Chapter 33
Abortion
"Why can't we go outside?" I asked Cha while we're on the open space of the building, where everyone gathers to have fun, or just gonna take some of their free time. I looked around, trying to understand why there is no window in every corner of the place.
Cha shrugged off, "we can't be seen outside, that's what I've known." She said, "or the movement doesn't want anything to do outside."
"There is too much darkness here." I reasoned.
She chuckles, "I know that that's what I thought when I first came in." she said, "when I come into this place, I was also a stranger. I do not know everybody, I'm not comfortable on how will this place accept me but as I stay longer, they didn't make me feel like a stranger. They make me feel belonged. Accepted. And part of a movement. I think I found a family in their presence for the justice of my sister."
"Well... it's all about your sister why you joined the movement."
She nodded, "the main reason I joined them." She said, "and I think I have found my strength to fight the High Council as I am with them, I can be stronger than I ever was."
"I hope it all ends well."
"It will be." She said, "anyway, how did you change your mind about joining the movement, who finds you to come here cause I remember, you put down Brig's offer."
I shrugged off my shoulder, "I think I have no escape of this group, if I did, I may not be alive then and so I have to join the movement and see what it's worth."
"Too bad Al wasn't here to be with us," Cha said. "He'll be proud of being part of a group where the justice serves."
"Do you think so?"
She nodded, "I may not know Al very much but I can see his determination of winning the game... we could use his mind for creating such technologies, too bad we won't have him in this journey."
"Well, I just hope he's alive," I said and let out a sighed.
We come into silence and somehow we could only hear the noise around us. Not that long when three young people come in our direction. At first, they were pushing each other to talk to us first. Cha notice those young people who wanted to come at us, she called them and they slowly walked towards us.
"What it is, guys?" Cha asked.
"We just wanted to meet Dylan." The girl with a brown curly hair said I look at them with surprise. Some people here in the group doesn't want to do that, or simply they don't want any of me because they do think I'm some kind of their destruction. But that's just all in my head, and I really don't know what's happening in theirs. But glad to know that there are still people who wanted to know me, "Hi, Dylan!" she waved on me.
"Well... he's all yours now," Cha said. "I'll be back, see you around." She said as she bid bye to everyone.
When we were left alone. They couldn't contain their smiles.
"Hi guys, may I know your name?" I asked.
"I'm Pollyana," the girl with a brown curly hair introduced herself. "And this is my friend..." she elbowed them.
"Ansherina." She smiles.
And the guy who handed his hand over, "Axl." And I shake his hands.
"Nice to meet you guys," I said to the three of them. "So, what's with the reason for wanting to meet me?" I said out of curiosity.
"We just wanted to meet you... because we have heard a lot of great things about you," Pollyana said. My forehead creased as she said that, and I could think of things I have made and none of it were great. I don't think she knows what she's saying now. "Before you came in, and as we step into the field... we already heard about you."
"How is that happen?" I questioned, "how do you know me when we don't even have a name in the Waste Land?"
"Yes, we don't." Axl said, "but they call you the keen observer."
My eyes narrowed by his words, I couldn't distinguish how it pertains to me.
"Why I didn't know that?"
"Maybe you don't see yourself by the way they call you, but on everyone's eye, you are," Ansherina said. "Maybe because you are following your brother's steps, that's why some people are looking up to you. Your brother step on the Noble Land and who knows, you might be following his then."
"How did you know my brother?" I asked her.
"Everyone knows..." Axl said, "actually all of us here in the movement were expecting you to join us."
"I still don't get it." I sighed.
"You might not get it first but you will when you learn what our movement is for," Pollyana explained. "All of us here are in the same age, eighteen but we look up to you cause we know you can do something great for this group."
"I don't think you do know what you're saying, cause I remember before I step into this building... Brig tries to kill me." And when I said that, the three of them gone into silence. It is like they don't want to add more to what I said. I just don't get it. Why would these people try to lift me up when in the first place, they wanted to eliminate me? Don't they say I'm a threat because, in the first place, I'm everyone's threat?
"I do remember, we have something to do!" Pollyana said, and look at her two friends and nodded instantly to agree on her. "Right?" And when they finally got into their decision, they excuse themselves and left me alone on the bench. I also watched them walking away, and I think they were accusing each other of what they said. I laughed at the thought of it.
I'm just surprised by what they said, I didn't expect it.
I stood up from the bench, and then headed to the exit, I bounded to meet Barry. He's with two young people. I greeted him, he tapped my shoulder as he was surprised to see me roaming around the building and he says that if I'm already beginning to feel comfortable around. I laughed instead of answering him.
"Well, I didn't know you were here, and alone?" he asked.
I shook my head, "I'm with Cha earlier, and some members who got to meet with me. I'm also heading out that's why."
Barry nodded, "okay, but I want you to know these intelligent members of our movement." He said and pointed to the two young people he's with. "She called herself, A and him, J."
"Oh, just that?" and they nodded, "nice to meet you... how I never met them yesterday?" I asked Barry.
"They are busy sketching our plans, Dy." He said, "and good thing they are already coming into some conclusion and you know what, they will hold the meeting later this evening to propose their smart plan and so, as we take part our movement. We are phasing forward than the High Council. And if you also had anything in mind, we do want your suggestion."
"I don't think we wanted new plans," The A girl said, "we are already in the process and by the systematic and calculations we have made. We've already decided not to apply any other ideas but only ours." She said.
"She's right," J second a motion. "We already planned our strike and by it, we can assure everyone we are on the winning sides. And by the greatness of our movement, the defectors shall rise."
I kept my thoughts in silence and I don't wanna intrude them by what's on my head. They were just like contended and confident in what they already plan. Just because a smart, intelligent person is doesn't mean they cannot be put into a situation where they won't feel the loss but they will when there's a person who thinks differently than they are. A person with creative thinking outsmarts those intelligent. I'm just telling not imposing.
"So, see you tonight, Dylan," Barry said, tapping my shoulder.
I nodded to him, "sure, see you and you both." I pointed to A and J but they just give me a look, not a nod or smile. Just a straight look into me and I think that's their normal face. "I'll excuse myself for now..." I said as I left the three of them.
As I'm walking the hallway alone, there are too many things running in my head and I couldn't help myself thinking that maybe my decision of staying and joining the movement is all wrong and I just put myself in risk. They do think I can do better here but that's not what I'm seeing. I just wanted to finish the rebirth and so in the end, I could finally have a better life. It's all I want.
A moment after, I came back to my senses when the ground starts shaking.
I slowly held in the ground, everyone was shouting, running and couldn't help themselves but to panic. I come across some who don't know what to do and help them calm and place in a safe position. Until someone shouts my name and immediately look where it was coming from.
"Above you!" Brig shouted.
And when I looked up above, It's already late to notice that falling debris was on top of me. And the next thing had happened, someone jumped on me away from the falling debris. For a few minutes, I lost my consciousness but when it came back, I saw Brig on top of me.
"You're safe now..." she muttered, removing herself on top of me.
"Thanks..." I mumbled and look away, "we gotta help everyone and what is happening?"
"It is the High Council's test. Shaking the ground—abortion in simple words." She explained, "we gotta find others and put them on a safe and secured room." She ordered and followed her.
If there is only one thing I'm seeing on her, it was her determination but I won't still forget how she was driven of killing me. Just like what my Mom said, do not fall into anyone's words, trust the only one you think you know were saying all truth. And the others are a deceiver.
And I'm still careful of who I'm going with...because at the end of the day, it is who, ourselves, choose who to trust andbelieve.