Escape

Ghostly shadows, cold and dark. That was the New Colony under the feeble light of its now waning moons. Ellie Lewis stood shivering with anticipation in the windswept doorway of 28 Mercury waiting for Benny Knuckles to join her. Their destination: the Celestial Mountains and the nests of the Nazgul. She had come out earlier, not able to endure another minute spent in isolation. The last four days had been torture, her berth an interminable prison.

The return of her memories had not comforted her. They tore at her, ate at her like squirming demons. The sorrow of losing her daughter was too much to bear. She grew to realize that the forced wait before her execution was not just a New Colony superstition. The wait, mixed with the humiliation of her forced fall into prostitution, had been designed to raise the intensity of her torture. And under it all was the continuing feeling that she was not who she thought she was; that somewhere on distant Earth there was another person whose life also hinged on her actions during the next few days.

Forget the other person! That was her decision. The burden would be too much if she had to worry about another. What she wanted now was an end to this, even if the end was her death. They meant to kill her anyway. At least this death would be on her terms, and if God granted her wish, her terms would be something the New Colony would remember forever.

Standing on the cold steps of 28 Mercury Ellie felt alone and vulnerable. Under the terms of her sentence, she was not allowed to go out at night, not even to admire that starry black sky. The streets were nearly deserted, only a few people were out, mostly shopkeepers heading to their homes. They walked quickly with their heads bent low as if the night might catch them in its claws. The carnage of The Reckoning been removed and the streets cleansed of human debris. Only an occasional stain remained the blood red reminders that the New Colony was a dreadful place, a place never truly at peace.

At last the door opened and Benny Knuckles stepped out. Like Ellie, he was dressed in black. He nodded at her with a surprising air of confidence. "Come with Benny," he said quietly. "We must make one stop before we leave."

"Where?" Ellie asked, following him down the steps. "You said you had some sort of transport."

"Don't worry, everything is taken care of. It is waiting at the Institute. Benny will get it after we receive the blessing of the Sacred Seven."

"Is that really necessary?" she asked, half jogging to keep up. "We might be seen."

"Necessary? No, it's not necessary, but Benny must do it anyway. It won't take long, and it's on the way."

They turned a corner and Ellie could see the Glenn Institute up ahead, a puzzling collection of jumbled buildings that made up the New Colony's version of a university. It was surrounded by a high wall that added to its mystery. A block away from the Institute's front gate, Benny and Ellie stopped before a small, pretty building.

Unlike the rest of the street, it was bathed in a sweet golden light that announced what it was, a shrine.

The building was unlocked and unguarded, a testament to the fear-filled, law-abiding citizens of the New Colony. Surprising even more because of the treasure it contained.

As they mounted the front steps, Ellie gazed up at the high, bell-less tower, the failed secret weapon against the Nazgul. They entered into a beautiful, round antechamber. Its floor was constructed of a polished marble the color of a pink sunset. In the middle of the room was a fountain highlighted by spotlights embedded in the ceiling. It was a place of peace and unmistakable reverence.

"The Water of Life," Benny pointed with respect.

Benny led Ellie around the fountain and through a second doorway into a large, candle-lit room. At its front, was a glass display case that contained the relic that influenced the New Colony more than any one thing since the coming of The Reckoning.

Benny looked in and spoke in a humble voice, "Help us, Lords of Mercury in our worthy endeavor."

Ellie looked at the relic wide-eyed. A door opened in her mind, and knowledge came to her. Knowledge of the place called Mother Earth. Knowledge of its history, its life. She gasped in recognition of this sacred relic then, quite unintentionally, she began to laugh.

"Shush, Ellie!" Benny said, clearly angry. "Godspeed, do you wish to be doomed?"

Ellie clasped her hands to her mouth, trying to stifle a giggle. "I, I can't help it, Benny," she said.

Benny glared as Ellie struggled to contain herself. She wiped tears of laughter from her face and looked in the glass again. It was a book mounted on a clear holder. "'The Lords of Mercury,'" Ellie read aloud. "'A Pictorial History of the Mercury Seven Astronauts.'" She turned to Benny.

"This is your Sacred Book?" she asked.

Benny nodded solemnly.

"Jesus Christ!" Ellie exclaimed.

Benny looked at her. "What is Jesus Christ?" he asked.

Ellie smiled and shook her head. "Another Lord of Mercury you know nothing about."

"Why must you always speak in riddles?" he asked irritably.

"I'm sorry, Benny," she said guiltily, and she really was. He was doing so much for her. At least she could respect his beliefs--no matter how hilarious. "So what should we do? Pray for success?"

"Success is too much to ask for, Benny fears. Pray that we survive."

Ellie looked at the book once again. She remembered the Mercury Seven, the first astronauts of the United States. The other person in Ellie’s soul had watched them as a child with the rest of his awed generation. The cover of the book contained a color photograph of the seven astronauts standing boldly before the camera dressed in their silver flight suits, complete with helmets. The shining examples of America's glory. How did this old, rather insignificant book find its way to the New Colony from a far away planet known by the colonists as Mother Earth? More amazing still how had it survived the Great Disaster to become the foundation of a fabulous myth?

Ellie stood in respectful silence, waiting patiently as Benny silently prayed. After a time, he turned away from the case. "Benny supposes we should leave now," he said.

They retreated to the antechamber where Benny paused before the fountain. "You wait here," he said. "Benny will go to the side gate to the Institute and get what he hid."

"Maybe I should go with you."

"No, it's safer if you wait here."

"Okay, but please hurry, Benny," Ellie said. "Every moment we wait, the more I feel we will be caught."

"Benny will hurry," he replied as he left.

