Symbiote 0258: Special Recruit (1/2)“I’m–I’m … My na is–is Irene,” I stuttered out while looking down.
“You don’t have to worry, Irene,” The beautiful lady spoke in a gentle voice that magically cald down. “We will reach the settlent in an hour or so.”
A hand made its way to my shoulder and I jerked instinctively, abruptly looking back. My mother’s impassive face was what greeted as she pulled back from the kind lady who saved us from those bad monsters. I t the lady’s eyes for a mont and gave her a forced smile, reluctantly stepping back with my mother.
“Don’t talk to these people,” My mother spoke sternly to and I froze in my place, looking down without eting her eyes. She continued speaking, but a weak whimper escaped my throat, unable to process her words. She stopped after one of the companions of the gentle lady spoke up about taking flight or sothing. My mother strapped to one of the seats while doing the sa for herself.
…
“What a beautiful sight …” I spoke up as got off the plane with my mother and the rest of the people that the gentle lady and her companions had picked up. Ever since we’d gotten close enough, my eyes were fixed on the giant floating castle in the sky. We were all lined up as we walked away from the plane, away from the gentle lady and her companions who were all talking amongst themselves. My eyes went to the people at the end of the path, the two n both had scary expressions on their faces. I shrunk back as my eyes darted to the gentle lady once again.
‘I have to do it …’
I don’t know what got over , but I broke off from the line and crossed the rail by ducking under it and ran to the won. “Miss!” I called out to get her attention but before I could reach her, soone grabbed my arm.
“What are you doing?!” My mother shouted as she tightly grabbed my arm and pulled back. “Didn’t I tell you not to talk to them?” She furiously spoke in my ear. I felt like I had just missed sothing unbelievably important. Tears welled up in my eyes as the pain of her tight grip finally hit .
“You’re hurting …” I squealed. My vision blurred, and my stomach sank. I looked longingly at the gentle lady, but I couldn’t even make out her shape as tears fell from my eyes. I felt my mother’s grip over my arm loosen just enough that it wasn’t hurting anymore.
“You are Irene, right?” I didn’t know when it happened, but the gentle lady suddenly appeared right in front of . “Did you want to talk to about sothing?” She asked. I felt a gentle hand on my cheek and she wiped away my tears. I still couldn’t focus my vision and it was still difficult to see the expression on her face, but I could instinctively tell that she was concerned about .
“W–what’s that place?” I asked while pointing to the beautiful castle’s silhouette. I couldn’t see it anymore, but I was certain that I was pointing in the right direction.
“That, little lady, is The Sanctuary,” The gentle lady told . I like how she called little lady, “That is where I and the other widows live.”
“Did you lose your husbands like my mom?” I instantly felt regret when I asked that question. Despite not being able to focus completely on the beautiful lady’s blurred face, I could tell that she felt a negative emotion from my words.
“That’s not it, Irene. We are the Sanctuary’s elite combatants who protect this settlent. As for the nasake, there isn’t any deep reason behind it,” She’s lying to , but not completely. I can’t tell what she lied about.
”I want to join,” The words escaped my mouth before I even thought of them. “How do I join?” I asked. The lady smiled and looked at my mother. I could tell that my mother was seething inside but showed a gentle expression in front of the strong lady.
“How old are you, Irene?” I was asked.
“T-twelve,” I told the lady, feeling like there were going to be so problems. The lady didn’t say anything to for a while, confusing . “Is everything okay?” I asked.
“In a few days, Irene,” She spoke to . “The widows will be doing their third recruitnt drive in this settlent. How about you participate and see if you can qualify?” I felt the lady tracing her hand over my cheek. Her finger touched the back of my ear and she left sothing there. I couldn’t feel it on my skin, but I felt like there was sothing there. Monts later, I felt that feeling on my neck. As if it was wrapped around my throat.
“I will, gentle lady,” I blurted out as I felt my vision coming back. My heart also cald down, even though I hadn’t even realized that it had been thumping just a few seconds ago. She laughed and patted my head before leaving and my mother. This ti, she didn’t leave anything on .
I blinked my eyes as my vision ca back, monts later, my mother’s grip tightened over my arm once again, “You better not make up aningless fantasies in your head. You’re a fool if you think that you can join them.”
“You’re right …” I looked down, “I don’t know what got over .” I felt like I was under so kind of foreign influence when talking to the beautiful lady.
‘It all feels like so kind of dream … There’s nothing on my neck either. Why would she leave sothing on …’ I threw the events to the back of my mind. ‘Sohow my mother’s grip doesn’t hurt as much anymore … It would be better if she was a little gentler ... Or if I could leave …’
…
I didn’t go to the recruitnt that the beautiful lady invited to. Nor did I talk to the beautiful lady again in the month that I’d been here. I made a few friends in the settlent and they had told of the prestige that the Protectors of The Sanctuary held. My mother was right. How could I join such a group? Especially after hearing that they never took anyone over twelve. While I could have been accepted by them with just that, I have my mother to take care of. And they never take children away from their parents unless the parents voluntarily give up on the child.
“Irene!” I heard a familiar voice call outside and opened the window of the small kitchen to see him from the second floor of the small one-bedroom apartnt that was provided to my mother and .
“I can’t co down, Jaskir. I have to do chores,” I shouted, showing him a soapy plate. “Mom’s asleep after working all night and I need to take care of her ss as well.”
“Just co down! The widows are doing their sixth recruitnt drive today. It’s been six months since they have completely changed the lives of the people in the settlent. And I heard that this ti they might do sothing special. We have to go!”
“I can’t Jaskir,” I shouted reluctantly. “Why don’t you co up and help out? If we finish up early, we can go then.”
“Fucking hell!” He disappeared from my vision. It took almost ten minutes for there to be repeated knocking on my door. I sighed audibly before opening the door.
“What?” I asked as Jaskir and two of my other friends looked at imploringly. “I have to do chores, guys.”
“Forget about your chores,” Sophia spoke as she grabbed my arm, “You and I both know what your mother is busy with every night. You don’t need to take care of her. Especially after all the abuse she dishes out on you.”
“It doesn’t matter, Sophia,” I said. “I have to take care of things here.”
“What’s all this goddamn ruckus?” Speak of the devil. My mother ca out of the room, dressed in the sa skimpy outfit that she was wearing when she ca ho in the morning.
“Mom —“ I couldn’t even say anything to her before a smack on my cheek sent tumbling down to the ground.
“Get the fuck out of my house,” I heard another smack, my mom probably hit Sophia, who had been standing closest to . “And you!” She slamd the door and kicked . I groaned. “Get back to work. Do you know how hard I have to work to provide for the both of us?”
Tears appeared in my eyes as I turned to look at my mother. I could almost tell where she was going to hit next and moved to the side despite not being able to see what she was about to do. “Bullshit,” I spoke with newfound courage. “Every minor receives an allowance and you splurge it all on your useless crap, leaving with ager scraps from my own allowance from the Sanctuary.”
“How dare you speak up against your betters?” I could tell that a slap was coming. While unable to see, I still stepped back, causing my mother to lose her balance. I don’t know what ca to and pushed her with all my strength.
“I’m leaving and never coming back!” I scread at her and moved to the door. From my teary eyes, I couldn’t even see where I was going, but I just ran as fast as I could to move down the stairs. I heard my friends call out to , but I ignored them completely and continued running. I couldn’t see where I was running, it was as if my instincts were controlling . Before I realized it, I reached the grand square where the widows were evaluating the new applicants.
Reviews
All reviews (0)