10.2 AIJA

89 17 5
                                    

The story so far:

---- Aija is a Volunteer at the Pristine School at Innermost. She works along with Zuri and Ze, who are her friends. Aija witnesses a strange event one night – light emanating from Rez's body. The kidnapper is after her soul, next, but he leaves her alive and goes away. Another man finds her, he wants to take her somewhere else - Aija though wary of him agrees. Aija learns of the existence of the aliens – the Ytai. Also, about the R'ies and H'eon, Harvesting and Àvo from Etrie. Etrie tells her that the man, who Harvested Rez (Thieron), will now go after her. He tells her that the spy/kidnapper's name is Luka. Etrie asks her to work along with him.

---- Nala seeks Zuri out. They spend the day together, and go to the APC. Zuri introduces Aija to Nala. Nala is contacted by her partner, who sees her mingling with humans. Nala is confronted by her partner – Luka. Luka tells her that Thieron is trailing Zuri's friend Aija. Alton ordered Thieron to Harvest Aija.

---- Aija is invited by Etrie for a Harvest Stopping Mission.

---- Aija tells Zuri about Quinn – she's to meet him as an order from the Leadership.

✽✽✽

****10.2 - Aija****

Ze came around seven with fruits. 

They had dinner; all the while Aija was thinking of the Harvest and Zuri, and Ze had a great time, talking about things, laughing and having fun.

Ze took his leave at around nine since there was school the next day. Zuri and Aija spent the next hour discussing Quinn and Nala and wondering when Zuri would get her notice. Aija noticed that Zuri spoke of Nala affectionately. She thought about what would happen if things really got serious between them. How would they handle it?

At ten, Aija said, "I'm tired."

"Yes..." Aija drawled, getting up from the small couch. "I'll get going."

"Sure," Zuri said, sticking out her lower lip.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Aija kissed her on the cheek.

"Fine.... Get lost already."

Aija hurried back to her apartment, wondering how Zuri had let her go quickly. Usually, she would ask Aija to sleepover at her place. She must have been tired. She wasn't sure what to wear, so she just changed out of her dress into something more comfortable – black shorts and a navy blue t-shirt.

Her Scroll vibrated. A message from Etrie: 'Be outside by eleven. Kuna will pick you up. He knows you.'

Who was Kuna? Why couldn't Etrie himself pick her up? How did this Kuna know her?

She used the stairs to get herself to the bottom of the building. She hadn't been using the stairs for a long time – since Rez. She stepped out and looked around; no one seemed to be there. She adjusted the straps of her tiny backpack on her shoulders and looked at her Scroll now at its smallest, on her wrist, secured by a band. She was ten minutes early.

She yawned, thinking if it would be a long night; she had to go to school the next day. She absent-mindedly twirled a strand of her long hair in her fingers as she looked at the time again. She stretched as she looked around, and she spotted a young man walking in her direction. It had to be Kuna. As he neared, he smiled at her, and from that distance, she could make out he had curly brown hair with red highlights. It was tied into a bun and sat atop his head.

"Hi, Aija, I'm Kuna." He introduced himself. His voice had the same lilting accent that she had observed in Etrie.

"Hi," she said, still unsure of him.

AFIRE: fight for the Earth begins✓Where stories live. Discover now