Nathan Conscripted

1

Nathan walked down the street. He met many faces he didn't want to know, his mind was high on jet-fuel and it was only the start of the day. What was wrong? He had been told that he was going to go to war and it had been outlined with a Government letter and a stamp. Nathan had the intelligence to know that he had been put under arms and trialled without any jury presence - his sentence was death by manslaughter.

“Who knows maybe there is a war?” asked Nathan to himself as he passed by a guy who looked kind of shifty. “What does the world want now but to perfect itself?” he added as he began to race his steps to get him further away from the public that surrounded him.

Nathan wished he had a family all of a sudden, then he could tell them the plans that had been laid for him; but his family had vanished from his sight years before when he discovered a high-volume orgy in the backyard - he hadn't want to be a part of that life and so he had walked away.

“I wish I had someone;” he muttered as he walked by a skirt with a white jacket and pink shoes. “What on earth was that?” he asked as he turned his head. “Hey you, where's your manners?” he asked loud enough to make the female turn her head to look at him.

Nathan bumped into a fella who had a suitcase in hand. The fella dropped the case and screamed - Nathan apologised and waited for acceptance. The fella wouldn't stop his screams and soon whistles were blown. Cops surrounded the area and Nathan was told to leave - so Nathan left and the cops arrested the fella who had dropped the case.

“Sorry;” muttered Nathan inside of his mind before he moved down the street and around a corner.

Nathan walked into his house - it was a rented place with low lighting, he liked it quite a lot - there was serenity in the dim. Most people would have called it a dump because the lighting was so poor, but he liked it.

“Good enough for me;” he muttered before he took out the letter he had been given and laid it flat on the table.

Nathan glared at the letter hard - he had to go to war, and the drum beat inside of his chest. He didn't know anything about war except a person died when they entered the arena. What was he going to do, how was he going to survive?

“You don't survive war, you die there;” muttered Nathan before he shrugged. “Me sitting here without sown seeds;” he muttered before he pulled a face - he had never wanted to have a family, but now that he was going to face certain death he thought he might like to try; but he didn't know who to ask, he had ignored the world and he had no one, not even with a telephone by his right side.

“It's a silly question;” he muttered. “Will I die, will any part of me live?” he asked. “Should I go, or should I run away?” he then added before he flipped his ideas inside of his mind. “Should I tell the government that I am a coward?” he then asked before a rake of shoe broke his attention.

Nathan looked out the window and saw a female neighbour slip through the ally that served as his side yard. She had a flat at the back, and he grew curious as to what she might be willing to do while his head was on the board. Nathan narrowed his eyes and moved out the back door of his house, he then bumped into the female in the alley as she scraped her shoulder by a steel lamp that was attached to his house.

“Hey there;” muttered Nathan in a voice that was too weak to be threatening.

“Hi!” sung the female before she moved to walk on.

“What to come inside for a drink?” gasped Nathan as he raced a few steps and grabbed the female's arm. “I would enjoy it;” he added.

The female looked to Nathan and smiled - as soon as he smiled she stomped on his foot hard. Nathan felt a pulse inside of his shoe that hit his brain, but he held on firm.

“Come on neighbour, just one drink;” he drawled in a tone that sounded awkward and almost childish. “I won't harm ya, I just want some company;” he added as he felt her tug away just enough for him to know that she wanted to get away. “Will you be my company?” he asked as he narrowed his eyes.

“No!” gasped the female as she felt her breath turn to heat.

“Please come in for a drink;” begged Nathan as he tried to calm the female down with a stare that was supposed to nourish her soul. “I would like it very much;” he added before a slap in the face made his teeth chatter.

The female slipped away and spat as Nathan rubbed his face.

“I'm going to war;” told Nathan as he glared at the female.

“You are?” asked the female as she felt her breath intake.

“Yes I am;” told Nathan. “I really wouldn't mind a last drink before I head off to the trains tonight;” he added.

“My husband wanted me to visit him at the train station;” tol the female as her eyes grew distanced as she remembered a past that happened less then six months ago. “I told him I needed to do the washing;” she added as she felt her chest puff and pant as her heart pulled a string inside. “He didn't tell me he was going to war;” she announced as she began to narrow her eyes so that she could see Nathan a little more clearly. “I only found out when I received a letter to tell me that he was dead;” she added before she took a gulp.

Nathan glared at the female unable to say a word. He wanted to tell her he wanted her inside of his house, but what he didn't want to tell her was that he had only water to drink.

“Okay I'll come in for a drink;” muttered the female as she double-crossed her scared. “Just a drink;” she added.

