“Laura Daniels is why...Reese’s mother,” Dad begins. “You see, her husband, Paul, Reese’s dad, was a man with a mouth that would eventually get him killed. He worked for Jackson Crownwell years ago. When he was asked to join our group, he gracefully rejected the offer but then ran off with the information and leaked it to some officials, officials who fortunately worked for Crownwell. At that point, Paul was taken care of, if you get my drift.” Dad thinks this is funny as he makes a joke about killing Reese’s dad. “After that, Laura and Reese fled from Washington, making themselves look incredibly guilty, knowledgeable if you will. Because of this, and the tracks that needed to be covered, Crownwell offered Laura a job she couldn’t turn down, made quite the deal with her—a deal enveloped in a little white lie of course.” Dad backs away a couple of feet and leans back against Mom’s desk, making himself more comfortable. “When Laura was told the country was about to become obsolete, Crownwell offered her daughter shelter, with the stipulation that Laura stay back and care for those who survived, including Crownwell. He needed a nurse in case things got out of control. Laura didn’t realize she was offering Crownwell what he needed the most, a guinea pig to prove his testing. That was when I was told to take Reese to Chipley. Her mother sent her with me, then sent along her belongings that are being safely stored in our house out in Chipley.” Dad looks over at Reese and offers her a quick wave, but she doesn’t blink. “Anyway, that is when your mother put her great knowledge of science to work, creating our very first Juliet. Our life’s accomplishments were finally coming to fruition and we would someday have a country we could live in and be proud of. You should be thanking your little girlfriend over there.”
My hand is too weak to hold the pistol up any longer. Assuming the lies I have encountered is one thing, being told I have only lived in a world of lies and deceit makes me realize I only had one reason for existence in this world. Naming me Sinon after the Greek God traitor wasn’t an unintentional naming as I had always hoped. They brought me into this world with one goal in mind. And I’ll be damned if they didn’t name this fucking toxin Juliet, for a reason. Everything was premeditated, all the way down to creating a situation where I fall for the girl and the girl dies, leaving me alone with no other option rather than to join my parents. Mom’s hand is on my back and Dad steps in toward me with his hand outreached. They think I’m going to wrap my arms around both of them, thanking them for destroying my life, her life, and her family’s life, along with seventy percent of this population. No. Just, no.
“We love you, Sinon. This was for you all along,” Mom says into my ear.
“Son, it’s true. My marriage with your mother may not have worked out, but one thing we will always have in common is our love for you and the fight we have endured to make sure you live a life we want you to have.”
I control the laughter bubbling in my stomach because everything they are saying is a sick joke. I only have one question to ask myself right now. Can I do this? Can I take over and fix everything they have ruined?
All I can do is try.
“I have a question for you,” I say “Why the name Juliet? Why not create an epidemic that would wipe everyone out, instead of creating war for the same outcome.”
“Dear, you know how I love my classic literature. I believe every great ending needs an epic story first, and this has been one hell of a story, don’t you agree?”
I lift my pistol and cock it. “This is definitely one hell of an ending, Mom.” I shoot the pistol once. Cock it, and shoot. Cock it. And shoot.
My family is dead. I should feel pain, grief, or at least remorse, but instead, I feel free. Free from the lies, from the sins, from the abandonment, I feel as though I am my own savior, and that creates the only ending I have ever deserved.
