The Unthinkable

This Chapter is going to be an opportunity to see some of the characters past. Each characters POV is set at different times except Xander and Anna’s which are based on the same day. Thought this might be nice for a Chapter 20 celebration as I never thought I would get this far into the book. So don’t get confused :)

Thank you for the support I appreciate any feedback to make the book better so if you think anything should be added or explained more in the storyline please let me know either in the comments or on my wall. Anywho let’s go back into the past ... Enjoy!

Xander(8 days ago)-

I sit with Anna watching her read the same novel mum bought her for her birthday this year. Father had just gone out junking and mum has gone to the local store for work leaving me, Anna, Leon, Aunt Jackie and Uncle Peter at home. It was like this most days except today mum had to work night hours meaning she wouldn’t be home till early morning hours. This scared all of us. Being a floater was hard work and so the competition for survival was extreme. Everyone knew those night hours would provide better income, but you would be taking a risk of meeting shifty people on the docks at night. However, mum didn’t listen, she was too focused on getting the money we needed now me, and Leon aren’t working.

The message spread fast on the need for young children for the perlustration and so any child insight would be kidnapped. It was too risky to leave the house. We only found out about the message two days ago when our cousins Julia and Gracie were taken from Aunt Jackie and Uncle Peter. They haven’t spoken since. They just sit motionless in the bedroom corner sobbing helplessly. I can’t let that be mum or dad.

‘Xandy! Xandy! Come play with me?’ Leon asks. He is only 7 but so smart and strong looking more like mum with his black hair and brown eyes. He gives me a toothy grin holding his wooden action figure and I nod walking into the bedroom.

‘I’ll come as well!’ Anna says placing her book down and following us.

I also knew I couldn’t let my sister or Leon be taken away from me. I will do anything to protect them but the constant worry still haunts me. What if I can’t protect them?

Anna(8 days ago)-

‘And so, the little duck swam away with his family promising to visit the dog one day to repay his noble deed. The End’ I closed the book placing it by Leon’s bed seeing him fast asleep. I smile at his adorable face, kissing his cheek lightly.

‘Two days till the perlustration’ Xander interrupts and I walk into the kitchen him following. Why did he have to bring that up? He worries too much.

‘They won’t find us’ I tell him, but I still see the doubt in his eyes.

‘Dad just came home from junking’ He says cleaning the metal dishes in the sink whilst I clean the wooden area.

‘Find anything?’

‘Just a supply box of fruits but most of them were infected with the water.’ I nod when he pauses ‘He saw a burned-up village nearby though’

I stop taking in his words. Floaters would have some violence but hearing a whole village being burned down was unusual and considered dry lander behaviour.

‘It’s because of the perlustration Anna. They are looking for children and it won’t be long till they find us’

‘Xander we can’t leave mum and dad here it- ’

‘Xander! Anna! Come quickly!’

We rush to dad’s desperate voice seeing the lifeless, soaking wet body in his arms. I collapse to the ground to look at it more clearly.

‘Where did you find this?’ I ask looking up at him seeing tears falling from his eyes.

‘Floating on the edge of the docks. I only noticed it from the blood. It was so dark outside.’

I looked back down at the body in confusion. Xander comes next to me inspecting it. It was a woman with black short hair and a frail weak body. Several stab wounds were in her stomach staining her beige dress.

It didn’t take me long to realise it was my mother.

Freddie (7 years ago)-

‘Ready to strike Freds?’ Daniel asks me as we hide in the bushes by our next victims.

‘Born ready Dan’ I say back sharpening my spear.

‘Let’s Move!’ He shouts and our group of roughly 15 rushes towards the farm.

It is my first ever attack at the age of 10. We have been travelling around the land for a while before we came across this well-hidden spot. It had profitable plants in the fields and maybe some more profits inside. Daniel was our leader and my father. I am a born and raised dry lander with a strong and powerful family who hated the sky people. Yeah, I’m in a better position than most.

I enter through the main door, with my father, breaking our way through for a surprise attack. When we enter we catch a couple in the dining room eating and my father doesn’t hesitate to throw his dagger. It hits a guy in the chest making him fall limp on the table and the woman screams.

‘You take care of the upstairs and I will take care of this one’ I nod making my way to the stairs hearing the woman scream once more before all goes silent.

We had men lined up outside just in case of surprises so all I must do is clear the upstairs and leave it to Dan. Easy, right?

I walk in the first room I see finding nothing, so I walk in the next room kicking the door open. But still nothing.

A sharp pain hits the back of my shin and I almost scream turning to see a muscular boy around my age holding another blunt knife that could probably do no damage. He had black hair and hazel eyes and looked scared. I knew I had to kill him, but something told me I couldn’t.

‘What are you doing to my parents?’ He asks.

Guilt hits me, and I look down in shame.

‘My father killed them. I..’ I pause to take in his sadness ’I’m sorry’

‘Freddie! What’s going on up there?!’ Dan shouts up to me.

‘Nothing. Not many valuables. Nearly finished!’ I shout back.

‘Will he kill me too Freddie? Am I next?’ He asks tears falling from his eyes.

I can’t let my father kill this boy. He was too young and innocent. So I did what I knew was right.

‘Stay in your room and I will get them away. Don’t move till I come to see you.’

‘Okay, Freddie.’

He walks in his room still holding the knife as he huddles up on his bed. I take in his scared but strong appearance before I close the door locking him inside. Then I notice the red words at the top of the wooden door.

’Josh’s Room’

Josh(4 years ago)-

I sit with Freddie in the same room I have been hiding in since I was 10. Freddie brings me water and food every day as she slowly became my only friend. She even taught me some defence and attacking tips just in case.

Today though she seems scared and I have never seen Fred scared. She is a confident girl who is built for survival.

‘I’m worried Josh’ She says staring at the floor.

‘About what?’

‘Dan is getting suspicious. He has noticed my absence even more now. It’s not safe.’

I sit on my bed rubbing my head in my hands. If I get caught I’m dead. End of.

‘I have a plan. To keep you safe’

I look up at her, seeing her holding part of a map. On the map is a marked camp in red. She wants me to join a group of killers who will most likely kill me?

‘You want me to go there? They will kill me’

‘No they won’t. You are a strong warrior and exactly what they need. You will be far away from Dan. I think it’s best you leave when you can.’

I look up at her dark brown eyes that hold concern.

‘You shouldn’t worry for me Freddie’ I tell her.

‘But I do Josh’ she steps forward closing the distance with our noses almost touching. She leans in to kiss me but just as our lips go to touch I back away.

The screams of my mother fill my ears as I remember the night they were killed. The night Freddie and Dan found me.

‘I can’t. I’m sorry Freddie. I should leave.’

She drops her head in disappointment as I take the map putting it in my pocket and swinging the backpack, that I had prepared for emergencies on my back.

‘Safe travels Josh.’

She says standing emotionless by the door and I almost start to cry seeing the hurt behind her strong walls. This may be the last time I see Freddie and I will never forget it. I never meant to hurt her but I could never love her knowing she was there that night. I could never feel the same.

Shout out to @Brandy Vazquez who reminded me I forgot to explain the Josh and Freddie relationship. Thank You for the Review and Feedback!