💾 Archived View for tilde.club › ~zerodni › Year_to_Midnight › Jan-12-2029.gmi captured on 2023-04-19 at 23:04:07. Gemini links have been rewritten to link to archived content
⬅️ Previous capture (2022-07-16)
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Jan 12 2029
We have made our way to their compound. They are using an old industrial van back doors as a back entrance. Its dusk and we have about an hour till its dark enough to sneak in. I see the large containers we have with us and snicker at the idea of us sneaking in anywhere but here we are. Mike pulls out a deck of cards as we wait for the right time. John is taking first watch. I just stare at the ground and hang my head in shame. Its kind of odd, Well i say its odd but maybe everyone does it. Inside my head i picture it as a house and all the roommates are different parts of my personality. While I'm staring off into space. The caretaker part calls a house meeting and all my parts show up.
He has a PowerPoint presentation on why even though this is wrong. Its the right thing to do in the moment. My compassionate side just gets up and walks out of the room. With him gone the part that is task driven. i call him get shit done guy. Gets everyone else in line.
Right about that time John looks to me and says its time. Lets move.
We walk quietly foot to toe each step. Trying to make sure the water jugs don't flex and make a Pang sound. The door opens easily its not locked as i expected i guess they don't have the key to the van they took the doors from. As i put my lock-picks away I'm kind of shocked they don't have any guards at the back entrance but then think well we don't at our camp ether.
We are in their camp trying to be quite as possible. While at the same time acting as though we belong. Once we get our bearings its clear, How we thought the layout of the compound would be is completely wrong the barrels they are not even metal like ours. They are using old whiskey barrels. I think to myself i bet their water has a nice flavor and immediately chastise myself for not staying on task.
I'm kind of freaking out inside the whole plan revolved around our container blending in with theirs while we filled it. So that is now out the window. Because someone wanted to play Jack Daniels.
Plan B We are going to have to move their barrels and and put ours behind while they are being filled. We have to do this while not being noticed and not spilling open barrels. I stop and think for a moment if we spilled the water i would let them eviscerate me on principle.
I tell mike hide our barrel next to make shift latrine near the outer wall. John wants to stay by it like its going to grow legs but i convince him that spreading out will only increase the chance that someone will sees us.
I tell John and Mike to to stand around and acted like they are just hanging out chatting while i carefully move the barrel out of the way. It's so heavy but not as heavy as i thought i guess the metal barrels store more water or something. After i have the barrel moved I tell both Mike and John to go back and get our barrel. I so want this over with.
While they are gone i see some movement coming from the far corner of the structure. I try not the panic and listen to my own advice. Act like you belong!!! I scream in my head. The shape i see gets clearer and I can see its a small boy about maybe 6 years old. I start to relax thinking what 6 year old knows all the adults in their neighborhood.
As he gets closer i try not to make eye contact hoping to put out an aura of nonchalant. Then i hear the words my heart sinks.
WHO ARE YOU?
My voice squeaks and i recompose myself. I say I'm Keith (Why did i use a fake name what does it mater.) I live down that street. I have never seen you before whats my name? he says. I scoff and say how should i know?
The kid gets nervous and starts to back away while saying all the adults know the names of all the kids to protect us.
WHO ARE YOU?
I panic I am Fucked with a Capitol F. I lunge and grab his shoulders and twist him around and back into the space where the barrel was and whisper i don't want to hurt you i don't want to hurt you i promise. We just need to get the water and then we will go and you will never see us again. Please be quite.
My mind is racing i don't know what to do. Why did it have to be a kid? The whole house in my head is judging me and i can feel get shit done guy take over. The kid is doing everything he can to get away. I have my hand over his mouth to stop him from screaming. He wont stop moving. I just keep saying over and over I don't want to hurt you.
That's when it happens i feel a little pop next to my hand. The kid goes limp. i start to feel tears run down my face. I'm shattered, what have i done? I break down mentality in my imagined house. Get shit done guy look down and says guilt and sorrow later. Move the kid under that tarp before John and Mike get back, get the water and, never look back. By that point Git shit done guy has just taken over as i sob on the floor. My last thought before kind of black out and go on auto pilot is thinking he is a bastard for calling the body a kid like he is just sleeping or something and not the corpse he is now due to my actions. Fuck I'm a monster.
The next thing i remember we are about halfway home with a barrel of water i guess we got out. Mission success John is excited to be the hero of the camp. I fake smile glad for him. All i keep thinking is I just paid a piece of myself for rain water. Shit that used to water our lawns.
We get back and yes everyone is happy. Why wouldn't they be? We get to live another month. When they see the look on my face i tell them I'm tired. I don't tell them what happened i will never tell anyone what happened especially heather. I will just have to live with this self hate for the rest of my days. The way things are gone that wont be long so that's something i can look forward to.
I don't even make it to bed i pass out on the living room couch.