l i t t l e l i o n m a n | t h e u m b r e l l a a c a d e m y

0 . 4

man on the moon

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they followed the meritech worker home, and took turns keeping watch and sleeping in the van like the good old days. around mid morning sebastian hastily shook five awake and pointed silently to a dark car across the street.

five was alert in seconds, blinking them into the car as soon as the man entered it. he crawled into the passenger seat and held a knife to the scientist's throat.

"oh, jesus!"

"once chance," five hissed. "that's all you've got. one chance to tell me exactly what's going on in that lab."

sebastian noticed the man's dog barking beside him and held his hand out. he smiled as the dog sniffed, then allowed him to pet it.

"i- i manufacture prosthetic devices for fake patients," he folded. "i bill the insurance companies and then sell them for cash on the black market."

well that was easy.

but five wasn't done. "including eyeballs?"

"yeah, they're my biggest seller. i mean, they sell like hotcakes. i- i've got a waiting list, probably 20 buyers."

"so the serial number i told you..."

"uh, could've already been bought. yes. off- off the books."

five practically had steam coming from his ears in impatience. "i need that list, lance. names and numbers, and i need it now!"

"i don't have it," he stuttered. sebastian leaned forward, eyes glittering gold within obsidian. he gulped and looked back at five. "i mean, not on me. the only copy's in my safe at the lab."

"well, you start the car them. 'cause were going on a field trip."

"o- okay. okay."

"now!"

lance's hands shook as he belted himself in and started the engine. sebastian rapped on five's seat, causing him to look back.

if we kill him can i have his dog?

five grinned devilishly at lance. "sure, why not."

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unfortunately, by the time they arrived at the lab, it was in flames. the two boys ditched lance and sprinted towards the inferno, not that they could do anything.

they halted right in front of the building, and stared in disbelief. right as five opened his mouth to say something, the building exploded.

they came to almost immediately, but had nowhere to go. no leads left. so sebastian suggested going to a library. seemed as good a place as any to start.

they stole some alcohol and headed to the closest public library, only to be found four hours later by diego and luther, unconscious and surrounded by books.

sebastian wasn't drunk like five, he physically couldn't get drunk due to his metabolism, but he was so tired and hungry he couldn't stand. as luther picked five up diego hoisted a half asleep sebastian into his arms.

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tonight, sebastian's mind took him back to his first day in the apocalypse.

he was tired and hungry. the sun was hidden by clouds and he was utterly lost. didn't help that the commission was sure to be hunting him down that very moment.

his only hope was five. the boy he was supposed to kill. he silently prayed, even though he had never been religious, that the briefcase had landed him somewhere near his target.

so he walked. he walked for hours, and just as the first stars appeared, smoke from a fire could be seem in the distance. he picked up the pace, and when he was fifty feet away started running.

he saw five sit up and turn slowly to face him. he was dirty and shaking. it was his first night too. clearly he had been more productive than sebastian, judging by his wagon full of supplies.

one of which was a shotgun.

he raised the weapon and pointed it directly at sebastian. he raised his arms in surrender and smiled. i come in peace. he signed slowly so five wouldn't startle.

"who are you?" he demanded, keeping the gun level.

i'm sebastian.

"what?"

he slowly mouthed his name. se-bas-ti-an. he repeated it three times before five finally said it himself.

"sebastian?"

nod.

"are you...did you survive? whatever...happened?"

a half shrug followed by a slight head shake. it was obvious what that meant; it's complicated.

he lowered the gun slightly. "would you...like some food?" he asked begrudgingly.

sebastian nodded enthusiastically. he hadn't eaten for far too long.

five stepped aside and dropped the gun, allowing sebastian to join him at the fire. "you gotta leave tomorrow morning, ok? i don't need to deal with another person."

sebastian rolled his eyes but nodded, munching on the canned soup five had given him. he had two more before five cut him off. "we need to eat tomorrow too," he laughed. "i. i need to eat. not we."

he stopped suddenly. he had laughed. in the goddamn apocalypse. his whole family was dead, yet somehow this strange, scar ridden, monstrous teenager had made him laugh.

sebastian was digging through his wagon of supplies. he emerged holding a pen and paper. 'this is how we can talk' he wrote. 'unless you want to speak through nods and shrugs. tonight only of course.'

five felt another smile creeping up, but squashed it. not twice in one night, no way.

he had quite a few jackets in his wagon, and both boys picked a few to cover themselves in to keep warm. he tried to ignore the tears that welled up in his eyes as he remembered who's bodies he had taken the jackets from.

they fell asleep with the fire burning for warmth, but the next morning it was out. they shivered in silence as they ate breakfast, then began packing up the camp.

"were you speaking sign language before?" five asked as they packed.

nod.

"can i learn? i mean, if we're gonna be around each other more i should be able to talk to you. or, i guess sign."

nod, with a grin attached. 'so i can stay?' sebastian scribbled down.

"we're the last humans left in what is apparently the apocalypse. might as well stick together."

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