The Pirate
01-09-2008, 9:07 PM
Prologue
Ike Tillman looked out into the darkness of the forest. He hadn’t eaten for days, other than the occasional leftovers of a rabbit or field mouse he was lucky enough to find, and the past few nights had been entirely sleepless. He looked up at the blood-red moon and shuddered. He had heard stories of a time when the sky was free of pollution, and the moon shone white in the sky. It was hard to believe that only a few centuries ago the Earth was actually a beautiful place. They had taken it for granted. Nobody ever thought that it would turn out this way. The signs were all there, of course, but nobody truly believed it. Their ignorance was their downfall.
Ike sighed as he continued walking. He looked for the slightest sign of a nearby animal, hoping, praying that he would get a chance to eat. The only sound was that of leaves crunching beneath his feet and the distant chirp of cicadas. His feet were sore and his throat was dry as dust, and he knew he had no choice but to find a place to sleep, as risky as it was. He cleared a small section of leaves, revealing the dead grass below. After checking carefully for nests, he pulled the leaves back over him, making sure that he was entirely hidden. He closed his eyes, and prayed he wouldn’t wake up.
…
April 6, 2364
Ike Tillman woke to the sound of gunfire and peered between the boards on the window. He watched in horror as people were chased by masked men in black robes. They grabbed children off of the streets and killed anyone who tried to get in their way. Ike ran into his father’s room and saw him loading a black handgun, with another sheaved in his back pocket. “What’s going on daddy?” he asked as a huge crash sounded at the door. “Why are those people getting shot?”
“There’s no time to explain,” he said hurriedly as another crash sounded. “You have to hide. Do you know how to use one of these?” he asked, holding out the pistol.
“I think so” Ike said quietly.
“Stay in that closet, and don’t open the door for anyone but me. If one of those masked men comes near you, don’t be afraid to…” He didn’t have time to finish. Ike took the gun and ran into the closet as two of the masked men burst through the door. He heard their footsteps as they walked into the bedroom.
“Where is the child?” one of the men asked.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Ike’s father said, trying to hide the shear terror in his voice.
“Do you take us for fools?” another asked. “We know he’s here. Tell us now and we may just spare his life.
“I’m telling you, I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said. “I don’t have any children.”
“This is your last chance, Shaun” The man said as he lifted the gun. Where is the child?”
“I would rather die.” he said finally.
“Suit yourself.” The man said as he pulled the trigger. A loud blast rang out, followed by a thud as Ike’s father fell to the ground.
“No!” Ike screamed from the closet. “Daddy!” There was a small silence followed by slow footsteps coming toward the closet door. Tears ran down Ike’s face as he raised the gun. The doorknob began to turn, and he fired. The bullet tore straight through the thin plywood and a scream came from the other side. He quickly opened the door and saw the other masked man kneeling next to fallen one. He looked down at his fallen comrade and removed the crimson mask from his face. He was completely numb, staring down with an empty glare. After a few seconds, he snapped back into focus and looked at Ike. He tried to remove the gun from the man’s bloody hand, but Ike fired once more, leaving him sprawled on the floor.
Ike stumbled over to his father and sat down beside him. There was a large wound on his chest. “Wake up Daddy,” he whispered. “Don’t die daddy, you can’t die.” He sat there for hours, hot tears streaming down his cheeks. He knew that his father was gone.
Ike Tillman looked out into the darkness of the forest. He hadn’t eaten for days, other than the occasional leftovers of a rabbit or field mouse he was lucky enough to find, and the past few nights had been entirely sleepless. He looked up at the blood-red moon and shuddered. He had heard stories of a time when the sky was free of pollution, and the moon shone white in the sky. It was hard to believe that only a few centuries ago the Earth was actually a beautiful place. They had taken it for granted. Nobody ever thought that it would turn out this way. The signs were all there, of course, but nobody truly believed it. Their ignorance was their downfall.
Ike sighed as he continued walking. He looked for the slightest sign of a nearby animal, hoping, praying that he would get a chance to eat. The only sound was that of leaves crunching beneath his feet and the distant chirp of cicadas. His feet were sore and his throat was dry as dust, and he knew he had no choice but to find a place to sleep, as risky as it was. He cleared a small section of leaves, revealing the dead grass below. After checking carefully for nests, he pulled the leaves back over him, making sure that he was entirely hidden. He closed his eyes, and prayed he wouldn’t wake up.
…
April 6, 2364
Ike Tillman woke to the sound of gunfire and peered between the boards on the window. He watched in horror as people were chased by masked men in black robes. They grabbed children off of the streets and killed anyone who tried to get in their way. Ike ran into his father’s room and saw him loading a black handgun, with another sheaved in his back pocket. “What’s going on daddy?” he asked as a huge crash sounded at the door. “Why are those people getting shot?”
“There’s no time to explain,” he said hurriedly as another crash sounded. “You have to hide. Do you know how to use one of these?” he asked, holding out the pistol.
“I think so” Ike said quietly.
“Stay in that closet, and don’t open the door for anyone but me. If one of those masked men comes near you, don’t be afraid to…” He didn’t have time to finish. Ike took the gun and ran into the closet as two of the masked men burst through the door. He heard their footsteps as they walked into the bedroom.
“Where is the child?” one of the men asked.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Ike’s father said, trying to hide the shear terror in his voice.
“Do you take us for fools?” another asked. “We know he’s here. Tell us now and we may just spare his life.
“I’m telling you, I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said. “I don’t have any children.”
“This is your last chance, Shaun” The man said as he lifted the gun. Where is the child?”
“I would rather die.” he said finally.
“Suit yourself.” The man said as he pulled the trigger. A loud blast rang out, followed by a thud as Ike’s father fell to the ground.
“No!” Ike screamed from the closet. “Daddy!” There was a small silence followed by slow footsteps coming toward the closet door. Tears ran down Ike’s face as he raised the gun. The doorknob began to turn, and he fired. The bullet tore straight through the thin plywood and a scream came from the other side. He quickly opened the door and saw the other masked man kneeling next to fallen one. He looked down at his fallen comrade and removed the crimson mask from his face. He was completely numb, staring down with an empty glare. After a few seconds, he snapped back into focus and looked at Ike. He tried to remove the gun from the man’s bloody hand, but Ike fired once more, leaving him sprawled on the floor.
Ike stumbled over to his father and sat down beside him. There was a large wound on his chest. “Wake up Daddy,” he whispered. “Don’t die daddy, you can’t die.” He sat there for hours, hot tears streaming down his cheeks. He knew that his father was gone.