Liberation (Remnants of Men)

Chapter 8: Liberty is Dead

   Water flowed down Runner’s body, washing away the mud as it drained. He hung his head down and relished the warm spray of water on his head. Beside him, several boys and girls washed away their agony with the steamy showers hanging above their heads. He wasn’t surprised to see boys and girls showering in one large bathroom with no dividers, it was the military tradition of Section 5.

“Enjoy the warm waters for it will be your last,” a guard bellowed.

The bathroom was foggy with steam, making it difficult to see anything. Runner turned off his shower and went on to pick a white towel. He dried his body and wrapped the towel around his waist. He walked to a mirror and gazed at his reflection. His gaze lingered and his lips curled to a smile, one not born of the satisfaction to see his reflection, but of seeing one of those glossy surfaces once again, it just stirred something in him.

His smile was short-lived as his mind was thrown back to the situation at hand. He did not care that his dark hair was messy and was badly in need of a good hair product, rather, he wanted to know what madness the government of MegacityOne has next in store for him.

“Everybody, out!”  The guard stepped into the foggy bathroom.

The boys and girls hurriedly moved to the exit, still in shock after being the few to had survived the maze. Runner followed. The fact that he hasn’t seen Slim Jim or Dope still troubled his mind.

“You,” Runner watched the giant of a man place his hand on his chest to stop his movement, “wait here.”

“What did I do?” Runner asked.

The guard stared at him, but all Runner saw was a skull shaped mask concealing the man’s face. The next he heard was the sharp clattering of a shoe heel heading towards him. He turned around and saw a blonde girl wearing a white sleeved shirt and a tight black short skirt halting behind him.

“Olivia, right?” Runner finally spoke to her after ages of watching behind the scenes, “you know, you can’t just invade a man’s privacy at your whim, city ambassador or not.”

Olivia stepped right in front of him, her vivid gaze ascended to meet Runner’s bright eyes. He could feel her exhaled breath, warm on his chest.

“Don’t flatter yourself. You are not a man, not yet at least,” she withdrew from his sight.

“Much cannot be said about your brother,” Runner’s voice rose with anger, “he holds neither honour nor sense of responsibility, in other words he is the true definition of a serpent.”

“You speak bold words for a slum dweller. Yet a boy from Rat town telling tales of dishonour, funny,” Olivia shook her head with a smile, “you do not strike me like a fool, Runner, so I’m sure you know the elite citizens of this damned city do as they please, my brother included. I for one do not share that conception, but there is little I can do with my every movement monitored by my father.”

Runner walked closer to her. The words she spilled sounded like music to his ears. Even so, he maintained a silence.

“I need your help, Runner. Dr Lysander trusts you and since I trust her as my mom, I believe you and I can be of mutual benefits to one another.”

Runner was surprised, two years ago this would seem like an opportunity forged in heaven, but now things have changed. He was no longer that boy that wished for a single moment with a pretty girl from the big city.

“What can a slum dweller offer to a girl such as yourself?” he asked.

“That’s tempting, I could ask so many things of you,” Olivia sat with half her buttocks pressed upon the edge of a white sink and folded her arms, “but there is a more…pressing issue.”