Simon stood in front of the massive tree, looking up and into the large overseeing branches, leaves moving slightly with the ventilation system. The intertwining ridges and lines of the bark, his eyes tracing and traveling down as he sighs. This would be so much better if there weren't 3 rotting bodies at the base of the tree.
He had asked the gaurds to step out, telling them he needed to pray to the Tree to see if she requested to save someone soon or if she was still processing the last three.
From the looks of it, she might be ready for another in a couple days. A smile came to his face. The rituals were always so nice. Everybody was always so excited and smiley. Work got cut short, people shared their rations, it felt like a party. The one chosen giving their belongings to their loved ones, hugging them goodbye and the one chosen wishing them to rot soon.
It made him calm. The idea of it all. Seconds after swinging the axe was never his favorite part. He always had this split second of guilt. He had known that person.. and now they were gone- but then it was dispelled by cheers and celebration. He was never sad for too long. He was sending them to Eden after all. Once their body fully broke down, they would be free of all hardships. They would get unlimited food to eat and forests to roam.
Still, though.. he wondered if it was true. It's not like he could ask The Father. Questioning the Tree's ability would not only automatically damn him to isolation, lashings, starvation AND have his title as Liberator revoked, but possibly also thrown off for treason. He wondered if he really was saving these people.. or... if he was just...
The thought was interrupted by a bit of argument outside of the door. Walking over, he opens it.
Standing there was a thouroughly pregnant woman with short blonde hair, a shin length brown cloth, and a greyish tan cape that draped her shoulders.
"Adrianna?"
Standing in front of her, hand on his hilt was one of the Tree Gaurds, arguing with her. "For the last time, get lost or ill tell the general!" He growls, but Adrianna rolled her eyes.
"Oh, come ooon. He's my friend, Mak. You know that- oh! Simon, tell him I wont touch it." She says, putting a hand on her belly as she rubbed.
Simon cracked a smile, shaking his head. "She's good, Mak. She knows the rules, and she already has clearance with Officer Carmen."
Mak grunts, his authority being taken lightly. "She's not allowed to be here. She has to get her husband or a sister. Pregnant or not, she's not allowed around men. That includes you!"
Both Simom and Adrianna roll their eyes. Adrianna had been an amazing soilder before she became homebound. If she wasn't pregnant, she'd slam him against the wall right now.
"Mak, you got promoted like 4 days ago. You literally worked with my husband last week. You and I both know he's too busy to accompany me to pray, and Sasha is ill. Do you want me to tell the general you're wishing a pregnant woman to fall ill??"
Mak looked at Simon.
Simon looked at Mak. Shrugging.
Mak bit the inside of his cheek. "..Fine.. but you need a chaperone-!"
"I will personally chaperone her. It's fine." Simon says. "I've finished my prayers anyway. Now come, Adrianna. We must pray that Mak find a wife soon so he will be cursed with the screams of a child. What a blessing that would be."
Adrianna snickers, stepping inside as Mak crinkled his nose in disgust at the friendly threat.
The heavy door closes behind them as Adrianna's eyes light up at the sight of the tall tree, despite the smell.
"Ugh man.. How do you live in here?" She asks, joking as she wafted the oder from her nose. "I might throw up."
"Please don't. Blood I can do, but I dont want to spend my time cleaning puke." Simon says, taking her hand with a smile, pulling her into a big hug.
"Hows the baby?"
"Why does never ask me how I am?? Hmm? Gosh, Simon, you move up a rank and suddenly im too good for you? Sheesh." She teased, squeezing him back.
Simon chuckles. "Noo, of course not. How are you then?"
"Eh you know. Massive." She moves a hand to her back, giving a deep breath. "Ive been thinking about sacred names. Ones that are nice. Like... Peter."
"Peter?? Damn I didn't know you hated him." Simon says, joking.
Adrianna raises a brow. "Whats wrong with Peter?? Joseph's little pete- Oh... yeah.. No."
Adrianna, his friend for over 2 decades, just recently was wed and already looked as round as a moon. She had taken a liking to a man named Joseph from a different workforce group and now was so round that she couldn't even see below her. She had been Simons friend- possibly best friend- for years now. Him and Joseph got along okay. Sometimes Joseph got a little jealous, but Adrianna kept him in check.
She was the same girl he had gotten whipped for holding hands years ago, so the whole compound assumed they had something, when in reality, she was his closest companion.
"Other then his left hand of course!" She'd joke in secret. Crude jokes like that were not allowed in the presence of Generals. It would always make Simon blush in embarrassment. "You're 28 and I've never seen you even try to talk to girls." She'd say.
"I talk to girls! Im talking to you right now." He'd rebuttle. She'd only sigh and shake her head. "When are you gonna give me a sister in law, huh? I know your score. You should have all sorts of suitors."
