I blinked at the wall above me, which held several white florescent lamps. Next to me lied several beds of different plants, varying from vegetables to herbs.
Arianna and I were currently laying on the ground at the greenhouse.
I wasn't exactly sure how I found myself in that position but here I was, staring at the tall and blank ceiling.
"Taking naps here is the best. The air is easier to breathe in." She said through a smile.
She wasn't wrong, the air was the closest thing to being outside. Perhaps it was due to extra oxygen in the room?
"I come here when I crave going outside."
I looked over to her.
A smile adorned her lips but her eyes stayed glue to the ceiling and were swirling with emotion. "I used to be the one of strongest, the best shooter and fastest runner. I mean, I don't regret saving my partner from that cliff but sometimes I feel so useless. I can't run or walk properly. I can't fight or protect others. I'm-" She paused, "I'm just here."
She laughed and looked at me. "Right?"
"No."
Her eyebrows knitted together.
"You can carry a gun."
"What?"
"You can still protect others." I looked back up to the ceiling and closed my eyes. "As for the latter, without you this place would not run so smoothly."
I could feel her stare.
"You think so?"
"Then again, no one is irreplaceable."
A few moments of silence passed before she erupted into a boisterous laughter.
I resisted the urge to open my eyes.
She wheezed as she attempted to calm down. "I'm glad you came back."
I'm thinking of leaving again.
"Without you my days are so boring and ordinary." She spoke quietly.
Is she falling asleep? I opened my eyes to look at her and her eyes were indeed fluttering.
"Thank... you."
Her rhythmic breathing was now the only thing that was heard throughout the greenhouse. Even if I had been here for a couple of weeks, it was the first time I was able to see someone sleeping. I realized, that it was in fact, the first time I had seen anyone fall asleep out in the open so freely.
That old man would always make sure I would fall asleep before him. Those people would put me to sleep. As I trained, well, falling asleep before others could get you robbed or worse, killed. And since then I've never fallen asleep in front of others.
I probably wouldn't be able to do so again.
Now that she had fallen asleep, I was stuck with my own thoughts. It's so quiet. I though. Around Arianna there was never a quiet moment, so it felt really weird to have her next to me while staying in a quiet room.
Closing my eyes, I decided to rest my eyes for a bit.
But what to think about?
I opened my eyes again. Upstairs I could've easily thought about my next meal, or where I would stay for the night to occupy my time but now? What do I think about exactly? What do normal people think about?
My dilemma, however, was cut short, as I heard footsteps heading for our room.
[Quick, muffle her mouth and stay low.]
Quickly and quietly, I sat up only enough for my eyes to peer over the beds of plants. Locking my sight onto the doorway, I slowly and gently covered Arianna's mouth so her breathing would muffle.
The footsteps only got closer and louder, and the skin on my neck only prickled more and more.
A thin boy sneaked into our room. His eyes were sullen and dark as he looked into the room. My eyebrows furrowed. What is he doing here?
His eyes were about to make contact with mine until a sharp yelled caused him to turn his head.
"Hey! What are you doing here?"
"Sorry sir! I just thought I saw my friend come in here." The boy lied smoothly.
"Go back to the training room!"
"Uh, sir. I've still gotta go. It's an emergency." The boy grinned sheepishly.
I could almost sense the man's frustration before he groaned. "Go."
"Thank you sir! I won't even be five minutes."
"I better see you in five!" He barked.
"Yes sir!"
I watched as the boy ran in the direction of the bathrooms and the man walked away. My body unfroze and I could breathe again. A muffled voice rang below me.
Jumping back, my hand flew off Arianna's mouth.
"Your hands are really cold." She laughed while touching her blue lips. "I even dreamt it snowed."
"Sorry." I mumbled and unconsciously curled my hand.
"Why is that? I heard you lost your connection with your element?" She asked innocently.
[You've made a mistake.]
"Well, Parker's been telling me that you've been working really hard at elemental training. I'm sure one day that connection will return."
