Dive rested up against the tunnel wall as ND stared at the ground.
Then the grungy teen looked up, eyes taking a look so haunted that it made Dive's hair and feathers on the back of his neck rise.
X
Up until four years ago, Puckworld had been a peaceful place. Everyone enjoyed life to the fullest, and strived to achieve a perfect world. Within the government, several Avians did their best to better the place.
One such duck was Governor Stride. He was a handsome duck, with broad shoulders and a tiny wisp of feathers on the top of his head. His beak was long and his chin was prominent.
Females flocked to him in his youth.
But only one of them caught his attention and kept it by showing zero interest.
Lillian was a beautiful white duck with luscious blond hair. She was smart and witty, and deeply in love with Stride.
So she kept her cool and feigned disinterest.
It drove Stride nuts.
He pursued her all four years of high school. And when graduation came, the two birds finally admitted their love to each other.
They got married while in college, and shortly after graduating there, they had their first son.
Wildwing was his father's shadow. He was always more serious than his friends. And he gave his trust sparingly.
A few years later, Nosedive was born.
Unlike Wildwing, he took after Lillian, the blond hair and a dark yellow tint to the feathers that hinted to an off white color when he fully matured.
Nosedive was perpetually cheerful, cracking jokes, pulling harmless pranks, making it a goal in life to make people laugh.
Wildwing ended up becoming possessive and protective of his younger brother.
It was amusing to the parents.
Every time it looked like Nosedive was going to get in trouble, Wildwing was there to pull him out. No bullies ever targeted Nosedive.
As the years passed, both boys grew up without much change.
Except that Wildwing was constantly being harassed by a young male named Canard.
Everything was always a competition. Grades, sports, girls. . . even family.
By the time Wildwing was nearing high school graduation, Stride was governor of their city. With his new plans of action, criminal activity was sparse due to the strict punishments that were being enforced. Stride was loved by the community, his wife and children simply adored.
Publicity was an everyday thing.
Canard hated it with a passion and always ragged on Wildwing, calling him Mister Popularity, and Poor Little Rich Boy. He wooed girlfriends away from Wildwing. And then turned his attention on Nosedive.
At first, it seemed like a sincere thing. Canard always looking out for him, being his cool older friend. But Nosedive was never completely comfortable around him. He didn't like the way Canard talked about Wildwing.
But that was the only fault.
Other than that, Canard was fun to have around.
Presents were always left for him, as were little notes calling him "My Little Bro" and "Coolest Little Dude" and things like that.
But when senior year approached for Nosedive, the Saurian Invasion took place.
They were crafty Saurians. With all the technology they possessed, Puckworld had no choice but to surrender. The Saurians gained control of the government, keeping several of the recent governors and mayors in place to keep the inhabitant somewhat content.
Stride was among them.
The first year was horrid. Stride was forced to speak in favor of the Saurian rule, or risk the protection of his wife and sons.
Canard made things somewhat bearable for Nosedive, sneaking him a few contraband stuff, like CD's and video games that were no longer available to the public. Wildwing, of course, remained distrustful.
Near the end of the first year, Stride did what he was expected to do by other ducks. . . he actively opposed the Saurians -- undercover.
The Resistance was just beginning, Avians being the first ones to make up the complete team. A few Saurians joined in afterwards.
Stride supported them financially, and occasionally slipped information to them.
For a year, Nosedive and Wildwing played devil advocates, playing nice with the Saurian brats, and then sneaking info to Resistance contacts.
A year later, however, they were exposed.
Nosedive should have seen it coming, but he didn't.
X
Dive watched ND as his look-a-like stared at the floor. He had gone silent, as if gathering his courage for what he was about to say.
Truthfully, Dive wasn't sure if he really wanted to know what had happened.
ND took a deep breath. "It was the beginning to the end of my life," he said softly.
X
Nosedive was making a joke over the dinner table when their front door slammed opened. Stride rose first and froze.
Wildwing growled.
