Living History

Outed

What have you done?!

I didn't do anything wrong...

You know that's dangerous!

I didn't do anything...

It was not a lapse in judgement...

You could've killed her!

You don't know anything!

What have you done?!

I don't want your dirty food!

If I could leave, I would!

She's not like you...

I didn't do anything wrong!

I gasp and sit up. My forehead slams into something hard and metal, and I almost pass out again.

"Ow!" I hiss, lying back down and rubbing my forehead. I don't remember there being metal above my bed. Slowly I open my eyes.

I'm in a bed, but not like the last one. This one is smaller, with metal rungs along three sides and above. That's what I hit my head on.

Still rubbing the knot on my head, I duck under the bars and stand up. Auroya glances at me from where she's sitting at a desk nearby.

"Good. You're awake. Maybe now we can come up with a real plan."

Back to her grouchy self I see. "Where are we?" The room is definitely unfamiliar. It's a quarter of the size of the last one, with only one bed and a desk and chair. The house is light brown but not wood. I reach out to touch a wall; it's rough, almost scaly, and when I press harder on it some flaky pebbles fall off.

"It's called brick. It's very common back on Earth."

"Brick?"

"Yes. It's made of clay. You don't have clay?"

I shake my head, biting back my frustration at her tone. I'm not a child, but she continues to treat me like I am. Except for last night.

"It's going out of use on Earth. Your world might come to it in your lifetime." She stands and tosses something to me. I barely catch it. It's a small, flat disc with a white end sticking out from a side. I flip it over in my hands a few times, but I can't make out what I'm supposed to do with it. I can't help but sigh as I hold it up.

"What do I do with this?" I demand. Auroya ignores me and steps outside. I almost throw the thing in the air. I follow her outside, half ready to yell at her again, but I stop when I see Rhenyan. He's already looking at me. I'm assuming he could feel my energy the moment I woke up. I suddenly remember what happened last night, and my cheeks heat up so fast I'm surprised I don't pass out again. I look down at my hands, at the thing I'm holding, trying to think of anything but what happened. I feel Rhenyan come closer, and half look up when he's in front of me. I can't look up fully, but I don't need to. He takes the thing from my hand and ever so gently moves my hair back from the right side of my face and places it in front of my ear. I hear a small click and a small whirring sound, and then nothing. Well, nothing over the deafening beat of my heart anyway.

"I'll explain later," he says quietly, nodding slightly in Auroya's direction as he steps back. I nod, only partially aware of what he said. I'm trying to get my energy and my emotions under control, since I'm already apparently an open book. After a few moments, I look up. Rhenyan is looking over his shoulder, watching Auroya as she marches about around the area. Even with his kind words, he too seems worked up. His energy is intense, as is his body. His expression is light but not as nonchalant as before.