Shattered Sunshine

Toy Soldiers

Ray

It had been a long while since I had been in a vehicle, and the last time I had on a blind fold, headphones and had been restrained quite thoroughly while being transported to the centre. I was still surprised that there had barely been a reaction when I told doctor Heffenen that I was going with Oscar to the fair. He was driving behind a couple passenger vehicles and I could see one of the security vehicles at the head of the small convoy, as well as one trailing behind us.

If Oscar noticed, he didn't give any indication, though he had grinned lopsidedly at me when I insisted that he put on his seat belt. He had the windows undone and had turned on the radio, though he had turned down the music after giving me a glance.

We drove further from New Orleans, and I felt the distance from the city and the protective territories of the Centre begin to put me on edge. I glanced up at the sky, which was a clear blue, with no trace of drones or aircraft circling and looking for targets. Still, I pulled my hat down tighter on my head and glanced at the man beside me.

He was grinning, a pair of mirrored sunglasses on as he sang along with one of the songs, driving with one hand on the steering wheel and the other hanging out of the window. I relaxed as I watched him, grinning a little when he shot me an easy glance, his expression looking younger than it usually did.

Oscar reached and turned the music down to a low murmur, grinning to me as he turned down a side road, the sounds of rocks dinging against the metal belly of the truck making its own music. "So what are we going to do first? There's rides, though they're not exceptionally scary, they have the farm displays, the horse shows and the kid's rodeo. They probably have a bunch of stalls where you can buy things, from crafts to baked goods."

The smell of the place hit me first.

There was the smell of the farm that I was used to, but there was sugar and popcorn and deep-fried foods wafting toward me as well. The sounds of yelling, laughter, announcements and ringing bells clamoured, and I found myself looking at some chaotic mess of tents, people, metal contraptions and flashing lights. Even in the middle of the day the lights were blinking, and I felt my anxiety growing excessively.

In these environments, the supernatural senses, my senses, would be distracted. Even as Oscar pulled the truck in beside the vans and I noticed the security team vehicles pull in around us and I noted, still more of them scattered in the rows of vehicles.

I couldn't move.

I tensed up and gripped the door handle, feeling my heart racing as I shook my head slowly. I wasn't surprised, I had seen pictures and videos of such things before. I had known, but something about being right here made me realize what a mistake it was. We were out here, where the war could hit us at any minute, and none of the people, human or supernatural, seemed to realize it.

"Hey, Ray." I felt Oz's hand brush over mine, breaking my line of thought and causing me to look toward him. "You're here with me, ok?"

"It's incredibly dangerous." I managed, though my voice was quiet. The only reason he could hear me is because he had rolled up the windows. Cool air pumped through the vents, fighting the rising heat on my skin even as I turned my hand to grasp his.

I expected him to laugh at me, or scoff at my concern, but he merely squeezed my hand and offered me a careful smile. "This is your first time off the property, right?"

I nodded, my skin flushing in embarrassment. I was a soldier, I was the fighter, I should not be losing control right now. But before I could gain a semblance of my ability to fight, he leaned across the seat between us and kissed me gently. Compared to the kisses I had stolen from him over the past several days, this was light. It was merely a brush of our lips before it was over, but I closed my eyes and let out a shaking breath.