Citizen

Chapter sixteen

Kyra's dreams were plagued with raspy voices and groping hands, warm breath on the back of her neck, and a dark figure whispering all of her worries. When she finally came to it was like waking from a nightmare only to walk straight into another one. It was pitch black, her face was frozen yet her body was roasting, and no matter how long she kept her eyes open they didn't adjust to the lack of light.

Something tight and soft held her body in place. Frowning, she edged her fingers across the soft sheets, feeling for the edge of the bed... the sharp corner of a table... a hard surface, free of any books... searching for something - anything - that would help her understand. Where am I? she wondered.

A dazzling blue light filled the room. Kyra sat up, gulping as she pulled a pillow close to her chest. The light burned into her retinas and made her eyes water, but was impossible to look away from; there was something familiar about it she couldn't put her finger on. As she watched something moved to impair the light; whatever it was was accompanied by a deep snore. Frowning, Kyra gripped the pillow and threw it. Like a spider whose web was disturbed, the pile jumped upwards and stretched out its limbs, ready to attack. Kyra let out a yelp and shuffled backwards.

"Good morning to you, too." The voice was gruff, thick with sleep, and accompanied with a yawn - the familiarity of it dissolved all of her worries in an instant. "Lights: on."

The room was ablaze with a glossy light. Kyra raised a hand to cover her eyes; glancing through her fingers, she examined the room. It was grey, spacious, and foreign. On the opposite wall was a door, to the right a bare set of drawers with a mirror set above it, and to the left a small bookcase.

Standing in the corner next to it was Ethan, his hair ruffled and his lids heavy, as though he hadn't slept a wink. He smiled and dropped back into his seat. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Confused. And sore, now that you mention it."

Sliding the covers back, Kyra stood and rolled up her right sleeve. The skin that was usually covered with her bracelet was tender to the touch, and flooded with deep purple bruises. Gasping, she crossed to the mirror, wincing with every stumbled step. The face staring back at her was foreign. Dark rings similar to those circling her wrists stained her under eye like paint. A bandage soaked with dried blood was taped to her chin. She pulled it off and examined the raw scrape, biting her lip.

"W-what happened?"

"You don't remember?"

"No, I... I don't." All she remembered was a sentence snarled in her ear: didn't anyone ever tell you the truth is treason in a world of lies?

Ethan looked her up and down with tired eyes. After a moment he sighed, rubbed his temple and said, "You were attacked by another citizen whilst riding the train last night. I found you before he could do anymore damage, but... well, he didn't leave you unscathed."

She shivered and turned away from the mirror, unable to look at it any longer.

"But, but... That stuff, it doesn't happen. Not here. Arabel, it's... it's safe. That's something from the old world." Kyra whirled to face him, one hand gripping her forehead and the other pressed against the wall for support. "Who was it? Do you know?"

Ethan bit his lip and nodded, slowly, as though she was a deer caught in headlights that could be spooked by the smallest of movements. He leaned forward in his seat and pulled a crumpled yellow file from behind him. It was thick, leading Kyra to wonder how many other attacks were in the man's file.

"I got you this, just in case you wanted to know more about him."

Kyra looked between the file and Ethan. Did she want to know? Did she want to be on the lookout for his face every time she turned a corner? Or was it better not knowing, being weary of everyone she came across? Pursing her lips, she grabbed the file and tucked it under her arm.