Bennet Haynes strolled through the bustling town of Sommerville with a false smile on his face. The cheery summer sky overhead cast the world in a soft light that seemed to promise everything would be alright. Residents of Sommerville walked down the streets as they brightly greeted Bennet with waves and calls of ‘good morning.’
Somedays, Sommerville was so perfect and predictable that it felt scripted. Bennet always felt like he was walking through a film set, the ones with big dance numbers and happily ever afters. He had always hated those types of movies as a kid. He much preferred the stories with action and violence and monsters.
Or at least he had, until his life had turned into a literal horror movie.
His bullet-proof vest weighed heavily on his shoulders as he walked toward the wall. He was glad Mallory’s sensitive stomach made her less inclined to ask about his day. Otherwise, he’d have to start lying more than he already did.
Bennet paused as three giggling children ran in front of him. They slowed long enough to shout out an apology before continuing on their way. Their laughter cut Bennet’s heart like a knife as he took a breath and prepared himself.
“Morning, Mr. Haynes!”
A middle-aged couple was approaching him, smiles as bright and carefree as their children’s had been. Bennet mentally kicked himself for taking the long route to the wall. He had been doing such a good job of avoiding them the last few months. Slipping up now was just sloppy.
Forcing a grin so hard that his jaw ached, Bennet raised his hand in greeting. “Morning. . .” Crap, what are their names? “You two.” Totally saved it. “Where are you off to today?”
It was a stupid question. He knew where they were going. Even if he and Tye hadn’t monitored this family’s movements for weeks, it was obvious from the playing children racing through the streets toward the center of town.
But the couple didn’t appear to mind the unnecessary question as they shared a loving glance.
“Thought we’d take the kids to the park,” the husband said. “Good chance for them to burn off some energy.”
“It’s such a lovely day to be outside,” the wife added with a sweet smile. “Don’t you agree, Mr. Haynes?”
Nodding, Bennet lied, “It sure is.”
“Almost makes me envious of you Wall Watchers when the weather’s this nice,” the husband joked.
Bennet’s answering laugh was so fake, he was surprised they didn’t notice. “Well, we’re always looking for new recruits.” I’d sooner jump off the wall than entrust it to you people.
As expected, the married couple chuckled as if they were sharing an inside joke. He supposed the idea of regular Sommerville citizens on the wall was humorous for those who didn’t know the truth.
Still grinning, the couple said goodbye and continued toward the park. The distant calls and shouts of their children had long since faded. The three youngsters were most likely already at the park and catching up with friends. Maybe in the Before times, it would have been concerning to let such young children wander out of view but not now.
Not in Sommerville.
Once out of sight, Bennet finally allowed his face to relax into a scowl. He avoided speaking to the regulars in Sommerville if he could help it. Especially the ones like that family—whatever their names were—who had no idea how lucky they were. It was so easy for them to believe everything they were told.
‘Oh yes, you’re completely safe in Sommerville.’
‘The weather is so perfect, I completely agree.’
‘Your oldest son is absolutely alive and well. It’s just that the other compound we sent him to doesn't have any reception, you know what that’s like.’
All the families ate up the b.s. ‘Other Compound’ excuse he and Tye had come up with. He really hadn’t expected it to work. It’s why he hated running into the family going to the park. He was just waiting for the day the cheerful smiles disappeared once they realized the truth. Bennet figured some part of them had to know what had really happened to their son, deep down. How could they not?
When he’d first asked Tye about it, the leader of Sommerville had shrugged his concern aside.
“It’s like telling little kids that old Rover’s spending his best dog years at ‘the farm,’” Tye had said. “Kids can figure out what we really mean, but they choose to believe the lie 'cause it’s easier. Adults are the same way.”
Tye had been right, no one had ever asked for more details about the fictional compound. It wasn’t a surprise; Tye was always right about everything. It’s why he was such a good leader and why Bennet needed to stop questioning him.
