Chain Reaction

Chapter Fifteen – is this just phony sentimentality?

What if, in the escape of '09, Max hadn't escaped with the others? What if Jondy had tried to save her when she fell in the ice, but in the end they both got caught?

…

'10

Star sat on top of a wooden box, lost in her thoughts. She kept an eye out for any movement, but didn't move herself. Instead, she thought over what to do now.

Who knows what's wrong with Zack. Maybe he just hit his head, or maybe he's going insane. Or it might just be guilt. Blue Lady knows that he has a lot of it. He always takes the blame for everything, so if something goes wrong, then it's all his fault. Even though it rarely is. Zack was one of the best of us, and never did anything wrong, unless it was for the good of the unit. He liked to set the example, teach the others to follow his lead, and be a 'perfect soldier' as we often heard the Colonel call us.

If Zack is going insane, I don't know what to do. Who'll take charge? Tinga? Ben? I mean, Eva, our second-in-command, is dead. Zack never appointed another one, we never thought he'd need to. But now, we might, and who will take his place?

Even if one of us did take his place, how do we know where the other's are? Ben, Zane, Brin, Cass and Cali are all out there somewhere, but only Zack knows exactly where. And if he can't or won't tell us, what do we do? Go and try to find them again? That could take us months, even years. And we might not have that long. For all we know, the Colonel is on to us right now, and we are just sitting here like squatting ducks.

While Star was thinking, Micah came up behind her. He hadn't been able to sleep, and had wanted to talk to her. Seeing her sitting on a box, motionless, Micah didn't know what to think. She wasn't moving at all, and that was usually a bad sign, unless she was thinking about something. So, Micah slowly walked up to her, and then stood in front of her. When she didn't even appear to notice him standing there, he waved a hand in front of her face. Still not noticing it, Micah called out her name, softly.

"Star?"

Star jumped, startled. "What? Micah? What are you doing, I thought you were going to get some sleep?" She asked gently.

"I couldn't sleep."

"Oh Micah, was it nightmares again?"

"No. It was just..."

"Micah?"

"Well, it was kind of nightmares, I guess."

Star pulled Micah up to sit next to her on the box, and placed her arms around him, holding him close.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

"There's nothing you can do Star."

"I know. That's why I'm sorry."

Micah rested his head on Star's shoulder, and closed his eyes. Under her breath, Star hummed an old tune, one that came from as far back as she could remember.

…

An six month old baby lay in a crib, with knees curled up to his chest, and eyes scrunched shut. He didn't cry out, but one of the near by nurses knew that he was upset. Walking over, she picked up the baby, and went to stand in front of the window. Standing there, she gently rocked the baby, and quietly began to sing.

Lullaby and good-night
With roses bedight
With lilies bested
In baby's wee bed
Lay thee down now and rest
May thy slumber be blest
Lay thee down now and rest
May thy slumber be blest
Lullaby and good-night
Thy mothers delight
Bright angels around
Thy baby shall stand
They will keep thee from harm
Thou shalt wake in my arms
They will keep thee from harm
Thou shalt wake in my arms

The baby asleep, the woman walked back to the crib, and gently placed him back in. Another lady walked over to her, and began to talk in a hushed voice.

"You know you shouldn't do that. What if that man Lydecker should find out? You'd be gone in no time."

"He won't find out. And don't you think that these babies need all the love they can get?"

From her crib, the five month old baby lay back down, going over the words in her head, until she fell asleep.

…

Star sat with the now sleeping Micah in her arms for over an hour, not moving or speaking, just revealing in the life that she held in her arms. As she sat, though, a thought came to her head. Is this just phony sentimentality?