The Detachment

Chapter 11

Before I know it, I'm clobbering Aspen in the most forceful hug I've ever given. I stay there a wile, letting the feeling of security wash over me. Just knowing one of my best friends has ended up in the same place that I have gives me a certain comfort I can't explain.

But then I remember why we're here in the first place.

"Oh my god..." I say, backing away. The feeling of security quickly turns to regret and fear of losing another friend. "You must hate me right now. I'm so sorry, Aspen. I didn't mean for this to happen"

Aspen's expression seems unreadable at first, and I get scared. Suddenly though, he pulls me into another hug.
"You know," he starts "I thought about it. And, I forgive you. I didn't at first. In fact, I was beyond mad at you. But, it's not worth it, especially since you're here now."

I'm actually crying now, letting tears roll down my cheeks in the middle of wherever the heck we are. Not just because Aspen is here and safe, not just because he is here now forgiving me for the worst thing I've ever done, but also because Scarlet isn't here to see that we are going to be okay."

"Scarlet died" I finally make out, still hugging him as tightly as I can. Saying it out loud feels like something heavy has finally been lifted off my chest, leaving behind all of the emotions that have been bottled up because of it. Aspen just grips me tighter, and now he's crying too.

"You know what," he says. "You are here and alive and okay, and that's all that matters now."

Eventually I let go, the tears go away, and I put myself together again. I wipe my eyes with the back of my hands one more time. "The group is so far gone" I giggle because of how ridiculous we probably looked, and Aspen starts to giggle, too.

"Follow me, I have to finish this stupid tour."

- - - - - -

It turns out we're done with the tour of the headquarters, so we get lead to where everyone sleeps. The trip is a long way behind the first building, so we have lots of time in between to talk. In that time, Aspen reconnects with his sister, Pyrus, and there is more hugging and crying between them.

"So, what's all that about?" Zachary asks. Right now is when I notice he has a slight accent that I can't seem to put my finger on. He seems to draw out certain words and use other ones that I've never heard of, and I have to ask him about it.

"Wait..." I start, "I have to ask- why does your voice sound a little funny?"

"I get that a lot," he says through a smirk. "I actually haven't heard it for a wile. Pretty much, we are up here..." He puts his hand in the air to signify where Gera is. "I'm from down here." He puts his other hand lower than the first one. "They really aren't that far apart, but let me tell ya, from what I remember, it gets much hotter where I'm from."

"Huh. You know, I've never really thought of anywhere besides Gera. I feel like I haven't even met anyone that isn't from it," I respond.

"And you probably haven't!" He says very matter of factly. "To be honest with ya, I don't even know why I'm here. I've told the story of how I got here so many times, but it's really not that interesting. Pretty much, when I was five years old, my parents and I escaped, somewhere along the way I get separated from them, now I found this place, and I've never tried going to find them."

He goes on to tell me that Gera was connected to a southern mass that was together called America. How could I never have known about all of this?

By now, we are to the Sleeping Houses. Standing in front of us when we get there is three small buildings all in a row, much different than the Headquarters. These are built with red brick, wooden framed windows, and sturdy, old doors. Just looking at the outside suddenly gives me a comfortable and eerie feeling that I can't tell if I like.

We enter the first one slowly, and the old floorboards creek. When I really think about it, these houses remind me a lot of the small one that I woke up in at the bottom of the cliff.

"Hey..." I say, about to ask Zachary about it. But, he already knows what I'm curious about.

"Now I know what you guys are thinking," He peers over at both me and Pyrus, "What was that weird old house you had me roped up in? Right?" I can't help but notice how pleased at the connection he made he is.

Pyrus says something like how did he know that? under her breath, and I feel the same way. How the heck could he have guessed that?

"Well, we call that thing the Faux Home. Basically, people walk by that old thing, go searching inside for people. If they find no one, there isn't really any other sign of civilization. If they do find someone inside... Let's just say they'll quickly be out and never come back."

"So, is this where we are sleeping?" I ask. I look around at the rows of wooden beds, with white sheets, white walls, and white pillows.

"Yeah," replies Ivan. "I would say to set up all your stuff here, but it looks like none of you have anything important..." He looks around at the crowd of greasy hair, dirty faces, and decaying clothes.
The worst part is, I know he is judging us, and it makes me look away from his smug face. Right now is when I realize that I definitely don't like this guy.

After a silence in the room, Arren speaks up from the back, running a hand through his hair. "Can we ,like, take a shower or something?"

We get lead to a room attached to the second identical house, filled with about ten small showers. The tile on the floor and the thin plastic curtains on each shower prompts me of the shower rooms that we used to use before I stopped going to school, and I get reminded of how naive I was just a few months ago.

I snap out of my thoughts when they're interrupted by a raggedy towel being thrown in my hands. About to take the first proper shower in a few weeks, I actually get excited. I can't even remember what my clean hair looks like.

But, my excitement is interrupted when Pyrus steps in front of me. With folded arms and an expression that clearly shows annoyance, she asks me something I just can't avoid anymore.

"So, are you going to tell me why you almost got my brother killed?"