Standing in their living room stood a group of five armed Saurian soldiers, two droids, and Canard.
"What's the meaning of this?" Stride asked in a low voice. "I thought I was suppose to be left alone."
One of the soldiers with a high ranking badge stepped forward. He was a round Saurian, with a club-like tail. "You have been found guilty of treason," he said, holding out his weapon.
"That's preposterous!" shouted Stride.
"Nuh-uh," said Canard, with a smirk. "ND told me all about it, didn't you, Little Dude."
Nosedive was stunned. "W-why?" he asked softly, betrayal evident on his face.
"Because," Canard leered. "Every day it was Stride's family this, and Stride's family that, and Wildwing this and Wildwing that, and Lillian this and Lillian that, and Nosedive this and Nosedive that. . . I was sick of it!!! My father was running for governor, but your slagging father won and took all the glory. But that's all right. Because soon it will be my turn."
He motioned the soldiers forward.
Both droids held Stride in place as two Saurians grabbed Wildwing. Lillian was flanked by one soldier, while a fourth shoved Nosedive towards Canard.
Canard grabbed Nosedive's wrist and twisted it, forcing the teen onto his knees. "We have a new program going," he said. "All supporters of Dragaunus earned the right to slaves. And I've chosen mine right here!"
"You son of a. . . " Wildwing's words were cut short as his guard slammed a fist into his gut.
Nosedive flinched. Never had his brother been on a receiving end of a punch. Watching him helpless made things worse.
Canard petted the top of his head.
Nosedive pulled back and spit on Canard's face, anger clouding his judgment.
Canard's look turned deadly. A small smirk crossed his face. "Someone needs a lesson to show him who the master is." He yanked Nosedive back on his feet, grabbing him by the hair.
Nosedive struggled and threw a punch.
Canard grabbed his arm, twisted it back, and pushed up, causing Nosedive to rise on his toes to avoid further strain.
"Lesson number one, slave. . . as your master, I possess everything that is you. . . mind, soul, and. . . "
He chuckled.
"Body."
"No!" shouted Stride, lunging forward.
The droids held him back, snapping one of his arms in the process.
Lillian screamed as Stride collapsed, numb from shock.
Canard threw Nosedive to the floor.
Laughter could be heard coming from the Saurians as Lillian pleaded with Canard to leave Nosedive alone. Wildwing and Stride were shouting in outrage as Nosedive's screams of pain and sobs of humiliation stuck a painful chord within them.
Lillian joined her son in crying.
Nosedive retreated into his mind.
Canard made himself presentable when the deed was done.
Nosedive numbly fumbled to close his jeans, his eyes vacant. A few more tears escaped from his eyes as he slowly and painfully sank to the floor, hugging his knees and rocked himself.
"Nosedive," sobbed Lillian, trying to get her young son to answer.
Wildwing and Stride remained silent, impotent with fury.
Stride raised his eyes to glare at Canard. "You will die for this," he said, chokingly.
"Not before you do. Let's step outside."
The entire family was dragged into the streets.
Stride sputtered as one of the Saurians dumped oily liquid over his head, drenching him.
He only had time to recognize the smell when Canard lit a match and threw it.
"Dad, no!" shouted Wildwing, as Lillian screamed again, voice hoarse from misuse.
Several citizens looked out in the streets and were horrified to see their beloved governor being burned alive.
Stride yelled as he tried to put out the fire, but the liquid kept it going. The smell of burning feathers and flash became strong as Stride collapsed to the floor. Smoke rose and so did the flames.
Stride ceased to exist.
Wildwing openly wept and Lillian continued to scream and cry in remorse as Nosedive stared, completely silent.
"Shut her up," said Canard.
Lillian's screaming was cut short by a knife to her throat.
Her eyes took a glassy look as air escaped from the cut, and she fell to the floor, face first.
Canard laughed and petted Nosedive again.
Nosedive looked down at his mother. He whispered "Mommy," and then looked back up, holding himself and rocking on his feet, back and forth.
