Disclaimer: I don't own anything. I just thought that they all had to be doing something. This time it's about Brin and how she first made contact with people on one cold snowy night, and Ben. Hope you enjoy!
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The cold winds of the night, and the snow on the ground did not bring memories of late snowball fights with the neighborhood kids, or returning home late in the evening from a get together at the aunts and uncles house. It did, however bring the memories of the escape. All twelve of them flew through the window taking off into the dead of night. Everybody could not stick together. CO of the group, Zack, suggested they all split up. That way, alone you had a better chance of not getting caught; you'd get caught if you travelled in numbers. At the moment young ten year old Brin thought of another saying that went with not sticking together and that was starving. She was starving and wasn't thinking about anything other than finding some food.
Luckily she wasn't as cold as she was the other night. In a very dirty, crowded neighborhood where many children played snowball fight, and War, she saw the perfect opportunity to get dressed. Being in a very ripped up pair of jeans two sizes too big, and a purple ripped up, holey sweatshirt she needed something that would keep her warm and protected. The occupants of a three story house held free game when they decided to hang out clothes on a clothes line.
It was as if they knew she was in dire need of some clothes. The clothes appeared to her tasting, and very well the purporting of her size. The first item was a pair of purple pants with tiny stars of dark purple and red. They looked cottony and stretchy. The second item was a shirt which was red and long sleeved as well as turtle-necked. On the shirt was two red hearts which overlapped each other with a white border. Another item was four pairs of socks. She only needed two, and liked only two of them anyways. The two she liked were a cerulean blue with a big white bunny on them. They looked like they could go all the way up to her knees. The final item was a very shocking pink puffy coat with a hood that tightened by two strings. Her shoes would just be the holey sneakers she found on a phone poll line.
Nobody around, she snatched all the items off the line and went behind a plastic playhouse and changed her clothes for the nice cloths which fit her very well. They made her feel like she fit right into the neighborhood. Nobody would suspect that she didn't fit in the neighborhood, let alone anywhere except in a lab. She could now walk around carefree and light-heartedly. There were people out to get her. She couldn't blow this tough freedom on being caught because she wanted something nice, or something to blend into a neighborhood.
She couldn't stay in one place long, though. That was another odd that would get her caught. People who were after her were everywhere. They could be living in this house right now, and see her, and come out and shock her into a stupor.
Stuffing the clothespins in the two pockets which zipped, she ran from the house and out of the neighborhood of children she wished she could just go over to and play with. She really wanted friends. Whenever she slept in the slide of a playground she fantasized about having a whole bunch of friends. They'd play snowball fight and War. When the parents called them in, one of them would let her stay with them and they'd sit down to a warm dinner and then watch cartoons before they got comfortable in beds with lots of worn-out, comfortable blankets.
That was only a fantasy, because it wasn't even a dream. All her dreams involved either getting caught, or something tragic happening to her brothers and sisters. She wished she had the shark DNA like Jondy and Max.
Jondy, Maxie I miss you guys.
Walking on the snow, leaving light prints, her stomach growled loudly demanding food, and enough food to make up for two and a half days.
"I know stomach, I know," she whispered to her stomach as if her stomach was going to talk back at any moment. She couldn't just say for her stomach to shut-up; she had to put something in it to make it shut up.
As much as she wanted to stop she walked along. Hood held on tight she was not where the children played snowball fight and War. Here, there only seemed to be people who towered way above her, and were very much dirty and unhappy; not that she was happy herself.
Sometimes she couldn't help but wonder if she was better off at Manticore? Would she be well off with training and the same food everyday to the now of walking the streets with most days having nothing to eat? Did Zack actually think this was better than there? He made them all split up.
Yeah yeah so we don't get caught, she whined to herself in her head. If she died of starvation she was going to come back as a ghost and haunt his ass.
In the midst of the wrecked city stood a building, which stood out against every other building in the city. The only way she attached a good feeling to this place was because she saw a familiarity; the Blue Lady. Back at Manticore Ben knew all about her. A janitor told him to pray to her and she would help him. Not only him, but whoever prayed to her, she will help them. Nobody should be afraid of her because she was always there to help them and protect them.
If that was all true then she must've been there for her tonight because her statue was right in front of the castle like building. It must've been a sign that there was food inside.
She couldn't just walk in though. What if it was a trick? What if Lydecker and his men were inside waiting for her? She could remember a close call when she tried to steal some fruit in a farmer's market, and she so happened to hop a fence that was two times her height.
But, the Blue Lady was right in front of her. They couldn't get her when she was there right?
Carefully she made her way right up to her. She looked at the very fine and carefully structured detail of the beautiful woman. In all her pureness she looked very trustworthy and inviting on this cold winter night, so the young child walked right into the church.
Inside the church she stopped at the end of the hall, but short of the room. She was disappointed to see that nobody was there, and there was no food for her to slip. There were just row upon row of seats. The walls on either side were covered in magnificent colored windows and from the ground up statues of people who looked happy and clad in ravishing clothing.
Maybe they were soldiers. They could be. She made up a position as she walked past each of them.
