Flame

Scene Seven

Struck went off to explore the warehouse after that. First she checked out the bed area, finding her spot was already set up, a card with her name on it marked with her name, one of the colorful bedspreads tucked neatly in the corners. She asked around, finding that it was Terra who was in charge of setting up the new areas. Wanting to thank her, she looked around and realized she was talking to Draven. So Struck walked up behind them, waiting her turn, inadvertently listening in on their conversation.

"Our mission has always been to grow," Draven was saying. "And-"

"If we were to go through with your plan we'd be dragged into a war," Terra retorted.

"We're going to have to fight anyway if we expand!"

"Not necessarily," said Terra. "There's a lot of empty buildings."

"In unclaimed territory?"

"Yes."

He slammed his fist on a nearby table, making Struck jump, while Terra remained unbothered. "That's simply not true!" He shouted, then seemed to realize his volume and lowered his voice. "Remember who has actually been outside in a year."

"Don't forget yourself," said Terra dangerously. "You might be the head of security, but I'm the one who holds all the cards. If it came to a choice between you and me, the others would choose me every time. You said it yourself- people need people to survive around here." She leaned in, her voice so quiet that Struck could barely hear it. "You'd better watch yourself, boy. I can and will kick you out if your impertinence continues, and then where will you be?"

His eyes blazed at her for a moment, then he lowered his gaze. "Yes ma'am."

She nodded and turned around, jumping back when she saw Struck. "Oh!"

"Sorry, I was just going to say thank you for making my bed."

"It's no bother, I was over there anyway." She glanced back at Draven's retreating figure. "You didn't hear anything, did you?"

Struck considered lying, but, in that pause, Terra seemed to understand and nodded. "I see." She glanced behind her, as if to check that nobody else was listening, and said quietly, "I'll need you to promise not to tell anyone. I can handle this on my own, and I don't want to get Draven into more trouble than he deserves."

"You heard what he was saying- what if getting kicked out is exactly what he deserves?"

"He's a good man," said Terra patiently, "he just gets a little heated sometimes."

Struck only stared as the woman said goodbye and walked away. She had a horrible feeling this wasn't going to end well, but who could she talk to about it? Everyone was taken in by Draven's...whatever it was they liked about him, she honestly couldn't see past his danger.

Suddenly she knew. There was one person who had looked unhappy in Draven's presence. Struck turned and saw her across the room. "Brekky!"

"Oh. Hi Struck." She smiled a little and continued down the staircase. "Boy am I glad to see you." She waved at the group sitting on the couches. "Did you see what I meant? Nobody here likes me."

"It isn't just Todd?" Struck asked sadly.

"The others aren't as bad," Brekky admitted, "but no one else uses my pronouns, and they usually forget about my name too."

"What about you other than that?" Struck pressed. "Aren't they nice to you otherwise?"

"I guess so."

"Can't you look past them forgetting your pronouns and stuff then?"

Brekky bristled. "It's a huge part of who I am, and if they can't respect that, then they don't respect me."

She huffed and pushed past Struck, heading for the door they had entered through. "I'm going for a walk."

"What about-"

"I don't care!"

The sound of the door slamming made the people on the couches look up, but Struck was already walking off.

Everyone but Brekky was under Draven's spell, and she had just driven the brown-skinned girl away. What in the world was she going to do?