The Hidden End [Ender's Game]

+ Chapter 09

At the end of her fourth day in the Scorpion army, Morgan had decided to spend her free time alone in the game room. She left the barracks as soon as she could and wandered down the corridors. Her feet moved mechanically while her mind kept playing around with different formation possibilities, and it was because of this that she didn’t notice Ender walking in her direction. She would’ve walked straight into him if he hadn’t grabbed her arms and caught her before they collided.

“Ho, Morgan,” he said.

Morgan mumbled a “hello” before trying to side-step him and walk away. Ender didn’t let her.

“Where’re you going?” asked Ender.

“Nowhere.”

He frowned a little. “Did I upset you? Is that why you’re avoiding me?”

“Honestly, Ender, we’re not on the same side anymore. I shouldn’t even be talking to you,” Morgan sighed.

“I thought we were friends outside the battle room.”

“The only friends you have are in the Salamander army,” she told him bluntly. The look on her dark eyes seemed to say it all, and Ender understood it. He carefully studied her expression before shaking his head.

“I can’t work with them like I can with you,” he confessed.

Morgan gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. “You don’t get it, do you? You think I’m only here for you to work with and train with? So that you can beat me in the end and make it to Commander School? Is that all that you think about?”

She expected Ender to say something—to assure her that she was wrong. But he said nothing. He just remained silent and looked at her with curious eyes, and at that moment, Morgan walked past him, knowing there was nothing else for her to say.

But his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, and he gently tugged her back. “I can’t talk with them like I can with you, either,” he said.

To others, that statement might not have meant much, but it meant a lot to Morgan. The corners of her mouth curved upwards, and it was as if the last few days without Ender hadn’t even existed. The void in her heart wasn’t there anymore, and instead of it, there was an unexplainable feeling that Morgan found to be perfect.

“Do you wanna… go to the game room with me?” she asked.

And of course, Ender agreed.

~ ~ ~

During free time the next day, Morgan and Ender met up in the gym with the intent to train. She had given in reluctantly to the idea, because after being separated from Ender, fighting against him wasn’t exactly what she had in mind, but then he reminded her that the best talks they’ve had were while practicing together. That was a good enough reason.