Technocracy: AETHER, Part 11

Once again they traveled, moving quickly through the air,

And in no time Saera, with Ardo directing her,

Hovered down the four of them in front of Ardo’s house.

Ardo glanced at it. The house was brown, with a red roof.

And Ardo realized, with somewhat humorous insight,

That its colors matched his own—his skin, and his hair too.

He sighed heavily. “Wait here,” he said to his three friends,

As he walked away from them, along the concrete path

Up the front walk, toward the house, until he reached the door.

It let him in, and he slipped inside the silent house.

Everything was laid out, spacious, gentle, and well-kept.

His aunts kept a lovely house: so neat, cheery, and warm.

Ardo sniffed, and for a moment, his eyes watered some.

“No,” he growled, and tamped the tears down before they could run.

He sucked in a breath, and nodded, and moved further in,

Into the house, til he reached where all the bedrooms were.

Passing his own, first he entered into the room of

His Aunt Martha, where she slumbered, breathing very soft.

“Goodbye, auntie,” whispered Ardo, and he came in close,

And he kissed her gently on the forehead as she slept.

“I’ll miss you, and miss all of the times you lectured me.

I should have realized you only did it because you

Loved me so much, and you wanted what was best for me.

Now I have to leave, because that is what’s best for YOU.

Goodbye.” Then he left that room and moved on towards the next,

Towards his Aunt Maria’s room, and then he slipped inside.

She slept much more daintily, and so he worried some

That he’d wake her, but she stayed asleep as he approached.

Ardo kissed her on the forehead. “Goodbye, auntie dear.

I’m gonna miss all the times you told me I could dream.

You were the one always who encouraged me to paint,

Paint and draw, and I’ll miss that about you most of all.

I’m gonna keep drawing,” Ardo softly, firmly said.

“I’m gonna keep drawing, and keep painting, just for you.

Just so,” Ardo’s breath hitched, “so I know I’ll make you proud.”

Maria stirred in her sleep, but she did not awake.

“Goodbye,” Ardo, said, and turned, and left off for the door.

Next he entered the room where his two young cousins slept.

Open creaked the door, and Ardo crept over to where

Their beds were placed across from each other in the room.

He went to Diana’s bed first, and he bent down to

Where she slept. “Bye bye, Diana,” he gently told her

As she slumbered there, and on her forehead, her he kissed.

“I’m gonna miss your birthday this year. It’s coming up,”

Ardo sniffed, and chills and shakes wracked all over him now.

I’m gonna miss every birthday you’ll have after this,

From now on. But that’s because I have to keep you safe.

So, goodbye,” again he kissed her, and he rose, and turned,

And he over to Minerva’s bed walked, and he knelt,

And, to his immense surprise, the girl’s eyes opened up.

“Ardo?” she whispered into the night. “Why are you here?”

Ardo thought a million things he could have told her then.

But, at last, he settled on the truth: “I have to leave.”

“Leave? Right now? Like, right this very minute?” the girl asked.

“Pretty much,” said Ardo. “I have got to leave tonight.”

“But why?” Ardo swallowed, and his eyes began to prick.

“Because… because there is something dangerous out there.

Something dangerous and it… it WANTS me,” Ardo said.

He was breathing hard and he bent over Minerva.

“It wants me, it wants to take me. And to get at me,

I’m afraid that it will hurt you, and Diana, and

Aunt Maria and Aunt Martha. So, to protect you,

So, to protect all of you… I have to go. To leave.”

He was not sure how Minerva would respond to this.

But to his surprise the five year old girl smiled big.

“You are very brave, big cousin,” she to Ardo said.

“You are very brave and very good, to protect us.”

“Thanks,” said Ardo, smiling, and now tears were falling down

From his eyes, as he leaned in and kissed her on the head.

“Are you going alone?” asked Minerva to him next.

“No,” said Ardo, and the thought sent warmth into his chest.

“No. You know the friends I made? Saera, Marin, Terry?

We’re going away together. They’re all coming too.”

Minerva smiled at him. “That’s good. You won’t be alone!”

“No,” said Ardo, laughing as he cried. “No, I guess not.”

“Will I ever see you again?” Minerva then asked.

“Maybe. I sure hope so,” Ardo said, and then he rose.

“Goodnight, Minny. And… goodbye.” “Goodbye, big cousin,” she

Said, and then laid back down in her bed, and fell asleep.

