Gifteds: And Then There Were None

Chapter 20

The halls were nearly pitch black which was odd, as this one was usually kept quite brightly lit. Oh well, it's not like she was foreign to the gloom anyway, so she embraced it. In fact, the shadows were prefered, they were her friends. Light puts every flaw and nuance on display for the world to see and judge and pick apart, but Darkness understands. Darkness knows that some things are better left alone and untouched, hidden away free from any labels except your own. Everyone has something they carry locked in the depths of their heart, a secret burden that cannot be defiled by harsh, unforgiving light. And after all, a secret can only be referred to as such if it is kept. Light burns. It leeches colour out of pigments and blinds eyes too used to the mercy of the shadows. It fades everything until all vibrancy has bleached into a dull, overripe hue. To experience it comes at a cost. We live in illumination for a designated instant and then we are claimed by the darkness of an eternity. Why spend a forever lamenting over something that doesn't last? Light, bliss, joy; lovely yes, but all such fickle, fleeting concepts. Reliability, consistency, and stability always proved her better company.

Focus goddamnit. They should be here any minute now. I cannot be wavering. He wouldn't be pleased if she spent too much time exploring the corners of her mind when she should be focusing on the task at hand. A glance at her watch told her they were going to be late. There were exactly 30 seconds until the agreed time and she still heard not a trace of footsteps in the distance. Goodness, calm down and don't you dare berate them for their tardiness. Not here, not now, not ever. It is not your position nor your place. You have no right, especially in these dire circumstances. Gosh just keep your damned mouth shut and stupid opinions unvoiced for once. She shifted her weight from foot to foot. When that wasn't enough to relieve her anxious nerves, she paced, careful to muffle her footfalls as much as humanly possible. The boots helped.

What if I made a wrong turn and they are waiting for me somewhere else. What if I got the time wrong. Or the date. Crap what if I missed something important. Or maybe he accidentally wrote the wrong time and didn't realize it. What if...

A soft 'ahem' echoed quietly through the near silent hallway. She turned. What if I am worrying too much and they simply aren't as concerned with being as strict about time as I am? She thought mockingly.

Three figures half concealed in darkness stood before her. Two were male, the second slightly taller than the first. The third was female, and taller than them both. She held a lamp in her hand. Their faces were indistinguishable, but she knew who they were. They exchanged a few nods of acknowledgement.

"Let's cut to the chase. What do you know." The first male demanded. Not a question but an order. "Is it true that she made it. How much does she know. Will she be a threat." He pressed.

Why do I feel like this is going to become awfully like an interrogation rather than what it should be?

"She's not much of anything really. And no, definitely not a threat." she replied with a pointed look that the other two couldn't see clearly in the flickering candlelight.

"And the other one? What of him." A look every bit as pointed was shot back her way.

"No, he knows nothing as well." A period of silence.

"Why are we here if you have nothing to report?" She couldn't tell if that was a genuine question or a sarcastic one.

This did not start off the way I had hoped. She sighed deeply and looked up.

This is going to be a long night.