Darkness. Some run from it, some hide. Others welcome it with open arms. Like it was an old friend they hadn't seen in a while, kisses and hugs shared. Darkness can be rather clingy, though. It clings to the atmosphere, it clings to the sky, to clings to people who haven't been shown the light. But what is darkness? A colour we presume is black? An emotional bundle of evil? Or maybe no feelings at all?
Darkness is different for everyone. For Haileè, it's the fact that her only friend is imaginary but his presence is always felt, like a ghost haunting her. Ever since his parents and little sister died due to a deadly fire, darkness has always been the light that Robin turned too. Rosanna would argue that she invites no darkness, but she lies; until now, no one has ever accepted her for who she was, always hiding her true self. The darkness for Louis is his parents, he doesn't have the freedom to be who he wants, ever, so he holds onto the darkness because it's the only place he can be himself.
Darkness. Everyone has it. Everyone's darkness is different. It is one thing that humanity has in common. Like a disease, it spreads worldwide, consuming every soul, every atom, every human; there is no escape. And it will never change. Though darkness will disappear when light appears, it never truly dies. But maybe, just maybe, it will one day be cured. An everlasting being with the ability to cure sadness, anger, darkness. Their light so great that even the darkness hides, quaking in fear.
Wouldn't that be great?
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"Sir, the S.L. Tanks are back online. Tanks in Engletic, Eurocten and Austratuz are also functional," a man dressed in a white lab coat rushed into the sunlit room.
"Thank you, Dr Reznor. Ready the tribute to awaken," a reply came from the shadows.
"Yes, sir!" Reznor saluted and raced out of the room again, his coat waving behind him.
"Father, why did you and the other tribes agree to this?" a teenage girl sat in the sunlight, trees looming overhead. Her skin was as soft as silk and pale like the moon's surface. Icky black hair fell down to her shoulders, her fiery red eyes full of wonder.
"Juniper, you may address me as Chief Camber when we are in these walls," Camber said sternly, he stepped into the light. He shared the same features as the girl. Jet black hair, red eyes, pale skin. But one thing varied, three scars sat like artwork on his charming face.
"Sorry, Chief Camber," Juniper repeated with sass. "Why did you and the other tribes agree to this?"
"Our world is broken, June. To find a way to escape from our ancestor's stupid decision is our main priority," Camber pulled his sword from its sheath. He watched it as the sword pieced it's self together, like watching a smashed mirror in reverse.
"But we hate Chief Nash and his Engletic's. Why are we helping them?" Juniper asked, standing up and walking towards her father.
"There is so much you don't understand, June," Camber gazed at the girl. "And so little time," he added.
"Will the darkness ever cease?" Concern washed over her poor innocent face.
"I believe so. Come, June, let us find your brother and we shall contact the other tribes," Camber shoved the sword back into its sheath and grasped Junipers wrist. She gasped in pain and was soon being dragged behind her chief but also, her one and only father.
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"Contacting in five, four, three, two, one."
"Ahhh, Camber. I hear that your S.L. Tank is up and running again?" Nash smirked, his head appearing as a hologram, along with two others.
"Shut your trap, Nash. We all lost control," Camber snarled.
"We didn't," the Chief of the Austratuz tribe spoke softly. "Well, we lost some contact, but our tribute still has some awareness that no one is to be trusted."
"Thank you, Zhaleh. But will your S.L. Tank be fully functional in five minutes?" Camber asked and he nodded.
"The S.L. Tank is fully operational right now, we want our tribute out now!" Chief Estèe from the Eurocten tribe yelled.
"Yes, yes, Estèe, we are getting there. Please remember that our tributes have forgotten who they are and we don't know if it's safe or not, tributes may be harmed. So whatever you do, do it with caution. Understood?" Camber finished.
The four tribal leaders nodded and the holograms disappeared and were replaced with a new one. There were more than four tribes, but only four had the power to rule the world.
"Chief Camber, do you remember the three subjectives we sent in with the tributes?" The hologram talked fast, worry delivering his words.
"Yes," Camber turned back to the hologram, a small and short stubby man had replaced the powerful tribal leaders.
"The one we were still building a body for is fighting against all systems, it does not want any of the tributes to escape the slumber."
"Shut it down, now, Braven," Camber slammed his fist down on the table and hologram hummed to a stop.
"Chief, Father, what are we to do?" Camber's son, Juniper's brother, Drayce stepped forward.
"We pray to the gods. The bodiless subjective had taken the controls, destroyed the utopia we created. And we have finally gained control again, but It fights. The first and third subjectives are to help the tributes keep the utopia perfect, but they are too weak to fight against the second subjective," Camber rubbed his forehead.
"Has It hurt Evonie?" Juniper placed her hand on her fathers.
"It has Evonie under a spell. It has done well, too well," Drayce nodded his head, understanding. "That little devil will pay."