Canard left Nosedive where he was and went to one of the droids. He popped open a hatch and pulled out a branding iron. The tip glowed from the heat. He walked over to Wildwing, who now was silent in his grief.
A murderous look flashed in his eyes for a moment, before he looked at the ground, defeated.
"What's the matter?" taunted Canard. "Not the perfect family anymore? Oh, wait, you got to have a family first to even try to make it perfect. You don't have a dad, and you don't have a mom. . . and with this brand. . . you won't have a brother." Canard walked over to Nosedive and grabbed his wrist.
Nosedive made no move to get away.
The look on Wildwing's eyes were heartbreaking as Canard pressed the branding iron into the back of Nosedive's left hand.
A faint hiss was heard as smoke rose. Nosedive barely flinched, still in shock from what Canard had done to him in front of his family. He slowly looked at the burn on his hand.
Canard turned towards Wildwing. "Such a shame," he said. "The great Wildwing, unable to help his brother in the end."
"Oh, Nosedive," whispered Wildwing. "I'm so sorry. . . " Tears continued to flow down his face, blinding him. . . keeping him from seeing his beloved brother's face. In the end, it may have been a blessing.
Canard nodded at the Saurians.
With the exception of the burly red one, they all advance forward, claws and teeth tearing into Wildwing's flesh.
Wildwing let out a scream as more blood tainted the streets.
Canard pulled Nosedive close, smiling at him as the younger duck just stared.
The burly red Saurian stood next to them. "You'll be one of us soon if you keep amusing us like this, Canard."
"Thank you, Captain Seige."
X
One year later, Canard became one of Dragaunus's Generals. He, with the help of sadistic and former Puckworld criminals, tore down the beauty that Puckworld once was and helped raise the new Saurian empire.
Nosedive was forced to watch all this as Canard's personal slave. He was fed scraps, had to clean everything he was told to clean, was locked in Canard's house and never let out. And he was to provide relief whenever the tan duck was denied pleasure from his Saurian lover.
Everyday, Nosedive wished for death. In the beginning, he did everything to push Canard, to make him angry enough to kill him with the beatings. But Canard seemed to know what he was doing.
He'd hit him just right to cause immense pain, but the injuries were never life threatening.
Later on, Nosedive gave up. He would stare at himself in the bathroom window after some of the nightly rituals, a blade in his hands. But he never followed through. He was too afraid. He was afraid that his soul was too tainted to rejoin his family.
Instead he chose to live with the abuse. Only crying when the pain was unbearable.
That was his life. . .
. . . now and until the end.
X
Dive sat next to ND, watching him from the corner of his eye.
ND sat still, trapped in the horrors of his past.
"I cried only for pain," he said dully, his voice low. "But not once. . . not once did I actually cry. . . for my family."
His eyes became glassy. "I never. . . I never cried for them." A small tear began to fall. "My brother asked for forgiveness. . . " His voice cracked. ". . .and I never gave it to him. . ."
Dive watched helplessly as ND began to shake and cry. "I watched my whole family die and I never wept for them!" His words slurred as the tightness in his throat cut off air.
Dive switched out of his unforgiving battle armor and into street clothes. He reached out and pulled ND into an embrace.
"I miss them!" ND continued to cry. "I miss them, I miss them, I miss them. . . If only. . . if only Canard killed me instead!"
Dive felt tears track down his face as he rocked his other self gently, running his hand through ND's hair, the same way Wildwing would do it when Dive woke up from nightmares.
ND sobbed, for once releasing his pent up grief. His body shook badly as he clutched at Dive, burying his face and soaking Dive's jacket.
"I want my family back. . . I need them. . . "
They remained like that for a while, the sounds of dripping water and heart-wrenching sobs echoed hauntingly through the tunnels of the sewers.
Soon the cries lessened, but they stayed still.
And sleep soon came upon them, and for a brief moment. . . gave them peace.
To be continued . . .