Innocents

  Chapter 8

  It only feels like seconds later when I am shaken awake by Kyla. The light is dim in the hut and I can tell it is getting late. Kyla’s face looks worried. “I thought I heard footsteps,” she whispers.

  “It’s probably just Flynn coming back,” I tell her. But I pry a sharp piece of metal off the wall and hand it to Kyla, who is closest to the door. Even if it is Flynn, I don’t trust him. Maybe it is better to kill him and escape while we can.

  She quietly gets up and presses herself to the wall, ready to attack at any second. The door opens and Kyla springs into action, aiming to kill. Quicker than I would have thought possible, the intruder grabs her arm and twists it, turning Kyla’s weapon against her until it is pointed at her throat. I recognize the person as Flynn. He pushes Kyla back, hard enough to send her to the floor, his dark eyes are furious.

  “I came here to bring you some food,” Flynn says, the anger clear in his voice, “but if you would rather I leave you here to rot, that’s fine with me too.”

  “We didn’t know it was you.” I say defensively, although, personally, I had been pretty sure all along, but there was no need for him to know that.

  He snorts derisively, “Like you wouldn’t have attacked anyway.” Flynn reaches into his pack and pulls out a small can of food and a bottle of water.

  “Is that all you brought?” Kyla asks grumpily, earning her a sharp look from Flynn.

  “Welcome to Murderers,” he says, “You’ll soon find that not everyone is as spoiled as you were on Innocents.” He opens the can with the bit of metal Kyla had armed herself with previously and then hands the can to her. Kyla rejects it, “I don’t need anything from you, Murderer.” She says venomously.

  “Have fun starving to death then, Innocent.” He instead hands the can to me and I take it, too hungry to turn it away. I frown at Flynn while I eat.

  “So who were those people who attacked us this morning? What did they want?” I ask. Flynn sits down, leaning against the opposite wall of the shelter, facing me.

  “They were the Scorch, one of the neighboring clans. As for what they wanted, they were probably after your food, weapons, and clothes. They’re also cannibals.” He adds, as if as an afterthought.

  “What?” I cry in disbelief. I didn’t think even Murderers sank to that level of savagery.

  “When you live in a place like Murderers, you learn fast that you can’t be too picky, if the Domus weren’t such a wealthy clan, perhaps we would have turned out that way also.”

  So it’s true then, I think, Flynn is a member of Domus. “So you work for Marek Holden?” I inquire. Flynn nods.

  “I guess you could say that.” He answers.

  “What do you do for him?”

  He shrugs, “whatever he needs done. I mostly deal with rival clans, lead raids. Things he is too lazy to do himself.”

  “So won’t he be mad when he realizes you are trying to escape?”

  Flynn gives a small smile, “I think “mad” is a bit of an understatement of what he will be, actually.”

  I look at him. “But you are still going to try?”

  “Of course.” He answers, as though it should be obvious.

  “Why?” I wonder.

  Flynn catches my gaze and holds it, “Wouldn’t you?”

  That night, sleep is evasive. Every time I close my eyes I see the knife going through Calder’s throat, I picture Tegan lying motionless, blood seeping across her chest. I also feel the blood on my hands as I drive the knife through the Scorch’s heart. I curl up and try to direct my thoughts in a more positive direction. I think back to the day before Sera took her Occupational test, the last full day we spent together. The memory is as clear as though it were yesterday.

  Sera and I lay in the tall beach grass a few yards from the ocean’s edge, watching the sun sink lower and lower in the sky. “So this is it, huh?” Sera says, breaking the silence that has stretched on for several minutes. I turn over on my side so that I can see her face.

  “I guess so. Do you have any idea where they might place you?”

  Sera shrugs, “My guards instructor keeps telling me that I have a chance to be a Dealers guard, but I don’t know; I never had your aptitude for fighting. And anyway, I’m not sure I really want a life as a guard.”

  I sift some sand through my fingers before answering, “Remember all the plans we used to have for this day?” I ask.

  Sera gives a snort of laughter, “Yeah, like swimming out to Washburn Isle?” She gazes out into the ocean where the small island is just visible in the dying light. The island, about half a mile off Innocents’ shore is home to the high ranking members of the PSC when they come to oversee Islands business. Before taking your Occupational Test, Innocents tradition dictates that you try to swim to Washburn Isle and back without getting caught. Despite the many attempts, the challenge has still never been successfully accomplished. However, after a boy drowned during the swim a few years ago, further tries had dropped off dramatically.

