Refracted

- - 8 - -

I woke up with my tears streaming down my cheeks and sobs wracking my body. The events of the past couple days had brought up trauma that I had worked so hard on burying. At the facility, any vulnerability was exploited and you definitely didn't need to seem weaker than anyone else.

It was strange, lying there. For years, I had a routine: get up, get dressed, make bed, brush teeth, breakfast. Never once, had I ever had the luxury of a lie in. Then again, that wasn't exclusive to the facility, I imagined that all the workers in Terra had to be up for work or school. Maybe with the exception of Alpha and Beta (leaders of Terra), a lie in would be considered a luxury for us all.

Eventually though, back pain grew from lying on the hard floor and I knew that it was time to move. Though from the silence, the electric storm sounded like it had passed and for the moment, nature wouldn't be bothering me.

"How kind," I thought and snickered at my own joke.

Helios was very bright today and it's beams penetrated my eyelids. Opening my eyes just a crack was unbearable but soon the deed was done and I sat up to aches and pains all over. Rubbing my eyes, I tried to absorb my surroundings.

All the other homeless people were gone, including John. Peculiar, although they probably wanted to avoid the patrolling VISORs. Obviously, I wasn't very good at being homeless. Wow, another joke, what was it with me today?

Slowly, I stretched out all my limbs and rolled onto my knees to stand up.

Except a pair of strong, sturdy boots were in my way. I wasn't alone.

Cautiously, my eyes travelled upwards to meet the watcher's face but instead I was met with the familiar battle scar, belonging to Rachel.

Hastily, I stood up and brushed myself off.

"Are you done gawping?" She asked but with a smile.

I blushed and looked at the floor again.

The bridge was desolate apart from us and the morning traffic had not quite started up yet. Strange again. Maybe it wasn't as late as I thought it was.

Looking back at Rachel, I pictured all the things I would loved to have done to her right there on the concrete.

Verity! Not the time.

I felt my cheeks get hotter but Rachel didn't notice or had the decency to at least not mention it. Besides, she was looking a little flushed herself...

"What are you doing here?" I prompted.

"Well, we wanted to see if you would like to join us after all?"

I so desperately wanted to agree right there and then but I had a few suspicions first.

"Did you follow me all night?"

"In that storm, are you stupid?!" She ridiculed. Yet then looking at my face, she added, "no, there's a tracker in your bag."

She pointed to the front pocket and I checked. Indeed, a small metal device was blinking red intermittently: a common tracker. I hadn't noticed it as I was distracted by the storm while searching my bag.

"Oh. Well, why come now then? Why not save me from the storm? Or even let me stay at the compound?"

"I apologise, but it was a test. We had to see if you would turn us in or if we could trust you."

"And if I did turn you in?"

"I'd rather not think  about that." She looked away, ashamed? Her boldness was both daunting and admirable.