Right. A small part of me wanted to feel guilty, but I quickly dismissed the idea. That particular knowledge of me will probably put them in further danger anyway.
"Who was here?" She asked.
I shrugged. "A scrawny kid."
"Hmm. Did he have black hair and eyes?"
I thought back on his appearance and nodded slowly.
"Was he alone?"
I shook my head.
She looked at the entrance of the garden for a moment before shrugging it off. "Was I sleeping for long?"
I shook my head again.
"Then," She plopped down again and patted the space next to her. "let us continue madam."
Hesitantly I slowly laid back down, feeling a sense of deja-vu.
"Night." She chirped as she feel back into a deep sleep.
Must be nice, I thought, slightly jealous of her.
And thus, I was stuck alone with my thoughts once again.
I stared at the ceiling, and thought about the kid from earlier. He looked around my age. Except, was the complete opposite of how I looked. His eyes were almost pitch black, his hair was short and the color of a raven's feather. Despite his rugged appearance he seemed to be taken well care of. His cheeks were plumb, and while he seemed scrawny, it seemed like he had muscle.
His eyes however, mirrored the same ones I see in the mirror. They were empty, and only looking to survive.
I thought about his sudden change when his trainer arrived. No one can change that swiftly unless they were taught to, I thought. There was no doubt in my mind he was suspicious.
A sneeze pulled me back to reality.
[Get up.]
I focused my eyes and pulled myself into a crouched position.
Mr. Grouch stared at me with a frown.
I almost let out a small breath of relief as I realized everything was okay. I didn't even realize he had walked in and come so close.
He was clearly old, but it seems that I underestimated him because of it. The first thing that old man taught me and I forgot about it. For him to catch me unaware is terrifying and extremely alerting. After all, how many more people like him existed down here?
"You." He grumbled as I stayed put. "I heard you fought Tristan the other day for wasting food."
My lips tightened. Well, partially.
"Is it true?"
I closed my eyes and laid back down on the ground. "Ask him."
"Hmm." He hummed slowly as he trimmed away at some greens labeled parsley.
I wonder how he'll use that in today's meal, I thought.
"So," he started, "my food. Is it good?"
I opened my eyes. What kind of question is that? Should I even answer?
"I'll take silence as a no."
I nearly let out a sigh. "Compared to garbage, your food is good Sir."
Good was a weak term for me to use. It was heavenly. But I wasn't sure if telling him this would benefit me in anyway.
"Anything is better than garbage." He huffed.
Not when you're hungry.
"I suppose I'll take it though. Since everyone calls it garbage." He snorted.
The room fell quiet for a few moments and we only heard the snipping of his scissors and Arianna's soft breathing.
All of a sudden, he said, "I don't trust you. I'm sure you know. Trust is something that can be easily earned and easily broken. That fool Michael is bought easily but let me tell you, if you break his trust he will snap your neck. Doesn't matter if you're a child, or an elementalist, or a woman. He will end you."
His scissors snapped for a final time.
"Do you understand?" He said gravely.
The corner of my mouth twitched. "Yes Sir."
"Good."
That was his final word before stomping off and out of the greenhouse.
My heart beater loudly from excitement. It had been a while since I've heard such an open threat to my life. Normally people didn't give me warnings, they just attacked. However, despite the excitement, a small anxiety filled my mind.
If they find out I had been lying, about several things, would they consider that as a break of trust?
I've been betrayed. It was enough for me to build walls around my heart and trust. So I didn't know the rules of trust, what lines not to cross or stay away from.
I breathed out deeply. I guess the best course of action was to not peep a word about what I'm withholding. Can't cross any lines if you don't take steps in the first place right?
I looked at Arianna, who slept wouldn't through the whole time he spoke.
Would she be angry? I closed my eyes. Would feeding her lies cross that line as well?
A small part of me hoped she wouldn't, while the majority told me it shouldn't matter.
Does worrying about that tell me I want to become friends with her?
My eyes opened again.
Friends?
Was it really okay for me to make friends? To live a normal life?
Sudden screams echoed from afar.
My body jolted up and my senses became alert.
