Paragomania

[6]

A shriek rang out through the air, making Ainsley jolt. It came from the fields. The guard didn't hesitate to bolt down the walk ways. As he approached, he realised it was the Paragon, fallen to your knees with a hand over your mouth as you stared into a tipped over wheelbarrow. Tears were already falling down your cheeks as you choked out sobs. Ainsley almost fell over repeatedly with how fast he was darting to your side.

"Are you okay!? What happened!?" He threw his arms over you protectively, and followed your broken gaze to the wheelbarrow.

Now half laying on the ground, half in the tipped over wheelbarrow, was the small, blueish body of an infant. It looked as though it had frozen to death. Ainsley immediately stood between you and the itty bitty corpse, trying to shield you from the sight. One hand on your shoulders, pulling you into his chest and the other on your cheek.

"Come on," he urged in a soft voice. "Come on, let's go get help. We'll go get someone, let's get you inside." You were shaking badly, frozen and shaking, but Ainsley did his best to guide you. He stayed in front of you, walking backwards as he guided you towards the houses of the commune. Members who had heard the shriek were approaching in a panicked state.

You were left in your room as Ainsley got Father Carlisle. By then, most of the commune was surrounding the baby corpse in the field.

"Tend to YN," Father Carlisle commanded as he stood at the beginning of the sloping walkway to the fields.

"But-"

"I said go." His tone was rather angry. Ainsley knew not to fight. This was a tragedy. And you were the one to find it. What luck.

You paced back and forth in your room. Time was flipping by uncomfortably. Something had to be done. You grabbed your phone to call the police or something. You clicked the button over and over again. Your phone screen wasn't turning on, only showing the flashing grey outline of a battery. It was dead dead, and it wasn't turning on. Fuck.

Your bedroom door opened, and your guard slipped in. Ainsley worriedly approached you, rubbing his hands together as his stomach did flips.

"Are you okay? We're taking care of it, everything is going to be okay." You sat on your bed, your dead phone in your hand as Ainsley stood over you. "Um... Would you like to go to the library? I can get you a book, or some painting supplies, perhaps?"

He was desperately trying to find something for you to do that would take your mind off of everything. But then it hit you. A sudden perfect idea. You didn't want to take advantage of such an awful situation. The feeling of accidentally touching the infant was lingering in your mind, but for both of your sakes, you had to do what you could.

"We can go to the library?" you asked, barely hiding the wavering panic and excitement. He nodded.

"Yes, Father Carlisle allows everyone to use his personal library. And-" You rolled your eyes. If you could get to the library in the city, you could maybe charge your phone and contact some form of authority. The plan was forming in your head faster than you could come up with the words.

"Ainsley," you said, your eyes furrowing slightly. Hopefully this plan would work. It had to. "Why don't we go to the library in town?" His eyes widened.

"Excuse me? The nearest town is, like, a mile away. And Father Carlisle would never approve, you know. I can't-"

"Why?" You stood up, suddenly in his face. The boy was thrown off, taking an anxious step back as you were merely inches from him. "Why can't we? I'm the paragon." The word formed in your throat like a stone you had to cough up.

"Well, of course you are. But-"

"I want to go to town." You turned around and crossed your arms over your chest. "I'm supposed to save the world, but I can't know the world I'm supposed to save as the paragon? It seems useless." Ainsley felt his stomach cramping, the last day of food threatening to come back. "I demand you take me to town."