At the front of all the rows of seats she stood, and locked back to where she entered. What was this kind of place? Is this a place everyone came and prayed to the Blue Lady? Is this where they came and donated to her, to give her her power? If all of these were true, then Ben should be around here. He was the one who trusted and knew of her power the most.
The heat must've been on high because with the hood on it became unbearable, so she pulled it down. A scuffle of dark hair poked out on every odd and end. She had her hair cut so it was now growing out. The thought of long hair was the reason why she wasn't going to cut it. She would wing it out until she saw what she liked the best.
Turning to the side where she saw a door, it was opened as immediate. A lady came through and shut the door behind her. The lady looked very kind; but that was a first seeing judgment because a lot of people who looked kind only turned out to be evil and untrustworthy in the end. That was the way she was brought up, and that was the reason she trusted no one. She did not even trust her brothers and sisters. If they loved her they would not let her suffer like she was suffering at the moment. Soldiers always stuck together, a unit. That was the way it was supposed to be.
Maybe she was wrong in making a judgment like that. Maybe it was one for all, or all for something like that. In the end it meant that she had to take care of herself.
The lady and Brin made eye contact. The lady had a mass of curly red hair that was high up on her head. She had so much make-up on her face she could be playing inconspicuous. Her glasses were very small, as well as her eyes which fit perfectly behind her. A long sleeved shirt which blazed out at the sleeves fell almost to her knees, and a pair of black pants matching the shirt made up her outfit. Dark boots were on her feet in a very comfortable manner. The lady smiled sadly at Brin and walked a few feet only to stop when Brin took the same amount of steps back.
A little confused the lady tilted her head a little and looked around. If she was wondering where her parents were, she was going to keep on wondering.
"Little one, where are your parents?" the lady questioned with the richest accent she had ever heard. She tried to place it, but didn't want to subject the lady to a category that would be way out of place.
Brin thought she could lie. Nobody, okay next to nobody knew about her, so whatever she said could pass off as truth to this lady. She shrugged her shoulders and looked curiously at her.
"Do you have parents," she questioned with a glint in her eyes that gave off the impression that was she was playing off something. She knew something that Brin didn't like to think of this situation. Was she working for someone? Is this a stall for time?
She shrugged again working her childish presentation. If worse came to worse she could knock the lady out and scram. There was always another beautifully structured place waiting for her that would be in her favor from the Blue Lady.
The lady stood up as straight as she could. Putting a hand under her chin and resting it on her hand she appeared to be having a hard time thinking. She squinted at the young girl, and snapped her finger every few seconds. Was she trying to remember if this was the children crawling through her trash can looking for a scrap of food to eat?
"I don't know where, but I've seen you around before." The lady smiled again when Brin shook her head and fumbled with her sleeves. She couldn't look at the lady as her stomach announced that it was still hungry and full of growl.
"You know," she tried to step again, but that made her step back again. Brin wasn't stupid. If this lady thought that slow creeping would get her up to her level then she had another thing coming to her. She was able to read people, and the move they thought they were going to make, she had to; after all she is- was a soldier. A soldier of heart, she would always keep her training with her, but will try her best to find and live a life of freedom.
"You are the second child to come here without any parents, let alone anyone." Kind words, that's all they were. Did they mean anything? Another child? It could've been anyone. It could've been a child who lit fires in garbage cans.
"I bet you're hungry though."
At the sound of those words her eyes lit up. If this lady was offering food, then she would take the offer and eat. Maybe she would be able to eat to her heart's content. But after that, she was out of there. This was enemy territory. She couldn't stay anywhere for too long, otherwise that would pose a threat on her.
She nodded her head eagerly.
"Then come down. We are celebrating a very special night as you know," the lady turned and opened the door which was immediately a staircase. The staircase leads to a room she did not know what held. It could hold a trap, or it could hold comfort. She stood on spot and looked the room over one last time to make a point of escape roots if they were needed.
"Don't be afraid," the lady noticed her hesitation, "You are very welcomed to come and eat. There is plenty of warm food for everyone. The boy, like you who came here not too long ago; his name Ben, is here as well. He may be happy to see another child like himself.
BEN! She went right with the lady down the stairs and into the basement of the church. The room was the warmest and warmest spirited place she had ever been to. Three rows of tables were ladled with food in various shapes of dishes and pans. Some had small flames underneath, while others had steam rising above them. The smell, made her stomach growl and she instantly grabbed a plate forgetting the lady, and the many people who all seemed to be having a good time.
Nobody seemed to mind as she pilled lots of noodles and meat onto the small plate. The weigh became so much that she had to hold the plate with two hands and bring it over to a table that was empty. No fork, she used her dirty fingers to shovel foot into her mouth hungrily. Everything else around her faded; except for her and the food. She had to eat fast. If you didn't eat fast enough your food was taken away from you and you were send away to bed with half your stomach full, and the yearning for the food you wished you finished fast enough.
Stains of sauce covered the sleeves of her coat. It didn't matter to her though. She was almost done with the plate, and no one was going to take it away unless it was as clean as she found it.
