Chapter 5 A Reality Check from a 13 Year Old
The problem with guns is the recoil.
Every time I fire off a shot, the gun vibrates which causes my entire body to vibrate. The first time I fired my pistol on the 2nd Mass's practice range I feel back a couple of steps. My arms were still burning from the constant firing the range master had me doing at a target.
But I really didn't care too much about that. I could suck that up since Mr. Mason had made me a fighter, and now I was out to prove myself. I was concerned after my fight with Uncle James that I would have to go crawling back to him if I didn't make it into the fighters, but Mr. Mason seemed confident in my abilities, or at least the abilities that I'm trying to learn.
Ben was nearby, watching me practice my shots. I don't know why, but his dad won't let him learn how to shot a gun. If he were my kid, I would put a gun into his hands and teach him. But it wasn't my place to judge Mr. Mason; he did make me a fighter and gave me a whole new life.
I was annoyed with Ben a little though. The blow that Uncle James gave me had turned a nasty shade of purple, making me the center of gossip. Ben and the rest of the razor backs were happy about not being it for once, but Ben was also very concerned about how I got that bruise. I told him not to worry about it, though he wasn't listening that well. He would constantly ask me what happened and if I was alright. It's nice to have somebody who cares about me, I'll admit, but it's also really annoying.
The range master told me to stop firing and that we were done for today. It was only a fifteen minute lesson, but bullets were hard to come by and they didn't want us wasting shots. That's why the past two days I've been learning about guns and how to load a verity of them. They even taught me how to shot a missile launcher in theory.
"Lunch?" Ben asked as I exited the range. I nodded and we both walked to the lunch room in silence, my arms still a little shaky. On our way there we walked past the commander of the 7th Mass, or former commander I guess, Terry Clayton. His appearance reminded me of one of those game show hosts and his name had set me on edge.
"He's not a bad guy." Ben said smiling.
"I still don't like him." I muttered, reaching out and grabbing the empty holster that was wrapped around my chest. They hadn't permitted me to carry a pistol yet, but I felt safer having it on me anyways.
"Because his first names Terry?" Ben said questioningly, now laughing lightly. "That's a bit paranoid."
"Ya well I still don't trust him." I said as we rounded the corner and walked into the lunch room.
"If you judge people based solely on their first name, then we would never have been friends." Ben said, getting in line.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"We knew a guy named Michael too. Michael Harris. He was a stuck up doctor who let my mom die just to save himself. He's dead now though now because the skitter that they had captive managed to get hold of him and I think my dad said it snapped his neck."
"Seriously?" I asked, "I never heard about this!"
"Nobody has. Weaver didn't want it getting out, so don't tell anybody. Dr. Harris wasn't as well known as Dr. Glass, so people haven't really noticed that he's gone." Ben said, holding out his tray for the cafeteria lady. She gave him a glare and dropped the food onto his tray at arm's length. Ben sighed and continued walking as I gave the lunch lady a stare of my own. She noticed my bruise and raised her eyebrows at me. I skipped her station over when I realized that she wasn't going to serve me any food.
I began to feel a little guilty though over the name thing. It was stupid I know, but was I any better than this Dr. Harris? Dr. Harris had betrayed Ben's family and in a way I had too. It set me on edge, but I pushed those thoughts to the back of my head.
Ben led me to our usual table in the back of the cafeteria, dubbed the razor back table by some. It was kind of like the nerd table in high school, where all the misfits and outcast go because nobody else wants to be near them. I was never at that table in high school, but I was kind of close.
The other razor backs nodded to us and continued to eat their own food. I noticed that another one of them had lost all their razors and absent mindedly stared at Ben's. Dr. Glass had issued a statement saying that the spikes in the backs of those kids harnessed would disappear over time. However that didn't sooth a lot of people's already frayed nerves. Now another ridiculous nick name was made up for those who had lost their razors.
Sleeper backs.
The conspiracy theory was that they had lost their razors so that they could work as undercover agents for the skitters, and when the skitters came their razors would reappear. They would then rejoin the skitters and kill everybody in JFK High School and then after words put the harnesses back on themselves. I laughed the first time Ben told me about the name, but I quickly learned that people were actually taking it seriously. It was almost like the Cold War now, with people fearing that somebody maybe a double agent, a moment's notice away from killing everybody.
"Mine aren't going away, I know." Ben said, taking a bite out of his sandwich. I averted my eyes from his back and returned to eating my own sandwich.
"We talked about this Ben and agreed that Dr. Glass is probably right; you just need some more time Ben. You were held longer than the others here," I said, pointing to the other people at the table "Just give it some time." I hope that came off comforting, I find that I'm actually getting better at it.
