Region: Unknown
Nathaniel Alistair
Retrospect
(The Conclusion)
Nathan stared at the soldier and then glanced at the weapon she had trained on him and then he just shook his head smiling. “What’s so funny she asked him?” He looked down at the picture in his hand and
folded it while bringing it up to his pocket.
“What are you doing?” the woman asked as he slid the picture into his
pocket. “Keep your hands where I can see
them” she demanded. Nathan looked her in
the eyes as he took his hand out of his pocket.
“I was just laughing at the irony of my situation” he said showing her
both his empty hands. “A guy knows when
he is beat.” He put his hands down by his sides and asked “So what now? Is this part where you turn me in or is this
part where you drag me off to some slave market and get paid beyond your
wildest dreams.”
The soldier just stared at him. She seemed to be confused by his
actions. Her weapon lowered just a
bit. Nathan, for a brief moment, contemplated
rushing her and attempting to take the rifle but he just wasn’t sure if he
could pull it off. The two stared at one
another for what seemed like an eternity.
The morning sun was finally breaking and the grey haze of night was
lifting. The soldier sighed and lowered
her weapon completely. “You are crazy
bastard aren’t you?” She shook her head
and turned away from him. As she started
to walk away Nathan was thoroughly confused.
“What the fuck is going on?” he thought to himself. The blonde turned back toward him and simply
said “Well let’s go or someone will come along who will want to actually turn you
in. We need to get you somewhere safely
hidden before the whole damn town knows you are here.”
As she walked across a field heading to a bombed out section
outside of town Nathan followed her. It
was better than being shot or something and it was not like he had much of a
choice. They both walked in silence for
a while. As Nathan looked down at the
weeds and dying grass he noted the faded marks, numbers and words that appeared every so
often in the grass as they walked. 25,
20, 15, 10, 5 and when they got to the next faded line Nathan broke the silence
by loudly saying “Touchdown!” The soldier turned toward him trying her best to
hide her smile.
“You seem to have a deathwish don’t you?” She asked.
Nathan responded but not to her question. “I figured out who you are and what you
do.” The soldier kept on walking “Have
you now?’ she asked as they neared the end of the field and what used to be the
entrance to an old football stadium's locker room. “Yes” Nathan said. “You’re one of those 8th Day
people, the ones who work to help get guys to the Arcadia or someplace like
that.” The blonde soldier stopped at the
doorway and again turned toward Nathan staring at him. “No I am not one of those people. I never had the time for that. I have spent
way too much time waiting. I could never
risk the things they do.” Nathan looked
at the blonde, yet again standing confused, as the sun lit up her face. As her words bounced around in his head and clicked into place his heart dropped nearly two feet and the air left his lungs left in one
complete breath while he looked into her eyes. This was the first time he had really
got a good look at her. The blonde
soldier noticed his reaction as smiled softly.
“Mrs. Ireland said you would come back.
She always would say mom would not marry a fool or a coward.” she said quietly. When Nathan found his words he simply
whispered “Dorry?” She continued to
smile as a tear ran down her face and whispered back, “Yeah dad it’s me.”
Nathan was flooded with years of regret and emotion. He stumbled a bit and Dorry rushed to steady
him. “You know for a tough guy you
really seem to have some emotional issues.”
She laughed a bit swallowing her need to cry. “I never… I… I am so sorry” is all Nathan
could manage as they held onto one another.
“I know dad. Trust me I know. I am not a dumb little girl and you came back for me just like you promised.”
After a few minutes of silence and hugging they both found the strength
to let go and assess their situation.
“I’d swear we are in some bad god damned movie” Nathan said with a
chuckle. “Well if that’s the case we
need to make sure this isn’t the end of the movie ok?” Dorry replied in turn.
“I have to get back or else people are going to wonder where I am.” Nathan’s heart sank. He finally had his daughter with him and now
she had to leave. “Don’t go back.” He
said. “We can leave now, together and
find someplace else.” Dorry shook her
head yes but said no at the same time.
“We will, trust me dad, but for now I need you to stay here and wait for
me. Don’t pull any stupid shit like last night.” Nathan shook his head no. “Look if I go back now I can make it so they
won’t think to search for me. I can make
it where it’s safer for us to leave ok?”
Sense finally crept back into Nathan’s clouded head and he agreed. They chatted a bit more for just a few
minutes and then he stood in the shadows of the door and watched her walk away,
back toward the place they had both called home for most of their lives.
A few hours later Dorry returned much to Nathan’s relief and
they made plans and preparations for their new adventures. “Well that was easier than I thought.” She
told Nathan. They sat for a while in the
cool shadows of the locker room and talked.
“How did you know it was me? Nathan
asked. “How did you know I would be
coming out that pipe?” Dorry laughed a
bit. “You know I am your daughter so I
can’t be all that dumb.” “No, no, no I didn’t mean it to be that way” Nathan
quickly retorted. “Relax dad I am just
messing with you. Once I saw you last night I switched the guard shift with
another soldier. No one wants those
crappy hours so they give it up easy. I was just lucky they offered it up so I
didn’t have to ask and draw more suspicion.”
Nathan looked at his daughter for a moment and slid the photo once again
from his pocket. “So this is explains
why that frame was so clean.” Dorry shook
her head yes. “I went to that house
every day to see if you’d had come. I
knew you would come back and so did Mrs. Ireland.” Nathan laughed “That crazy old lady is still
getting in everybody’s business huh?”
“That crazy old lady kept us all sane once the fighting started.” Dorry
replied. “I am sure she did.” Nathan
said as they hugged for the thousandth time that day. Soon after they both took time to sleep
because they needed their energy for the night.
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At about midnight Nathan stepped out into the darkness of
the field. He turned back as his
daughter came out after him. He smiled
to her and then looked around surveying the area. “Are you ready for this Dorry” He said with a
bit of happiness in his voice. “I
couldn’t be more ready” Dorry responded smiling back at him. They began walking away from the stadium in
the opposite direction of their home.
“So where are we headed?” Dorry asked.
“The Badlands are our best chance to find help." replied Nathan as he looked skyward. Dorry laughed out loud as she walked with Nathan
matching his stride step for step. “I
was right you are one crazy bastard dad.”
They both laughed and talked as they headed into the night and head on
into life with one another once again.
Please stay tuned for the future adventures of Dorry and Nathan.
Region: Unknown
Nathaniel "Nathan" Alistair
Delores "Dorry" Alistair
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