Chapter 2: Sentanial
"GET OUT! WE DON'T SERVE TRASH AT THIS RESTAURANT! GET OUT!" the man yelled, flailing his arms at a poor woman, trying to force her out of the establishment.
"Please, sir, I have permission to eat here," the poor woman pleaded.
"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN! I WILL NOT SERVE YOUR PEOPLE, NOR WILL ANYONE ON THIS SIDE OF THE WALL! SO GO BACK TO WHERE YOU BELONG, TRASH!" the man continued, his arms still flailing.
Two guards approached the man and asked, "What seems to be the problem, sir?"
"THIS TRASH ESCAPED FROM THE OTHER SIDE AND IS TRYING TO STEAL FOOD FROM ME!"
"That is inexcusable. You, trash, come along. We'll take you back to where you belong," the guards said, attempting to grab the poor woman.
"PLEASE STOP! I GOT PERMISSION FROM SENTANIAL TO EAT HERE! PLEASE, MY BABY NEEDS FOOD. WE HAVEN'T EATEN IN A WEEK. MY BABY'S GONNA DIE!" the poor woman exclaimed, showing her baby in her arms.
"We couldn't care less. You're trash, along with your baby. If you die, we couldn't care less. Now, let's go before we put you in the camps!" the guard said, now grabbing the woman and pushing her out.
The woman kept pleading, but they didn't listen, just kept pushing her out toward the wall. That's when I arrived.
"You two, what do you think you're doing!" I said in a stern voice.
The guards, shocked at my appearance, began stumbling over their words. "Oh, uh, sir, good to see you. We were just taking this tra... I mean, person, back to her side of the wall. It seems she escaped, sir."
"NO! I TOLD YOU I GOT PERMISSION FROM SENTANIAL! PLEASE, SENTANIAL, TELL THEM!" the woman exclaimed, escaping from the guards' arms and hiding behind me.
I had never seen this woman, let alone given her permission to come over to this side, but seeing her and her child, I knew they hadn't eaten, so I played along with her story.
"It's true. I saw this woman and her child in need of food, so I told her she could use my food ticket for the day."
"WHAT? SIR SENTANIAL, ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO HELP THOSE PEOPLE?" the guards shouted in frustration.
"WATCH YOUR TONE. NEED I REMIND YOU WHO I AM? NOW GO BEFORE I LOSE MY TEMPER!" I said menacingly.
Both guards, scared of the aura I was giving off, quickly nodded their heads and left.
"Thank you, Sir Sentanial, and I'm sorry for using you as a lie," the woman said gently.
I smiled at her and spoke, "It's fine. I see that you are in need of food. Now, what would you like? I'll get it for both of you."
Her eyes glimmered and sparkled at my words. She started listing all kinds of foods, then quickly apologized. I assured her it was okay and went to the restaurant to get everything she asked for. I could tell that the owner wasn't too happy about me helping her, but he couldn't deny me, for I was the general of this continent. I returned to the woman and gave her everything she wanted. Her eyes glimmered with happiness, and she thanked me.
"You can eat it here with your child, and whatever you can't eat, take it back. But after you eat, promise me to go back to your side. After all, you are breaking the law."
The woman, sad but understanding, agreed.
"I promise that soon this wall will come down and everyone will live happy lives. I will make sure this happens before I die. I promise you, so please be patient."
I could see that she wanted to say something. Her eyes filled with sadness, but instead, she ate her food.
"Well, I'm off. Please return once you've eaten. Here's a medallion that will allow you to stay here for an hour. Once it's up, return. Bye now."
I left the woman and made my way to the council, located in the farthest place from the wall.The people on this side of the wall have never known what it feels like to go hungry or to sleep cold. They don't know the struggles outside of the wall, and part of me hated them for that. Part of me wanted them to know what it feels like, but when I see the happy children playing and having fun, being kids, I know it's not their fault for being born here. I just wished I was strong enough to make a change.
In front of me was a long staircase that led to the council building. They purposefully built the building so all the continent could see it, to establish a sense of power over everyone. When I entered the building, I was greeted by the council, seated high above in their chairs, looking down at me, again trying to establish power. The fat, overweight man seated in the middle spoke first in a gurgling voice due to eating too much.
"BOY, DO YOU KNOW HOW LATE YOU ARE! YOU HAD US WAITING HERE FOR HALF AN HOUR!"
"I apologize, Sir. I didn't mean to have you waiting here, just sitting and eating, something that you do often."
"WATCH YOUR MOUTH, GENERAL! YOU MIGHT BE THE GENERAL, BUT WE ARE THE COUNCIL. WE HAVE THE POWER IN THIS COUNTRY!"
"Control, Sir? I thought the council was supposed to maintain control and keep their citizens safe, something that none of you have done!"
The old, fat woman to the left of the old, fat man spoke also in a gurgling voice.
"I DO NOT APPRECIATE YOUR ATTITUDE, SENTINEL, AND I RECOMMEND CHANGING IT NOW!"
She waved her hand at the two guards standing below her in all white armor, with spears as weapons. They took one step forward, slammed the end of their spear on the ground, and pointed it at me. I sighed, letting my emotions get the better of me.
"I apologize, ma'am. I didn't come here to offend any of you. I came here to talk about getting more food to the other side of the wall."
The old woman waved her hand again, and the soldiers went back into position. The old hag smirked at me, and the old, fat man spoke.