“I wouldn't ask you for anything more;” told Nathan as he felt a glimmer inside of his chest.

Nathan stepped back and the female followed - she was like a cat ready to make friends with a dog and he wanted to bark however he stayed quiet. Nathan let the female inside of his house and she muttered odd remarks as he led her to the room where he had a desk on which sat the letter of conscription.

“See?” asked Nathan as he pointed to the letter. “They've conscripted me;” he added.

“Let me read it;” told the female before she picked up the letter and read it from top to bottom. “This is authentic!” she gasped as though greatly pleasured.

“Now you know I am authentic;” muttered Nathan as he glared at the females hair. “How about a bite to eat?” he asked before he leaned over and bit his neighbours neck so hard that she was unable to scream within seconds as pain robbed her of all senses.

2

Nathan stepped onto the train and was transferred to the military base. He licked his lips as though they still had a rash over them. He had drunk his neighbours blood and buried her under the house to rest and no one had arrested him.

“I've been put in the army mood;” he lied as he continued to taste blood on his mouth.

He couldn't even tell himself the truth - a strange craze had broken into his head and he had done as commanded; it was like a sleep-walk only he didn't walk around, he bit and bit hard! The neighbour had nothing inside of her body to ready herself for such violence and she had fainted right away - Nathan was glad she hadn't screamed; he wasn't a good fighter he was just a fool who wanted to sow his seeds and they hadn't even been sowed.

“I'm ready for the army;” he muttered as he licked his teeth tasted bloody.

Nathan whistled to a nearby soldier

“Got any gum?” he asked.

The soldier smiled and gave him a stick.

Nathan smiled and began to chew on the gum - it was sweet, sugary, and tasted like rubber; it was as expected and he swallowed it fast. He never liked gum, he had just wanted to clean his teeth.

“Want another?” asked the soldier.

“No thanks;” told Nathan as he shook his head.

“That's fine then;” told the soldier as he smiled. “Maybe later;” he added before he winked.

Nathan knew the soldier had something on his mind and he hated him all of a sudden. Nathan rolled his eyes and scolded himself - he had met a stranger and he had only asked for gum, he felt as though he already had a bullet aimed at his head.

“That figures;” he muttered inside of his mind as the train rolled on.

Nathan met the army camp and was led to the dorms. He was allocated a room and he shook hands with many nervous army men. He didn't want to know them but they told him their names - Joe with the auburn hair and sideburns, Peter with the large build and tattoo, Mick with the freckles and the moustache, and Davis with the gold watch and slick personality. Nathan found them very fine scoundrels and he felt quite uneven in their presence, however he tried to get along in his own kind of way by offering a smile, a joke, and anything else that popped up inside of his head. If he came across as nervous it was because he was, he was very nervous and not just because he was around strangers and closer to death then ever, but because he felt different.

“Army to the exercise square!” shouted a fellow commander who walked inside of the dorm with polished boots and grey-brown uniform.

Everyone looked at the commander and wanted to throw bananas, however they caught on that they were supposed to go to the exercise square and so they walked. Nathan took to the tail of the line and then broke off - he didn't want to just be told what to do and so he picked up his boots and sneaked away.

Nathan made it to the uniform warm and he told the officer on post he had been ordered to pick up a new uniform. The officer gave him one and then smiled.

“Have a good day;” the officer said.

Nathan smiled and walked away. When gone he slipped on the uniform and tossed his old clothes into a bin. Dressed he began to wander around, and he did with stealth and quiet steps. He met many people who wanted to smile, and he cracked a smile at every face. However then he met an officer who had a different suit to him and he asked if he wanted to visit the toilet with him. The high commander turned to Nathan and asked him why. Nathan told the commander that he had just washed the basin with a toothbrush and needed a salute. The high commander smiled and tilted his head.

“You want to watch me urinate in it don't you?” he asked.

“Certainly;” told Nathan as he smiled.

The high commander nodded and followed Nathan to the toilet. When there he inspected a bowl that had yellow urine at the bottom, he even crouched down low to inspect, and that was when Nathan attacked! Nathan grabbed the commander's neck and squeezed hard - he didn't care if he was killing the fellow, they usually were able to revive strangulation with some treatment but they never were the same after and their memory was usually shot. Nathan had no fear as he took the high commander to the ground and then stole his uniform. The fellow was only a little larger then he, and he was able to dress the high commander into his uniform before he left the fellow alone.

Nathan broke into an office with the key he had been given and he fiddled around with the papers and envelopes. After signing a few documents and giving himself credit on a report, he then gave himself a badge and then left.

