Running With the Wave

Chapter 16

This one's kind of short, sorry about that. Also, sorry that it's kind of late. I haven't had much time to write lately, I'll try to be better. I would have made this longer but I found a perfect way to end it. I'll try and get another one up tonight to make up for it, but I'm not making any promises I can't keep.  

Enjoy.

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Era:

The head Keeper stomps out of Hunter's room and I shy away from him as he passes. Sebastion and I exchange troubled looks. We hadn't heard what had been being said in the room but we had practically felt the bitterness.

"Do you think he would hurt him again?" I mouth to Sebastion.

He hesitates, then shakes his head. His father goes down the stairs and Sebastion and I walk slowly back towards Hunter's room, fearing what we might find there.

"I don't think he's that bad." He whispers in my ear, sounding doubtful.

I shrug, but I think he's that bad. I don't even think there's a question in that.  

Then again, maybe I'm being too judgemental? Well I do have reason to.

"We'll see." I murmer back.

Sebastion sighs.

"I'm gonna go down and make breakfast." he tells me.

"That's right, leave the hardest part to me." I tell him.

He smiles apologetically, knowing that I didn't fully mean it.

I open the door a crack.

"Hunter?"

"I'm fine."

I open the door fully, and Hunter smirks at me.

"You guys need to learn how to whisper." He teases.

I throw back my head and laugh.

"Like you're any better." I tell him.

"Oh, but I am."

I throw a pillow at him.

"Someone's a little sure of himself." I tease Hunter.

He beams at me and I smile back, lying next to him and resting my head on his shoulder. The hood falls off and his lips brush my head.

"We shouldn't be doing this." He whispers.

I turn my head and look him in the eye.

"The consequences are too big. My father will hurt you if he finds out."

I look away from him, hurt that he doesn't want to love me. That he wants us to forget about it. As if I could ever do that.

"Our love is just one thing he'll be angry about. If he figures out that I'm a girl he will kill us anyways. It's a dangerous game we're playing, love. One that we both have to be willing to play."

I get up and start clearing the floor from all the extra things from taking care of Hunter this morning. I pull my hood back up. I know that I'm being stupid, risking my life to be with Hunter. That I'm being one of those pathetic, love sick girls from before the Fall. But I need Hunter. He's one of the only things I have left, maybe the only thing if Keara and Moa are dead, which isn't so unlikely. Tears burn my throat but I refuse to let them through. Keara and Moa... Have I betrayed them? Do they think I'm one of the Disposed now? Are they dead? I gather everything and place it on a shelf then start to walk out of the room.

"Era..." Hunter murmers.

Sighing, I freeze in the doorway, leaning against the post and facing away from him.

"Moa." I whisper, "She told me about life. How it's like a wave, and that our whole life we're running. If we stop, the wave catches up and we die. We stumble and fall, but we always keep running. Then, when it's time, we stop and greet the wave with open arms, let it swallow us up like it has so many others. She told me and Keara to always keep running. No matter what. I need to know Hunter. Are you with me? Or am I alone, running with the wave?"

I walk out of the room, greeted by tears.