Unreal #JustWriteIt

3

 "Are you ready?" James asked, standing at the door.

Chamex unpacked and re packed her hair, obviously stalling.

"You're stalling aren't you?" How ironic.

"No. I've just got to get this bun right." Chamex lied through her teeth unwaveringly.

"The Fortess council doesn't care about your hair. It's going to be all right. I know you're scared little sister, but trust me – it's for the better good. It will be quick. In and out faster than you can say the word: Jinglebottoms."

"Why would I say the word Jinglebottoms?" Chamex laughed.

"See! There's the spirit!" He held onto her shoulder. "Lets go."

As they walked to her brother's car, Chamex observed him. He was in his full keeper uniform, helmet and all. He had been obsessed with being a keeper since their father had died. Chamex remembered how rebellious he had been before – tattoos and all – and then their father, leader of the rebels, had come home with a bomb strapped to his chest. 

The Fortess had offered James a luxury life for his family if he could take down his own father and he did without thought - then, they all trusted the Fortess - never understood why their father had to rebel. They had shot him in his own house, held down by his own son, and Chamex felt that the realization that James had a hand in murdering his own father never left him. 

James had chosen to join the order of keepers then and there, so he would have a chance to save those that didn't deserve such harsh punishment.

Although he was still doing some good, James was slowly merging back into the boy who had accepted money to kill his own father years ago.

Once they got to the Fortess, Chamex had the sudden urge to run as fast as she could from its threatening outlook. The walls were grey and medieval - a heavy metal door that she could swear had been built ages ago was guarded by at least a hundred keepers. There were no windows or openings apart from a lone crack which off it hung the black and white flag of the Fortess's rule. The rule that everyone feared so much they never broke it.

"It's not going to be so bad." Her brother whispered behind her, dragging her forward.

"What business do you have here?" A keeper at the door spoke in monotone.

"We are here to confess to the council." Her brother spoke swiftly, as if it was all normal.

"Go in." The keeper moved to the side after giving them a swift once over glance at them, sizing them up and finally, agreeing that they proved no threat.

Or maybe he did that to only Chamex, James was a keeper after all.

The doors swung open and they slowly walked in, Chamex's breath catching as she took in the interior.

The Fortess was like something that came out of one of the history book their teachers forced down their necks at school. James walked down an empty corridor and turned into a room, disappearing almost immediately after symbolising for her to remain there.

Chamex sighed and looked around her, nothing was out of place, everything was how it was meant to be - and what did she expect? The Fortess was their leaders and they were nothing but good, the voices of the men began to run through her head but she dismissed them.

A keeper walked past her as if he couldn't see her, speaking into a headset.

"I'm heading towards the base now, keep it still." 

The keeper looked odd. From he's uniform it was obvious he was a keeper but his skin was different. It shined as though there was a layer of silicone over it and he walked jerkingly as if he was being controlled. Out of curiosity, Chamex followed behind the keeper casually as if she was doing nothing wrong.

The keeper led her to a room in which he swiped a card on a sensor and it opened. Chamex hid behind a pillar as the doors opened to two keepers seated behind a computer and then slammed shut again. Chamex breathed out a sense of relief. She should go back, her brother would go crazy if he didn't find her.

Or she could settle the conscience in her telling her she needed to investigate the claims of two dead men.

The doors slid open again and Chamex held her breath as two keepers began to head towards her hiding place. She had three choices. She could try to run for it which would probably end in her painful death, she could let them capture her, which would lead to her promising to the council something she wouldn't fulfill, or she could...

Chamex walked out from behind the pillar and bumped roughly into a keeper. 

"Oh my goodness I'm so sorry!"

"You made me dirty!" the man frowned.

"Let me help you get that!" She used her hands to dust off his shirt, brushing the specks off.

"No, it's fine." He pushed her hand away. "What are you doing here child?"

"I'm lost. I was looking for the bathroom. My name is Chamex. I came in to meet with the council to confess."

"Been up to no good eh?" the other keeper smiled a toothy grin.

"Shut up Brian." the dirty keeper hissed. "Down the hall child, don't go anywhere else."

"Yes sir." She scuttled away and unknowingly to the guards, she hid behind the pillar right next to the door.

The keepers walked away and she lifted an identity card. What she was about to attempt was against the law. Chamex hated to break the law. Could she pull this off?

A few minutes later, the third keeper who moved strangely walked out, barely noticing her at all. Once his footsteps were out of range, Chamex swiped the card on the sensor. The light turned green and she walked in.

And she gasped.

The technology... it was beautiful.