Chapter Twenty-six
Catherine
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Max screams, running up to Peter after the Snakes left. "War? Do you know what your sad little ego has signed us up for?"
"Max, there would have been one anyways. This way at least we know about it." His voice is calm, thoughtful, and even with his head turned I know his eyes are a dreamy blue. A thinking blue.
"Peter. War?"
"Max he's right." I say, joining them, calling the others. The soldiers wait back, settling into tiny groups, deciding amongst their own.
"No, he's not." Lucas says, as we form a circle. "Not just them-" he points to the men behind us, "but we could die too!"
"And what about those innocent people- people like my parents, people like Kabir- who die just for their sake, for them to show us that they're not going to stop?" I say. There is a second of silence before Ester speaks up.
"I'm with Peter. He's my only child- I would never want to lose him, but if I did, I know I would rather have him die in war than die being murdered to prove a point." Peter looks at Ester curiously, his eyes turning purple.
Arthur doesn't agree. Neither does Andrew, which is surprising seeing he leads an organization that kills people.
"We only kill people who have done wrong." Max says, reading my mind.
"Stop reading my mind." He nods and looks down.
Harry steps up, "I'm with Peter too."
An echo goes around. Oliver, Richard, and William agree with us.
"So it's decided then?" I ask, "War it is?"
"Come on guys!" Lucas says, exasperated, "we're supposed to be man-kind not man-mad or man-killer!"
"Not yet." Peter says, ignoring Lucas and telling me,"There are some more people we need to ask." He opens the circle and steps in front of the soldiers. They seem to know what he is asking for before he even opens his mouth, and they chant, all at once, "War!"
Their faces are beaming. They know what they're getting into, and they're excited.
And just like that, it is decided. Three months from now, we all might die. And lucky us, we get to choose how.
-
It unanimously decided that we, or rather Andrew, is going to have to explain to the other members of Oi Alloi what has been going on in the backgrounds since the last few years. They deserve to know the truth and we need more fighters. As good as we, To Sotos are, we do need skilled killers with magical powers to win this fight.
The scientists and other men helping out with the weaponry start making blue prints for better models and larger objects.
Andrew and Aunt Marge had gone through an attack like this when they were just kids. As they remember, and we analyze from the surprise attack, the Snakes pounce on their targets mainly with the help of their tongues, which can cover quite a distance.
They have sharp fingernails- long, sharp fingernails- and can stick to the walls, and even ceilings without hesitation. However, this would not be of any use during our battle because it will be placed on land and surrounded only by grass, mud, perhaps a lonely tree or two.
As the others continue working on finding some downfalls, I leave the room. Aunt Marge, since the war has been called, has been acting rather differently, secluded, refusing to speak to anyone -me too- and simply closed herself in her room. It's not like her.
I shut the door softly behind me and walk down the hallways making my way towards her room. I walk through the maze patiently, now having changed back into a comfortable pair of jeans and t-shirt. I let my brown hair loose, letting it slip over my shoulders, ending right below them.
On meeting her, people think Aunt Marge is an extrovert, the leader of a society, a woman with the power to see glimpses of the future- a woman with the power! A woman with a power! A shocking thought enters my mind, but I try pushing it away, there is enough to worry about right now. And if this random idea is true, then she will tell me when she is ready. I nod to myself and continue, improving my pace, now running through the corridors.
"Hey! Slow down!" Someone calls out from behind me. I turn to find Peter jogging towards me. I smile.
"What's wrong?"
"Where are you going?" He asks, coming right up to me.
"Aunt Marge. Haven't seen her since we decided about the war. I think-" I reply.
Before I have time to explain what I think may be going on in her mind, Peter grabs my waist and gently, but hurriedly puts me against the wall on one side. He leans in, his forehead against my own. I put my arms around his neck. Aunt Marge can wait.
He doesn't say anything, just lifts one hand, puts it against my cheek, tilting my face upward. As if I need any encouragement to kiss him. He works slowly, almost unsure, and I can't wait any longer. I lift myself slightly off the wall and press my lips onto his. He wakes up.
-
I don't know how long it's since we started. Time runs when we're together. Every time I look at Peter, a wave of blush rides over into my cheeks.
We finally take up my discarded route to Aunt Marge's room, his hand around my waist, my head leaning on his shoulder. He holds on protectively.
We don't- and didn't need to- say anything. No words are required to know what we have put ourselves in, what we're stepping into, and no words are required to say that we might never see each other again, never laugh together, never walk hand-in-hand, probably never again- and one look of his face shows that he too- just like me- is not ready for it.
On reaching her door, Peter gives me a light kiss on my lips and lets go of my hand, heading back to the discussion. I squeeze his hand as he lets go and turn, knocking on the door.
Once. Twice. Thrice.
Nothing.
I push it open and walk in.
The room is cleared, not a single thing outside. Aunt Marge sits on her bed, meditating. I walk into the room and check the wardrobe, the drawers, under the bed too. It's all empty.
Against the white wall opposite her bed, a large black suitcase lay. I frown at her and walk over to the case. I put it on the floor and open it, sitting on my knees. She has stuffed everything in it. All her clothes and fragile collector items are stuffed inside in a mess. I get up and walk towards her, sitting down on the bed in front of her.
"Aunt Marge." I whisper. "You know what's going to happen aren't you?" I wait for a few minutes. She doesn't answer. I then get up and put everything back on its place from her suitcase.
Once I'm done, I turn to her one last time before I leave the room. "You do know, don't you?" I say to her softly, "It's okay, you don't have to tell." I walk towards the door to leave.
"Catherine." She says quietly behind me. "Wait." I leave the doorknob and reach the bed, taking the same position and putting her hand in mine.
"I'm right here." I say.
"Catherine," she repeats, "I saw a vision. So many of us died. Bodies," she said, displaying with her hands, "all laying around, bleeding. Not just ours, but theirs too." She tells me, referring to the Snakes. "And then, and then-" She stops abruptly and a tear rolls down her cheek. "And then I saw my body."
And then, the tears came flowing down. She puts her head on my chest as drops fall off my chin, wetting her hair.
"It's the longest vision you've had yet, isn't it?" I say.
"Yes." She murmurs. I know her visions are never wrong and I also know it would be of no use telling her it's going to be fine- because it's not. We all know that. So, I say the next best thing I can think of.
"We all die one day, Aunt. At least you know you died fighting for the better good." She lifts herself, pressing her hand on my shoulder, putting it on my cheek, where Peter had not too long ago.
"You speak like your mother." She said. Then, she gets up and leaves the room, leaving me alone.