Veracity

１１．

１１．
The rocks start to cave in on me in the pitch black water, and none of my screams make the pressure stop. I thrash blindly around me, legs and arms colliding with the hard surface of the jagged boulders as they tumble through the ocean liquid. I throw my head back, unaware of the stone behind it. It makes contact with rock, leaving me dizzy and ineffectual. I stare blankly at the darkness, breath gone. I can sense the burn again, but stay still as the water trembles with the falling stone. My hair sways in the ocean water, eyes beginning to burn, so I shut them slowly.

My wrist feels a tight grasp around them, and a sliver of relief sets in. I kick one of my legs to propel me forward, but most of my progress is due to Koran's dragging me through the water. Blackness encompasses us, leaving me in almost a serene state. I can feel my lungs start to collapse inside my chest, the urge to breathe dominating every other need.

A small light burns in a round speck in the distance, my eyes widening. I kick both my legs in an alternating pattern, desperate to reach the luminescence.

I can feel rocks against my feet, and I paddle harder, Koran doing the same as he pulls me through the black.

Finally, he guides me out of a small crevice in the cliff side, into an open body of water. I immediately break for the surface, but every ounce of strength I hold in my body has left me completely. My fingers reach out to the soft pastel orange of the rising sun, the image blurred against the water's wavy surface. My body stops fighting, as I begin to sink further down the ocean's depths.

I need air.

I feel his hand, Koran's hand, press against my back. I hear the way his feet kick against the water, the way his arm entangles around my back as he pulls me to surface. His strength after not breathing for so long amazes me.

Finally I feel the wind against my cheeks, mouth instantly opening to allow the air to slide down my throat. I cough up water, the metallic taste of blood intertwining with my spit. Koran whips his head up as soon as he reaches surface, gasping in breaths. Our breaths are in synch, a rushed symphony of panic, relief, and satisfaction.

I hear a loud crumble sound, gaze traveling to the curved cliffs. I watch the top begin to sink into the ocean, fear latching hold of me. If the cliff goes down, the Kyo come in.

But the movement is only temporary, and the rock stays still after a moment, leaving me in a relieved state.

I sigh, my fingers raking through my wet, tangled hair. I hear splashing, and turn to watch Koran swimming in long stokes to the sandy shore. I follow him, but my strides are wimpy and pathetic. I paddle to the land, falling in exhaustion on contact into the rough grains of sand. They stick to my moist face, a few slipping into my eyes. I blink them out, and pull myself up to sit.

I stare at Koran, who stares back at me with open lips. They curve into a smile, as he pumps his fist to the air.

"Holy crap, we're alive!" He shouts in victory, falling back against the beach. He gives winning laughs of accomplishment, making my cheeks burn.

"How can you be happy about this? You almost killed us! We almost died!" I shout, anger boiling inside me. Mostly from Senry's betrayal, and my confession of affection towards him.

"Almost died?" Koran sits up, eyes narrowed suddenly. "Almost died? I just saved your life! Three times! You have no right to act like this is my fault!" He stands, arms to his side.

I jerk to my feet too, sand creating a swirling pattern on my soaked jeans. "What the hell was with blowing the cliffs up if you didn't know we could get out!" I yell, fury stitched into my tone. "Do you even think before you act?" I add.

"I didn't blow it up! God, for someone who has nothing you sure are ungrateful." He shouts, wind sending his brown bangs against his right eye, concealing it completely. Ouch.

"What does that have to do with anything?" I am beyond frustrated, and my head is throbbing profusely.

"Just forget it. I couldn't care less what you think of me," he grumbles, pushing his hair from his eyes.

I roll my eyes, an exasperated and grumbled sound escaping my lips. "Do you even know where we are?"

"Yeah, don't get your panties in a twist," he mocks my high pitched tone, giving me an annoyed wave of his hand. "It's the border line that divides the Fifth Sector from the Fourth. I told Veracity to meet at the border, so we just have to walk around until we find them."

I sigh, a small feeling of excitement defying my gruff tone. We are in the Fourth Sector? I know there are ten Sectors in our country, I just didn't know we lived so close to another one. I quirk my eyebrow. "You almost blew up apart of our border?"

Koran chuckles, lifting his shoulders. "Someone will come to fix it sometime." He insists. "For now, let's just make a fire or something and rest."

"Don't we have to find Veracity?" I question.

"Yes. And I need a nap." He says it as if it's obvious.

"We have to find them! What if the Kyo get to them firstー"

"The Kyo can't touch us since were in the Fourth. The Fourth and down and just for humans." He says, laying back down in the sand.

I raise my eyebrows. "What about Fifth and up?"

"The Fifth is for both the Kyo, Veracity, and humans. Like a little salad bowl."

I smile widely instantly, hope taking over my sense. "You mean there are Sectors with just Veracity in it!"

"No." He says bluntly, my smiling immediately changed to a frown. "Sixth and up are just for Kyo. Well, I think Sixth has changed to a salad bowl too," he says.

That means there are other Veracity in Sixth. Slaves, but still Veracity.

"Then that's where we should go!" I state standing over top him. He crosses his arms behind his head, staring up at me.

"If you want to be killed, sure."

I frown at him. "Of course we don't want to be killed," I say.

"Then stick to the lower Sectors. Humans are more gracious than the Kyo." He tells me, his eyelids shutting softly.

"You mean they'll let us stay?"

"No, I mean they will most likely kill you quickly. The Kyo would make you suffer," he says. I step back, fear and fury raging inside me.

"What! We wanted to be free! Not just to escape so we could be killed graciously. That's not fair! That'sー"

He chuckles, making me stop my tirade. He cracks his right eye open. "I was joking. Gosh, your so uptight. I'll see what I can do to protect you. I'll keep you alive, Blaine. You can trust me."

A small feeling of trust bubbles in my gut, my eyes locked to his. He manages a thin smile before shutting his eyes again, and drifting off to sleep.