She was alone again: alone in the quiet sanctuary, alone with her fears, alone with her doubts. She looked into the peaceful fountain. "The Water of Life," Benny called it. Ellie looked down and caught a glimpse of something attached to the base of the fountain. She knelt and found a metal rack containing several pint-sized bottles. Ellie lifted one out. It was empty. She looked at it carefully. The image of a Nazgul was molded into its opaque green side.

"They actually worship these ghouls," Ellie said, shaking her head.

On an impulse she unscrewed the cap and dipped the bottle into the water, wondering if she was committing yet another blasphemy. When the bottle was full, she secured the top and secreted it in her jacket pocket.

"Ellie," a voice rasped from the shadows in front of her.

Ellie whirled around frantically. There was someone in the room! There, hidden deep within the dark corner! Before she could react, a man stepped forward into the light.

"David?" she asked with a gasp. The name of the man who shared her existence had just come to her, but this could not be him. This was a young man in the prime of life.

The man stopped cold. "You forget me so easily, Ellie?" he asked.

Ellie was dumb struck. Who was he? She knew him, yet, yet, she didn't know him. He was someone she loved, once loved, always loved. Loved no more.

The man spoke again, this time more forcefully. "I said, don't you recognize me? Or have you already forgotten the name of your intended?"

"Virgil?" she questioned. Confusion welled within her and she felt split apart.

"I've come for you, Ellie," the man said. "I've been watching, waiting for my chance.

Ellie didn't understand. "Come for me?"

"Yes. I've finally decided, Ellie. I will no longer allow my mother treat me like a child!"

"But, David--oh, shit, Virgil. What are you talking about?"

"You're mine," he said simply. "You will always be mine. I have come for you. We will begin again."

Something stirred within Ellie, a deep wave of fury and hatred that rose up and seized her.

"You, you broke our love!" she cried. "I am called the defiler? I am condemned? You, Virgil. You are the defiler! You killed our daughter! You killed our love!"

"I deeply regret that Emily, but--"

"But what, Virgil? We can have more? Is that what you were going to say? Come with me? Fuck me again? We can have another child? And if this one is perfect then maybe it will be allowed to live? Is that what you wanted to tell me?"

"I wanted to say I was sorry."

"Sorry?" Ellie spat. "Sorry? You use a word as trite as sorry?"

"What else would you like me to say?"

Ellie was speechless. The arrogance! The monumental arrogance of this man! She had loved him? Had she really been so stupid?

"Come with me, Ellie," Virgil said consolingly. "I have another place we can go until its safe."

Bile rose in Ellie's throat and she struck out. "We will never be safe, Virgil. And as a matter of fact, you will never be safe."

"What do you mean, not safe? I am the son of the Mission Controller. Soon I will rule the New Colony!"

Ellie unzipped her jacket and produced a long metal rod, sharpened to a point. She pointed it at Virgil Schirra threateningly. "I will grant you this night, Virgil. Our Emily loved you. In her memory I will grant you this last pitiful night. But if you ever speak to me again, Virgil, ever, I will kill you."

The door opened and Benny Knuckles walked in.

"Ellie--" he began. The words froze in his mouth. He looked at the drawn weapon in Ellie's hand gleaming in the overhead light. It was the safety bar from the shutter in her berth, honed into a short sword. So that was what she had been doing for the last four days!

Ellie and Virgil didn't even notice him. They were standing like stone sentinels, their eyes locked. The air about them tingled with electricity. Benny stood in the doorway, their mission momentarily forgotten, looking back and forth between them, unsure of what to do.

"Ellie," Virgil said, his voice now shaky.

"I warn you, Virgil. Not another word or I will kill you," Ellie said. "I swear on the memory of Emily, I will."

Something bad was going to happen, Benny was sure of it. He forced himself to move. He went to Ellie, keeping a watchful eye on Virgil. He had never been this close to someone so powerful. He was scared to death, but he had no choice. He grabbed Ellie by the arm. She resisted.

"Godspeed, Ellie, come with me!" he said. "We've got to go."

Ellie looked at him as if for the first time. Her eyes were filled with angry tears. "How could I have been such a damn fool?"

"Come," Benny said gently.

Ellie glared at Virgil like a lioness ready to pounce, waiting for an excuse to do the unthinkable. Virgil did the right thing. He remained silent. His face showed the shock of a man who had failed once again. Seconds felt like minutes. Finally, Ellie allowed Benny to guide her to the door. Before they stepped into the New Colony night, Ellie stopped.

"Do not follow me, Virgil," she commanded, pointing her weapon menacingly. "Do not!"

Virgil did not follow.

Parked at the curb was a bright yellow vehicle that vaguely resembled a motorcycle. It was a long, ungainly machine with a long, black seat. At its front were two massive headlights, one mounted atop the other. At its rear, two storage boxes straddled the back fender. Ellie looked at it skeptically, wondering how such an awkward machine could possibly be kept upright.

"Hurry, Ellie," Benny said as he hopped on the seat.

Ellie climbed on behind him, seemingly unconcerned that she had just threatened the son of the Mission Controller with death.

"Don't worry, Benny," she said. "I think he's too scared to move."

"Benny just hopes he came here alone. If his guards followed him..."

Benny pushed a button. There was a whooshing sound and the motorcycle came alive. It was amazingly quiet. The vehicle was obviously not driven by an internal combustion engine. As Benny would explain later, it was constructed long ago on Mother Earth and shipped to the New Colony for reasons long forgotten. It was owned by Professor Carpenter, dean of the Institute. Benny, and his father before him, had cared for it for many years.

Now Benny had stolen it.

The motorcycle took off with a jerk. Ellie gripped Benny tightly around the waist and hung on. As they rounded the corner, Ellie looked back just to make sure Virgil Schirra wasn't being stupid. The street was empty.

Ellie looked forward feeling a tinge of disappointment. "I should have killed the bastard while I had the chance!" she said with a growl.