The Rouges

f i f t e e n

I HAD BECOME less of a peculiarity around The Subversive now. I walked the halls alone, unguarded, and no one stopped me. Oddly enough, some people even nodded or smiled as I passed. I was not entirely sure when it happened, but gradually people stared at me less, their wary eyes growing bored.

Well, most of them.

Arstid still watched me like a hawk. Her penetrating eyes constantly flickered from mine to Mouse, reminding me that my actions no longer affected only myself. As if to say, "Screw up and she will pay the price."

Arstid had me on a short leash and she knew it.

Triven and I had fallen into a rhythm. We worked side by side every day, trained most nights together and met with the guard when called for. I had even become accustomed to sharing a room with him and had begun to find his ever-wakeful presence reassuring. When I awoke like a frightened child every morning, the light from his reading lamp soothed me. His warm eyes would meet mine and he would hand me something to read, something to distract my mind from the nightmares.

We never talked about it again after that first night.

Mouse was making friends and while she still slept beneath my bed, her whimpering had dissipated. While I was still unsure of what I was doing here, I could see a future for her.

Tonight, Triven's light snores let me know he was actually sleeping for a change. It was a steady reminder of what I should be doing as well, but my mind refused to turn off.

We were leaving tomorrow night for the reconnaissance mission of the Ravagers' weapons warehouse and my mind refused to forget that. I knew that I needed the rest, that I must be on point, but the voices in my head wouldn't stop nagging. This would be the first time I had been outside the bunker since my capture. And it could be the only opportunity I got, the only chance I would have to run.
But did I want to run?

My head throbbed. Less than a month ago I wanted nothing more than to be free of these people and now... What? I wanted to stay?

No.

But I didn't really want to leave either. When did this get so complicated?

Careful not to wake Mouse or Triven, I slipped into the hall. I needed time away from them. Away from their familiar breathing and comforting sounds.

My feet carried me to the training room before I realized that's where I wanted to go. The halls were empty. I passed not a soul along the way.

When I entered the room it was dimly lit. Only half of the lights were on to conserve energy. A pool of light focused on the sparring mat. It should have frightened me— it would have frightened a normal person— but to me the darkness was inviting. A place to hide.

Removing my tattered long-sleeved shirt, I entered the ring and began to stretch. It was freeing that there were no cameras here, no way to keep tabs on me. I wasn't sure the limited power running in the barracks could even support such a thing. I reveled in the fact that I was alone. No eyes to watch me, no guards to hide my talents from. My body was tight from work and lack of proper use. A groan rattled in my throat as I stretched my tired legs.

Closing my eyes, I let my body fall into its natural rhythm. Letting the energy flow with my movements. I knew the movements were perfect. The Master who taught me saw to that. A wrong move earned you a cane to the back. Which bruised like nothing else. When pain was a motivator, you learned fast. It also helped that my body naturally took to his training, as if my muscles knew the movements before my brain did. There were very few things I found myself not good at. Even now as I felt rusty, my body knew what to do.