The Bagman's Destiny

Chapter 4

So many people had incessant needs to protect me from the world - today I finally understood why.

Szilvia had driven me a couple of miles south of the Washington D.C border. She dared go no further, stopping the engine suddenly and coldly on the dustiest road I had ever travelled on. She stared at me with her overwhelming eyes, signalling for me to scoot and get on with the trial. Yet the moon was lighting everything scary outside the vehicle and I felt ill because of it.

"If you die, you died for the Moths" She finally said, with a smile lingering there.

As if that was supposed to make me feel better. They probably said the same thing to the Butterflies. I still smiled back and on impulse leant over and kissed her cheek before opening the car door. It was something I always did with my driver back in Italy, it was habitual and I was glad it was Szilvia I did it to and no-one else who might've thumped me for it. She just continued smiling and I clambered out. She told me she would wait when we were chatting and I held her to her word as I started on the forever road. I didn't look back, couldn't distinguish if that was bravery or fear but I soldiered on.

Butterfly Nation appeared to lack vegetation. Where were all the botanists ensuring photosynthesis? I missed paddocks with fresh cut grass and tiny, colourful flowers peeking out of the earth. I even missed the soil seeping through my toes. I didn't want to get personal but I missed the forest and the meadow and those were things behind the wall I was approaching. They were my favourite areas of nature that had probably been destroyed... They were places I'd never see or feel again. I hadn't seen a single tree on the drive over here and I wondered how the Butterflies were still breathing. The sun was such a rarity in this country too. I suppose there's no need for oxygen when your lungs are constantly adapting to the smog.

I knew what I was doing. I was distracting myself with green thoughts so I could ignore how fucking stupid I was being in carrying out this trial. When approaching the wall of DC you needed proper identification just to stand near it. I was an immigrant without any forms on my person. It was possible I could just be shot on sight, the Antennae were ruthless. I suppose none of that even mattered as I was stumbling there for a reason. My task was to slaughter an Antennae guard, steal their broach and get the fuck out of there as fast as possible. If I was caught it was game over; I couldn't run faster than death.

This was the stupidest thing I had ever done. I was sweating and my hands were shaking just thinking about it. I was only equipped with a revolver with six bullets... I should've prepared better but I'm a tosser. Bark, branches, buds, bulbs, I just had to think of plants and forget about my impending doom. If I died, I died for the Moths. Bullshit, if I'm dying for anything - I'm dying for my h...

I stopped thinking when I saw how close I was. It was a wall and that's the best I could do at explaining it. It was a big wall that went on forever. It wrapped around the entirety of Washington DC. It was leering and grey and had posts like a castle and there were Antennae guards paroling the top of it and looking out of arch windows inside of it. It was a wall. It was a barricade. Beyond the barricade was a chemical swirl and my green thoughts became chemical green instead.

Before anyone could spot me, I ran right over to it. I figured if I was right up against the wall, nobody would be able to see me, it'd be like a blind spot. So I raced to it, kicking up the dust beneath my shoes and smacking my hands against the bricks. I panted as I flipped myself around, my hands by my side but still flat against the wall. I leant my head back to catch my breath and closed my eyes. There were no alarms or voices, so I assumed I was safe for now. My heart was beating so fast and I was sweating heavier now. I missed the meadow more than ever.

I started inching around the wall. I was told Antennae often patrolled outside, so eventually I'd bump into one and hopefully win a battle against one. Yet the wall was so large and long, I worried by time I got to one I'd be too far away from Szilvia to escape from the wrath of the others after my murder. With all these horrible thoughts buzzing around inside my head, it was no surprise I almost had a heart-attack when I inched my way right into someone.