Chapter 3: Imprisonment of Mind
#3 of Hell
Death Row. It had once been a place where murders' and rapists' awaited their invited fate-- back when the world was sane-- now it held resistance leaders, those who's voices were doomed to be silenced by the void of death each day. Dex shook his head as he entered the cell block dressed in his formal black army uniform; it was more in disgust with himself that he was helping the system "filter out the resistance to the glorious (and genocidal) empire." He glanced into each cell, every occupant laid beaten and silent, their eyes lowered to the ground to disrespect him-- hell, he didn't blame them. He had lost all respect for himself. He grasped the dossier tighter, it held the names of these people but he stopped learning them, and more to just glance at them. Easier to kill, when all you see are faces.
Two fierce green eyes met his own, "Val?" He felt a paw slap him across the face, sending him to the ground. His hat slid and hit the wall from the force of the blow.
"You're not the man I knew Dex!" He sneered, "Is this the peace you wanted to help support?! The murder of innocent people?"
It was after the world war that Dex enlisted in the army much by the protest of his doberman friend Nick. It had been years ago and that choice to join killed their *close* friendship, yet here he was sitting on death row. Dex stumbled off the ground, "Why are you here?" His voice almost begged for it to not be real. In truth, their relationship was the most intimate one he had, and the feelings he'd repressed for so long came back. He should've said yes...
Nick threw his arms up, and sat on the small bed. "First they came for those that were impure, then they came for those who weren't bred strong. They came for my family, Dex! They took them to here, gunned them down here."
"No, I know every person in the dossier-- I'd know if your family was executed."
"Check it, I bet I'm not on it."
Dex hesitated because he knew what it meant if the dossier lied... How many innocent people had he killed?"
"CHECK IT!" Nick screamed behind the iron bars. The others, who had given up, were slowly gaining inspiration from the passion they heard. It was the voice of their leader, the leader of all the resistance, if he could still have hope... in a place like this...
Dex opened the black book, ran his eyes over the names, then again. Nick wasn't on there. "Oh god," He felt the blood draining from from his face. His eyes met up with the righteous eyes of Nick. He felt as though they were accusing him. "Do you think I'm proud?" His ears drooped, and eyes fell to the ground. "If I don't do my orders... they'll kill me."
"So that's what it comes down to?" Those glaring eyes, full of anger and hate, teared up. "Orders? I loved you-- you son of a bitch -- but you've become so cold hearted. What happened to us...." Nick saw him about to respond, "Save your pitiful excuse; I don't want to hear more lies."
Dex picked his black cap up off the ground, and left being chased with the haunting words that Nick shouted after him. "I guess you lost your voice a long time ago!"
***
*What happened to us?* God, he'd give anything to get back that trust, and the feelings of that intimacy but orders were--- No... He had a choice!" He sat at his desk, looking out over the prison. Floor after floor, cell after cell, people were packed into them sometimes 8 or more. Nick was right! This wasn't the peace he envisioned, and there his paw fell upon perhaps the dirtiest secret of the prison. A simple knob, with each cell block on it. Occasionally, he'd been ordered to release a large group of prisoners.... A B C D Block, it didn't matter. The government would film the riot, and the guards successfully killing off the rioters. It was to inspire fear....
It was early in the morning, and only a few guards stood watch. Perhaps this place needed a real riot. *Click* The button rotated and the pointer indicated Cell block A had been unlocked. The alarms went off on the lower floor; he saw them pouring out of their cells, and a little smile came across his face. No turning back now. He turned the knob with such force, that every click sounded like gunfire in his mind, until finally the knob broke off. There were nearly one million people incarcerated there, and now they ran free.
Far in the distance, he saw Nick standing on one of the bridges above the crowded ground floor. He screamed out to them, waving a pistol, his passion flowed from his words and to the hearts of those beneath him, and for a moment, they stood still in silent reverence listening to his rapturous words.
Dex saw the small red dot on Nick's back, his jaw fell open. No!
The gun shot rang out, and the silent crowd grew incensed and fired their own guns upon the guard that shot Nick. However, Dex was already down the stairs, and racing across the second floor, even though a hail of gunfire followed him.
He knelt into the pool of blood, and Nick barely acknowledged him. "This can't happen." He covered the bullet wound on both sides with his large paws, making it easier for Nick to breath.
"The... Idealist--" Nick gasped out, but Dex remembered it from when they were mere pups.
"The idealist may die, but the idea lives on in the hearts of those he leads." Nick smiled but his head slowly started to drift to one side. "Hey, stay with me. I gotta say this. I loved you since that day we met, and every moment without you has--" He saw it. That cold look in his eyes. Unmistakeable. Nick was dead, and from his eye fell a single tear... maybe he heard those last few words, maybe not.
Dex's own eyes welled up in tears, and he heard the prisoners charging down the stairwell. Their intent was to kill him for the blood that was on his hands, now he felt the pain he'd inflicted on so many... He pulled gun at his side and pointed to his own head. "Forgive me." He uttered as he locked lips with the still warm maw of Nick, and pulled the trigger.