"Well I have another physical with Dr. Glass this afternoon. Maybe you should come and get your eye looked at. It's starting to turn red again." Ben said, pointing to my bruise. I rubbed my eye, knowing that it would make it worse but not really caring. Sometimes my eye would turn red due to irritation and tended to stay that way for several minutes.
"I don't think I'll be coming to your physical Ben." I said slyly.
Ben rolled his eyes. "It's just my back, idiot."
"Of course." I muttered.
"But seriously, you should have that eye checked out Michael." Ben said. I sighed, getting annoyed again at how caring he was.
"The sentiment is nice Ben, but I won't be joining you. Besides, I have my first guard shift tonight so I want to get some rest." I said with some pride seeping into my voice.
"I heard about that from Hal. Where are you posted?"
"On some bus near our fortifications on southeast side." I said before adding, "Jimmy is going to be there with me."
Ben looked up from his food, his eyes contemplative. "Hope you have fun with him." He muttered, returning to his food.
"Ben," I began, "It's no secret that you two don't get along. Why's that?"
Sighing, Ben replied, "I don't know. Probably because of the whole razor back thing." Some other people at the table looked at me dirty, but I pointed to Ben to show that he said it and not me.
"Tell you what, I'm going to be stuck on that bus with Jimmy for about three hours. So I'll talk to him-"
"No." Ben said, already knowing where I was going.
"-and I'll find out why he hates razor backs so much." Everybody at the table looked at me again. "That time it was me." I said.
"I appreciate it Michael, but I don't need you to talk to him for me." Ben said almost pleadingly.
"Well to bad, you want to help me with my eye so I'm going to help you with your prejudice problem." I retorted smiling.
"You won't even let me help you though!" Ben protested.
"Well maybe you're not trying hard enough. I guess when Jimmy comes crawling up to this table tomorrow, begging to be friends with you, you'll know who to thank!" I gave a smug smile and Ben threw some of his scraps at me.
"Jerk." He muttered, smiling. We both began to laugh, and once again, everybody at the table began to stare at us.
Later
It was pretty cool tonight, so I'm glad that I was able to grab some gloves and a scarf out of the clothing bin for the fighters. Jimmy was dressed almost the same way, but his gloves were tip less and he had worn a heavy jacket with no scarf.
We reported into the shift captain together and walked to our assigned post in silence. It became clear that I would have to get all conversations started for the next three hours, or else I would be sitting with a thirteen year old in awkward silence.
Problem was I sucked at conversations. Before the invasion I always relied on my other friends to start conversations and now post-invasion I had Ben to start them.
From what I've heard about Jimmy, he isn't much of a social guy. He didn't look like a social guy at least, with his closed mouth and tight stare. He really looked about three years older than his height suggested.
I was still planning on asking Jimmy about his prejudice, but I didn't just want to come out of the gate and say it. I wanted to build with Jimmy, to get some sort of relationship formed before asking the tough questions that would no doubt make him eye me with suspicion.
We reached the bus and I grabbed the handle to the emergency exit on the back of the bus, opening it up for us to enter. Jimmy climbed in first, followed by me. I shut the door tight, though I didn't lock it.
We moved to the front of the bus and took seats across from each other. I sat in the driver's massive seat, while Jimmy sat down across from me on one of the passenger rows. He began setting up some guns and checking his ammo count. I began to do the same thing, trying to make it look like this wasn't my first guard duty, but I was no doubt failing at it.
After a couple of minutes we finished and it was silent for awhile, with nothing but our breathing and the occasion cricket to make sound. I noticed that there was a chess board near the gears of the bus and pointed at it.
"Do you know how to play?" I asked. Jimmy looked at me like I just said it was dark outside.
"Of course I know how to play." He leaned in and began to organize some pieces on the board as I began to do the same thing.
"White moves first." I said, pointing to Jimmy's pieces. He looked the entire board over and moved his knight out first.
We played for a little bit before I decided to start talking, "So tell me something about yourself Jimmy."
"My name is Jimmy," he said, without looking up from the board, "I'm a soldier/scout for the 2nd Mass. This is my first time back out on duty in the last month, month and a half."
"Whys that?" I asked curiously.
"I messed up at something, and now Captain Weaver is giving me a second chance." Jimmy said scowling. He moved again and I moved my piece quickly again, not really interested in the game. I use to play with my dad all the time, but as I got older I lost interest.
"That's very kind of him." I said.
"He's a good guy." Jimmy responded with no emotion.
"Do you agree with all his decisions?"
