Ghost Bird | ✔

Nineteen

My eyes snap open as I feel the air shift and someone reach toward me. Instinctively, I throw up my arms, crossing them in a defensive manner.

"Damn, Sang!" Carson exclaims, clutching his chest. "Don't scare me like that!"

I merely stare at him, trying to process the fact that he wasn't actually trying to kill me in my sleep.

"Incredible instincts..." Carson mutters under his breath.

"Are you going to kill me or move so I can get out?" I ask.

With an amused grin, Carson moves out of the car, holding the door open for me. I slip out of the car, flinching as I am hit by the full force of the sun. Let me tell you, the sun is really bright; books don't do the sun much justice.

"I can't believe it," I breathe, looking around.

"What?"

"I'm outside!" I squeal, spinning in a circle as I take it all in.

It all looks so incredible! So life-like! Even the air is nicer!

Abruptly I stop and gasp, "Is that... a real tree?"

"Umm... Yes?" Carson says slowly. "Haven't you been outside before?"

"Once," I answer absently staring at the tree in awe. "Unless you count those two times where I slept through being driven to a new place against my will. Then it's my fourth time now."

Carson states, "Somehow, I never know how to respond to you."

I tip my head back and just laugh, a free laugh. I feel free, freer than I have ever been. Is this how everyone feels when they go outside? It makes me want to spend the rest of my life outside.

"Come on, little bird," Carson chuckles. "We have to get you in to see the boss."

"Boss?" I echo, turning to Carson.

"Yeah, Kaiden, that is," Carson explains, his black eyes meeting mine.

Carson takes my wrist and gently pulls me toward a new building. It is concrete and covered in paint, paint that I believe is known as graffiti. The roof is edged with black spikes and there are no plants near the building. We walk toward a metal door with several locks and a metal box thing toward the top. Carson raps on the door, and the box slides open revealing a pair of curious but hardened blue eyes.

"Ah! Carson, you're back!" A voice calls as the several locks turn.

The thick door is shoved open to reveal a man with white hair and skin that is almost translucent, it is so pale.

"A girl?!" He exclaims, as his eyes land on me and widen.

"Yes," Carson states in a hardened tone. "This is Sang."

Tugging on my wrist, Carson pulls me along as he shoves past the man.

"Who was that?" I whisper absently, studying the new place and committing each turn Carson takes to memory.

"That was Andrez," Carson answers as we walk.

Carson takes many turns through various halls, but I feel as if I am understanding, somehow, where we are going. The concrete floor is cold on my bare feet and the thick concrete walls look clean but are covered in drawings and writings, similar to the outside of the building. Carson's footsteps seem to echo and bounce through the halls while mine are as silent as always, an unusual pair.

"Here we are!" Carson announces, opening another door.

Ushering me in, Carson follows and I enter reluctantly into the large room that appears to be an office. A huge desk sits in the middle of the room with Kaiden hunched over some papers.

"You're here already!" Kaiden exclaims happily.

Carson nods and I remain still, scared of what is going to happen. Scared that Carson was lying about me not getting hurt.

Kaiden, looking at Carson, nods and then flicks his dark eyes back to me.

"Sang, I am not going to hurt you," He assures me. "I will not hurt you and neither will any of my men, for as long as you are here."

"And I am staying here for a very long time?" I ask, wanting to confirm that Carson was telling the truth.

"Well, yes," Kaiden hedges.

"Thank you! Thank you!" I squeal, nearly jumping up and down with joy.

Hands down, this is the best day of my life.

"I'm glad you are fine with the arrangement," Kaiden laughs before adding seriously, "But this is not a free ride for you, Sang."

Of course it isn't. Nothing in life is free. Safety... Well, I'm willing to pay the price.

"You are here to be trained," Kaiden informs me. "You are to become a member of my gang."

...

"What?" I ask, more than a little confused.

I look at Carson, but he is standing there, stoically staring straight ahead of him.

"You heard me. I want to train you to be a member of my gang. You showed bravery when I entered your home, a bravery I have not seen in a long time. In the short time that I have seen you, I have seen incredible skill in you that seems to come naturally," Kaiden explains. "Even when I pushed you into a wall, you barely reacted."

"YOU DID WHAT?!" Carson roars, losing his blank stare.

"Relax," Kaiden orders with a wave of his hand. "She's tiny. I meant to only push her out of the way, but I was angry and she is even smaller than I thought."

Carson turns a questioning look to me, as if asking me to confirm it. I merely shrug in response.

"So, what do you say?" Kaiden asks giving me a knowing smile. "Join the gang or get sold again?"