Ardo stepped outside, and wiped the tears off of his face.

“Okay,” Ardo said. “Enough shit. Let’s get on with it.”

Then he turned and walked in the direction of his room.

Saera, Marin, and Terry were waiting at the end

Of the walk that led up to the door of Ardo’s house.

“He’s been in there for a while,” Terry said, and winced.

“I’m getting nervous. I really don’t know how much more

Time we have, how much more time til the Technocracy

Regroups enough to come after us. We need to go.”

The door to Ardo’s house opened up, as if on cue.

Ardo stepped outside, with a backpack upon his back.

He was wearing gray boots with some heavy rubber soles.

And he wore black jeans, and a red polo shirt, as well.

“Red?” said Marin to him, as he walked back up to them.

“You’re wearing a bright red shirt, on TOP of that red hair?”

“Oh, fuck off, fatass,” said Ardo, walking up to them.

“I’m not the one wearing a bright sunset orange dress.”

Marin pouted, but Terry said, “That’s enough. Let’s go.

Saera, I’ll tell you the way to get o’er to my house.”

Sure enough, one final time, they flew so fast and swift,

Making better time than they could ever have on foot.

So the three with clothes on, and Terry, still fully nude,

Touched down on the cracked sidewalk that led to Terry’s door.

“Wait here,” Terry told the other three. “I won’t be long.

I already know both what I’ll pack, and what I’ll wear.

So wait here. I’ll be right back.” And he moved up the walk

To the stoop, and to the door, and hunted for the key,

For the spare key that was kept in the bushes nearby.

It was somewhat difficult to find it in the dark.

But find it he did, and he unlocked the door with ease.

Terry stepped inside. The house was quiet, and pitch black.

Terry walked into the main room where the sofa was.

Sure enough, his father lay upon it, passed out cold,

And his usual liquor bottle lay there on the ground,

Knocked over where it had fallen from his outstretched arm,

As it dangled there, sprawled out, bent downward towards the floor.

Terry sighed, and, for the last time, to his father went,

Picked him up and threw him over his pale naked back.

He dragged his father across the room, to the bedroom,

To the unmade bed, and Terry set his father down,

Covering his body as he laid him in the bed,

With the covers and the blankets, and the comforter.

Laid his father on his side, so that if he threw up

It would not stick in his throat; he would not choke to death.

Terry paused then, just a moment, as he looked upon

The man who’d been in his life as long as he had known.

“I know that you’re not really my father,” Terry said.

“You’re just someone the Technocracy stuck in the role.

We’re not related by blood at all, I bet,” he said.

“I wonder… Arius said all of it was controlled,

Calculated to create our personalities.

So, your drinking problem: is that the Technocrats’ fault?

Did they make you this way? Did they program you this way?

Did they make you this way, so I’d be the way I am?

Did they make you an alcoholic, so that I would

Have the personality that I have wound up with?

I wouldn’t put it past them at all,” said Terry then,

And he scowled. “They’re so cruel that I wouldn’t be surprised.”

Then he leaned in and he kissed his father on the head.

Walking into his room, Terry picked up his cell phone.

As it powered up he went back to his father’s room,

And when it was fully on, he dialed 911.

“911,” the clipped voice said, “what’s your emergency?”

“There’s a man who’s passed out drunk inside my house,” he said.

“He’s so drunk, he’s passed out cold. I worry that he’s sick.

I got him to the bedroom, but I’m still very scared.”

“All right,” said the woman on the phone. “What’s your address?”

Terry told her. “We’ll be there in half an hour,” she said.

“Great,” said Terry, hanging up the phone. “But I won’t be.”

Then he turned to his father and said, as there he slept,

“I won’t be able to take care of you any more.

But, hopefully… someone will. Even if it’s not me.”

Then he left the room, and headed to his room again.

Saera, Marin, Ardo waited outside on the walk.

Waited, until they heard the door open quietly.

Terry stepped outside. The bag now slung upon his back

Was bigger than theirs, and it was heavy, and dark green.

It almost looked combat-ready, military stuff.

Terry wore heavy brown boots, and rugged, dark brown pants.

He wore a cream-colored henley, and over this was

His usual dark green field jacket. “It’s back!” Marin

Said. “Your field jacket’s back!” Terry smiled, and he said,

“I never leave home without it.” Then his eyes grew hard.

“Okay,” he asked the other three. “Are we all ready?”