Saving Insanity

Chapter 13: Lurking in the Shadows

How fitting. The air was cool, seeping through my thin jacket. I pressed through the streets, keeping my head down and my hair falling in front of my face. I needed help. Benin was right, he always had been. I needed a fucking army. How hard could that be? All I needed was a few people to believe me, a few Idols to jump on board and hitch along for the ride.

All I needed. I couldn't even get my best friend on board. Yet she despised the Idols, she despised life itself. She didn't want anything to do with anything, all she wanted was to live in her bubble and drown herself in alcohol.

"Excuse me."

A hand touched down on my shoulder. I twirled around, throwing my elbow back until it landed the Idol straight in the gut. The being stumbled backwards, hunched over with their hair falling towards the ground.

"I am so sorry," I stepped towards the girl, aiding her by placing my hand on her back. She stood up again, my hands holding her steady. Her sharp green eyes met mine. I swallowed, releasing her before I stepped away. "How can I help you?" I said.

The girl pushed her long, light brown hair behind her ears, demonstrating her outstanding beauty. She was only a young teen. She placed her hand on her stomach, still regaining her breath from being winded. "I only need a minute of your time, but it's clear that you do not have one to give."

I shifted my weight, crossing my arms over my chest, "Try me."

The girl gave a quick smile, portraying her youth even further. She must have been thirteen, fourteen at the very most. Her eyes broke through mine once again, reminding me of bright emeralds. "I need to know how to get to the Facility. Do you know where it is?"

Discomfort took over me. I tried to keep a straight face as I struggled through my confusion, "The Facility? Shouldn't you know where it is? All Idols do," I hesitated, "What do you want there, anyways?"

The girl swallowed, widening the gap between us, "I will find it myself. Thank you for your time."

"Wait," I lashed out, catching the girl's coat before she could jet off. She faced me, her face reading of horror. My hand slowly released the material of her jacket. "Do not be afraid of me," I said, "I only want to know."

She stepped away, tripping against the pavement. Her face contorting with panic and the girl stumbled forwards in an attempt to gain as much distance between her and I as she could. "Wait!" I called, "I know where the Facility is. I was the Sort--" I stopped, which was immediately mimicked by the girl. I continued, "I used to be the Sorter there."

The girl remained frozen, pulling her feet together in order to regain her balance before she turned to look at me. "Used to be?"

I nodded, "It is a long story."

"Hold on," she walked back over to me with her hand held up, like her patience wouldn't last her though the ten steps she had taken, "You used to work," she tilted her head to the side and wrinkled her nose, "at the Facility? For the government?"

I stepped back from her, finding her to have suddenly entered into my bubble. "Yes," I stood straighter, "Now, tell me, why do you wish to go there?"

The young girl seemed to challenge me with her eyes. "You tell me that you work for the government, and you expect me to trust you?"

My lips twisted up into a smile, and I held up a finger, "I do not work for the government. I worked for the government."

"And two letters make that much of a difference in your mind?"

"Think about this," I said, "How often does someone get removed from a position in the government, especially those at the Facility, if they were loyal?"

The teen allowed herself a small grin. This, I took as a sign of trust. "So, tell me why you are trying to find the most well-known building in all of the New World?"

The girl stuck her hands in her pockets, "It's for research." She ducked down her head and twisted her body side to side like a five-year-old would do after getting disciplined. "I know," she continued, "It is completely stupid and a dangerous, horrible idea. Please, do not give me away. They cannot imprison me. I am far too young to--"

"Stop," I held up a hand. She did. "How do you not know where the Facility is? Everyone has been there, and from my experience, it is a hard place to forget."

The girl opened her mouth before quickly closing it again. "You are right," she let out a scoff, "How silly of I, of course I know the way. The streets, very confusing. It was very nice meeting you, Miss, Miss ex-Sorter, person," she nodded before turning away once again.

I watched her begin to walk, convinced that this girl had a few screws loose and needed to be home before her foster mother grew too worried. Then it clicked, my oblivion slapping me across the face. "You're a Shadow."

The teen stopped dead. She slowly removed her hands from her pockets before she turned to look at me once more, and this time her eyes were scared. A Shadow. Those few, and by few I mean almost none, who managed to shy away from the government and skip out on their Section Exam. They were brilliant, ones who had been capable of running away from the dozens of troops set out to find them. The girl was a Shadow.

I let out a scoff, disbelief enveloping me, "How did you do it?"

The girl's fear slipped from her face, replaced with a small smile, "It was not an easy task."

"I believe you," I walked over to her, shocked that she remained still. "Why on earth do you want to go to the Facility? You are literally the envy of all Mutts. Hell, even Idols. You do not exist to the world," my excitement overcame me, "you could do anything and the government would not know who is doing it. You are a living miracle." I smiled. "You are amazing."

She placed a small hand on my shoulder, "Look, listening to some random woman blabbering about my non-existence is not exactly very Shadow-like. So if you will excuse me, I need to be on my way."

"Wait, please, I beg of you," I walked by her side, ignoring the irritated look spreading across her young face. "I want to help you. Whatever research you are doing, I want in. I will give anything to help my understanding of the government, or the Mutts, whatever you are trying to discover."

The girl smirked, "Discover? Everything about this world has been discovered. What I want is to unravel it, to make it be seen to the public just exactly why we all wish to be a Shadow. Figure out why exactly, if our world is so perfect, that children try to run and hide?"

"I'll take you."

The girl stopped again, this time to look at me, "What?"

"To the Facility," I shrugged, opening my arms wide, "I am researching, too. God there is so much we can accomplish together." I took another step towards her, ignoring the spitting rain, "I need someone, and evidently so do you."

She stared at me, her bright green eyes stabbing into my brown ones. Her eyebrows creased, and finally she spoke, "How do I know I can trust you?"

I let out a short laugh, "A young girl taps me on the shoulder, I severely injure her and then she tells me that she is on a hunt for confidential information and is a piece of confidential information herself. And yet even after all of this, I am crazy enough to offer you my services in anything you need."

The girl smiled, her lips pulling up one corner of her small mouth. She reached out a hand, "I'm Samoa, by the way."

I took her hand, "Ireland."

Samoa nodded, her light brown hair shaking as she did so. She placed her hands back in her pockets and turned back down onto the street. "So," she said, "what exactly is your story, then?"

I grinned, "It's quite the story, but I think it's just beginning."

~.~

A/N

Introduction of a new character... Hopefully she's a people pleaser. Thanks all

- xoxo Meah