previous chapter: Abetment [14]: 2.6: 2083, October 4rd, Monday. 9:25
803 words
The sand of the pearl-white beach sparkles in the morning sun. Sarah grimaces when it burns her bare feet. She kinda regrets begging her Mom to take her and her little sisters to the beach. Then again, her little sister seems to enjoy herself. She is holding Sarah’s hand tightly but is hopping through the sand as if the hot sun and the burning sand don’t bother her.
Sarah walks stead-fast to the ice cream cart, parked on the end of the beach. The cart itself is white, and the name name “SunDawn” is written on it in large letters, accompanied by a dawning sun, their logo. Sarah looks at it reluctantly. Does SunDawn own every food-related thing these days?
Behind the cart stands a bulky man. He is wearing a white cook outfit and is sweating profusely. He smiles as the two girls approach him.
“Good morning girls, what can I get you?”
Sarah looks at the menu. “I would like a cone, with two scoops of vanilla ice.” She looks at her sister. “What do you want?”
A large smile appears on the girl’s face. “I want a cone with chocolate ice cream, please.”
“Coming right up.” the man says. “Would that be everything?”
Sarah shakes her head. “I also would like a cone of strawberry ice cream for my Mom.”
“Ok, coming right up.”
After the ice cream seller gives them their ice cream cones, Sarah and her sister walk back to their Mom. Mom is lying down in the sand, in the shadow of a large umbrella, looking fast asleep. Unlike Sarah and her sister, who are wearing bathing suits, Mom is wearing an orange sundress, adorned with flowers. Watching her Mom lie in the sand, on her blue towel, makes Sarah suddenly super aware of how exhausted she looks. Not to mention that her arms and legs are covered in wounds and scars. Some look fresh, but others look very old. Not to speak about her right arm, which is fully replaced by a metal bionic arm. Her job and lifestyle really take a toll on her body.
Sarah nudges her Mom’s arm, and she wakes up and looks at Sarah. Sarah smiles. “Heather and I got you some ice cream.”
Mom looks at the strawberry ice cream cone and takes it with her metal arm. A warm smile brightens her face. “Thanks, it is my favourite.”
“Mommy?” Heather asks. “Can we go into the water?”
“Of course sweetheart.”
Sarah looks at her Mom. “Are you joining us in the water?”
Mom shakes her head. “I can’t. The saltwater is very bad for my arm.” She taps her metal arm twice with her other arm.
“Come on Mom,” Sarah says. “You don’t have to swim. Just get your feet wet. You will love it.”
Mom get’s up, and the three of them walk to the water. Heather immediately jumps in and starts splashing water around, while Mom very carefully steps in the water.
“Isn’t the water nice?” Sarah asks.
Mom forces a smile while she licks her ice cream cone. “It is.”
Sarah sighs. “Everything alright, Mom?”
Mom sighs. “I was just thinking how fast you grew up. I remember when I first met you. That scared, traumatised, twelve-year-old girl. And look at you now. You are an adult already. I am so proud of you.”
Heather pulls on Mom’s arm and shows her a large, beautiful seashell. “Mommy, look what I found.”
“Wow, that is beautiful.”
Heather jumps up and down. “Can we keep it?”
“Of course.”
Heather runs around in the water, looking for more shells.
Sarah looks back at her Mom. “Mom, as I am an adult now, can you be honest with me?”
Her Mom shrugs. “Sure.”
“Jasper Bale didn’t kill my parents, didn’t he? President Stephanie did.”
Mom signs. “Yes, she did.”
“Why aren’t you taking her down? You take down so many evil people. Why not her?”
Mom looks confused. “What do you mean?”
“She is a dictator, has changed the law so she will remain president forever. And her borders are rapidly expanding. Rules an empire that already spans the whole Eastern half of North America, spanning everything from Quebec to Florida to Nonavit to Arizona. Why aren’t you taking her down?”
Mom shakes her head. “I can’t. It would put me in danger, as well as you and Heather. I will not let anything happen to you. Ever.”
Sarah looks at Heather, who is still looking for seashells in the water, and realises the truth of her mother’s words. Was revenge worth putting the people she cared about at risk? What if she started a fight with the government, and Heather would get killed? No, her Mom was right. Nothing was worth paying that price.
next chapter: Abetment [16]: 3.2: 2089, June 20th, Monday. 15:45
all chapters: Abetment