Shirty (adjective)
Bad tempered, irritable or cranky.
Chapter 22
(Mako's P.O.V)
It's as if a supernatural wind is sweeping through the place and sucking out all energy and will form me. Fear and confusion take dominance.... Will she kill me too... will I die because I saw this... no Amelia wouldn't do that, she's a nice girl, she even offered me a seat this morning...
I twist right violently; a hand grabbing at my arm tightly. I'm dragged away from the spot; running forward away from the backyard and out into the street, stopping right by the car. I take a breath my eyes landing on Shay. A finger hovers on his mask, telling me to keep my lips shut. He motions at the stuff inside the trunk and he begins fetching around. I nod at him blinking away my momently tears.
I mirror his action; pushing my hands through the stuff, trying to find something; anything. Oh right just look for the jacket... just look for the jacket...
"Mako?" I jump at my name; I glance around at her; half smiling rubbing her hands together. Her pink curls bouncing on her head. She's clean and put together; no blood or nothing on her. She stops for a second as her eyes meet Shay beside me.
Just act normal. Just pretend to be normal.
"You look sick; is your arm hurting you again?" She runs on leaning by the car, her mask laying below her chin. I keep pushing my hands around; swallowing down glancing at Shay who's silent; looking at a packet as if it has the most interesting writing. The wind blows at us as I stare down at my shaking purple looking hands. Skin tight and dry.
She just... murdered someone... I saw it... she did something... those intestines... coming out.... she did it. It's impossible to be able to do that; maybe I saw wrong.
"What's wrong? seriously... they're not here so you can ask me stuff if you want... don't rat me out." She winks at Shay who gives her a glare. I swallow down letting down my arms beside me. I take a breath and look up at her, spotting her very pink blush on her olive toned cheeks, with two heart drawings made by erasing the blush... one on each cheek.
"Nothing...." I break eye contact, not able to confront her.
"We just.... we're just looking for um... looking for his jacket. What about you." I challenge her, keeping my eyes down, giving her a quick glance; her face stiffens for a moment then turns into a smile.
"Was doing my part of course." She affirms in a wary voice; smiling even wider, one of her two front teeth shipped.
"Piper sent me back here, we missed giving a few things to this place." She goes on pointing at the house she just came from it's backyard. Piper sent her?... then are they in this together? why would they just kill a random person?
She said she's doing her part, and the leader Piper knows she came here. I glance over at Shay... it's been cold all day, it's least likely he would take off his jacket. He even followed me over, he seems to know about it too. So they all know Amelia came here to murder someone?... for?
I glance back at Amelia studying her face... could it be us distributing food be just a distraction? and the real mission is...? Also I'm being left with no information even though I'm from the group?
"Terrorists." I pronounce. Her lashes flutter; eyes flashing with recognition, darting between me and Shay. She swallows shifting her back on the car, tangling her hands together.
"What about it?" She asks, her mouth drawing into a hesitant smile. She watches me studying her and shifts again pulling her mask over her face.
"You said I can ask you now didn't you?" I go on. She hesitates looking right then nodding remembering what she told me just now.
"There has been these terrorist activities, you know... they bring them here from the dot, give them a second chance but they still not grateful and create trouble." She informs me, shrugging a few times, eyes darting around as she goes about her elaboration.
"Every year they let one ghoul out. Whoever is doing those terrorist activities have been here in the city more than a year. Why decide now to go rebellious?" I comment, my voice monotone and slightly accusing of her false information. She gives Shay a quick look,
"And apparently they're not doing it out of hunger. What's their motive?" I go on.
"I don't know, don't pull that police investigation crap on me." She groans letting her head fall back playfully. She pushes herself off the car and brings the trunk tailgate down, closing it shut.
"What are you doing?" I ask her my voice quite harsh, my hands forming into fists.
"We need to head back, Piper will get all upset." She tells me rolling her eyes, putting her hands in her pocket; ready to walk away.
"We didn't find the jacket yet. You're just avoiding my questions." I spit pulling the trunk open holding it in place. I spot Shay's jacket and I motion for him to pull it out. As he does, I bring the tailgate back down close and give her a hard stare.
