Scorched Earth: A Future History of Planet EarthPetrovic, Walter D.
Science
Scorched Earth: A Future History of Planet Earth
Petrovic, Walter D.
Science fiction
When they saw what was making its way down the street, all that was
heard was a deathly silence in the room, being filled in its place by
the sounds of impending violence.
"My God!" Brook said, his voice shattering with devastating uneasiness
and fear.
Boyce looked, too. His heart jumped within his body as he looked at
the frightful expression on the adults' faces.
They all watched the ArchBishop and a dozen monastic guards and clergy
march up towards the mansion and disappear as they reached the main
door beneath them.
"I can't believe that Manguino is here." Brook started. "Yet... I am
not surprised. I understand my dear brother."
Dearborne took Brook's arm.
"What will we do, Brook?" she pleaded with him.
He looked at her and the other two men.
"Lloyd and Boyce must leave right now, and you must leave with them."
Brook said to Dearborne and made his way to the viewing wall. He
tugged at one of the drape-cords and the wall swung open to a space
that was just large enough for the book case where he removed the big
book from its hiding place. He beckoned Lloyd and the others. Lloyd
and Boyce quickly went to him but Dearborne moved from the window to
the room doors and locked them.
Pounding sounds could be heard echoing throughout the mansion, followed
by the blaring twangs of the electrophoric guns.
Three successive bangs were heard as the wood and stone main doors
cracked and buckled under the strain.
"They're inside." Brook said, with acceptance. "Dearborne, come!"
He handed the book to Lloyd and looked between him and Boyce.
"Care for this book, and use it to teach those in your land. They will
not doubt its truth."
"I will." vowed Lloyd.
"May God watch over you!" Brook blessed his son and Lloyd then
stretched his hand to Dearborne to approach him and take it. She did.
"I will miss you, my love." he said to her and kissed her.
"I will not leave you, Brook. Boyce must survive for us and there is
Lloyd to watch over him. We ... we are no longer important." She
embraced Brook and met Lloyd's eyes when doing so. She slowly lowered
her eyelids as to say to him that she is staying. He pursed his lips
and nodded to her.
Brook, still embracing Dearborne turned to Lloyd and gave him a
desperate and hopeless little grin.
"You two will leave now. My Dearborne will stay by my side. Go now,
the devil will arrive soon."
Just as Brook finished his thoughts to Lloyd, there was a tinny and
hoarse voice come from behind the door.
"Break it in!" it commanded. It was Manguino.
"Quickly, leave!" Brook said to Lloyd, leaving Dearborne and pushing
Lloyd and Boyce through the ajar passage door.
"Father ... !" Boyce began but Brook stopped him.
"You must go, my son. There's nothing that you can do!"
They stared at one another, and without further words, with an
understood good-bye, they finally left.
Brook patted Lloyd on the back and instructed him to blockade the
passage door with the buttress. He did so.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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