Primitives

Chapter Uno

"Get out. You're going to school." Roxanne said. She sat at the steering wheel staring out at the dull colored school in front of her. Reagan refused to go to school again and nothing irritated Roxanne more than going through this every single morning. Roxanne glanced at her.

"What's the point again?" Reagan asked irritably. She rested her temples on her fist and glared back at her guardian. She didn't like calling Roxanne her sister, because they weren't. All she ever did for her was let her brother die and that certainly isn't what sisters do.

"To learn, Reagan. To learn. And to be somewhere safe when bother your mom and I have to go to work." Roxanne said, trying desperately to get the point across.

Reagan rolled her eyes and got out of the car. "Don't you dare be late today," she growled. She slammed the door and marched towards the school, her fists clenched. Roxanne watched her go and rolled her eyes as well.

She shook her head and turned the keys in the ignition. Driving towards Humboldt Park, just about a mile away from the Arts School, and she parked on the side of Division Street. Then walked hastily towards Formal Garden. She crept to the side between a cluster of trees and looked around. No one was watching. She pressed her hand against a tight knot in a tree and pushed. The knot disappeared into the tree and a small ray of light shown into her eye; she stared at it. It disappeared to and Roxanne braced herself, crossing her arms and gripping her biceps, her nails digging into her skin. Then she plummeted down quickly, the light disappearing above her. Her hair trailed above her and then fell around her shoulders when she lands onto the cushioned ground. A heavy metal door slides open and she's momentarily blinded by the light. She walks in.

Artemis, wearing a plaid black and white shirt and jeans, stood in front of a TV screen. Reagan has only been here once for safety precautions. There was a lounging space complete with beanbag chairs and leather couches and a maxed out coffee machine. Opposite to that area, to the left, was the tech. That's where the 100-inch flat screen TV hung on the wall in front of a long crescent desk covered with computers and radios. In the room adjacent to the TV was a lab for processing DNA and genetics. And, when taking a sharp right turn out of that room, you enter the room where Lance spends most of his time- when he is here- creating the super suits. It was plain, too, with white walls and few pictures and newspaper clippings hanging on the walls or framed on desks. There was one rug in the lounge area that brought color to this space. It was a hideously bright green and shaggy.

Roxanne wandered over to Artemis and stood beside her. "What's this?" She asked, frowning.

"Solar Eclipse," Artemis said, mimicking Roxanne's concentrated expression. She furrows her eyebrows. "Supposed to happen today around eleven. I'm worried."

"It's just an eclipse," Roxanne said, shrugging her shoulders.

"It's not just an eclipse!" Artemis stared at Roxanne. "There hasn't been an eclipse like this when the sun was so close to Earth. Anything could happen."

Roxanne raised an eyebrow. "Like what?" She pursed her lips.

"I don't know, maybe like the apocalypse?" She said, looking timid. It's like she said the wrong answer to an obvious question.

Roxanne burst out laughing. "Apocalypse?!"

Anna straightened. "Yeah. And vampires." She tipped her chin up with confidence.

Walking away, Roxanne shook her head and chuckled. "Apocalypse," she murmured. She snorted. "Yeah, sure."

Roxanne fell into the spinning chair, twisting in a circle. She snatched up a breakfast sandwich from the desk and sunk her teeth into the heated bread and egg. No matter how many times she asks Anna to get a few of these things with cheese, she gets the same thing she always has; toasted bread, melted butter, sausage, and egg. No creamy cheddar cheese. "Hear anything on the radio today?" She asked with her mouth full.