"Obviously not the one to take me off the duty roster." Jimmy said, "But otherwise yes, I do."
"What about the stuff with the harnessed kids?" I asked mildly. Jimmy's eyes shot up from the board.
"What about them?" he questioned.
"Just, do you agree that they should be allowed to walk around free?"
"I don't think that's any of your business." Jimmy said, returning his attention to the board in front of him. Judging by the look of the board I think he's winning.
"Come on! I won't tell anybody!" I assured him. It was a lie of course; I was only going to tell one person.
"I don't even know you!" Jimmy said incredulously, "And from what I understand, your friends with one of them. Or at least, that's what you're telling him."
"What the hell does that mean?" I asked, and edge forming in my voice.
"Out of all the razor backs here you choose Ben to become friends with?" Jimmy said staring at me. I gave him a questioning look and he just laughed, "Come on! You become 'friends' with Ben, the son of the second in command of the 2nd Mass, and now you're a fighter? That's not a coincidence!"
"Why don't you just speak plainly and tell me what you think is happening, eh?" I said, moving a piece randomly on the board in front of me.
"You're using him!" Jimmy almost shouted, "Are you really that low and sleazy?" Anger built up inside of me. I didn't need some kid telling me what was immoral and what wasn't. What the hell does he know?
"You want to talk about low and sleazy? You're no better! You're already ready to label the harnessed kids with a derogatory term! That's like the Nazi's!" I protested, using an analogy that Aunt Cindy used and I was already regretting it. Not the analogy, that was good, but using something that Aunt Cindy had come up with.
"The Nazi's were insane. This is something completely different!" Jimmy said with conviction. "You know that Rick kid? Mike's son? Weaver told me that he tried to put the harness back on himself! He wanted it on himself, he was willing! And then when they wouldn't do it, he asked them to kill him!"
This was news to me. First the thing about Dr. Harris and now this! Apparently the 2nd Mass leaders enjoy keeping secrets from the civilian populace they guard. Jimmy returned to the chess game while I stared at him.
"Rick's a fluke. None of the other's are like him, they are normal people." I said.
"Who have spikes coming out of their backside!" Jimmy said exasperated, "Don't trust any of them; they'll just stab you in the back. Just you wait and see, though if Ben does attack you nobody can blame him. What you're doing to him is just cruel." He looked down at the chess board again and slammed one of his rooks down. "Checkmate." He said, looking away from me.
I was stunned beyond words, something that hadn't happened in a long time. After about a minute I came to my senses. "You're wrong." I said, looking at Jimmy, "Ben is a good guy. He won't betray us, and if you think he will then you're the biggest idiot I've ever met."
Jimmy's face was completely neutral and he was about to respond when there was a loud thumping noise on the other side of the barricade. We both looked out, trying to peer through the thin mist and the dark night. There were a few more loud sounds and then a deep moan that sent shivers up my spine and painful memories running through my mind.
'Samantha look out!' my dad a called.
He ran forward and pushed my mother out of the way and was engulfed in a bright light.
"Dad!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.
"Daryl!" My mom shouted herself, crying out in such agony that it had brought tears to my eyes.
A loud sound came rising above our cries and a siren like sound began to ring in my ears, followed by another flash of light.
I was breathing heavily now as another deep moan came from beyond the barricade, though this time it was more mechanical in nature. I heard a faint whining noise again, just like last time and instantly knew what it was.
"Get down!" I called, grabbing Jimmy and forcing him to the floor on the bus. I heard a loud discharge and the sound of shattering glass overhead and I began to shake.
The Mechs had found us.
Thanks to all my reviewers: tgbwe, WhisperMaw, Kh530, DaughterofApollo 101, Brielle Montegomery (tried to respond to your review but it says that you disabled PM feature), Bouncemess, Xaviar and you anonymous reviewers!
I went a little A/U in this chapter so I hope you don't mind it that much. I have always found it hard to believe that Jimmy could harbor such a grudge against the razor backs in the episode Santuary. There had to be more to it, so since him and Weaver are friends (well in their own way) I just added the part about Weaver telling Jimmy about Rick. It justifies this fear for me because honestly, unless Jimmy had a terrible experience with the harnessed kids in the past, I don't see him falling for such prejudice thoughts. He's a smart kid who isn't prone to fear and shouldn't fall to the false fear the razor backs cause among the civilians.
Next chapter should be up soon and I should clarify one A/N I made last chapter. The key word about that paragraph about romance for Ben was 'attempt'. Just remember that. May be some comedy down the road :).
Hope you enjoyed and REVIEW!