"My god, Sentinel, how many times do we have to tell you? We are working on getting food over there. We don't get enough food from King Henry to feed everyone!"
"That's where you're wrong, sir. I've done the math. We..."
"HAHA, YOU'VE DONE MATH? COME ON NOW, BOY. WE BOTH KNOW YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO MATH. HAHAHA."
All three of the council laughed at his joke.
"NOW, BOY, don't make me laugh. It's impressive how far you've come since coming to this side of the wall, but you are just a soldier that fights, that's it, boy. So, just let us, the smart people, worry about how to handle the problems."
"Like I was saying, I've done the math. If you three and your families stop ingesting all the food, there would be just enough for everyone."
"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST SAY, BOY! WE AND OUR FAMILIES BARELY EAT ENOUGH. WE LET THE PEOPLE EAT MORE THAN US! HAVE YOU GONE MAD? AFTER ALL THAT, WE RESTRAIN OURSELVES AND OUR FAMILIES, AND YOU WANT US TO EAT LESS!"
The old hag spoke up next.
"UNBELIEVABLE. MY SONS SOMETIMES GO TO SLEEP HUNGRY BECAU..."
"WHAT? YOUR PIGS OF SONS GO TO SLEEP HUNGRY?! DO NOT MAKE ME LAUGH. YOU FUCKING PIG, HAVE YOU LOOKED AT YOURSELVES IN THE MIRROR, OR YOUR FAMILY? ALL OF YOU EAT TOO MUCH. ALL OF YOU LOOK LIKE FAT FUCKING PIGS. THE REASON MANY PEOPLE DIE OUTSIDE THE WALL IS BECAUSE YOUR FAMILY EATS ALL THE FOOD."
My aura became too strong for the council and the guards.
"Guards, stop that criminal! He's trying to kill us," the hag was trying to signal the guards, but both guards were at their feet, unable to move. I could see the council try to breathe, but because of their weight and my aura, they couldn't and were suffocating. I thought maybe if I just kept my aura going, they would die, and then maybe we could get some change. I kept my aura going and going. I could see all three of them suffocate, their eyes slowly rolling back, but just as I was about to kill them, a soldier came barging in and instantly fell. That's when I came back to my senses and lifted my aura. The guard tried to talk but was out of breath, then he slowly said,
"We... we... are being attacked. We need you, General."
"Do you know who is attacking, soldier?"
"Yes... it's the people from the other side. They are revolting and are led by a man covered in fire. They're just outside the council."
"Thank you, soldier. Go and tell the others."
I looked back at the council. I could see them desperately grasping at the air, all of them holding their throats. I just wished I could have finished them before I came back. I quickly rushed out of the council. When I reached outside, I could see a mob of people down below the stairs, with a man in the front, his hands and chest covered in blue fire. I began coming down the stairs until I could talk with the people from a safe distance. The man with the fire opened his mouth, his voice sounding raspy and cold.
"Ah, if it isn't the mighty SENTINEL. We thought you would come right away, but it looks like you took your time."
"What are you people doing, attacking your own country?"
"HAHA, our country? Come on, Sentinel, you know better than them. We might be considered one country, but they treat us as if we were their enemies."
I knew he was right, but I also knew that attacking and destroying this side was also bad.
"You are right, but doing this is the wrong way. You are just proving all these people right."
"Ha, people. You think these things are people, by the way they treat us?"
"I do, and don't. There are some people who actively try to help you."
"And there are people who actively try to kill us."
"So, you're just going to try and kill everyone on this side?"
"That's exactly what we are going to do. Yes, some good people will die, but that's a burden I'm willing to live with."
"Will you also kill the children?"
"...If I have to, yes."
"Then you leave me no choice."
"Listen, Sentinel. Everyone on this side of the wall loves you since you were the one who got out and became something. And you were the one who tried to change the laws, but you've failed many times. We all tried going with your idea, but many of us are dying and will continue to die if we try and follow you. This is the only way these creatures will listen, so please join us." He said, offering a hand out to me.
"My way of doing things is slow and hard, but it's the right way of doing things. I don't want there to be change with blood. I would rather it be with hard work. I've become the general doing it this way, and doing it this way will eventually work."
"Eventually does not work anymore. We need change now, and if we have to shed blood, so be it. Now, this is the last time, Sentinel. Take my hand."
"Before we fight, tell me your name."
"My name is Ajax, the man who will kill you."
With his hand that was reaching out to me, he raised and lowered it in a quick motion. Confused, I looked at the crowd in front of me. Some looked at me with sadness, some looked away. I couldn't tell why until I felt something in my stomach, well, I felt something missing. As I looked down, I noticed a hole in my stomach. I fell to my knees, then shortly after, on my hands. Ajax and the mob quickly walked by me, all of them looking at me with sorrow. Then Ajax walked up and knelt down and said,
"I truly am sorry, Sentinel. You were a hero to us."
He then left, going up to the council with the others. As I lay there bleeding out, I could see the entire city in flames and hear screams. As the last person stopped and looked at me, I remembered her. It was the woman and her child. She was holding her child in her arms, looking at me, crying. She spoke some words, but I didn't hear them. I could only read her lips, which said, "I'm sorry." Then she left. I closed my eyes, knowing I was going to die, but I wasn't going to die with regrets. I was kind of happy with this revolution. I felt someone touch me. I opened my eyes to see a man with a beer in his hand. He mouthed the words, "Not here, not yet, boy." Then everything went black.