SILVER EYES (GXG)

Chapter 7: Acid Rain

A furious thunderclap struck the sky, and I jolted awake. Rain cascaded down the window panes. It was the fifth day in a row with this terrible, unstoppable acid rain storm. I looked around to check on my roommates. Kate, as usual, was fast asleep, as if nothing was happening. Her ability to sleep through anything was truly astounding. Mark's bed, on the other hand, was empty, and Laura was awake, reading quietly with a soft light on.

"What time is it?" I asked Laura, trying to get a sense of the day's progress despite the darkness outside.

"It's 9 am," she replied, but it felt hard to believe since the world beyond the windows was enveloped in gloom. The dense clouds blocked any trace of light, making it feel much earlier in the morning.

"Wow, it's late," I remarked.

"This morning's training has been canceled. So there's no need to hurry," Laura said, trying to calm me down.

"Again? How long is this going to last? I feel like a mouse in a cage," I expressed while gazing out at the stormy landscape through the window. We were stuck in the house, unable to leave without specific protective suits, which only a select few had access to. New transfers were canceled due to the rain, but the border still needed to be watched, so only the highest-ranking leads ventured out despite the weather. The rest of us tried to find ways to entertain ourselves indoors. We were supposed to have the final tests of our training in a couple of days, and then we would be finally Narval Officers. So most of us spent the time studying or training.

I decided to get dressed and leave the room, not knowing where I was heading. The house was rarely quiet, given the number of people in it. I ended up in the kitchen, where I found Mark having breakfast. His eyes looked distant, and dark circles underscored his fatigue, he seemed to have lost his usual cheerful spirit.

"Hey dude, another night of insomnia due to the concert outdoors?" I asked as I sat down in front of him.

"Yep, I didn't know I could go so many days without sleep. This has to count as a superpower or something," he said with a grin, taking a spoonful of porridge.

"Sure, you can add it to your other superpowers. Like the superpower of always falling on your ass during combat training," I teased, mocking him.

"Oh, shut up! The only good thing about this never-ending storm is no combat training!" he said, visibly relieved.

"What? Combat training is the most fun we have here!" I retorted, convinced.

"Maybe it is for you because you kick ass. My ass, to be specific," he chuckled.

"That's a pity because I was about to ask if you wanted to do a light training session with me," I said.

"Are you serious? Light training? There's no such thing. My plan for today is to curl up under my quilt and dream about not being here," he declared, finishing his bowl of porridge.

"Okay, man. It's your choice. But you'll regret it when we have the combat test," I warned him.

"It's fine. I'm an expert at regretting things, like having crossed this damn border," he said, a bit too seriously.

I looked at him with concern. Ever since the rain started, he had become more irritable, and sometimes it was hard to tell if he was joking or not.

"Why did you cross, then?" I asked.

"Why did everyone else?" He answered as if the response was obvious. "Desperation," he added. "Can you imagine being on the other side right now? Under this storm, without protection..." He said, lost in his thoughts. I had noticed that Mark rarely spoke about his life before joining the Reg Society. He had a penchant for joking, which I loved about him, but sometimes I sensed a tinge of sadness behind his humor.