Brother

Brother

It had to be her brother! Thought Susan as she looks into the interrogation room from behind the one-way mirror. Torture room would be more of an accurate description, but interrogation room was used for those a tad squeamish to the actions that take place inside.

Susan is the Governor of the Rocky Mountain district of Red America. Arriving at Camp Bronco, the districts reeducation camp, Susan was to witness the interrogation and eventual execution of the first prisoner in her district. The prisoner inside had been captured recruiting for his rebellious guerilla army.

It had to be her brother! Susan knew that after Kevin's interrogation she would have to order and watch his execution. Would she be able to? If they had captured any other rebel, her decision would have been swift and resolute. No remorse, just the appropriate punishment for anybody that would dare question the Red America government.

But this was Kevin, her brother. Kevin had always been there to pick her up when she had fallen. Protected her from the bullies in school. Why did he have to hold on to those old fashioned ideals of individual liberties and freedom? He would have been such an asset to have, leading her peacekeepers to eradicate every last stronghold of rebellion in her district.

Now she would have to order his death, or face the consequences. There is no room in the new government for those that are unable to follow directions. For Red America, party trumps family. No exceptions could be made, she would order Kevin to die or face death as a traitor to the very government she helped create.

Through a door on the opposite side of where Susan was watching her brother, the team of "interrogators" entered. Both men were behemoths to behold, tall and nothing but rippling muscle. Susan again felt a twinge of panic. Could she live with herself, if she allows this to happen? She knew Kevin could take care of himself, but he was handcuffed and defenseless.

Watching the beating, Susan felt sick to her stomach. She loved her brother, but her brother was an enemy of the state. Relegated to being a spectator at her brother's beating, Susan did order the sound in the viewing room to be turned off.

Kevin would make no noise, of that she was sure. But the two men, men she was ultimately in charge of, would be noisy, using her brother as a human punching bag. She knew she couldn't stomach the sound of fist hitting flesh, of bones crunching.
After what seemed an eternity, Susan's Chief of Staff said, "Governor, it's over. You are needed in the room to verbally sentence the prisoner to death. If word gets out that you showed mercy to a prisoner, family or not, it will be all over for you." Though left unsaid, the implications of any perceived treachery on her part would carry over to her staff were crystal clear to Susan.

Susan placed her trembling hand on the door, unsure of how life had placed her in this situation. She had a decision to make, and not much time to make it though...order the execution of her brother, or die a traitor's death.

She slowly opened the door, and when she stepped inside the room, Kevin looked at her and said, "Hello sister."

"Goodbye brother," is her sad, yet resolute reply.