PINCERS V(FINALE) - by Tioluwani Aina

The servituers were dismissed after the headcount and advanced towards the ration station. Dan and Tom stuck together throughout so that they could enact their plan. The latter couldn't keep his excitement in as giddy smiles stretched across his worn out face."I know you're excited right now but please tame it a wee bit" Dan said between body stretches. "We don't want these Arturian assholes suspecting us, eh mate?". Tom composed himself."You're right. Let's keep calm".<img alt="" src="/media/inline_insight_image/1000418116.jpg"/>Servituer feet shuffled along the single file with their backs hunched. Just like they had planned, the security were monitoring spots far from their entrance/getaway.Most of the Marsh-dwellers were too tired to notice any kind of off-kilter movement. Once their timing was right, they slipped into the slightly dark alley. They made their way through the debris and found the ground vent."Bingo! We're about to be stuffed my brother" Tom said with the widest grin. "We are, eh mate?" as Dan brought out some curved metal from his pocket and jacked the vent.Tom went on all fours and made his way through the vent airways. He remembered to look for a "glowing light", that being the sign that he was above the room to take the extra rations.<img alt="" src="/media/inline_insight_image/1000418117.jpg"/>Dan assumed his look-out position but in his haste forgot to close the vent. All Marsh-dwellers, when captured from their homeworlds, are branded with a number which is registered into the Arturian hivemind. This is to help the super intelligent arthropods to keep track of the servituers and their activities.After about 20 minutes, a loud boom thundered across the landscape. "Number 676! Number 681! All officers at alert! Number 676! Number 681!" The constant iteration of the announcement induced a state of detached paranoia in Dan's mind as a lump began to swell inside his throat.He was Number 681.The Marsh-dwellers used this as a cue to begin running helter-skelter while the Arturian officers used brute force to try containing them. Dan was confused on what to do. Should I just join everyone else in this chaos and save myself? After all it was not my idea! He cursed under his breath.The reason they were called was because two servituers had not been served their grub. That would mean a little bit more for some of the filthy many... and the Arturians didn't want that.He looked towards the vent and saw that it wasn't closed. But if I crawled in here to hide, how will I close it? His face was a salt and water trench, his pupils darting left and right as if to weigh his options. He decided to close it from the outside. At least, Tom will have his fill. His fingers were trembling from panic as he fumbled with the vent he so masterfully jacked earlier. He was trying to put it in place when another Marsh-dweller ran into the alley amidst the frenzy.Time wasn't wasted on Dan the defaulter. "Escaper! Escaper! Alert!" the Marsh-dweller shrieked for all to hear. Dan's cheekbones danced up and down the frame of his face as he, with all of the strength left of him, loudly whispered at the snitch "Stop, what are you doing mate!? Calm down!""Escaper! Escaper! Alert!"In the nick of time, Dan had managed to jam the vent to protect Tom but the alley had been surrounded with Arturian Forces. It was too late. "Tha...tha...that's him, officer!" the snitch stuttered in fearful excitement as his index finger directed the officer's gaze towards Dan. He would finally become Bugoise!The Chief Arturian Officer walked his four legs majestically towards Dan. Each step, further crystallizing the lump in Dan's throat.With an assured low tone, the Chief Arturian Officer greeted Dan. "There you are, 6.8.1." He stopped at breathing distance in front of Dan, towering him. His kaleidoscope eyes humming a burgundy red, dimly lit where they stood. His eyes staring into Dan's as if to search his soul for answers.Four, loud consecutive knocks were heard from the vent. "Dan! Dan! Brother, we did it! I...I got the extra rations!" Silence punctuated the moment as Dan's head bowed in defeat."That must be 6.7.6", the officer's words were measured but firm. Although he spoke in low tones, it was audible enough to let Tom know that, they were f*cked. "Enough theatrics", the officer assumed a stance and arched his wings, "It's time to take care of this". Everything happened quickly. The vent got destroyed by a kick from the officer, with Tom being dragged by this face out of the tunnel. Of course, the officer's stingy grip didn't escape Dan either. He hurled them both with excruciating force into the sky.The air's pressure enacted tiny, burning cuts that opened exponentially across their skins as they gained altitude. Dan and Tom were high enough in the sky to see the seven moons lined perfectly in their view.<img src="/media/inline_insight_image/1000418122.jpg"/>They heard a disgusting buzz charging at them from below. They knew their time was over, but, this was better than horrid conditions. This was better than needless suffering. This was peace, peace at last. In usual fashion, their eyes flashed before their eyes: Tom tasting the cognac turn bitter that marked the beginning of his end. Dan remembered the day the policeman shoved that assault rifle into his tired arms. He missed his photographer life. "Death before dishonor, eh mate?" Dan said as they turned their faces to each other, sharing a smile for the last time. A tear trailed Tom's cheeks to seal this final moment. All I ever wanted... was... to eat... something, anything. He pressed his eyes shut, hard. And not get my dignity robbed of me.The buzz arrived as soon as the smiles reached their cheekbones. What followed were the most precise neck snaps the Chief Arturian Officer had ever done with his PINCERS.

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