Your Mind // 001 // ST4 SPOILERS

010 - Friend

"How... old are you, if you don't mind me asking?'

She leans back, cocking her head up to the ceiling as if she were in deep thought.

"Well I've been here about... seven or eight years so... I'd be about fifteen."

My eyebrows shoot upwards, as I was not expecting that answer. She gave a small smile at my response, and I could see her dimples form. Now that I thought about it, she did look too young to be my age. Her eyes were full and innocent, but they still hid so much behind them. So many bad memories, a traumatic past- all hidden in dark irises.

"Miss Brenner?"

I turn my head to see Warren standing a couple feet away.

"Your father instructed me to escort you to the infirmary since you won't be able to participate in training for a while," he spoke in a soft, cautious voice, as to not startle me. He must have heard what happened to the other guard.

I stood carefully and advanced towards him, not uttering a word. I looked back at Four, but she was out of sight. She must have gone away when she saw the orderly approach. I followed him to the doors and saw Two sitting with his friends, glaring at me with intense eyes. I swallow and step out, relieved to have escaped his watch.

"Didn't my 'father' instruct everyone to call me Zero or some shit? You don't need to be so formal."

"I would've thought you preferred a formality over a number," he chuckled, holding on to a clipboard in his arm. He looked pretty skinny, but still fit enough to carry out tasks under my father.

"Well, I'd rather be a number than be called by my 'father's' name," I sigh, looking straightforward down the corridor. I can almost hear him smile in his reply.

"As you wish, Zero."

Soon we arrived at the door to the infirmary. I've never really been inside the infirmary my whole life, I've just escorted children there sometimes and picked up files. It was a large room with six beds aligned along the wall opposite the door, each bed having a set of curtains to cover the space if needed. The room was one of the only rooms with a window, though it was placed at the highest point of the wall close to the ceiling, which was pretty high considering the fact that the ceiling was raised higher than the other rooms. It was the one place one could tell whether it was day or night besides reading a clock. Close to the door was a counter with two stools, and piles of files sat on top neatly in a corner.

I entered the room to see the nurse Amelia checking 014's heartbeat in one of the beds. Warren closed the door behind us, still cupping my unwounded shoulder with his hand.

"Miss Kern, Zero is here for her check-in," Warren called as Amelia turned her head to us.

"Could you ask Peter to check her in for me? I'm a little busy here with this.. child," she replied, uttering the last word with such distaste. I felt my heart jump at the mention of Peter. Sure enough, he was standing near the counter, writing something in a notepad. He glanced up and met my eye, then moved upwards to Warren. His stare became cold and distant. He straightened up and a small smile formed, but it wasn't the one he'd always given me. This time, it was empty and cold.

"Mr.-"

"Peter. You can call me Peter," he replied sharply, like a knife cutting through a board. "How may I help you?"

"Dr. Brenner instructed me to bring Zero in for her wounds, and Miss Kern seems busy at the moment," Warren timidly replied. His voice was small and quick, like he was ready to leave at any moment. Peter glanced down at Warren's hand placed on my shoulder and back to me, for nearly a second before locking his eyes on Warren.