Straws

Chapter 9

After an uncomfortable nap on the brick floor, my body is telling me that it is time to get up. Winnie and Soren are still asleep from what I can see across the way. The sudden shift in the light coming from the sun makes it harder to see. Something tells me we weren't supposed to be in this room that long. Once the sun disappears, so do we. The darkness of the room and the darker sky indicates to me that we at least slept for a good three to four hours. It's not much, but it might just be enough to finish this thing. I don't know how fast we were supposed to finish this or if they implemented any more snack breaks, but based on that last audio I'm assuming this was probably our last chance to get any rest in at all. I look down at the key beside me. The 10 stares at me and I stare back with uncertainty. What could it be?

I take a scan around the room, looking for any signs of activity around me. Maverick lays a couple feet across from me, still sleeping soundlessly. I sit up, using my hands to guide me. My hands that are now are prickly and burn from the impressment of the brick. I feel my face. Another part of my body imprinted with the brick. Yeah, we really couldn't have picked a better spot for a nap. I would have had a better chance at a peaceful sleep if I took a deep dive into the water. Cleo sits against a part of the gate, head back, but I can see that her eyes are open. Landon and Arizona sit on the other side of the pool against the other piece of gate. They whisper back and forth, keys in their hands and examining them with one another. I look behind me to see that Graham is sitting a few feet away from me. He hasn't seen me awake yet.

"Hey,"I scooch a little bit closer. His head shoots up.

"Oh, hi,"He nods at me, a tired look on his face. I see that he fiddles with the key in his hands, pressing the button and shining a little bit of light at his shoes before turning back to look at me. I can't help but stare at the number 9 on his key and I know he is looking at my 10.

"I wish I knew what it would be,"He looks frustrated.

"Maybe you were right. Maybe it is fear of not knowing,"I shrug.

"It sure does eat away at us, doesn't it?"He laughs quietly. Our earlier banter back and forth feeling more real and it's earlier appeal doesn't exactly settle right with me.

"At this point, I would take something like that,"I look down at my key.

"Who's next?"Graham questions.

"Cleo from what I gathered. Maverick said he was eight. Soren was six. You're nine,"I pause looking at his key,"And I'm ten."

"I feel nine,"He laughs.

"What do you mean?"I laugh a bit.

"Innocent. As in, I have no idea what anything means and anything I finally thought I might have understood or got the hang of suddenly isn't true anymore as new truth appears. Like being told something as a kid and being told something more complex, ya know what I mean?"He looks a little unsure of himself as he finishes explaining.

"I think so. When I was little my parents told me my grandfather was hibernating, almost like a bear or something. You know, that old creature from the history books. They sleep in caves and use what they gathered to take them through into spring. Well, my parents told me a couple months later that he died. So yeah, If that's what you mean,"I shrug.

"That's exactly what he means,"He looks at me carefully,"You didn't have bears in Intulia?"I look at him with surprise.

"You do?"I ask.

"They practically lived in my backyard,"He laughs.

"That's news to me,"I remain dumbfounded.

"That's what happens when they make two territories enemies,"Graham shrugs.