Glass Tears

Chapter 2

Fitz

All that I remember before I went out was hearing them say Dex's name and feeling hope that I wasn't going to be alone. I know that's selfish to think but I was so scared I couldn't think clearly. Now, as I open my eyes, I realize I'm in a large bedroom. I rub my temples, feeling a massive headache coming on. I sit up slowly and look to my left. I see Dex laying in another bed across from me, with a table acting as a nightstand between us. My heart stops as I remember what happened.

They kidnapped me right when I passed through the Everglen gates and I don't remember much else besides feeling especially lonely after hanging out with Keefe and Sophie. Of course, everybody feels that way around them. They could never get enough of each other, they were constantly holding hands, whispering, and staring awkwardly at each other until someone said something. I guess that was kind of like how Sophie and I were before but missing the true love part.

As I look around the room I notice that everything is either white or a very light blue that could be mistaken for gray. There's a lot of empty space to the point where it seemed more like a hallway with two beds on one end than a bedroom. I push the blankets aside and realize that I'm wearing a nightshirt and pants. I get up and look around the room. I notice that there's a door at the end of the room that I assume is the exit. There's also a set of double doors on the right. I walk over to those and open them cautiously. I'm surprised to see that there are more clothes than one person needs for their entire life without having to reuse anything. It's huge in here with countless racks, shoe holders, and even a hat rack.

I remember that we're in trouble and hurry to find a good enough tunic and pants to change into. Then after I've changed, I try to use my telepathy to contact Sophie.

Sophie? Dex and I are in trouble, please send help.

I continue transmitting this to her but she doesn't reply. I sigh and feel my headache get even worse. Normally transmitting would work, it even worked for Sophie when she was kidnapped. But they must have done something to block the connection. Whoever "they" were.

Suddenly I hear the sound of footsteps and walk out of the closet. I see a boy, he looks about my age, with sandy blonde hair, dark green eyes, and freckles dotting his cheeks and nose. He's wearing a red tunic with gray pants and brown boots.

"Hello Fitz Vacker," the boy says, "I'm Sam Davis."

He extends a hand out as if to shake it and I ignore it.

"Who are you and why did you bring us here?" I ask, taking a step back from him as he steps toward me.

"I'm not the person who took you here, I just work for them," the boy, Sam, says, "and I've been told that we have to start your training immediately."

"Training? What do you want from us?" I reply, "You can't kidnap us then expect us to go right along with whatever you please."

Sam sighs, brushing a hand through his hair, "I knew they should have talked with you before we did this. Okay so, this place consists of a group called The Exiled. I know what you're thinking and no, no one has been exiled here. There's elves here, even some ogres and dwarves who help with food and health. Everybody's goal is to live a happy and accepting life, so people who dislike the council or who have faced adversity from the Lost Cities."

I resist the urge to laugh as I ask, "Did you really think I would believe that? You kidnapped us, that's not very peaceful or happy."

"Well, here's the thing. They've been wanting to fight against the council and the elves who wronged them there. So our leader has built up an army of sorts. We're trained here to fight and even kill if we have to. We practice using weapons, go outside and run in the desert heat, and more. We've never actually fought yet but that's what they're preparing us for, a possible war against the Lost Cities. Or at least to protect ourselves from their attacks." Sam explains, "I know this is a lot to take in right now but I can show you around if it will help you believe me. You can trust me Fitz, I won't hurt you or Dex."

I shake my head, "No way, dude. I'm not going anywhere with a complete psychotic stranger who kidnapped me."

I take many steps back to get as far away from him as possible.

Sam takes a slow and careful step towards me again, "Is there anything at all that I can do to get you to trust me here, Fitz?"

The way he keeps saying my name reminds me of something but it's so far in the back of my mind that I barely notice it.

"I will only go with you if I can look into your thoughts." I demand.

Sam processes this request for a while before nodding his head "yes". I'm surprised that he agreed so fast and part of me is suspicious. Even people who have nothing bad to hide would be more cautious. I find my answer when I shut my eyes and look into his mind. Almost everything is blocked except for a few things that he probably wants me to see. I see flashes of grass and the sun, scenes from his childhood with a girl. She has light brown skin and long straight brown hair. Her eyes are the most noticeable though, a brown color that reminds me of Sophie.

Before I can dwell any longer on that memory, Sam shoves another one straight up to me. I see him as a child, no older than eleven years old. The girl from before is with him and he looks more scared than her despite her looking younger than him by at least two years. It looks like she's defending him from a tall man wearing all black.

"We'll take care of you if you're good and you work hard okay?" The man kneels before them, "All you have to do is be good, is that okay?"

The girl still looks suspicious of him but she nods her head. The man looks at young Sam for longer than he looks at the girl, causing him to cower even more away from him.

"And what are your names?" The man asks in a warm tone.

"My name is Elizabeth," the girl says proudly, "And this is Sam."

She gestures to young Sam behind her.

"Where are you taking us?" Sam asks in a terrified tone.

"A place where you'll be much happier, I promise. I can't tell you much more than that." The man replies, "Just take my hand and I'll bring you there."

The man smiles at them and I can finally see parts of his face although it's mostly blurry because of Sam's memory. He has kind blue eyes, elf eyes. Come to think of it, Sam and Elizabeth didn't have blue eyes. So are they elves or just poor humans who've been taken by these crazy kidnappers?

The memory ends there and before I know it, I'm opening my eyes. Sam blocked everything else out of his mind and managed to push me out of it. I didn't even know that it was possible for a human to do.

"Are you a human?" I ask before I can stop myself.

"No," Sam laughs slightly, "I know my name and eyes trick people though. I'm what you would call a 'failed experiment' I guess. Similar to what Sophie Foster is, created by elves but instead of being remembered I'm forgotten. Or at least I was until he found me."

Before I can say anything else he asks, "So, do you trust me now?"

I hesitate but something in me wants to say yes, even if everything else in my mind wants to say no. A memory still teeters on the edge of remembrance whenever I look at Sam's face but I can't figure it out. Whatever it is, it's making me want to go along with whatever this guy is planning on doing.

"Sure, for now I guess. But we're not doing anything without Dex," I say, walking over to his bed and shaking him awake.

It takes a little bit to wake him up, it's about equal to how we had to wake him up before when he slept like a rock, but we manage to do it and he groans as his eyes open.

"Fitz? What happened?" Dex gets this panicked look on his face as he remembers what happened, "Where are we and who is that guy? Are they gonna kill us?"

I explain what I learned from Sam to Dex and I whisper to him that we should trust him for now. Dex looks nowhere near ready to trust anybody at the moment but he reluctantly agrees as Sam leads him to the closet. Dex manages to stay at least three feet away from Sam at all times.

I don't know whether we are going to end up dying but I'd rather not think about that right now. Right when Sam, Dex, and I exit the room, shattered pieces of that memory in my head start to come back to me.