BREATH . OF . LIFE . ~ { ReGenisis Chronicles Book I }

Chapter Thirteen [Part 1/3]: Comforting Darkness

                       -Natalia Swan -

Fifteen years old, skinny ribs pulled across a metal surface, above and beside me the same metallic walls. Musty old air vents leading into darkness and out of it with little lines of light spotlighted at the low ceiling. Staying out of sight, but getting out of my room meant finding the one place I could feel safe and in control.

Human skin, clammy and dry all at once, sweat covered in dust. Eyes narrowed to see through the dark, until a little light in the distance and a slight movement alerted me to something that made me stop in shock. I was not alone. The dry air ran electric.

The air vent was silent, both of us still. I wondered what someone else would be doing up here, if not looking for me?

So I approached cautiously. There she was. Her hair was shorter then, falling down about her face.  Laid on her stomach, a tiny torch held in delicate hand, book lifted into its light, deep brown eyes focussed on the words. She glanced up at me and she smiled. She smiled a lot more back then, but even angry and scared, I did too.

"Welcome to my sanctuary," She whispered before her eyes fell back to her book. She didn't look like she was older than I was, then again, her oriental features disguised age.

"Sanctuary? Is that what you call this place." I snapped quietly.

"I believe we both ventured up here for the same reason. I'm more than happy to share my peace of mind with you."  She closed her book in one hand and rested it down in front of her, placing the torch next to it.

"Uh, thank you..." I stared at the offer and reluctantly took up the book.

"My names Rin, by the way." She brushed her hair behind her ear, another smile lifting her lips up at the corners.

"Natalia," I returned the smile.

The air vents very quickly became our shared hideaway. Our sanctuary.

It made her betrayal more bitter, all the years we'd been friends. She abandoned me to deal with this hell alone. She had always abhorred being trapped in and controlled, like a bird, beating its wings against its cage, she wanted her freedom. I wanted it for her, too. But I also wanted to rip it from her.

Past ties wouldn't stop me from doing my duty. The closest I could come to mercy was not finding her myself. Because I would do as I was told regardless.

The evidence that Daniels could be a traitor was more important, luckily for Rin. Especially as I found violet, smoke and two distinct bloods irritating my nose along the halls, and a splattering of red here and there.  Fear had swelled within me, twisting my guts in on themselves.  If Rin's being captured and brought here was a ploy of Daniels and he posed any threat to this place, my standing or to my sister, I would rather Jake find Takeichi and be compromised than that she stay in Daniels hands.

Instead of out of the cellblocks and up into the vents after Takeichi. I continued deeper into the bowls of Trinity Science. Where the descent into darkness is comforting to Nocturnal eyes, but the terrain is less known.

That's when I got the call from Jake. I could tell by his tone he'd found her. Not that I couldn't guess where she'd gone to feel safe. His room was the least likely place she'd go, and so it was the most likely.

       *

I followed Daniels burning log scent until I reached  lab one, unlike the old lab, cramped and cosy, or Lab two, bright and futuristic. Lab one was off limits to almost anyone but Daniels and those he allowed through its doors. He kept it dark after the remodel, as most of his work was on cell manipulation once a Nocturnal or Scavenger is created, amongst other things.