Although it hurt, Ambrose was still the only person he could really talk to.
'But something was definitely off about him when I told him about my dream.'
He didn't want to think about it too much, but it happens almost every time he talks about his dreams to Ambrose lately. Like he knew something that Eli doesn't.
Ambrose would tell me about something like that. Right?
Elias walks the rest of the way back to his room with his head in the clouds. He walks right into someone.
"Ouch"
He says quietly as he falls backward. He looks up at the person he bumped into and barely holds back a scream. The person was wearing a large mask that had tubing running to a tank on his back. Like the tank Eli had. He freezes as the figure stands over him. Then they reach out their hand to help him up. Elias hesitates, but still takes the hand and lifts himself to his feet. As soon as he lets go the stranger continues on his way. Collecting himself from his tumble, Elias sets off toward his bedroom once again, which was in the same direction that the stranger was heading. He follows a few feet behind them, trying to keep roughly the same pace, though the stranger has a large stride and Elias struggles to keep up. He wanted to thank the scary stranger but, that was harder than it seems. About halfway to his room, Elias notices that the person was looking all around the hall even though the halls were all bare of any possible decorations.
"Are you not from this Sector?"
Elias asks loudly. The person stops abruptly and turns to face him.
"Uh-uh, it's just that you don't seem to be familiar with the halls."
The stranger nods, to answer his question. Elias smiles and hops over to where the stranger is.
"I've never left Sector A before... because I'm sick."
Elias looks down and lifts his hand to touch his own mask as he ends. But in a mere second, he gleefully looks up at the stranger.
"You're really lucky."
He chirps quietly with a smile. The stranger raises his arm and points at Elias' mask.
"Why?"
Says a rough, teenage, male, voice from behind the big mask the stranger wore.
"So you can talk!"
Elias exclaims. The boy nods. Elias turns his head away, embarrassed.
"S-sorry. Ohh! You want to know why I wear this?"
He says, trying to get back on topic. The stranger nods again.
"Well my father says I'm so sick that I need cleaner air in order to live. I have to do all kinds of medical tests every month."
He just stands there looking at Elias, then lifts his arm to scratch the back of his own head and continues to walk. Once Elias neared his room he was reluctant to leave.
"Umm.... This is my room. I have to go now."
The boy stops and looks at him. Elias smiles and turns to enter his room.
"Ace."
Says the boy in the gas mask.
"P-pardon?"
Elias asks.
"My name is Ace."
"O-oh ah, my name is Elias, but people just call me Eli."
Then Elias entered his room.