Though as he reached the wall’s entrance and thought of Tye’s decision to conserve metal, Bennet found that he was only full of questions. They couldn’t go on like this forever, could they? What if other supplies start to run out, things far more important like medicine and water filters? What would they do then?
Shaking his head, he took a sharp breath and walked inside. As the metal door slid shut behind him, he pushed all concern out of his mind. He could worry about Sommerville’s future (along with Mallory and the baby’s future) later. Right now, he had a job to do.
He tuned out the automated voices that were unnecessarily repeating his name, rank, and where he would be stationed. As far as he was concerned, there wasn't a set station for him to go to anymore. The amount of Wall Watchers had dwindled to the point where Bennet and his few surviving coworkers were covering the entire wall on their own.
He ducked into one of the changing rooms and prepared to get ready for the long shift ahead of him. The lights in the dank, dreary room flickered as he opened a locker that creaked loudly in the silent space. After pulling out his real uniform, he methodically stripped out of his vest and regular clothes before pulling on a hooded, long-sleeved, black suit that was reminiscent of a wetsuit from the Before times.
Over the suit went a grey, wool shirt and thick, water-resistant pants that were padded to provide extra protection and heat. Then Bennet had to once again strap on his bullet-proof vest before pulling on a heavy jacket. By the time he had secured his guns, he was sweating under all the clothing.
"Has to be done," He grumbled to himself as he left the changing room.
A brief stop in another room, and Bennet grabbed a large, long-range gun and a gas mask before slipping inside an elevator and hitting the button to the top floor. He was bouncing on the balls of his feet as he rode the long way up in silence. The dim lighting of the elevator abruptly turned blood-red as a voice announced he was nearing the roof.
Bennet closed his eyes and breathed in the clean, oxygenated air one last time before pulling the tight suit's hood over his head, followed by the gas-mask. He slipped the gloves out of his coat pocket and shoved them on, before facing the elevator doors as they slowly opened.
Completely covered head-to-toe, not a single inch of skin was exposed as Bennet stepped onto the top of the wall.
A sharp blast of frigid wind slammed into him and nearly took him off his feet. Bennet forced himself to take strong, deliberate steps until he reached the edge of the wall. He breathed deeply, always relieved to find filtered air instead of the putrid, toxic gas surrounding him.
The distant rumble of thunder alerted him to an approaching storm that would most likely hit at nightfall; thankfully long after the Wall Watcher's shifts. After the first and only time Wall Watchers were stationed outside during a storm, the new rule was to abandon your post and get to safety immediately.
Bennet scanned the dark, gloomy world around him. It never changed. Angry dark clouds obscured what little remained of the sun; suffocating fumes visibly wafted through the air from the numerous, bright green toxic puddles dotting the earth. Shadowy, decrepit shapes lurched through the remains of what was once a massive city.
As one of the shapes began to slowly inch closer to the wall, Bennet cocked his gun. He had plenty of time before he actually needed to put it down, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Glancing behind him, he could see the dust-covered outline of the dome surrounding Sommerville. The residents below had no idea how blind they were, with their artificial sunshine and summer and those stupid, misleading messages of how safe they all were.
No one was safe, not really.
The meeting yesterday had been the opposite of reassuring in regard to safety concerns. But that was Tye's burden to bear, not his. So as long as their 'leader' continued to lie to the people of Sommerville about how perfect life was, then Bennet would continue pretending until ordered otherwise.
"Got one on your right," A crisply accented voice calmly said in his left earpiece.
Bennet looked down to see the shadowy shape had gotten closer to the wall. "I see it, Willen."
A loud bang reverberated around them as a bullet left Bennet's gun. The creature fell to the ground without a sound and didn't move again. He sighed and lowered his gun as the same, familiar hollow ache rose inside him.
Inside Sommerville, he could just manage to bear it. Sometimes his acting was so good that he even convinced himself that nothing was wrong. But out here—out on the wall and right in the center of it—Bennet couldn't lie to himself any longer.
There was nothing out there to hope for.
Nothing out there that was coming to save them.
Sommerville was the 'safest place on Earth' because it was the only place left.
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