arms high above his head. His matt of blond hair is a mess and there are large black circles under his eyes.
Rodger Barratt, however, watches no one but April as she approaches the stage.
She then stops and looks up at the stage, fully aware of the two and a half thousand pairs of eyes watching her every move. And yet she keeps her focus on Rodger Barratt down on his knees.
As she reaches for her gun in her belt, she suddenly thinks of her parallel father standing in the stalls and watching her. How does he feel watching his daughter murder someone he once looked at as his Major? But when her mind flickers back to the ghost of her real father, she coldly pushes her parallel father to the side.
Everyone in the Arena collectively holds onto their breath as April raises her gun and aims it to Rodger Barratt's heart.
Now, she thinks to herself. Pull the trigger now.
If she pulls the trigger now, then Rodger Barratt will be dead. She will finally be able to kill the man who has been tormenting her for so long. The man she hates. It will be a revenge for Aaron, for it was Rodger Barratt who sent him in the other dimension to be tortured. This will avenge everyone from UNIT who was killed.
But it will not avenge Jason's death. And what will it make her?
Killing Rodger Barratt now will not make April any different from Will killing Peter Bursnell.
"Come on, just do it!" Someone from the stalls yells.
April snaps to attention and rests her finger against the trigger. And yet she still hesitates.
She starts to agree with Rose saying that Rodger Barratt should not be murdered.
Her mind wonders over to Monroe and how he is volunteering to run this Island. But what difference is that going to make with his army of Nobody's. Like it was said in the meeting, he is a danger to himself. She can just imagine the horror Monroe might inflict on this Island. Jack Gruntler did say that if it's not the Daleks to have the Cytracik, it will be Monroe.
Maybe killing Rodger Barratt is not the answer. Even the look in his eyes is telling her not to. She can change this because no matter what, he is going to die anyway, Just like she is.
April makes up her mind before anyone else in the crowd can get agitated. She quickly adjusts her aim away from Rodger Barratt to elsewhere.
But there is a bang and Monroe Setzik drops down to the ground. Dead.
And April did not even pull the trigger.