Rebel To The World
Lyric Prompt - "And the way he roll, just a rebel to the world with no place to go."
I've ended up writing a lot about Miguel Ortiz and so had to create a back-story for him – this is part of that. Set pre-seaQuest.
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How could he look at their faces? So full of disappointment - so full of concern - so full of love.
He even flinched when she reached out and took his face in her hands, leaning close, her voice barely a whisper.
"Don't burden yourself with this my boy. You must try to move on."
But how could he? Walking away wouldn't erase the memories – the regret.
It had to be done. They were looking at him expectantly – willing him to go so they, too, could move on to rebuild the shattered remains of their hopes for the future.
A solemn pat on the shoulder was all his father could give, and so, with a brief backward glance, he turned and walked away from them – from everything.
His head told him this was the right choice – that he didn't really have any other options, but his heart shrank from the idea. 'I shouldn't be here.'
"None of this should have happened," he said, dismally.
"Bit late saying that now," Leandro growled from the other side of the partition.
He could barely stand to look at his brother. Each time they locked eyes his mind swung with a disorientating mix of repulsion, love and guilt, knowing that while he was off trying to make a new start somewhere, Leandro's life had effectively been ended. Once he was eventually released, the life he'd known would be long gone – and so would Miguel.
"The navy can take you places," the recruitment officer had preached. Miguel had always hated the idea – knowing that the places the navy could take him would probably be places he didn't want to go.
It was with contempt that he watched his homeland disappear beneath him as the plane sped in the opposite direction. Contempt for a world that had once held so many possibilities. Contempt for a world that could let its' children descend into the darkness that had overtaken his brother. Contempt for the brother who could allow his own flesh and blood to be pulled into the same darkness. But most of all, contempt for himself for allowing it to happen.
This wasn't where he wanted to be. But this was where he was going to be – a fact he would have to get used to.
He'd spent enough time being led around without thinking for himself. He'd been given a lifeline, and it was his responsibility to make the most of it – no matter how much he disliked the idea; he was out of options.
Thinking about what he had been forced into only made the anger grow. It would be a long time before the cold reality of acceptance took hold.
The customs officer glanced at his passport without much interest. "Is this a one-way or a return trip, Sir?" he asked.
"One-way," Miguel answered, mournfully. "One-way."