Nathan felt like a sneak and a high runner, his head pumped as hard as his head as he walked around as though he were an army chief. No one knew him, but all enjoyed his image as the high commander; some secretaries asked him questions and he gave them answers but then he was busted as the federal commander threw a gun at his face.

“So you are the outlaw!” gasped the federal commander before he shot.

Nathan fell to the ground, he thought he was dead, but then he woke in a room which was white and sterile. A lone figure hung around the side of the room where there were test-tubes and medical equipment. Nathan glared at the person and then he whistled.

“I'm awake;” he told.

“You're crazy!” gasped the person. “You killed a high commander and then broke into office files;” he added. “I wouldn't know your name only you used your authority to give yourself illegal credit;” he added.

Nathan rolled his eyes - his game was over, he had been caught!

“What's going to happen?” he asked.

“I don't know!” told the person as he rolled his eyes. “I am only supervising you, and you are cuffed to that bed which has been stapled to the floor;” he added as though angered.

Nathan sighed as he saw a silly cuff on his wrist. He wanted to know more but an ache inside of his head distracted him.

“Was I shot?” he asked.

“Tranquilliser;” told the fellow as he picked up a book. “Now be quiet I am going to read;” he added.

Nathan nodded. He stayed quiet, and at one point he fell asleep. When he woke it was dark and he was still cuffed to the table but the fellow with the medical equipment was gone.

Nathan was left in his room for ten days and then he was escorted to a dorm in which there was only one bed. Nathan knew he was in trouble and he looked to the person who had escorted him.

“So Joe;” he sung. “What's all this?” he asked.

“You've been arrested;” told Joe as he smiled and stepped back. “You killed someone;” he added. “You will never be anyone again;” he declared before he left.

Nathan thought he was going to be able to break out of his dorm, however it could only be opened from the outside. Nathan sighed - he was unsure what was going to happen but he knew it meant trouble.

Nathan was starved in the dorm for two day, and then a person called Hector entered the room to offer a meal. Nathan readily took the meal and then he talked to Hector who glared back with a gun sticking out from his waistline. Nathan ate his meal and then he sighed.

“What is going to happen to me Hector?” he asked.

“You are going to die;” told Hector as he blinked.

“How?” asked Nathan.

“Any way we like;” told Hector as he smiled. “You are a rebel;” he added.

“When am I going to die?” asked Nathan.

“Any day;” told Hector as he glared at Nathan hard.

Nathan knew he was supposed to be scared, however he wasn't scared at all. In fact he was agitated, he felt pins all over his body. He wanted to quit the army, but it had captured him and made him a prisoner.

“You forced us into this place, what else was I supposed to do?” he asked.

“You do whatever you like;” told Hector. “When you are caught you will be executed;” he added before he smiled. “Now go to sleep;” he added before he shot.

Nathan felt a spear hit his right arm and he cried out in agony before dizziness made him blank out.

Nathan stayed blanked out for many days, when he woke he had a headache. Hector smiled at him as he watched him from across the room.

“You need a drink;” he declared.

Nathan nodded and waited to be given a drink, however he was given nothing.

“Where's my drink?” asked Nathan impatient for a drop of liquid to erase the saw-dust inside of his mouth.

“I never said you were going to be given one;” told Hector before he scoffed.

Nathan nodded and then he grimaced - he really needed to take a leak.

“Where's the bathroom?” he asked.

“Take a leak inside of your shoe;” told Hector. “Then drink it;” he added before he left the dorm.

Nathan saw that Hector used his cuff to open the door. When he was gone Nathan inspected the door-frame and saw a pin-hole from which a tiny red light glowed.

“There's some trick here;” he announced as he smiled. “When Hector returns I'll give it to him and then I will leave;” he announced before he chuckled.

3

Hector walked into the prison dorm and met hands that strangled him until he was unable to breath. His clothes were the stolen and Nathan was able to escape. Nathan didn't stay on base this time, instead he left the army arena as smiled crowded all around and he left in a shiny black car. He knew Hector was the kind of person who owned a nice black car, Nathan had only two to choose from and he chose the right one first try.

Nathan drove away, dumped the car, and then he walked. He walked through forest until he met a boat, and then he ferried a ride down a river until the boat met its quay. At the quay Nathan walked away, and he walked far.

“I'm never going to be captured for the army again!” gasped Nathan as he narrowed his eyes. “I am going to live as an illegal alien, and no one is going to capture me!” he said before he robbed a car, drove to another city, and disappeared amongst its dark spaces until the memory of the army faded under a cloud of black smog.