trapped inside legend

2: Welcome to The Lake Sector

Wait...where am I?

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My eyes instantly dart up. I brush off the dirt on my pants and body. I wonder what route I took. Before I could answer my question I looked up to see that I was somewhere. Did someone kidnap me? My face drew cold and pale as fear swept over. I looked around. Cracking buildings? Street vendors? Homeless people? Where am I? I looked over and noticed some houses, then I saw it...a house with a red "X" spray painted across along with a line through it.

I wasn't just anywhere. I was in Legend.

How? How is this even possible? Is this a movie set? A prank? I looked around. Nope. I'm definitely in the Republic. I stood up from the ground so I wouldn't look odd from the crowds of people swarming around.

My glance shifted from around me to up. I saw it. On the JumboTrons it stated,

DANIEL ALTAN WING TO BE EXECUTED IN TWO DAYS.

Oh my god. Of course right when this happens. Well I mean I know what's gonna happen but still! What if I messed it up and now Day gets killed? Maybe I should just wait until after. But I can't see John die. He didn't deserve that! Wait? If it's in two days that means June will arrive sometime tonight to search for Kaede. Maybe I can talk to her then, hopefully without her stabbing me.

Hold on! I GET TO MEET JUNE FRICKING IPARIS! WHO GETS TO SAY THEY MET THEIR BOOK IDOL?

Ok. Ok. Beth just calm down. I need to think how I'm going to do this. My thoughts were interrupted when I heard a voice call to me, "Excuse me, are you okay? It appears your palms are bleeding." The voice continued. "We should get you bandaged up since you could get Tetanus from the rusty metal!" I glanced up to see a girl. She was wearing an olive green shirt that was too small for her. Which is why she wore a black tank underneath. Her hair was a golden orange color and was cut shortly into a tangled bob. Omg! Thats Tess! Of course it would be! She must have noticed my bloody palms but apparently I did not. My eyes shifted towards my palms. They were cut bad. I'm surprised I didn't notice.

Tess walked over to me while examining my swollen and bloody palms. "Hmm. The cut on the left seems far worse than right. It's quite deep on the left." I admired how she was able to point out what was wrong. I always liked that about Tess. I nodded at her and chuckled, "Guess I didn't really pay attention when I fell." "Guess not." She smiled at me. "Let me take you to my friends bar. I have my medical supplies there then I can help those wounds!" She cheerfully said as she started to walk forward. I followed her lead as we walked along the dirty streets of Lake.

Then I noticed. What if Kaede is suspicious of me? My hair isn't greasy or knotty like them. My jeans don't even seem bad compared to others. My face is perfectly untouched. I sigh, guess I'll make something up when we arrive.

As me and Tess walk I can see sadness in her face. Of course she would be sad. Her closest friend is gonna die. Well, she doesn't know he is gonna live but I can't just say, "Yeah your friend Day is gonna live." She might think I'm crazy or it might hurt her. I'm surprised how well she is able to hide her emotions.

The awkwardness is too much so I decide to start up a conversation. "You're pretty smart for noticing what happened to my hands." She smiles, "Yeah, I have had quite some experience." I know she's referring to all her times bandaging Day. The sadness makes her lips tremble. Dammit! Why does everything resort back to Day? If only I could tell her. But I can't, that will mess up the whole storyline so I guess I will have to stay silent then.

We continue to walk along. Me in my dark skinny jeans and a grey shirt. I'm afraid someone will ask me what I'm wearing. What if soldiers think I'm from the colonies? Calm down Beth. As long as you play it cool you'll be fine.

Tess stops abruptly which clearly shows we're here. We stopped at the bar Kaede worked at. It's pretty great knowing about everything.

Tess nods for me to walk inside and she does the same. "Kaede isn't here yet, I'll make sure to tell her you aren't a threat. She has some trust issues." Tess warns as we walk into the old and cracked bar. There's a little room behind the bar table and Tess walks inside. "Here's my part of this place." She adds, "Just take a seat over there then I can get to work." It's nice that she looks out for everyone. Even when my injury is very minor.

My shoes clank against the cracked tile and I'm sitting on a chair with a rip in its cushion. "Sorry it's not the best place." I can tell she notices the discomfort in my eyes. "Guess that's Lake for ya, yeah?" She shuffles through a little metal box which appears to be full of bandages, some gauze pads, q-tips, and alcohol wipes. The Patriots  must've supplied her with this medical kit.

She shuts the kit and takes my right hand first. "This might sting a little but it shouldn't be too bad. The wound doesn't look that infected so it shouldn't bother you." Tess grabs the wipe and pats down on my palm, removing the dried blood that has been smeared around. I wince a little but try not to let her notice. I don't wanna make her feel bad about hurting me.

Tess then grabs a rolled up bunch of bandages. She rolls the bandage tape around my right palm. It reminds me of when Day talked about his mothers hands being wrapped up this way. I sure hope if I see him anytime soon he doesn't notice the resemblance.

While my right palm stays firm from the bandages Tess begins on my left. The worse side she stated. "This one may hurt more but hopefully it doesn't cause too much pain to you." Tess's face is stern and focused. Her eyes tracing around the wound figuring out where it's worse and where it's not. Impressive precision for being nearsighted.

She grabs another wipe and starts on my left palm. Tess was right. The pain is excessively worse on this side. Like she observed, my left had a deeper cut. I wonder what I even cut my palms on? Or where did I even fall from?

Pain from the gash prickles into my nerves. I let out a low ow! as she works on my hand. In around 3 minutes she starts to wrap that hand too.

"Well look at that good as new!" She exclaimed. "Just be careful when putting pressure on it, they might still sting while they scab." She then adds firmly to her excitement. I smile at her skill. "Thanks a lot by the way." "They were small wounds I didn't think you would help." I look toward Tess. She begins, "Well I noticed when you fell down those steps, I knew your body would be fine, except some soreness. But your palms embraced the impact so I decided to help you out. The slums needs more compassion and I decided to start it up." She grins while fixing up the room around us. The room has a boarded up window; Kaede probably added that, two small chairs which include the one I'm sitting in, an old wooden table, some stashes of Notes and clothes, and finally is Tess's medical box which seems to reflect all light that is able the pass through the window. "Thank you again for that, well seems I should get going I-" "Wait. You can stay here with us if you like." I just love how much of a cinnamon roll Tess is. "That's very kind of you but I shouldn't cause you any trouble." I secretly wanna stay but I don't show it. "Nonsense!" She laughs. "I'm sure Kaede won't mind, maybe you'll make a good recruit." She smiles as she continues to shift the piles of Notes. "Oh and I forgot to get your name." "I'm Tess." I smiled. "I'm Beth."

Recruit? Like joining the Patriots? If there's one thing I know it's that I am gonna be around Razor. I can't trust him after what is revealed about him.

Suddenly I notice a girl with short jet black hair, goggles, and a vine tattoo on her neck. This must be Kaede.