Shattered Sunshine

Faith

Ray

It was easier to write to Meriwa, to skim the feelings that still simmered in my mind as I tried to follow her lead in what we would talk about, than it had been to speak with her. Some part of me would still ache when I read her letters, and I still didn't know if I trusted her motivations. But the space between us and the time to compose my thoughts allowed me to process before responding.

How many people read our correspondence between when I signed my letter and when she finally had it in her hands, I couldn't fathom. I had worried that some of the things that I wrote to her about would hurt Oscar, that he would be upset that I didn't ask him the things I asked Meriwa. But if it bothered him that I shared thoughts and confusions with her that I did not with him, he never mentioned it.

A few weeks passed by and though I tried my best to keep my mind on my healing, I couldn't help but notice that I saw very little change in the security posture of the centre. I knew there were things I did not know, I knew the logic behind it. But at the same time, with every passing day, with each person I spoke to and interacted with, I became more and more invested in my concern for their wellbeing.

I finally mentioned it in my letter to Meriwa, how I had evaluated the things she was telling me and that though I understood them not cooperating with me, I was still convinced that something was coming.

I listed several weaknesses that I believed could be fixed and new tactics that I was afraid that Meriwa did not know about. She had been trained so long ago, though she knew a fair bit, tactics and methods had changed since I had helped her escape as a child.

They would have changed since I had left, and she had died. And probably changed again as things started going bad for the Hunters. But I understood the fundamental concepts of the leadership, they had been training me to continue rising in the ranks. Surely one or two of the things I shared with her could be of use.

It was the first letter that I didn't let Oscar read. I wrote it and sealed it in the early morning hours before crawling back into bed with him, relaxing into the beautiful sensations of his presence and touch. I loved the way he woke up, gradually and slightly confused, always grinning before he opened his eyes to look at me. He didn't like talking, he would get irritated if he had to think too quickly in the morning, but if I allowed him his space to wake up in my arms, he just grinned at me and pulled me in closer.

When he glanced at the already sealed envelope, I could see the question in his gaze, but he merely nodded to me and kissed me once more, before leading me out the door and out toward breakfast. I found myself wondering, not for the first time, why he bothered with the mess when he had his own kitchen. I had asked him weeks ago, only to be told he didn't really know how to cook. I wondered at that, certain that it wasn't exceptionally difficult, though I had never had the occasion to cook either.

I was still wondering about it after breakfast while I was fixing one of the railings of the corals and saw two teenaged supernaturals walking by. One of them was carrying a backpack, the other merely a water bottle.

I hesitated for a moment, knowing they belonged in the camp but due to my lack of interaction with the younger members of the centre, I had no idea who they are. I almost let them walk by, until the young girl looked at me and froze, clearly surprised to see me standing there.

"Where are you two going?"

"Out for a walk." She offered, shrugging her shoulders and nodding in the direction I assume they were intending on going.

"The safe zone ends after only a couple miles in that direction." I murmured, before nodding along the fence line. "If you head that way, just stay on this side of the fence, you could go for a while before reaching the end."

I watched the younger boy make a couple signs with his hands to the girl, who nodded and flashed me a careful smile. "We're just going for an hour or two anyways. Just wanted to explore, the younger kids are sooo annoying, you know?"

I didn't.

But I nodded carefully. "Alright. Just be back when you're expected. You don't want to worry people."

I know they had no reason to listen to me, but their look of approbation at my words sat wrong. I didn't know why it did at the time, so I merely watched them walk off, before turning back toward my work. I saw them turn back toward the direction I told them not to go in, but a couple hours of walking might not take them to the end of the property if they took their time.

They had not returned by lunch and I worked through it, not wanting to miss them if they did finally come back. Chester grazed easily behind me, his saddle and bridal hanging on a nearby fence post as I fixed the fencing, cleaned the corals and did everything I could to stay in an area where I would see those two kids coming back.

By supper time, I knew that they had lied to me. And as no one had come out looking for them, I was certain that their look of concern when I mentioned whomever they told was because they had left without telling anyone at all. I looked back toward the Centre, wondering if I would have heard if the kids had already been discovered missing.

Already most of the workers were starting to leave for the day and I had no idea who I would go to, other than the security team that was roving at this time of day, to report them missing. Besides, the kids had not been running away, they couldn't have planned to be gone very long with the small pack that they were carrying.

Something must have gone wrong, though I couldn't figure out what. Surely shapeshifters couldn't get lost, could they? Even the children should be able to track their way home through smell. I pondered this as I put Chester's saddle and bridle on, turning him in the direction they had gone and starting out at a quick trot.

Unless these kids, growing up in a city, had not been trained in such basic survival skills. Luckily for me, they left clear tracks, scuffing their feet as they walked doggedly toward the closest edge of the property. Beyond which was open wilderness and land perseveres. The very pitfalls I had been worried about the Hunters using against the Centre.