Again, the screaming sounded out, only louder.
Quickly, I reached over to Arianna and slightly shook her to wake her. She only stirred but didn't get up.
"Arianna." I whispered. It was the first time I had spoken her name but it didn't sound or feel weird at all. "Arianna?"
I looked up and focused my sight on the door. If I close that door, the chances of Arianna surviving and I will be slightly more. With that in mind, I carried her to a corner of the garden and placed her behind a bed of greens.
As I quickly went up to the door, I realized the screams no longer stopped. It sounded as though they were in a consistent loop. Each time sounding even more chilling than the last.
With every bit of nerve, I shut the large door and the screams immediately stopped. A sense of relief filled me, but my heart continued to beat abnormally.
I turned around to check to see if Arianna had woken up and as I did, a chill went down my spine.
The garden was gone.
I began to breathe heavily as I was meet with a snowy and cold scenery.
My hands wrapped around my body and the cold seeped in through my skin.
I was breathing heavily but that didn't stop me from shouting. "Arianna! Arianna where are you?"
The harsh snow muffled my voice as it came down. I looked at my surroundings but had a difficult time seeing anything. The snow was too thick.
"Arianna!" I trudged forward, doing my best against the wind that roared.
My mouth let out a heavy breath as I stopped for a moment to catch my bearings.
I could use my element.
Raising my hands over my head, I waved at the sky in order to cease the storm that raged above me.
Nothing happened.
I tried again, feeling a new sense of anxiety.
Nothing.
I brought my hands close to my face as I leaned over to examine them. They had never acted up before, my element would always work. So why wasn't it working now? My breathing grew heavier.
What'll happen to me now?
A strong wind pulled me out of my thoughts as I was forced to bring my hands around my body.
I have to find Arianna, she'll die in this weather. She isn't like me. I'll think about my powers later.
Taking a few more steps forward, I called out her name once more.
Except this time, I heard an unexpected voice behind me.
"Pretty sister."
My body froze.
No. It's not possible.
With a shaky breath, my body slowly turned to meet the owner of the voice. I gasped when I saw her standing behind me.
A little girl with crazy hair and old overalls stood there. Her brown eyes seemed to scrutinize me.
"Dixie." I breathed. "You're supposed to be-"
"I know where your friend is." She spoke quietly.
"You," I paused, "you do?"
She nodded robotically and coldly.
Then, as though she was being controlled, her body did a one-eighty and began to trudge against the wind. I followed her, as though it was the reasonable things to do. While my body struggled against the wind, she seemed to be walking perfectly fine.
"How do you know where she is?" I shouted.
She didn't respond and only kept going. Any question I had was met with silence and eventually I stopped asking.
I'm not sure how long we kept walking for, but it felt like hours until she finally stopped.
Halting so suddenly, she stood still and without word.
"D-Dixie?" I shivered.
I heard her whisper something, but I couldn't hear it.
"What did you say?"
"Why?" It was barely audible but it was enough for confusing to pour into me.
"Dixie?"
"Why," she slowly turned around and horror filled my soul, "Why did you kill us?"
Blood seeped through a hole in her chest and her mouth, her eyes eye empty and lifeless. Dirt covered every inch of her body.
I took a step back before realizing she was not alone.
About a hundred people stood behind her. Blood covered different parts of their bodies. Some were missing various parts of their bodies, from legs to heads. Several women had their clothes torn and exposed.
A large cry escaped my lips.
"You killed us!" The little girl shouted against the howling wind.
"You killed us." A couple with red hair stood behind her said unanimously.
"You killed us!" The crowd behind her began to wail and shout with anguish. Screams echoed through the snow.
The little girl smiled, the blood adorned her lips. She raised her small hand and pointed behind me. She spoke against the wailing yet her voice was muffling the shouts behind her. "And you're going to kill them too."
The closing in my throat prevented another cry from escaping my lips.
"Weren't you looking for your friend?" She asked. "She's right there."
Involuntary my body began to spin. I didn't need to turn around. I knew exactly who stood behind me.