Anya
"Ughh, give me a break."
Anya slumped against the side of the brick wall as she ran a hand through her tangled brown locks. Her hat dropped to the ground as the thought of what happened weighed her down.
"What in the seven skies did I steal?"
"Something the Order did not ask for. That's for sure." The voice that stabbed at Anya's conscience belonged to the only person she hated most to displease.
Irsha walked towards Anya's slumped figure and dropped the smartphone on the pavement in front of her. Anya cringed at the resounding crack.
"You had no reason throwing the phone like that." Anya promptly picked up the damaged phone and carefully held it in her palms.
Irsha looked at her bewildered.
"Anya. Can you stop thinking about yourself, and put yourself in my shoes? The Order's shoes?"
Anya only clenched her teeth.
"You can't do anything right. No wonder Harun warned me before going on this mission with you. You ruin everything! Just like you ruined the relationship with your own-" Irsha stopped herself at the sight of Anya's indifference.
"You won't listen will you?" Irsha's anger came out more palpable than ever. It was a suffocating feeling for Anya. "Fine, be like that. I hope you come up with the perfect excuse to-. Actually, no. I think it's best you just disappear. Just run away like you always do, little bitch."
With that, she left. Anya was left with the distant sounds of branches cracking, and the stiff rustling of autumn leaves as Irsha took off to the night sky.
"Grandpa, what do I do now?" Anya let her head fall back against the brick wall of the abandoned building she took refuge under.
She contemplated everything. Everything that went wrong. From where it went wrong, to how it went wrong. To who was in the wrong.
"Hah, it all leads to me. Points to me." Anya closed her eyes against the sudden flash of pain through her chest. The tears were so painful to hold. But, she couldn't release them. Why was she the one in pain, when the Order's plan was ruined because of her misstep? She had no right to be in pain.
But it was so hard to bear. The weight of it all was heavier than she could voice.
That morning she felt so ready. Her instinct told her she was going to be successful. That this was the day when the Order would realize that taking her in as a babe was not a mistake. That she was a worthwhile investment.
"We've had our fallouts Anya, but I know that this is something that you could do." The words Harun told her echoed meaninglessly in her head.
That week the Order carried out the task of finding the missing piece to the final amendment. Something that the Chief continuously emphasized was vital to their cause. What cause? No one knew. Anya only followed what she was told. Did whatever she was ordered.
She was indebted to the Order. Anya owed them her life. However, in all the years she's worked under their jurisdiction, she has never been praised or recognized. Even a word of encouragement would settle the incompetency she's felt all her life.
Anya, show us you at least appreciate how much we've done for you. The least you could do is this right?
Chief's voice. They were the same lines repeated over and over.
"How many times do I have to prove myself?" Anya's voice cracked as she dropped her head into her hands, unable to contain her tears.
The Order wanted her to retrieve the last piece. If she told them that her instinct guided her to the man in the elevator. That he was the clue. The last piece to finishing the Clause. That there was no proof just some gut feeling- it hit Anya that no matter how much she explained herself, no one would understand. Or believe.
This mission was not even done yet, so why has everyone already turned on her?
"I've got to do this somehow. This is my last chance at some sort of closure. Then I'll leave the Order. No- I'll leave this entire country behind."
Anya's confidence was definitely concerning to some degree, but it nonetheless was a start for her to achieve something that was not a limiting cause for herself. However, there was a small ache to her pride and wilfulness. She was at a loss when it came to addressing her doubts.
The man in the elevator wasn't any normal person. Should it be a coincidence that he happened to have the last piece of the clause, or was there something, more…? Anya remembered his face and the gash that ran across as if a searing, jagged knife had cut into the flesh.
She shivered.
"Skies, where do I even start?"
Anya brought out the phone again and ran a finger across the crack. Almost as if on cue, the phone's display brightened with an incoming call.
"...Head?" The icon blared furiously.
Anya just shrugged, slipped the phone into her pocket, and resumed her crying session that had been unfortunately interrupted. However, the phone didn't stop ringing. Anya, now face-dry, felt irritated by the caller's insistence. She took the phone and accepted the call, quiet and kept away at a distance.
A buzz and a few hushed voices resounded from the speaker. Anya realized that the caller had also been silent on the other end too, probably feeling around for something…
"Bruh."
Anya slapped a hand over her mouth. Heavens- I meant to think it, not say it.
"...Hm." Hm. It was said in confirmation.
Anya ran a hand over her face and finally understood why Irsha thought she was possessed by a demon. There was nothing she could do but look the consequences in the face at this point. Better to have my opponents in close view, I guess, Anya thought.
However, he knew she had his phone. He didn't need to check for anything else. The call cut and Anya sat there now in a slight panic.
Suddenly, it felt as though the air was stilling, and an eerie calm settled over. A calm before the storm.
Anya shot to her feet and sprinted through the forest. Someone was watching her now. Maybe the caller of the phone call? But there's no way he'd track her down unless he was some monster right?
And there's no such thing, Anya conceded. Yet, there panged a small strike of fear in her chest.