Waiting for War

Katie

The school is basically always under lock down. Everyone wears IDs at all times. Everyone wears a power suit at all times. All time is scheduled, structured, and expected to be followed. It's exhausting. The classes are under constant survelience, several teachers in each room at all times monitoring us. Watching us. Meal times are scheduled, free time is scheduled. Time in our rooms are scheduled. Everything feels clostraphobic and cold. And it stays that way. Cold unchanging schedule until the third day into the school year. I get a note under my dorm door.

Report to the President's office immediately - Victoria Hardens.

I report to the president's office. The minute that the door is closed she begins talking my ear off.

"Hello Katie, it's so nice to see you," she begins. I don't say anything.

"Your siblings are with Dad in the other world, and they're all safe," she waits for my response. I have none to offer.

"How has school been?" She continues.

I don't say anything.

"Do you have something you need to tell me?" She continues, as if this doesn't bother her.

"You only thought of talking to me now?" I begin. "You didn't think maybe I'd want to know my mom is here before the entire school."

"You know things are complicated, I can't just come to you, if I did that they'd think that you're connected to me. To the things they say I've done."

"Which you've never been around to give a different account of," I reply.

"Katie you don't need to know—"

"What do you mean I don't need to know mom? You abandoned me here in a place filled with traitors that want to kill me for who knows what reason. Other than the fact that my crystal is so powerful, it's more powerful than most of them, there's nothing that competes with me, why? What happened mom?"

She sighs.

"Katie if I tell you, if they catch you, they'll have more to hold against you, they'll have reasons to keep you alive to torture you,"

"So you'd rather I was dead," I snap.

"It's better than them torturing you, and you won't die. I'm here now," she continues.

"You abandoned me mom, how do I know you're not going to run when things get hard?" I yell. I didn't realize how mad this was making until I notice the coils of energy flowing up my arms.

"It won't happen again, I'm not that same person now, I would never abandon my kid,"

"And why should I believe you? You won't even tell me what actually happened that night 20 years ago. How can I trust you, how could I ever trust you again?"

She is silent for a long time.

"One day I will tell you, one day when it's safe I'll tell you," her eyes look sad.

"Thanks," I snap back and leave the room, letting the door slam behind me.