  “We should try it,” I say suddenly.

  Sera looks at me suspiciously, “Try what.”

  “Swimming to Washburn,” I say casually, carefully studying Sera’s reaction.

  Sera grimaces, “Are you crazy? I do not want to die tonight.”

  “The water’s been calm all day today, unusually calm, there’s hardly a wave in sight.”

  “We would still get in loads of trouble when they catch us,” Sera argues, still unconvinced.

  “You’re leaving tomorrow, Sera, what are they going to do, take away your Rec privileges for the day you have left?” I counter.

  “They could still punish you though. You’ve still got another year on this rock.”

  I smirk at her, “Yeah, well, what’s the fun without the risk?”

  “Brie Alaena Vanguard! I can’t believe you’re trying to convince me to do this!” Sera shrieks, “I am so going to regret this later.”

  “So you’re in?” I pry and Sera gives me her best “I’m going to kill you” glare.

  “Yeah, I’m in.”

  “Excellent.” I sit up and brush the sand from my legs. We then strip down to our undergarments, leaving our clothes in a neat pile hidden in the grass. The sun has completely disappeared now, the water reflecting the now inky blackness of the sky. I wade into the shallows, the cool water causing goose bumps to appear on my arms and legs. Without looking to see if Sera is behind me, I quietly submerge myself in the dark water. After a few strokes, Sera catches up to me, she has always been the stronger swimmer. She starts to pull ahead, but my pride won’t allow me to fall back, so I redouble my efforts to stay with her. Eventually, I see a light coming gradually closer along with the faint hum of an engine. I grab Sera’s arm to get her attention, pointing in the direction of the boat. We silently tread water, keeping only our heads above the surface. After what feels like ages, the light begins to grow smaller and smaller. I give Sera a thumbs up and we continue swimming. Finally, my feet touch the sandy bottom and we splash up onto the shore of Washburn Isle.

  “We made it!” Sera says disbelievingly, panting from the exertion of the swim. I flop down on the cold sand, still gasping for breath, “Don’t get too excited, we still have to make it back.” However, Sera is too busy looking around to pay any attention to me. “What do I have to do to live here?” Sera exclaims, the amazement apparent in her voice. I sit up to see what she is looking at and can’t help but gasping a little. A massive house overlooks the spot on the beach that Sera and I are resting on, huge windows giving it an impressive view of the ocean. “I guess now we know where all the PSC’s money goes,” I joke, earning me a sharp look from Sera.

  “Seriously though, do you think they ever assign trainees to work here?” Sera asks hopefully. I’m about to dash her hopes when suddenly a light clicks on, shining in our faces. We were so absorbed in our conversation we hadn’t noticed the patrol boat making its way back toward us. Sera yelps in surp
rise and attempts to hide behind me and I curse under my breath, suddenly very aware that I’m dressed only in my bra and underwear. Two figures step out of the boat and head toward us, “Okay, fun’s over, time to head back to Innocents.” One of them says, his annoyance clear in every syllable. I give Sera a sheepish look and slowly stand up. The guard hands us each a towel, which I wrap myself in thankfully.

  “What are your names?” The other guard asks, clearly bored.

  “Brie Vanguard,” I reply in a small voice.

  “Sera Morris,” Sera says, managing to stare daggers at me the entire time.

  The guard checks our names on her tablet, “Alright, get in,” she finally says, ushering us onto the small patrol boat. “I’ll be alerting your guards instructor about this, and you both lose a week of Rec privileges. Next time we won’t be so lenient so don’t let us find you out of bounds again,” she warns. We both hurriedly apologize and promise that it won’t happen again. The guards seems satisfied and turn their backs on us. As soon as they do, I catch Sera’s eye and suddenly have the insane urge to laugh. Sera looks at me bewilderedly as I stuff my fist into my mouth to try and stifle the noise. I must look ridiculous because suddenly Sera doubles over in silent giggles. One of the guards looks at us, eyebrow raised and shakes his head which causes Sera and I to laugh harder. By the time we manage to regain control over ourselves, the small boat has already arrived back on Innocents.

  I allow this memory to engulf me and transport me away from the current nightmare that is my life and eventually I drift into a fitful sleep.