Human Nature (Book 4): Human Nature IV by Borthwick, Finlay (book recommendations website .TXT) 📗

On some level, she was already aware that this moment was coming. She took a deep breath, and then looked over at Elliot one last time, “Stay strong.”

“I will.” He bowed to his mother respectfully.

Then, Gwen turned to look at Annabelle one last time, “Stay Annie.”

Annabelle too bowed respectfully, but she did not say anything in affirmation.

Letting out a deep sigh, Gwen faced forwards to Andy, “Well then, I believe we have some catching up to do, don’t we?” She reached out her hand to meet with his, as the two of them looked into each other’s eyes.

“We do indeed, old friend.” Andy mumbled.

Then, Gwen slowly closed her eyes, but didn’t let her large grin drop for even one second.

Everything was quiet in the operating room. But then, suddenly:

“Andy!” Gwen awoke rather dramatically and cried out.

“Mum! Mum!” Elliot tried his best to keep her stable. “Calm down, mum. It’s me! It’s Elliot!”

Her breathing quickly regulated again. She rubbed her eyes and relaxed her neck. “But Andy said…”

“Um…” He didn’t know how to respond; had Gwen just had a dream? Or had she perhaps lost some of her memory?

The door swung open as Marianne rushed into the room. “What’s happening?” She asked before noticing that Gwen was awake and that she was reaching up to her stepson’s shoulder. “Oh my god!” She exclaimed in surprise. “Emile! Get in here! The woman’s awake!”

“I took Andy’s hand. He was taking me away… Am I alive?” Gwen was confused by the symbolism of her dream.

“Yes.” Elliot laughed, “You’re alive. You’re here.”

“W-what happened? Jaxon… Alek! Where’s Alek?” She remembered her final moments before they had passed out.

Elliot stuttered, “Is he still over there?” He addressed Marianne.

“Yes.” She affirmed. “He’s not awake yet. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting either of them to make it.”

Elliot overlooked this assumption.

Still, Gwen was in complete disbelief, “I’m alive…”

Chapter 5: Followers

The situation back at the town had turned completely chaotic.

“Just stop this!” Erica pursued Adela, who was still guiding her younger sister by her side.

“Get lost, Erica!” Adela yelled back without turning around.

The two continued to bicker as they went from one extreme of the town to the other.

“At least leave Tia here!” Erica tried to reason.

Adela scoffed at this suggestion, “And why would I do that when the whole point of this trip is to protect her?”

“You’re putting her in danger!” Erica clenched her fists. “They could be anyone, these people. They may kill you without a second thought. Has the experience with J.V. taught you nothing?”

“Oh, it taught me something alright.” Now, Adela stood her ground and spun around. “It taught me that this so-called ‘community’ you’re trying to build here is just an illusion of safety.”

Erica squinted, “What the hell are you even talking about?”

“You act like you care about people, but it’s all a façade.” She shook her head in disgust. “When J.V. came, you gave Annabelle up without a fight.”

She didn’t know how to respond, “I love that girl. I tried my best to find another way, but J.V. would’ve had us all killed if I did not comply. Can’t you understand that?”

“Oh, I see!” She laughed sarcastically, “You did it to ‘protect’ us, then?”

Erica was fearful of what point was trying to be made here, but nodded silently, nonetheless.

Then, Adela took a step into her personal space, and gritted her teeth. “Naiser would beg to differ. Klara would beg to differ. Andre would beg to differ.”

“Alright!” Erica looked away from her shamefully. “I get it, you think that it was all for nothing. But yesterday, we bit back, and took them all down.”

“At what cost?” She continued to berate her. “People died, Erica. This community is a complete lie. You threw Annabelle under the bus to save yourself. Who’s next, then? Would you give me up if…? No, wait, would you give Tia up if it came to it?” Adela was trying to expose Erica’s morality using her own twelve-year-old sister.

Erica looked into her eyes sternly but said nothing.

“And that is why we’re leaving.” Adela pointed her bony finger at Erica’s eyes. “Soldiers have honour. Something which you clearly lack. They may actually try to protect us if anything goes wrong.”

“…You’re not taking her.” Erica warned her calmly. “She’s a child.”

Adela matched Erica’s face with an equally aggressive expression. “Tia,” she mumbled to her sister without breaking from Erica’s glare, “Go and catch up with Oliver. See if he needs help. Now.”

Tia nodded and ran along.

“Tell me what to do with my sister one more time… I dare you.” Adela shoved her.

Erica maintained her calm. “I’ve seen it before.”

“Oh really?” She shoved Erica a second time. “What did you see then? Come on! I’m itching to hear it!”

“…She’s not going with you. That’s final.” She was holding back tears now.

“Go on then! Again! Say it again!” Adela shoved her a third time, this one being far more forceful.

“I’ve dealt with a corrupt militia before… They had children in their ranks doing their dirty work.” She referred to the incident in France at the airfield from many years ago in the apocalypse. “Well, a child.” It killed her to remember how when she first met Zach, he was a little boy being trained into evil by a corrupt rising power.

“And what happened to that child then, hey? What happened to them?” Adela kept on pushing her luck. “Did that militia take care of him? Was he living?”

Erica shook her head and turned her nose up at Adela. “Cut this shit out, right now.”

“That’s your final warning.” Adela mumbled, and then swung at her with a fist.

Erica stumbled backwards but was able to stay standing. She felt