Under a Working Train

Chapter Four - Iris

My eyelids snuck up, opening.
"Oh, good. You're awake," sprung Apple. Apple made her way over to a small wooden bed in the corner of the ranch house where I laid. I hadn't noticed it last night. She sat in a wooden rocking chair next to me. I could sense light pouring in through a window. Apple had her pitch white hair pulled into a messy bun, making her seem older than she is. But instead of her pink dress and dark pink apron as usual, she was wearing a black, knit, tight fitting, t-shirt and medium wash blue jeans. I paid attention to the hole in her black socks. Suddenly the memories ripped a hole in my brain creeping in silently.
"I remember!" I screamed, shooting up off the bed.
"Good!" clapped Apple getting off her chair kneeling on the floor next to me, "Tell me about it!" I followed her instructions.
"I heard whispering and suddenly I couldn't sleep. I turned over and I saw them. Mother was sitting on the floor and then she was being picked up. I saw her, she had a cream coloured pillowcase over her eyes. And they, the men in black, they were carrying her away. I saw that! I watched her disappear down the stairs. But one, stayed behind." I gushed and then I screamed in pain, "He saw me looking, he came to my crib. He clenched his hand around my throat, it really hurt. I bit him. But he didn't stop, he took out his knife. It was so shiny, he cut into my chin," I yelled, tears gathering in my eye.
Apple had her hands on my bed, kneeling, looking steadily into my eyes. She reached her palm, that had the same pale skin as mine, to the indent in my chin. She grazed her bent pionted finger up brushing the tears from my eyes.
"Good girl," whispered Apple encouragingly. My stomach dropped. My whole body ached, I just laid back down in the bed facing upward. I felt like I was going to throw up. "I need to teach you. How to fight that is. When we go into the draft, if we know how to fight we can kill Net once and for all." I was still so confused.
"Net?" I inquired lightly.
"The man who did this," Apple brushed the indent in my chin, "To you. Elouise is coming, our sister will be sentenced her for an act of misfortune. When she does, we can start training." The tension in my body grew. Apple sighed. "You should probably get more sleep, I'll leave you be to think," winked Apple. She got up and made her way to the door.
"What about Liam? Does he know where I am?" I stressed to Apple.
"He will," she responded, before opening the door and leaving me be. I really wanted to care about what Liam was probably thinking happened to me, but my need for sleep outweighed the thoughts. I didn't fight against sleep, welcoming it with open arms.