Searching for a Myth

We're One

Violet's POV:

Being here in 13 after so many weeks of travel is, honestly, unbelievable. I feel like I'm still out in the wilderness, but nope, I'm here, I'm free, I'm safe.

It's the morning after we got here and I'm roaming the claustrophobic gray concrete halls just seeing what this place is all about. Technically, I should be at breakfast, but I wasn't feeling hungry... another thing? I really, really miss my family. I see so much of Aspen and Olive, Cedar, Tessa, and Danny in everyone here, it's sickening. I imagine them all here with me. I swallow deeply. It's too much.

I've taken to going on walks to cope. I think that's going to be my thing. Walk the halls, walk outside if I can make it there, walk up and down the stairways, walk everywhere, memorizing the walls and lights. Walk, walk, walk until- BAM! I run smack into a familiar long-haired crookedly handsome young man.

"Violet! What're you doing all the way up here?" Andrew asks, holding firmly onto my elbows to steady me.

"Oh... I wasn't hungry for breakfast. I was going to see if I could get outside again." I explain, avoiding his eyes at first.

Andrew has that subtle smile on his face, the one that's almost always there.

"I don't know if they would've let you. They're pretty strict about that. Especially with the snow."

"Oh... then how'd you get out?" I ask. He's still holding me.

"I'm a scout. I look out for people like you." He grins and I give him a kind little smirk back.

"Well, thank you." I say.

"You're welcome." He breathes. Then there's a little bit of silence where we just look at each other. And I see him. And he sees me. Really sees me.

"Andrew..." I start as Andrew says, "Violet-" We look at each other and giggle.

"You first." Andrew insists. I nod.

"Okay... um... Andrew, my brother and sister died. And..." I take a breath. "And my daughter. That's the real reason I came here, because I wanted to escape all the negative shit that kept happening to me, but it still follows me and I'm feeling so lost and like I'm alone and, but... but for some reason I feel something with you, something like, I'm finally understood and I'm not alone or afraid and like all of it doesn't matter and it's just me and... you." I say in a rush. I'm crying. I don't care.

"I feel the same way," he says almost immediately. "I mean, I have my sister, but sometimes it feels like even she doesn't really get me. I've needed this. I've needed... you, Violet."

One second... Two. I look at him for some kind of sign and he gives me confirmation of a sort and I wrap my arms around him and all of a sudden he's leaning down and our lips have caught and we're not alone. He backs me down the hall until we hit a door- a closet- and crash through it. My hands are in his hair, his hands are skimming the soft skin of my waist, trailing under my gray uniform.

I'm not even thinking. I'm just kissing him and being with him and feeling him and I'm lifting his shirt over his head and I feel the cold skin underneath and the thinness from lack of food. And then my shirt's gone too and we're kissing and kissing and it's like we can't get close enough and I taste his taste and I smell his smell and I am him and he is me and we are one. We're one and I'm never going to be alone.

-

Andrew and I get dressed again and it's only then that it hits me what I've just done. I think of Danny back home... it's really strange how so much can change in a few weeks. But I guess this was meant to be. Or we're just desperate. I'd prefer it's not the latter. I'd like to think it's more real than desperation.