REBEL

Surprises and Epiphanies

Chapter 8

Oct 14 2163

Adelina Morgan

Location: County 4

There isn’t much that takes me by surprise. It’s rare for anyone to catch me off guard. But Jay...it’s shocking how much he’s able to effortlessly do so. It takes me nearly three times longer for me to return to normal. Dangerous.

            For the rest of the day, I avoid him; I keep a safe distance away from him to try to think, which I can’t seem to do around him if I’m too close. I fetch water on my own. I hunt on my own. The man stays asleep the entire day, waking up in flashes before dropping back to sleep again. Once, he wakes up and introduces himself as ‘Aiden’ prior to lying back down, conquered by unconsciousness. Before I know it, it’s already late into the night, and sleep is creeping up on me. I stumble into a tree on the opposite side of Jay, still trying to clear my mind. But soon enough, my mind wanders back to him again, and it’s stuck there.

Oct 15 2163

Adelina Morgan

Location: County 4

The hungry guy – Aiden – seems familiar. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but with his face and his sword abilities, I feel like I’ve seen him before. My instincts tell me to run from him; he’s a threat, a danger. Even now, I can tell that he’s not actually sleeping...the way his eyes flutter every now and then, his varied breathing patterns, his conscious movements. I’ve been apprehensive about him ever since the beginning. He might be fooling Jay, but my eyes are trained for and adapted to the darkness.

            Quietly, he scans the area, checking us to confirm that we’re asleep. Then, he sneaks out of the area, bringing with him an empty container. Curious, I trail and observe him from afar as he scoops up water. Suspiciously, he begins to shake the container, as if he’s trying to mix it evenly. Poison. He put poison in the drink.

            How the hell did he acquire poison? Poison is a luxury weapon. It’s only available in county one, and even then, it can only be obtained through specific connections.

            When I inspect the water again, it’s a little murky, but not a noticeable change for poison. That’s when I realize that it’s actually sleeping powder. But that’s a luxury medicine. What is it doing with a random, hungry man from county four?

            Who is Aiden?

            Before he heads back, I return quickly to the clearing, making my way to Jay to shake him awake. “Vi-?” I shush him anxiously, and the grogginess on his face is suddenly replaced with alertness when he senses my unease and angst. We watch at a distant length away as Aiden walks back, setting down the container of water.

            I squeeze Jay’s wrist tightly, silently trying to convey to him that he needs to stay down. He understands correctly, closing his eyes to give off the impression that he’s still sleeping. Aiden begins working on restarting the fire, his back facing us.

            Then, with a ready fire and a bright smile, he turns to us, yelling, “You’re awake!” He waves his hand over at us, gesturing, “I need your help!” Jay starts his way over to him when Aiden turns to tend to the fire, but I tug at his wrist that is still in my hand, shaking my head ‘no’. He gives me a confused stare, but obeys as he backs into the tree again.