Beyond the Walls

Life at the Walls

Mutants are now freely walking in the streets. Some stayed in the lands while others flew in the sky. Even late at night they are as active as they were in the morning. Of course that is because sleep and rest are only for living things. Summarizing it all, The amusement park looked more like an infested place than before. 

On a corner street, just right next to a big slide ride, is an attraction house with 3D paintings and stuck inside of it was Lucas' team. It was an attraction house with two main doors, two exit doors and no windows. Though the exits are barricaded, there wasn’t much that can be put as support. Some of the walls are cracked and have holes, but it wasn’t that big. The team had put some rocks or clothes to cover those.

A small light is coming down from the second floor and reveals Kiko holding a light.

He said in an almost whisper. “No use. They are everywhere.”

Lucas and Aaron, who is busy moving things, looked exhausted. 

It was noon when the park’s electricity had stopped, since then their group had been in a hurry to take shelter in a decent place. They went from one place to another in a more stealthily manner. They had several close calls but fortunately, they survived.

Finding this place was a miracle. There was not much opening and it was still in good condition. Apart from the smell, there is nothing to complain about.

As long as they don’t make noise, they can rest easy for a while.

Moving to the last block, Lucas wiped off his sweat. He sees Aaron is having difficulty with his injury.

“Me and Elijah, will take the first shift. Take a good rest… both of you.” Lucas said and went up.

“Hey.” Elijah greeted with a kid-like smile.

“Hey.” He greeted him back and settled beside him.

The second floor has a whole that is covered in a thin layer of dark white cloth. The moonlight is piercing through the thin layer of white cloth. 

Looking around, Lucas can see that they were not the first one to camp here, seeing there are traces of living there. The things are rusted and beyond repair but these are still traces of survivors. Folding bed, kettle, broken mug. Dirty rugs, cloth and some other trash like things.

“KIIIIIIIEIRK! KWIEEERK!!”

*flap flap flap

From time to time the howl and screeching are heard, sometimes it’s close sometimes it's distanced.

“Do you think we will be able to get out here?” Sounding dejected, Elijah asked.

“Of course.” Lucas answered. 

“Really?”

“Yes.” There was no doubt in Lucas' voice.

Elijah looked intently at Lucas' side profile.

“What is it?” Lucas met Elijah’s gaze.

“You are weird… the first time I’ve met you. You wouldn’t meet eyes with anyone. You are always overthinking, trembling and kind of a wimpy kid.”

Lucas cannot refute it. It wasn’t the first time he had heard it. “Is that so?”

“... But sometimes, like now, you look different. You look confident and reliable even if we are in this situation. Why?”

“I don’t understand it myself…” It was the truth. He was the most confused. 

“Was it because you were an outlander before?” Elijah questioned again.

“...”

They sat in silence for a moment. Elijah begins to relax his curled legs and extend it lazily on the floor. His stretched legs didn’t reach the moonlight.

“I told you, I was a thief right? It was all I knew since I was a kid until now. I have a big family to feed. My mother is old and sick and my father is disabled, I have 3 younger brothers and 2 younger sisters. As the oldest, I tried living decently, but it wasn’t enough to put food on the table… that’s why I became a thief. At first, I was bad at it, that every time I got caught I was beaten almost to death. Since I was a minor, I didn't get jailed… I took advantage of it and kept on repeating it. I didn’t when, but one day, I became an expert on running, balancing, swifting, and my footsteps became lighter and lighter. One day, before I became an adult, I became the most wanted thief in the inner walls…”

“How do you get inside the inner walls?”

“There are lots of secret ways. Since it’s you I’ll tell you one way. Come closer!” Elijah motioned Lucas to get his head down and he started whispering.

“Really?”

“Yes. It’s even connected outside the walls. This is another secret I’ll tell you okay, don’t tell this to others, okay? ” Elijah bragged and like a kid sharing it’s secret, he is smiling mischievously.

Lucas was compelled to say “I promise.” 

“I was actually a ‘Runner’ ”

Lucas’ eyes opened wide at the unexpected information. That’s why Elijah doesn't seem to be shaken during the game. Runner is an unofficial occupation that skilled individuals have. Their main goal is to retrieve things outside the wall. For example, jewelry, antiques, or any kind of things that only exist in the pre-apocalypse world. Of course their clients are rich inner wallers. He must’ve encountered undead before.