"Drayce, I know you are in love with Evonie and losing her to the tanks was hard, but keep your anger at bay. We will help Evonie as much as we can," Camber placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Father, Evonie is everything to me. If something happens to her, someone will die," Drayce threatened, snarling. He slammed his hands on the table and flipped it over in anger. Camber reached for his sword, Drayce following his actions.
Juniper tugged on his sleeve and slipped her hand into Drayce's. "Come with me, Drasie," she gave him a warm smile and he relaxed immediately.
"Sorry, Father. It's just so hard," his voice cracked. "How did you deal with losing Mother?"
"I don't know, son. But go with your sister, fix yourself. Evonie is coming back today."
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Haileè, LB buzzed in her ear, she swatted away the anonymous bug that circled her head.
"What?" She whispered.
Don't trust anyone.
"Robin? You spoke more than one word. What's wrong?" Haileè forgot the nickname she gave him.
Danger was the last word he said before disappearing.
"I feel like you're hiding something, Monroe," Rosanna spied on him suspiciously.
"Aren't we all?" He seemed to always reply smartly, and it pissed Rosanna off.
"I have a skin condition called vitiligo. I got bullied at school about it so I cover it with makeup," she blurted, surprising herself. "There, you happy?" She said, trying to pretend she had said it on purpose.
"You're afraid of your skin?" Louis stepped closer to Rosi.
"Stay away from me," she hissed, taking a step back. "But yes," she added, and she began to rub away the makeup. White blotches on her face and arms began to appear, like stripes on a tiger. "You're turn," she snarled, poking her tongue at Louis.
"I hate to admit it, but I killed my grandmother. I was drunk and had to take her someplace. We crashed. I survived with only a scratch. She became paralysed and lost her ability to speak, it was only a week after before she passed away from lung injuries," Louis finished, tears forming at the corner of his eyes. "Does that satisfy you?" He looked at Rosi. "Is that good enough!?" He yelled Rosi stepped back in surprise.
"I could've saved my sister. My house was set aflame by haters, my parents were upstairs, my sis in the lounge room and me in the kitchen. The colours were so bright," Robin began, his gaze gave the illusion that he was in a faraway place.
"I saw the first flame and freaked. My parents screamed as the staircase collapsed, they told me to grab my sister and get out. I pulled my seven-year-old sister by the wrists to the door, freedom from the flames at our fingertips. But then she tripped and a beam fell." He paused, his shoulders now shaking and tears drained from his eyes like a wet rag that needed to be dry. Haileè reached for his hand but he pushed it away. "I should've reached over to her. I should've gone and pulled her out. But I didn't...instead I ran. I watched from outside my sister turn into ashes." He shook his head.
"I wish I had burnt with them. It would've been so much easier. Instead, I became an orphan. I had to live as a ten-year-old with the weight of my families death on my shoulders. So when I saw a young, beaten up boy, I took him and clothed him. And when this is over, he will live the life I never had," Robin finished.
Robin was crying if it weren't obvious before. His sobs echoed and his pain was unbearable. Neither was Louis's or Rosanna's. All pain is different, but it is all the same too. Just like darkness. Darkness and pain. Shared through all of humanity. There's nothing more common. Isn't that a shame?
"I have an imaginary friend," Haileè whispered, wanting to hold Robin but afraid to be pushed away. But his weeping became quiet when she began to talk.
Stop.
"I'd never had any friends, no one liked me. So I made my own friend and I called him Robin," she chuckled sadly. "He'd been my friend since kindergarten and he would talk to me."
Shut up.
"And he is right now. The funny thing is, when I met all of you, I began to forget about him. When he talked to me again I decided to rename him. I began to get confused between the real Robin-"
I am real.
"And the imaginary one. So I called him Little Bird, LB. And he's there when I need him. But I swear he's so real, he is so real. I know this isn't as bad as your crisis', but there's something wrong with me and I can't explain it," Haileè looked up at Robin and gave him a small smile. "And I fell in love," She chuckled, wiping a tear from his cheek.
With a quick movement, Robin brought her into his arms and hugged her, like she was the only thing worth living for and nothing more. Haileè meant the world to Robin and he didn't need anything more. So he kissed her.
"I don't understand why everyone's so emotional," Julius sighed, swinging his cane around. Rosanna looked at him blankly. Haileè nearly ran up and slapped him if Robin didn't hold her back. Louis spat at him.
"What the hell man? We're emotional because we've all done something that's put shame on our souls! And it upsets us!" He yelled. "I don't know about you, but for me, that's upsetting!!"
"But it's all fake," Julius remained calm, Akita purring at his ankles. "You'll understand soon."
Then he disintegrated, from his head to his feet; particles of him spinning and floating into the sky. Akita purred and followed him.
No! LB screamed and Haileè winced.
"What's wrong?" Robin asked, looking away from the crime scene.
"It hurts," she groaned holding her head.
"Guys!" Rosanna yelled, panicking. She was beginning to disappear.
"I'm scared," Haileè whispered.
"Don't be," Robin replied, slowly disappearing, holding onto her.