Our Darkest Memories

2. The Yellow

This one - this yellow - he didn't seem dangerous and didn't seem to fight back. However, I didn't only need him to be obedient, but I also needed him to tell me what he was doing spying on us.

I could simply make sure he trusted us, but he made me feel so disoriented. I kind of wanted Clancy to let him forget, but at the same time, I wanted him to remember everything.

It was a strange experience that I had never had before. I didn't understand my own feelings or thoughts. It was kind of creeping me out, the way I reacted to this complete stranger.

I decided to do something in the middle: Threaten him. Make him scared, so he'll talk.

When I built up the force in my mind, he looked like he was getting ready. Like he already knew what I was about to do. I stretched out my arm and aimed the invisible force to the Yellow and used it to push him down on the ground. I heard a small groan.

He was now lying on his stomach. I pushed him a little too hard, causing him to have a bloody nose since he couldn't catch himself while his hands were on his back.

I kneeled beside his head.  "Why were you spying on us?"

He lifted his head from the ground a little. With a little difficulty, he muttered: "We heard noises and I decided to go check it out to see if there was anything that could be a threat."

"We? You were traveling with someone?" I asked.

I saw fear form in his eyes, but he quickly recovered himself. "I used to. I keep forgetting that she is gone now. Sorry."

I didn't believe anything he was saying, but I didn't let it show. "So why fight back then?"

"What? Do you really think I would let myself get captured by people that I don't know?" he scoffed.

It sounded like a reasonable explanation, I'll admit, but there was something off.

'With whom had he been traveling?' I asked myself. I knew he was lying about his fellow traveler, but for some reason, I didn't want to say that out loud.

Instead, I bent closer to him, so close that I could smell his earthy scent. I felt like I was getting dizzy from it, but I leaned towards his ear and whispered: "You're lucky that I'm in a good mood today because I know you're lying."

With that, I raised to stand on my legs again, only to actually feel dizzy. I wasn't imagining it. I took a breath and looked at him. He carefully watched me, as if he expected me to say something, but I kept quiet.

"He's okay. Bring him to cabin 27, so he can clean himself up. It's still empty. Ask someone to bring his food tonight, because he won't be eating with us yet," I ordered the boys that were holding the Yellow.

They pulled him up, and when they walked out the door, I saw the faint smile that the boy had, almost unnoticed because of the blood that was running from his nose.

*****

Why? Why did I do it? Why did I help him? Why did I recognize him? Why did he confuse me so much?

The questions kept playing around my head the rest of the day. I couldn't shake it off and walked around the cabin like a zombie. I only came back to reality when Clancy knocked on the door. He didn't wait for my answer to come in. Of course he didn't. We had no secrets for each other.

His dark eyes roamed around the room but stopped when they found the daily log. "What did he say?"

"What did who say?"

He paced through the cabin and looked annoyed. I didn't know why, but I liked it.

"You know... that kid from this morning. That Yellow."
He crossed his arms and slowly turned to face me. His thin lips were pressed together.