August is a month for Prompts #18
8/18: Sadness
The hardest thing for the living is going forward after the death of a loved one.
There comes a time when a character must meet their end in this ongoing story called life.
In a small room surrounded by loved ones, Marcos Xaw of the Orbit Police looked at peace. His lifeless body dressed in uniform, one hand clasped over the other. His raven haired wife sat in the front row with her usual stoic and reserved stature. Her face was veiled and her hands were wrapped in black lace with a soft red cloth in her grasp.
Over the course of seven days she saw to it that her husband was brought home to Erat, where he could be buried alongside his ancestors. Countless members of the Universal Tribunal and Orbit Police had come to give their condolences and say their final farewell to their comrade in arms, teacher, friend, and partner.
Officer Jack Seven arrived in a sleek black dress, red lipstick, and a black hat with a short veil that covered most of her face. She approached Mrs. Xaw and said, “I’m so sorry for your loss.”
Mrs. Xaw pulled back her veil, her eyes bloodshot and her makeup ran down her cheeks. She sobbed and threw herself in Jack’s arms. Jack was Marcos’ partner and best friend, she was the godmother of their oldest child. Mrs. Xaw couldn’t hold on and crumbled as she cried out. Her wail caused several members of the family to rush to her side. She shooed them away forcefully.
She clung to Jack’s dress with a vice like grip. Jack squeezed her back, she could feel the woman’s weight in her arms. They were only standing because Jack was strong. Jack sat on the bench cradling Mrs. Xaw’s head against her chest.
“You’re gonna get’em right Jack?” Mrs. Xaw’s voice was shaking but icy.
Jack didn’t know what to say, of course, she wanted to blurt out. She stayed silent and Mrs. Xaw’s hand gripped her tighter.
“You gotta get’em Jack. You gotta get the people responsible for this.”
Jack took a deep breath, she didn’t know what to say or do. She wanted to provide reassurance but no one had seen the Hummingbirds. They weren’t on any planet monitored by the Orbit Police, they weren’t on the Muses. The Hummingbirds were gone. Missing in action. Nowhere to be found and it was utterly remarkable because if it weren’t for the sadness they caused they’d seem like myths in the wind.
Jack had been so caught up in her thoughts she hadn’t realized that Mrs. Xaw was glaring at her with a desperate stare. Upon meeting her gaze Jack’s blood went cold and her heart sank.
“You will get the Hummingbirds won’t you Jack?”
The small room had fallen more silent than death and everyone’s eyes fell on Jack’s back. She could feel the intangible weight of the world resting on her shoulders. Her red lips parted and her beautiful white teeth flashed a somber smile. She wiped Mrs. Xaw’s tears from her eyes and held both her hands.
“Of course we’re going to find the Hummingbirds. All of them will be brought in and prosecuted to the fullest extent of Universal Tribunal Law. You have my word.”
Mrs. Xaw sighed and embraced Jack. Her constant ramble of Thank You’s seemed to never end. Jack stayed with the family for a few more minutes before taking her leave. She marched towards the door in brisk stride.
“Ah, Ms. Seven,” a tall man said in a violet suit with turquoise accents. Jack turned to see Julius Orchid XIII leaning on the wall at the back of the room. “That was a fantastic show you put on back there.”
“What do you want Mr. Orchid?”
“Don’t be testy child, just wanted to remind you... everyone is looking for the Hummingbirds. Winner winner gets a chicken dinner.”
Jack cut her eyes and turned away from him, his cackle chased her down the hall all the way to the exit. She burst through the front doors and gasped for air. She looked around and saw that she was alone. She raced to her car and started to scream. She was able to keep it together inside but in the privacy of her car she was able to let go. She howled in pain as the image of Marcos Xaw’s lifeless body burned in her memory. She started to slam her fist against the dashboard and couldn’t scream loud enough to drown out the memory of Ms. Xaw’s icy voice.
Jack allowed her sadness to consume her, she wept, she cried, she kicked, and she screamed. Until she couldn’t anymore. Her car fell silent as her sadness subsided, her hand throbbed from punching the dashboard. She sighed heavily and her mind flashed to Mine the Abhorrent standing over Maury Matthews. She clenched her jaw, “I’m going to get you Hummingbirds.”
***
Stay Tuned…
Mine Imagination: Flight of the Hummingbirds
By: T. M. Ashley
M.I Flight of the Hummingbirds is the debut by T. M. Ashley, which features a six century old mastermind that was banished from space and time and is now free to do as he pleases and find his way home. Read the Prologue here:
Comments
Post a Comment