The Color of Knowledge

Chapter Twelve (pt. 2)

"Don't mind her," said Yani, "she's just worried, is all. You have every right to be here as we do."

"I don't care about what she has to say."

"Do you have family?"

"A father and younger sister. My mom died some years ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that. How old is your sister?"

"Seven."

"I must have taught her at one point, then," said Yani.

"Her name's Peyton."

"Yes. Peyton, lovely girl."

"How was she when you taught her?" Zari asked.

"She was very quiet. My sister Teresa was the only one able to get her to come out of her shell. She was in the same class as Ivy's sister Spencer."

"I didn't know that."

"Yes, two of my brightest, they were."

Ivy could hear the smile in Yani's voice as the older woman reflected.

"You should get some rest," said Zari, who no longer sounded as upset as she had before.

As Yani entered the tent, Ivy closed her eyes to pretend she had been asleep the whole time. Before long, her brain was able to trick itself into thinking she was tired and she drifted off.

When it was Ivy's turn to take watch, she sat outside as she had done the previous days. She looked towards the horizon. The sun no longer looked divine. Instead it seemed to resemble an impending death sentence. She knew they would not last another day with what they had left in the bags. If the sun was able to give energy to other natural things, why did it seem to draw energy from her? There was only one possible explanation: she did not belong there. Maybe humans were not natural, after all.

In the past, when she wondered about her family back in The Society, she felt comfort in knowing they were safe. Now, it hurt to think of them and what they were going through. Something rustled behind her, breaking the concentration she held.

Zari stuck her head out through the mouth of the tent, looking slightly embarrassed.

"Couldn't sleep," she said with a dry mouth that rasped an unconscious plea for moisture. "May I?"

Ivy only nodded before she turned back around. Zari sat down next to her and cleared her throat.

"I'm sorry about accusing you."

"What?"

"I'm sorry for thinking you took extra stuff," said Zari, louder this time.

"I'm sorry about what I said, too."

The pair sat in silence for a while—a little too long for Ivy's comfort, for she had a burning question to ask Zari.

"How long has your father been abusing you?"

The red-haired girl shifted her position on the ground. "Since after my mom died. He says I remind him too much of himself, that Peyton looks just like her, that I don't deserve to live. Sounds like something out of a movie, doesn't it?"

"I almost forgot what a movie was."

"That's why I left Peyton up there. She's safe and it's almost like he got what he wanted. Me dead." Zari turned her face away from Ivy to wipe her eyes.

Ivy was quiet as she tried to hold back tears herself. She had never known what it felt like not to be loved. Not to be wanted.

"That's why I freaked when I first saw those bodies, and even worse when those things were making a meal of them."

"And why your dad was your challenge in the maze?"

"Yeah."

"Why didn't the officials take you and Peyton away from there when they went to your house?"

"They only gave him a warning. It was almost like they didn't care, but things only got worse."

Silence sat in the air like a bumblebee in winter.

"Zari, I'm sorry to say I completely misjudged you."

Zari gave a weak laugh. "You don't have to say that. I know I can be a nightmare sometimes."

"You have every right to act the way you do."

"I don't. I'm sure you have your own problems and I don't see you going around taking your anger out on those around you."

"I do have problems. There's something a lot of people don't know..." Ivy stopped talking because of the look on Zari's face.

Zari pointed to the horizon. "Look."

Silhouetted against the sinking sun was a land creature.

"Do you think it knows we're here? Can it smell us?" Zari asked as panic rose in her voice.

"Probably not, just stay still."

The land creature moved north, stopping a few times on its way, making Ivy's heart skip several beats. It could not have been more than a mile away.

"We have to go that way," Zari whispered.

"It's heading north."

"But where it was is the direction we're going. There could be more."

"We have to risk it."

Zari took a moment before she nodded. The two stared into the sun, hoping another land creature would not wander past.

"What were you saying before?" Zari asked after a while. "About your problems?"

"I forgot what I was going to say," Ivy lied. It was her problem and her problem alone, she figured.