Hidden Elements

Chapter 3

My legs started to ache and I was doubting I made the right choice to find shelter here as I walked through the city. There were no people in sight. I was getting scared, all I could here were my loud footsteps. As I walked deeper into the heart of the city, it came to my attention that everything was covered in a thick layer of ashes. This city looked like the ones I saw in old history books at the orphanage. Before Ruler 1, before the war, before I was even born. It was filled with half destroyed skyscrapers, I think that's what they were called. The paving beneath my feet was cracked and uneven with many shallow holes. Mould and moss as growing in the little crevasses of the sidewalks. There were even scaffolds of used-to-be buildings still standing but seemed like a only a breath could knock them down.

Even in the middle of a hot, sunny day, the city was cold and dark. Grey, grey everywhere. I wanted to turn on my heels and run for my life, out of this haunted-looking city. I controlled my  nerves and kept walking, the Enfirma would never find me here. I rubbed my cold arms for warmth, a tank top and shorts would never keep me warm and toasty.

Unexpectedly, I felt something around the ankle of my hiking boots and I froze. I looked down and a hand was clasped around my shoe. I screamed as I tried to get the hand off me. I could see the tanned arm attached to the hand coming from the grate I was standing on top of. I knelt down and I felt the energy in my hands as I made my fingertips hotter than boiling water. I placed them on the hand around my ankle and I heard a young female scream.

I jumped up and away from the grate. "W-who's there?!" I yelled out with a shaky voice. "I don't want to hurt you!" The voice yelled back. The grate started moving. I walked towards it slowly, ready to fight. I out-stretched my hand and aimed it to the grate. The grate opened and a figure climbed out. I was about to attack until I realised, it was only a girl, probably only 12.

"I don't want to hurt you." She repeated calmly as she raised her arms up as a sign of peace. I lowered my arm slowly. "Are you apart of the Enfirma?" I asked seriously. She laughed but I wasn't smiling. She looked at me and her laugh stopped. "Why would I be part of such a sick organisation, I'd rather be killed than be one of them." She spat those words out like they were poison.  I searched her face to see if she was lying. Nothing.

I sighed, I knew this girl was telling the truth. I looked down at her clothing, she was wearing a small size uniform. The ones the rebels used to wear. It consisted of all black with a green stripe across the chest of the shirt. I looked at her young face. She had a beautiful pair of brown eyes, the same colour as her hair which was tied back in a high ponytail. She definitely looked older for her age but I guess her youthful face gives it away. "What's your name?" She asked, "Krista, you yours?" She smiled, "Abby."

"Follow me," she commanded as she gestured to the grate. She jumped in and I heard a loud SPLOSH. I peered down the hole but I only saw darkness. "Come on!" I hesitated as I walked around the hole. I can't let this girl find out about my powers so like a normal person, I jumped in after her. I landed on my feet and I quickly felt the feeling of water in my shoes. I couldn't see a thing in this darkness, it was like the cloud in my dream. There was a flicker of white above my head and a bright light filled the space. I saw I was standing in murky water and I groaned. I also realised we were in a tunnel. "What is this?" I asked inquisitively. "They used to be called sewers where waste would be taken to the sea. Now, they are ways to get around, for us, the Subsisto." My thoughts snapped back from my drifting pondering. "Subsisto?"

She looked down at the water. "They'll explain when we get there."

But where?...

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Hey everybody,

Teaser for chapter 4: We get to know what the Subsisto is and meet an interesting pair of twins.

Thanks for reading! Love you all :) To the right is a picture of Verto above ground. Sends chills down your spine, doesn't it!

Hugs

HT12