And he did- kind of... but not any he wanted to talk to her about. None that he was proud of..
Sure, he's had a couple crushes, but he wasn't interested in children just yet, and living in a room that stunk of dead bodies wasn't a nice place to raise a baby.
"What about Scarlet? She likes you. So does Jenny."
"Eugh.. don't get me started on Jenny.." His nose crinkled.
"Ha! Aww, poor, poor Simon. Drowning in pretty women while poor Mak out there starves." Her voice was mocking, making fun of his troubles.
Back to reality, he was behind her, holding up her stomach so as to provide her some relief from carrying the baby while she reached a hand up, rubbing his stubble. He sighs, putting his face into her neck.
"What abbooouut... Alex?"
"Mm."
"Yeah, you're right. Keith?"
"Mmmh..."
"What abooouut.. Harry?"
"Hairy? Are you kidding??"
She stops rubbing his face, now pushing him away. "Fine then. What would you name him??"
Simon now laid his chin on top of her head. He's always been affectionte with her. It's what got Jospeh so jealous on the first place.
"I don't know. Naming a baby is hard... you know, Anne..if they caught us like this we'd both be in so much trouble." Simon mutters.
"What if I name him Simon?" She asks.
Simon went stiff, letting go of her stomach and stepped away. "..What?"
"Yeah! Either that or Lucas I think."
Simons eyes softened. ".. You'd really name your baby after me...? Why?" He puzzled, shifting.
"Cause? You're my best friend Simon. And I want you to know that. You're important to me."
Blinking, things becomes blurry, fuzzy memories. "I-..Anne you can't... I kill people for a living."
Her head tilts. "Yeah? So?" She takes his hand. "I can't wait for you to kill my son and I Simon." She says, grinning ear to ear.
Simon now realizes that he's crying. "Wh-what?? Why would you say that.. He's just a baby..I can't - I.. I cant do that."
"What?" The blurry person holding his hands asked.
His head began spinning, swirls happening as he yanks his hands away. "Don't! I-.. I don't want to hurt a baby!" Simon cries.
Adrianna followed. "Simon? Are you okay?" She asks, voice distorted.
He blinks a few times, the scenery changing.
"Simon?" A voice asked, but it wasn't her's. It was deeper. A man.
Blinking, he squints to concentrate on a man with glasses, worried for him. "Simon?"
"I-.. I don't want to kill a baby! Or you!" He shouts.
Now.
Erid.
On the rough rocky sand.
"Simon, breathe." The voice said.
"Simon is okay? Question?" Another voice asks.
Beginning to hyperventilate, he scurries back, pulling away from the affectionate hand rubbing his shoulder. "Im sorry!" He yells, now pulling his knees into a ball.
"Im sorry! Im sorry, I didn't know! Please.. please don't make me agIn, I didn't know! They made me! Please! I-im so sorry!" He spirals.
"Simon?" This voice was different. Androgynous calm.. almost close to Adrianna's.
"Are you afriad of pebble?" It asks.
"W-...what? Whats a.."
There, standing in the hands of the blonde man with glasses- though not on his face, hanging off his chin- was a small dark creature inside of a small ball.
"Wh-.. what is that?" He asks, able to finally catch his breath.
"This is Rock's new pebble. They named him after you."
"What? Why?? Why would you do that?? D- do you even know how much blood is on my hands!?" Simon asks, eyes wide, trying to move his stump as if he were gesturing, but he didn't have his prostethic today.
The small group of one large critter, a small brown one, the tiny black one, and the blonde went silent.
".. Does not matter. Simon is our friend." The blue one presumably whispers.
He takes a couple more breaths, feeling the rocks under his palm, squeezing to inmitate pain.
It grounds him just enough to remember where he was. Who he was, and what the hell these talking rocks were.
"I'm sorry.." He repeats. "I-i didnt mean to.. I ruined this."
"Noo, it's okay. You lost of balance and just sat there crying for a couple minutes staring at nothing... I thought you was having a sezuire from the shock.." The blo- Ryland, said.
"Im sorry."
"Does.. does Simon not want pebble to share name?" The soothing voice asks.
Simon, sat on his ass in the rocks, looks up. "..Adrianna?" He asks
"Yes, Thats Adrian. Did you hit your head?" Ryland sets the balled black critter down onto the sand, coming to pull some of his hair away from his scalp. "Are you sure you're okay? You haven't done that in a while..."
Simon, now back to reality, brushes Grace off, waving his hand. "I'm fine, im fine.. just.. last time.. Nevermind.. so.." He moves slowly to pick up the ball, careful and delicate not to hurt or scare them. ".. you named him after me?"
A soft smile grows. ".. Hey, Simon.. guess you came back, afterall.." he whispers to him.
"Came back?" Adrian says, coming closer, making themselves comfortable next to him, trilling softly.
The baby in his arms trilled back, seeming excited.
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