“The pay must be quite a sum. Why do you still steal?” 

Elijah was silent for a moment. 

“I was enraged, seeing the luxurious life they have in the inner walls. Their huge homes, the unlimited electricity and transportations. While us, the majority of the population are starving, killing each other for food, vaccines, shelter… You know it too, the life we have in the outer wall. The things I stole are their prize collections. I sometimes break it out of spite or sell them in black market, then give the money to hospitals, or churches…”

Lucas was taken aback. He had a flashback to when he stays in line to get free bread and soup in church, when there is a feeding program, or when the doctor says, the hospital got funding or donations. He didn’t know, it was because of this person… Elijah had been helping him longer than he ever knew.

Staring at Elijah who had a peaceful look as he continued to tell his stories about the various things he had stolen.

Lucas suddenly pulled Elijah to a hug.

“...!!! Eh? Ay!” Elijah sucked his high pitch shocked. “D,dude.. Dude!” He is carefully calling and tapping Lucas back but the hug becomes tighter.

“Thank you.” Lucas whispered back.

Elijah suddenly felt a tingling in his heart. Lucas’ heartfelt gratitude reached him. No one had thanked him for all he did, not that he did it to hear it but it was a nice ticklish feeling that he had not felt before.

The money and support he had given to his family felt natural to the family as time went by so hearing ‘Thank you’ made him a bit bashful.

“Okay man! I understand. I understand. Let go now. This is becoming weird.” Elijah sniffed back his happy tears.

“...” Lucas let go. It was an awkward moment.

Elijah cleared his throat and continued “Anyway, I got caught in the end. I was sent to prison—”

It was an abrupt stop that made Lucas wonder.

“What happened?”

Elijah looked at him with rounded eyes and turned away before continuing. “... but they said my sins are far too great and I’ve angered too many high ranking people. They demanded my family to get imprisoned with me. I pleaded and pleaded, I said I’ll pay everything with my life, just let my family go but… they won’t let go… they said, my life isn't worth that much…”

Soon Elijah’s eyes turned blank.

“ They wanted to see me suffer. All my family will be executed one by one. One at a time, once a day…” Anger tears start brewing in his eyes. His whole body started trembling and his next words were gritted and almost constrained to let out.

“...I was dragged out one day, chained to a chair and forced to watch my disabled father  executed… t,the n,next day, it was my sick mother…” He swallowed his dry saliva.

“Lucas… Have you ever wondered why I don’t blink an eye even if I keep seeing people dying in this game?”

“...”

“...That is because I've already watched my parents torn apart and eaten alive by the undead. Seeing strangers being eaten alive is now uncomparable after witnessing my parents' death.” 

It was brutal, ruthless and inhumane.

Lucas knows that there are no comfort words that could ever lighten or ease the tension. He knows words are useless at this point. He knows it all too well. 

They stayed still for a moment and just let the distant growlings of mutants take place.

“...On the third day, right before the execution of my youngest sibling… He is only 8 years old.” Elijah muttered the last of his sentences. 

“I was losing my mind but I can’t give up. My siblings only have me left. I can’t go crazy.”

As soon as Lucas heard this, he remembered himself. Crouching, groaning and crawling in the streets at least twice a week. He wanted to give up hundreds, no, thousands times but… his sister only had him.

He looked at Elijah in a different light. He thought he was amazing but now he is beyond that.

“...That’s when an offer came, to play the ‘Beyond the Wall Games’ by just signing in. I get to free myself and my family. I didn’t hesitate. I didn’t think about it thoroughly. I was that desperate… and an i***t. Do you remember the time when we were called to a room individually?”

Remembering the time after Round two. It was when Lucas sees his sister through a video.

“...I saw my brothers and sisters’ lives. While one of them is now working in the market, others tried begging for a penny and… my 13 year old sister is pickpocketing… She was caught red handed…” Now tears are running in his cheeks.

“I, I never wanted them to have the life I had… that’s why I promised to win and give my family a comfortable life, maybe receive an education unlike me. So they won’t turn into an i***t and stupid, like their brother.” he bit his lips trying to stop himself from wailing. He sniffed back and forth. 

Lucas still didn’t say anything but he pushed Elijah’s head to his shoulder.

They both had been strong for too long, that’s why Lucas knows exactly what Elijah wanted to hear. What he ,too, wanted to hear.

“Don’t worry, you are doing great, Elijah. You can rest for a while.”