The Mystery of Ariella

Sixteen: Jude's Son

Authors Note: Yay guys what's up? how's your spring break. Well ive been sick all week sooooo..... yeah. lots of time to write this chapter. Hope you enjoy :)

SIXTEEN:

“So,” she started, “I never really asked for your name.”

      “Ariella,” she replied, giving off a small smile. What was she doing? She couldn’t see her anyways.

      “Nice.” Penelope started in front of her, sometimes bumping into people that were getting up from breakfast.

      “Hey watch it.” They would say. She would wave her hand over her eyes and state the obvious.

      “I’m blind, you idiot.” She sounded mad but as soon as they turned she would laugh and smile like a lunatic. “Oh I love being blind.” She stated. “You can just get away with anything.” She seemed in a completely different mood than earlier.

      “How do you know where you are?” Ariella asked as they started towards the back door. “Visually, I mean.”

      Penelope sighed and opened the back door that led to the garden. “I don’t know. I just try to picture my surroundings in my head, sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t.”

The garden was a small field of dirt that looked like it had been recently plowed. Three sides of tall cement walls boxed in the territory, topped with a thin string of barbed wire.

      “Is this a prison?” Ariella asked as they walked out on the field.

      “No, pretty close though.”

      Penelope tugged at Ariella’s sleeve, pointing in the direction of a small shack. “Could you guide me to that shed over there? Our supplies are in there.”

      “What are we doing?”

      “Gardening, we have chores to do on the weekdays. But you haven’t been assigned anywhere, have you?” Ariella shook her head and Penelope sighed again. “Your silence is very convincing. Just go inside the cafeteria and Peter will most likely pick you up.”

      Ariella nodded and started to turn around, only to be stopped by the girl again. “You still have to take me to the shed, I’m still blind.”

      After Ariella successfully guided Penelope and handed her a couple tools that she had named out for her Ariella walked back inside the cafeteria. It was completely deserted, except for a lonely janitor mopping the ground. She sat at one of the tables and waited for Peter. He must have been somewhere. She played with the hem of her sweeter as the minutes passed. She waited for what seemed like hours before she heard the voice behind her.

      “What are you doing?” It was low and raspy, almost like the person was sick. She looked behind her and saw Peter, his black hair slicked to his head. His face was drawn to a complete scowl. She couldn’t help but stare. She had seen that face somewhere. The way his jaw pointed, the light grey eyes that made your mind foggy. Peter had the same effect on her as the man in the black suit did a little while ago in the woods. The same deer-in-headlights feeling.

      “Did you hear me? I said what are you doing?” Ariella snapped awake and stood. She nodded and opened her mouth to say something but she had suddenly forgot why she had been sitting there in the first place.

      “Are you mute?” He asked, stepping towards her. He was short, almost the same height as her, maybe a little taller.

      “N-no,” she stuttered, “I’m new.”