"If you can't answer my questions, don't tell me to ask next time." I add, my voice brash. As we walk back towards the group Amelia puts her hands around my shoulders playfully,
"Don't be angry, I like you better when you're nice." She tugs at me; her curls stabbing my eyes. I push her off harshly making her stumble back. Her eyes widen at me,
"What's with you?!" She spurts. I keep glaring, anger sitting on my chest.
"Do you normally treat people like this once they don't tell you everything you want to hear?" She goes on, standing straight and walking up to me; her face inches away from mine. Will she kill me like she did to that man if I make her angrier... no I don't really care about that part. She's making me angrier than I already am, but deep inside I can't bring myself to confront her. And as odd as it may sound after surviving the company of the twins and the dot, I'm still scared of her.
"My arm is hurting, and you pressed at it. That's all." I reply looking away. She stays there, while Shay stands still waiting for us. The sky raves above us;
"What are guys doing?!" We glance over at Piper's bossy question; running up towards us with the others, hands on her hips. I give Amelia a quick look and move away.
"How can you be slacking when we have so much work?!" She spits walking up to me; as if I'm the only one here she's accusing. She rubs her eyes, groaning in frustration.
"You could at least bring the last batch with you... Freaking useless." She spits pushing me out of her way, rolling her big eyes that are lined by thin arched eyebrows, colored with blue crayon. She glances at Amelia; who's visibly sweating.
"Are we done here?" Piper asks ; her forehead puckering. Amelia glances at me and nods.
.
We ride the car back to the house after finishing the last distribution. As soon as we arrive, the women in the flowery dress hands me a white plastic bag telling me to eat up. In my room, I sit on the floor and eat up the fried chicken that came in the bag... let's hope this isn't poisoned or anything.
After stuffing myself and taking a shower; carefully keeping my arm out of the water's reach, keeping the medical band dry; I dress back in my pink uniform, leaving out my crop top jacket behind since it's quite warm inside this house and head out the room. I go fetch my brother; knocking on his door.
He opens the door quickly taking note of who I am; letting out a breath and pushing the door back trying to shut it.
"Won't ask questions!" I blurt out placing my hand on the door. His eyes dart hesitating pushing back his hair and twisting his lips. I smile back nodding just to reassure him of my announcement.
"Just wanted to see if you're doing alright... are you okay?" I ask him straightening up; letting go of the door. He stays quite for a second;
"I'm good... heard you gave your group a hard time." He replies voice monotone; hand still pressed against the door frame, ready to shut it. I roll my eyes shrugging,
"I just randomly wanted to fall asleep in the street, what's the big deal." I elaborate sarcastically. Botan gazes up, cracking a laugh at my comment; his eyes squishing and the corners of his lips turning up.
.
.
As I watch outside the window dressed in my pajamas; I recall the days back at home... the whole lot of us studying and playing with each other, but as time went by; all my other siblings began to distance themselves... one after the other. Me and Botan got along the best; maybe because we're very close in age, we had always been doing things together; like twins really. We would study hard together, we would draw together... we made a fool of my sister Rave almost every day... we would come up with more things to add to the list of what we'll do if we got to leave the house... but it all changed... lately, he has followed in the rest of my siblings footsteps. Acting as if he knows better, not talking to me... keeping this unexplained distance.
I sigh throwing my body on the bed. Another night of overthinking my way into loss of consciousness.
.
I open my eyes at the sound of vibration; loud noises of metal grinding against metal, a smell like decaying metallic oil invades my senses. A lurching shudder shakes the floor beneath my body, throwing me slightly up and I fall back down facing forward. Lifting my head up; I flutter my eyes but I'm surrounded by stuffy darkness and moisture, dusty air. Pushing my hands beneath me; I cough at the tight air, my throat dry, falling back down as another jolt shakes me, the metal room falling downward like a lift. I shuffle back standing up on my feet shaking; trying to keep my balance. The lightless place sways back and forth as I feel it descend, making me fall against the metal wall. I feel my way around tapping at the metal; noting that I'm in a square elevator made of thick chicken wire.
"Hello...?" I shout as the floor shakes beneath me. I glance around trying to capture an answer to my call, but only harsh sounds of chains and pulleys echo back and a sound raving like a car engine. My stomach knots and I swallow sliding down the metal floor; my fingers pricking at the holes in the chicken wire.
