In Your Wildest Dreams

Chapter 2 ~ The Resistance

Zaida, Cletus and Zeno had been silent for several minutes when they heard a giant explosion followed by sirens.
As if time started getting faster, Zaida and Zeno immediately stood up and sprinted towards a closet in the far corner of the room. When Cletus ran over to see what the fuss was about, he was amazed. Inside the closet laid dozens of guns and ammunition and explosives and flamethrowers and knives.
"WHAT IS GOING ON," Cletus screamed over the loud sirens, "WHAT DO THOSE SIRENS MEAN?"
After rolling her eyes and being shocked that this strange boy had no clue what was happening, she yelled, "WE'RE BEING ATTACKED! IT MEANS ALL HANDS ON DECK! EVERYBODY 15 AND UP HAVE TO COME AND HELP FIGHT..." Zaida paused for a second. As if she was flashed back to reality, she quickly asked, "HOW OLD ARE YOU, CLETUS?"
"FIFTEEN!" He yelled back.
Zaida handed him a machine gun and then ran gesturing for him to follow.
"WHAT? ARE YOU CRAZY? I'VE NEVER USED A GUN BEFORE! YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!"
Looking very pissed off, Zaida pulled herself together and yelled, "YOU HAVE NO CHOICE! YOU NEED TO COME. NOW!"
Cletus's adrenaline was souring. His heart was beating as fast as a hummingbird's wings. He thought to himself, 'Do I trust these people? Am I really going to do this?' He had no choice. He ran after them.
There were bullets flying everywhere. Half of the buildings were aflame.
"What exactly do I do?" Asked Cletus.
"Just aim your gun and shoot it at the men in the red." Zeno says from behind him.
He pulled the trigger. The force of the gun threw Cletus back. He started shooting and holding on for dear life. After a while he needed to rest and sat down. He glanced over toward Zaida. She was so determined. So courageous. So brave. So... So beautiful. He stopped. Was he starting to develop feelings for her? He's only known her for a day but he feels like he's known her his whole life. He wanted to call to her. He wanted to run to her. He wanted to-
"Cletus?" A concerned voice said from behind him. It was Zeno.
"Are you alright? You seem a little off."
Almost jumping out of his skin, Cletus says, "I'm fine, thanks. I just needed a little break."
"No problem, I need to rest a little too." Zeno said. He sat down slowly right next to Cletus.
"I never heard the reason that you were here, or how you got here." Zeno still looked very confused. He looked strong and manly but Cletus could see a glimmer of sensitivity in his aquamarine eyes. He could see that even through the stubble on his jawline and the muscles on his arms that he too was afraid. He was still human. Cletus wondered why he didn't show it.
After a long awkward pause, Cletus looked towards Zeno and said, "I have no idea how I got here. I don't know why I ended up in your home. I don't know where I am or how I'll get home. I'm afraid. Just like you are. Just like Zaida is. Just like everybody is..." His voice trailed off.
"Hey, you pansies!" Zaida shouted. "It is so fair to make the girl do all the work, right? Or are you two girls as well?"
This didn't phase Cletus, heck, he even found the teasing cute. But Zeno seemed a bit more offended. He didn't confront her, but you could see it in his eyes that he was offended.
"It's getting dark anyway," Zeno said, "We should probably go back home. Most of the threats are either dead or gone. We'll be fine."
The three teenagers walked home. They stepped over broken bricks, bullets and even bodies. They gazed around and saw the destruction that had gone on. They saw the fires still burning bright in the setting sun. But they kept walking. They had no choice. No choice but to carry on.
When they reached the building that Cletus had originally woken up in and went into the room where he met Zeno, everybody let out a sigh of relief. The young Bousaid children were already asleep.
"What is this place anyway?" Cletus asks, finally breaking the silence.
"We call our kingdom Oldiron. It's been under the regime's control for ten years. Before then it was such a beautiful, calm, peaceful place. That is why we fight back. To return it to its original glory." Zeno exclaimed.
"I'm so sorry." Cletus said sincerely.
Zaida, in a very tired voice, asked, "Why are you two still awake? It's way past curfew! We need to sleep."
"Goodnight, Zaida." Zeno said as he kissed her on the head.
"Night, Zaida." Cletus repeated.
There was a long silence. Cletus was still awake. He felt uneasy. He was afraid.
"Cletus?" Zaida asked. "Are you still awake?"
"Yes, is Zeno too?" Cletus asked.
"Nope. He sleeps like a rock. Nothing can wake him up.." Zaida paused. "Cletus, can I tell you something? Without you judging? Can you answer me truthfully?"
Cletus's mind raced. What did she mean? He was so curious. 'Answer, you idiot!' He told himself. "Of course! What is it?"
"Are you sure we haven't met before? In this day that I've known you, I felt like I've known you my entire life. I feel like we've been best friends since day one. Is that weird? In this one day, you've made me feel amazing and terrible and confused but it also made perfect sense. Does that make sense? I-" Zaida paused. She walked over toward where Cletus was laying and sat down. "I... I think I may love you. I've never been so sure and so unsure of something at the same time. I don't even know who you are or where you're from but I feel like I know everything about you. Isn't that love?"
Cletus had never been so happy and so confused at the same time. "I guess that is love. Zaida, today I also made a realization. I love you. I don't know how I got here or where I am or why I was put here out of everywhere in this galaxy but I was brought to you. Is that destiny?"
"I guess it is destiny." Zaida stated. She came toward Cletus and laid down right next to him and laid her head on his shoulder. "Goodnight, Cletus."
Cletus wanted this moment to never end. It was perfect. "Goodnight, Zaida."
Cletus felt completely relaxed. He was so happy. He slowly but surely closed his eyes and fell asleep.
<to be continued>