To Be A Leader

Chapter 14: Walls Could Talk

Singer should be afraid.

That would be the proper emotion to be feeling right about now. Her voice has been taken from her. She has been betrayed by her sister just weeks after Wesley's death, and she's been shipped to some base in England.

She should be afraid. She should be heartbroken.

But she isn't. She doesn't feel anything.

The Jeep slows to a stop, and the driver steps out, walking around to open the door for the younger girl. She didn't even realize they had made it to Mullins. She wasn't listening, nor was she watching. She didn't want to. She just wanted to drift off into her own world. She saw no reason why she should force herself to face this reality all the time, now that she no longer has to.

She made herself focus for Katelyn and Wesley. Now one is dead and the other a traitor. There's no need for her to torture herself any longer.

A scoff leaves her lips. That's a lie. Singer knows the terrible things she did were now all for nothing. She did it to protect the people she loved, and it turns out Katelyn was a Torrencer all along, and Wes... he's dead. All their plans of marriage and children and a dog-all of it is gone now. Looking back it all seems like a fairytale, something both of them believed deep down would never become a reality.

They were right.

"Runner Forty-three," The driver says, clearing his throat. Singer wasn't given his name, although it appears he wasn't given hers either. That doesn't surprise her, seeing how names can be traced back to origins, and that's the last thing the Torrencers want.

With a sigh that hurts just a little too much, Singer hops out of the Jeep, glancing at what will be her home for the next... forever. This place bought her. It owns her. Until she dies, she is sure she'll never be free of it.

It reminds her of the AMTB. Everyone there walks with purpose, having a goal set in mind, and not once allowing the thought to pass that they might fail it. Unlike the AMTB though, nearly everyone here is an adult. There are a few teenagers, although many of them look to be about sixteen or seventeen, and there are only about seven or eight to be seen. Singer, being only thirteen, is the youngest one here.

Interesting.

"These two will be the ones to show you around Mullins," The driver says, gesturing to two people near him. A man and a woman, both young, looking maybe eighteen or nineteen. The woman is pretty in a rocker sort of way, her blonde hair spiked in a pixie cut, with a lip piecing and a nose piercing. Her eyeshadow is bright pink, with sharp winged out eyeliner. She looks extremely out of place for such a base, even if her uniform matches that of everyone else.

The man seems to fit in more, with dark hair and bright blue eyes. The most noticible thing about him is the tattoo on his neck. It's some sort of bird. Singer doesn't recognize the type but she admires it nonetheless. When she turns to the driver she finds him gone, having walked off without saying another word.

Her lips curl up into a sneer at his rudeness, but her eyes quickly go back to the two guides.

"Hi," The woman says cheerfully-too cheerfully. Singer flinches back, and the woman frowns. "It's okay. We're just going to show you around. I'm Anna, and this is Josh."

Josh gives her a small nod. He doesn't smile, but Singer doesn't take that as a threat. She is used to grim faces. Although honestly, he looks more confused than angry, or even somber.