Chapter 49, Black Winter

Chapter 49, Black Winter

George gave an all-too forced smile. No, thats alright. Were just stepping through.

Annie didnt seem quite happy, but she couldnt deny them. So, although hesitantly, with a sidelong gaze, she stepped inside her apartment and wasted no time locking the door. George wasnt even surprised. Had it just been him, she likely wouldnt have been as apprehensive, but since Kreig the living mountain was there in person, It made sense for her to be more cautious than usual.The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))

As Kreig took a step to move towards the door to place his letter within, George stopped him by gently placing his hand on his brothers chest. From just that touch, George could tell almost instinctively that if Kreig hadnt stopped, Georges arm might have been broken by him simply moving. Now, as unfun as those thoughts were, when Kreig turned to him, eyes bright and confused, George knew he had to explain. Shes cautious. Well wait until she steps away from the door to post her the letter.

By the looks of it, as hesitant as he was, Kreig accepted it, stalling in his steps fully. Then, he turned to the door. Short quick breaths through his nose. And after just a minute Shes left the door.

George didnt question it, simply nodding at the door in a gesture that said it all. Kreig gave a nod in turn.

Kreig approached the door. Thumbed the letter a few seconds, and pushed it inside the little slot on the door. Gave a sniff in the air, and retreated.

And George could only barely hear the sound of quick, thumping footsteps and the door being thrown open before the world blurred into a flurry of colours and things and all of a sudden he was outside, in the arms of his brother. His glasses were lopsided. What the hell had just-,

I brought you outside to evade her discovery. Right. That explained it.

George wobbled out of Kreigs grasp, feeling his intestines all squirming and unhappy. He felt bad, really bad. Humans werent meant to move as fast as they had just moved, he could feel it. How fast had it been? A wink of the eye and he had moved several dozen meters. Right, thank you, that was-, we dont want to be discovered. For national security reasons. Or something.

That said more than George wanted to hear. But he didnt know any details, nothing concrete. Nothing about the religion except what little Kreig had told him. Therefore, instead of taking an opinion of sympathy for the hardships his brother had gone through, he saw it through a more modern sense. The religion Kreig held did subject him to oppression and hardship (by the tone of his voice), but wasnt it somewhat earned? What with the crusading and all?

Maybe he should have been more on Kreigs side, but he couldnt help it.

The Schwartz household, or, rather, what remained of it, was also in the same suburbs as the Winter one. Same business, same situation. Kreig returned to the car, and even without any prompt from George, he continued. As if to justify himself.

By this point, going by the few markers of time Kreig presented, he was far older than George was. Even older than their parents had ever gotten. But the years kept coming, and Kreig kept explaining, the soft and sweet niceties peeling off to reveal the grim reality behind it. He didnt just subjugate humans as a pawn for the Empire. He was a soldier. He did what they told him to do, no matter what or how morally depraved.

The air seemed to turn heavy between them. Kreigs voice was like lead, pressing down between them, crushing George into stunned silence. Yet, he kept speaking.

Details, specific missions, exactly who died where and when. His voice was cold and rough. So many years, but every aspect remained painfully relevant.

Kreig, its okay, you dont have to-,

I do. He continued. He spoke of one time he was sent on a private mission. He wasnt a captain yet, just an abnormally powerful pawn. Obedient. He hadnt known. By then, he still thought there were some depths to which he wouldnt be forced to sink, some sort of good in him that had survived it all. That he was still a good man.

That changed quickly.