Storms of the Sky

dead in an hour - I

TW: discussion of d..th, alc.h.l, child ab.se, ab.se

--Bastet--

Running away is a funny thing. You say: 'yeah it will be fine, I'll just walk into an unknown place that I'll probably be killed in, but that's okay because dying while being free is better than being stuck here.' And then you take a while going back and forth saying: 'no, I shouldn't run away. I have school. I have people. Wait. I don't have people, so why am I staying then?'

It's a constant back and forth until one day you wake up at 3:34 A.M. and suddenly decide: now. Now is when I run. Right now.

I thought all this. And now, at 3:34 A.M. I stand with my carob-hue backpack deciding which clothes I should take with me.

The nighttime air floods the apartment I live in with Aken. He was Mom's boyfriend before she died. My real dad left when I was small, and I have no actual family. So, I went to Aken. I do not like him.

The cool air seeps into my room. Pale moonlight frames the floor. It softens the strain of my face. It's all submersion in water.

I turn to my bag and shove in some jeans, big T-shirts, and extra socks and underwear. I rummage through my dresser. Hopping, I pull on my fern pants. It has pockets that I can fit multiple rocks in. I love them more than is reasonable for pants.

I pull on a sleeveless white crop top. Which I probably shouldn't wear because I'm running into the Forest. But I like it. I'll just put on a big jean jacket to protect my arms.

I put on colorful socks and boots that go a little above my ankle. I tie them tight. Deep breaths.

I have thought about cutting my hair before. Maybe to my shoulder, but I don't want to be recognized at all. I never want to come back here once I leave. And Aken would know me with my long, dark, curls. He doesn't know anyone else here besides his friends. And most of them are dead.

Besides, I've always wanted to do this. Shorter hair feels more me.

In Kyson, the city I live in, most people keep their hair short or tied up. It's traditional, Kyson being the military city out of the Four Towns and all.

Four Towns are what it sounds like. It's the union of the four cities.

Kyson, being the warrior city. We train and house the army and such. I was never one into fighting. It seems like a waste of time. You can't really change everything when you're someone like me. I have no power, and know no one with such power, or anyone for that matter, so I don't fight. I run. I don't feel good about it either.

I wish I wasn't. I wish I was special.

My mom was from the sea city, Della. Della is an island city. It's a transport hub for most of the Four Town exports. She said she'd wake up, even before opening a window, with the wind in her throat and humming heat in her lungs. I had a dream where I'd live in Della. I lost that dream years ago.

Della handles transportation. The transportation of exports and imports and even people when they must go somewhere out at sea for a job.

Then there is Flora, the working-class city. It makes all the imports to Della. All the food, goods, every piece of clothing, every book. Everything comes from there.

And Ender City. The government house. A skyscraper city with officials and diplomats. I heard it's all metal and stone.

I've never been anywhere except Kyson.

I slowly open the bathroom door so as not to allow creaking. I cannot wake Aken.

The bathroom is small. With a sink and mirror wedged into a corner by the shower. The pale tiled floor casts a gloom over the walls. I slowly creep to the mirror.