"Young one," someone stood right behind her. She turned quickly and saw a man who was clad all in black, except for a small white collar. She spoke to fast. This was going to be the man who took her food. Arms protective of her plate; sleeves actually in the food she narrowed her eyes at the man. He was not going to get her food, and send her back into the streets hungry.
"Whoa, easy young one," he held up his hands, but held comfort in his face, "You don't have to be protective of the food. There is plenty to eat here. You are very welcomed to stay here, and enjoy yourself. We are all here to celebrate the birth of our Lord, and for that we are here to also take care of everyone. You look like you've been out in the cold far too long, I am honored that you've found our church as a place to seek shelter and feel welcomed in."
When he could see that she was not going to move her hands away unless he went away he told her if she needed anything, then she should feel free to ask anyone who was wearing black.
Out of sight, out of mind she shoveled food into her mouth again until the plate was empty. People did the same thing, and soon the chairs all around her were filled except for the one to the left of her.
Getting up she went back over to the meat table and began filling her plate again. As much as she could fit onto the plate she put on there and was going to sit back down on her seat when she noticed that it was now occupied by a woman, and the empty chair was occupied by another. No matter, as long as she had food she could sit on the floor and eat. Least she knew; nobody was going to take her food.
Sitting on the floor against the floor she picked up a saucy piece of meat and brought it to her mouth.
"Can I take your coat," the lady from before was bothering her again. Brin looked up at her and shook her head furiously.
Chuckling light heartedly the lady shook her head.
"I mean, it is quite warm in here. I want to put your coat in the closet so you will be more comfortable. Plus, you need a napkin, the sleeve is dirty."
She shook her head. This was another act. They wanted her coat, and they were not going to give it back. She was afraid that if they did that she would freeze from the place she slept tonight. Nobody was going to take it.
Better eat fast before they try and take everything I have to me. They aren't kind by nature; they are only giving me this food so they can try and steal the clothes I stole.
"Brin," her name spoken, she looked up and dropped her plate on the floor splattering food all over the place. In a matter of seconds she had jumped up and flung her arms around Ben, a child of the escape.
"Oh my gosh Ben, you made it," she explained happily causing a fully fledged scene around them. Everyone seemed to stop and look. Bad idea.
Ben cocked his head toward the door and they left the room; not before Brin grabbed a roll.
They walked through the rest of the church and out into the cold in which she came. Outside they could talk without the chase of being heard of. If anyone knew they were two of the children that escaped Manticore, and they were to take them down, they'd take them down in a heartbeat. Even if it was a church, they'd still do it. It was a post-pulse world. It was either get kill or kill.
"Ben you're alive," Brin exclaimed happily.
Zipping up his zip-up jacket he nodded and leaned against the building folding his arms. She sat down against the wall right next to him. They didn't look at each other. If they appeared in any way to be talking then that would cause conspires. People would assume that they were plotting something.
Now that she had found him she could not find nothing more to say then whether or not he has seen anyone else. She wasn't disappointed that it was him she had sought, but the fact that there was more to the family then him. Now that they were together they could stay tougher. Forget about what the CO said, freedom wasn't worth it if you couldn't enjoy it with the people who had sleeked it as well.
"No, I haven't," he scratched what little hair he still had on his head. His hair either hadn't grown out yet, or he cut it. His face was the same; he had that serious interested look she made fun of on rare occasion.
"Is this where you stay?" she questioned. She bit into the roll ripping a piece with her teeth. She offered it up to him, and he sled down the wall to sit with her as he took a bite as well.
"I don't stay anywhere. You can't risk it." He sounded serious. He reminded her so much of Zack.
"I go everywhere the Blue Lady is. She protects me, and I donate to give her strength. I pray that she protects all of you," he said.
Brin went to disagree with him when he held up his hand and they both listened around them. Through the cold gust of the winter's night air they could hear feet. The feet, clad in heavy boots clomped as they got closer. Listening in they could hear the distinctive sound of walky-talkies. One man with a deep voice said that two children matching the description were in the church.
Chucking the bread aside they got to their feet.
"Ben we have to go now," Brin grabbed his wrist dragging him a few feet. Dragging, he should be coming.
"Why aren't you coming?" she yelled angrily her breathe visible in the cold air.
He shook his head and snatched his wrist away. In a serious tone he said, "She needs me. We can't travel together. If we do, we'll get caught."
"No, we can take them out together. Don't make me go by myself," she begged. She looked as a shadow came to view.
"Go," he slapped her on the shoulder, "The Blue Lady will protect you."
That was the last thing she heard from him. They both disappeared in separate direction. Luckily she made it out of there by taking out two men who seemed clumsy on their own two feet. They were going to have a nap in the snow. When they woke up, they were going to feel a weigh lifted off their belt.
Out of reach, in the early morning of dawn, next to a sign that said 'Welcome to Chicago,' she could not help but wonder whether or not Ben was okay. Her gut was right on one thing; never trust anyone. Those people in the church did not care for her. They were out to only get her. Trust was something that didn't exist anymore. The situation reminded her of who she really was; a fugitive soldier on the run; always looking over her shoulder and to never deserve the life of someone normal when she was nothing near it.
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The End. I hope you've enjoyed.