The Confined

13. Violet (Part 2)

The first breath I took inside of the RL choked me. I coughed as memories flooded into my lungs, clogging up my throat. I remembered everything that had happened here, just by breathing in the air. My happy days and my horrible days. Strangely, all of the memories that had different feelings all felt sad now. I just wanted to curl up into a ball and cry.

I took a shaky breath and took three steps. The marble floor was familiar, yet distant as if it too recognized that I wasn't one of their people anymore. I felt like I was sinking into it, it was going to swallow me and plunge me into darkness. I closed my eyes and took deep breaths trying to keep calm and under control.

I had a family to rescue. I had huge responsibility now.

I started running. The cart rolled fiercely along with my feet. I didn't look up because I knew the way by heart. I knew the way to our house, past that to Natalie's house, and past that to Polly's house. I knew the way up her steps. There were exactly 23 stairs from the gate to the front door. I knew that she would be waiting for me. I knew she would smile at me and say, "You're here!" and hug me tightly. I knew it.

When I passed my house I didn't even look up. I didn't dare because I didn't want to know who lived there or what the house looked like. If it looked different, I don't think I could have stood the fact that it wasn't mine and someone else had changed it. Although it looked the same, I don't think I could have stood the fact that it was unchanged either. So I ran past it with my eyes glued to the ground.

For some reason, I felt like I was being chased. Nobody was following me when I turned around, but it felt like invisible footsteps were coming from right behind me. I didn't want to feel like I was going to get caught as if I were a criminal. I had done nothing wrong. Not yet.

I rang the bell. Slow footsteps tapped on the floor gracefully and got louder as they came closer to the door. The door peeked open.

I couldn't lift my head up and look her in the face to let her see me like this. So small. So poor. So pathetic.

She hugged me. I knew she would do it but the emotions still came through me like I hadn't expected it at all. I couldn't help but start to cry. When I knelt and started weeping, Polly reassured me that it was alright and that I was okay. I was here now and I was safe. She told me to come inside for a while. She said that her parents were out and she'd turned off all the CCTV cameras and robots in her house. She said she'd let me rest.

I pulled myself up and walked into her house. Everything was the same as when I had visited last time. Beautiful paintings decorated the walls at equal intervals. The carpet was made of red silk and the whole hall was painted with brown curly designs to make it feel much more luxurious and rich. The golden furniture reflected the lights and made them dance.

I did want to be here. But I didn't want to be here. It made me feel like I was home. But it made me feel homesick. I needed Polly. But I needed Ego. I wanted everything back. But I wasn't too unsatisfied by my situation. I was sad that I had lost all of this. But I was thankful that I could understand my faults and be able to fix them. I was thankful that I had Ego. I was thankful for the fact that I was still alive and I was able to go through experiences in life.

I smiled. "I'm okay now."

Polly took a single backpack out. It wasn't anything expensive, just a plain backpack without any jewelry or fancy decorations. She was giving it to me because she thought it suited me now. She thought I was one of them. I knew that too, so it didn't make me feel that bad.

Polly handed the backpack to me. She gestured for me to open it.

Inside were the items that she had said she'd get for me, extra clothes other than the armored ones, food supplies, and new shoes that fit my feet perfectly. There was extra rope, a knife, medical supplies, and other important things for when a person was going somewhere on a dangerous quest. An illegal one, too.

I had to think of some way to pay her. The weapons would have cost her a whole month of allowance plus extra because it had to be kept a tight secret. I didn't want Polly in danger too. She'd risked her reputation for me. When I got my payment for the milk delivery job, the first thing I was going to do was give it all to Polly. She was my best friend, except for Ego.

"I don't have much time, but before I go, I want to say thank you. I'd been such a horrible friend, but you've been such a good one and you still are," I thanked her.

She shook her head. "Thank you. For coming back. To me. Not to the RL." She fidgeted with her nails. They were painted bright green and yellow. That meant she felt happy.

I smiled. "Next time we should go on a trip. Without weapons," I joked. She giggled and nodded. Then her face clouded over.

"About Natalie..." she started, and when I heard her name my face clouded over too. "Ever since you were gone, she's been a total boss. She bothers everybody about everything. She even threw ketchup on me because she thought there wasn't enough of it and I refused to get more for her."

"Wow." I was surprised. She was even more of a brat than me.

"I don't know what to do," Polly sighed.

"We'll get this handled after I get back from my little trip. Okay? I'll contact you." I nodded. I started packing the stuff into the bottom of the milk cart and stacked the milk bottles over it so that no one could see them. Polly walked me all the way to the gate and gave me a short hug.

"You're welcome any time. Um... except for when my parents are here. And when Natalie and the kids are here. And when the robots are activated. Yeah..." She frowned. I laughed as I put my cap back on my head. "Just ring me before you come. Okay? That settles everything," she beamed.

"Thank you. I won't forget this. I'll make it up to you. I promise," I said.

"Don't worry about it," she smiled.

I started making it down the road with my milk cart smoothly sliding on the marble floor. I turned around to see her just once more, but she had already turned away and had started back toward the house.

Her slumped shoulders made me ache. I turned back with slumped shoulders of my own. I took a few steps down the path with my eyes glued to the ground.

You have to act strong. You have a familt to save.

I forced my eyes up, and looked straight ahead.

I immediately regretted it.

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Hi loves♡
I am SO SORRY, I was supposed to update yesterday, but I was just sooo exhausted when I came home near midnight!
Thank you for all of your support and I hope you keep going with this book!
What do you think about Polly and Violet's friendship?

Anyway, if you enjoyed this chapter, please vote and comment. It makes me want to write more! Thanks again!