"Hello?!" I shout again straining my ears and holding my breath. Red light flashes below me; low enough for me to barely spot it. I'm moving lower and lower towards it; slowly.
I don't know how I got here, last I remember is I went to sleep in the room inside that house... how did I get inside this dark lift? Once before I'm placed in the dot, and now this? I'm defiantly not a sound sleeper... was it the fried chicken?! was it drugged?
My stomach tightens as sweat trickles down my back. Just stay calm, it will be okay; this happened before and I made it. Stay calm, I can do this.
The elevator whines threatening my confidence; metal pieces grinding each other as it comes to halt with a screech. I swallow standing up on my feet. Complete silence fills the room, as if the world had been frozen in time.
"Hello? anyone?" I call out but get nothing back. A few seconds pass... turning into a minute.
"God I hate elevators." I whisper to myself shaking my head in the darkness. A loud bell roars giving me a jump. The metal elevator shakes, jumping into a violent jolt throwing me up hauling me down; jamming my forehead with the floor I yelp. Now facing down, the elevator descends faster; the red light getting bigger and closer. I draw in a breath unable to move at the speed. The elevator is falling down way too fast; the red light nearing my eyes... I'm going to collide!
"AHHHHH!" I try to scream as the red light pierces my eyes but all that's coming out is muffled air. I close my eyes shut, forming my hands into fists; bracing for the collision.
Vomit threatens as the ground I'm laying on begins to shift. Drawing in quick breaths I force open my eyes and a cry escapes my throat. Bright light shines now instead of the red light, a spacing growing even wider as I near it... Doors..?
The metal floor beneath opens wider; opening like two doors beneath my body. I try to push myself up to cling to something but the floor flings open in one go and I drop out of the box and through the opening I go. Screaming I collide with harsh ground, a light bag following falling on my back with a thud.
I open my eyes; pointy fresh grass tickles at my face. Groaning at the nagging pain; I twirl around laying on my back, giving my chest a stroke to ease the tingling aching.
"YOU!" I jump at the voice; eyes searching for the source. My eyes land on Amelia; her face a ruddied mask of rage... dressed in red top with white checkered trousers; her hair a bush of a mess as she stands on her threes in a crawling position. I groan sitting up, gazing at her index finger pointed at me from a distance. Relief washes over me at the familiar face.
"Amelia..." I call my throat dry; nodding and giving her a salute. She hurdles violently standing up on her feet, eyes blazing with anger.
"You snitched on me!" She spits at me her jaw tight; shoulders stiff shaking planted in her place.
"Snitched... what do you mean?" I ask her, spotting the bag that fell on me laying on the grass. She hurries over; looking down at me with wide eyes.
"You told them you saw me killing that person didn't you!" She accuses. I swallow at her confrontation;
"What? no... what are you talking about..." I begin, voice low but she bellows cutting me off,
"Don't lie to me! I knew you were acting weird yesterday! you saw me didn't you! And I'm here to get punished!" She shouts in my face, her curls bouncing at her actions. I keep my lips shut not sure to admit to seeing her do it... why would she confess it herself? I understand she did bad but I don't feel comfortable making her talk about it. She nibbles down on her bottom lip waiting for me to answer. I sigh standing up on my feet, pulling down my pajama shirt down.
"Punished... we're being punished?" I ask her looking around... spinning in a circle. We stand at an entrance of a forest. Trees tightly crowded, a forest living beyond. Facing us directly sits a black arc frame with a plaque titled...
(--> Way to Battle training grounds)
making a door entrance point to the forest, with tiny shredded red flags on top of the arc. I swallow as I'm hit with a wave of confusion, beginning to blister with panic. I gaze above my head, straining my neck back. A building of concrete and metal engravings stand tall behind us, with protruding openings which I came falling down from. I feel a sudden worrying shudder in my chest, as if my heart wants to escape, to flee my body.
"What else are we doing here!? we're going to die! because you snitched!" She shouts grabbing me from the shoulders; brining my head back down.
"Quit it! I didn't snitch! enough!" I growl back pushing her away. She ogles at me for a second but then a loud bell rings; coming from all directions. We scan around trying to spot where the sound is coming from... chains begin pulling at metal walls on the building behind us, dog barks emerge louder as the metal pieces ascend. Amelia gasps stepping back, her eyes fixed on the dogs; barking in their little cages.