Hey! So there's a needle warning for this chapter. I'm no doctor but I am a nursing student and while the operation depicted here isn't used anymore I imagine it would be popular in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
Violence in this chapter, some darker stuff, but ends on a good note. Promise. Bit longer than usual.
Menstruation mention this chapter.
Do you know how many times I typed the Dag's name as "the Fag"? Why does the F key have to be next to the D key, haha.
Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you think. The next chapters will be harder to write because past age ten daughters tend to try to find themselves and blah blah blah, so expect some angsty emotional tween-dom misery that we all know and love.
Tumblr: actualpuppyedwardscissorhands (thank you for the kind messages! They brighten my days.)
"I still don't get it," Nux rested his forehead into his hand, his elbow on the table.
"Dad," she traced the pen on the paper again, making numbers. "It's just addition. You take five," she drew a five, "and you add two," she drew a plus sign and a two under it, "and you get seven."
"Alright, so if you had five bolts and two bolts, and you put 'em in a pile, the pile would have seven," he nodded, Bliss smiling in return.
"Yeah," she breathed. Her blue eyes met with his, tired, dull. He hadn't learned math until Bliss decided she wanted to teach him. Help him. Watch this, daddy, do you know how?
Nux gripped the back of her neck gently, a very War Boy behavior for affection. She'd done it to him and the Pups, and was very pleased when Nux had started to do it to her. She leaned into his hand, then into his lips when he kissed her forehead.
"Why are you so cold?" she looked up to him. She was seven years old now, so independent. Her personality shined through every day, through her gleaming smiles and vivid stories. She was rough and tough, she loved the grease of the garage, often begging to go stay with dad that day. She had so many opinions about so many things; orange is better than pink, reading is better than math, raspberries are better than strawberries. She liked the roar of the engines.
Once, when she'd visited the Boys with Nux, there was a pod of Gas Town Boys coming for them for seemingly no reason. It turned out to be a mixup with trade schedules, but in the heat of excitement, the Boys had burst with rowdiness, ready for battle. Bliss had gotten caught up with it, Flaps swooping her up and shoving her into the bustle of the War Boy craziness. She loved the black and white rushing past her, loud, angry, excited. Testosterone. She'd been upset when Nux scooped her right back out, feeling the need to return ever since. Nux had to deal with Bliss wanting to put herself in dangerous situations all the time.
And now, Nux had to face the thing that he'd dreaded the most.
"Daddy's sick," he swallowed, keeping his hand on the back of her neck. "You know that."
"But why cold?" she asked again.
Nux sighed. "Bliss," he leaned in to kiss her forehead again. He didn't want to cry, not in front of her. She didn't need that. "Do you remember Whir?"
Bliss looked up to him, her features falling. "Yeah."
"Do you remember when... before he left, he started to not want to play? When you shoved him into the Joe pile and he cried?"
She nodded slowly, guilty, unbeknownst to Nux.
"Whir... he got real weak, you know? He started out real strong, and he had to..."
"He stopped coming," Bliss was quiet.
"Yeah, he stopped coming. He couldn't run, or play, or..." Nux swallowed, feeling his throat tighten.
"And then he died."
Nux was surprised at how forward she was, his eyebrows raising and meeting hers. She didn't seem to quite grasp what it meant, no particular emotion to be found there.
"Yeah," Nux breathed. "Do you know what that means?"
Bliss looked around, then settled back into Nux's gaze. "Mommy said it means he isn't coming back."
Nux nodded. "Whir was in a lot of pain. He tried his best though, you know."
"Whir was sick like you?" Bliss's lips parted.
Nux was the one to look away from her then, swallowing back the emotion that forced its way there. "I'm sick, maybe not like Whir, but I am sick."
Bliss's brows furrowed. "Daddy..." she murmured. "Are you going to not come back?"
Nux's breathing hitched, feeling the tears form in his eyes that he so desperately tried to push back. He pulled her close to him, pursing his eyes shut in a futile attempt to push all of this way.
She hugged him back, her own eyes closing. She didn't fully understand yet, she didn't understand death. She understood that dad was sick, but before today... she didn't understand what that meant.
"Bliss," he was choked off by his own emotion, "Bliss, you have to try and understand..."
"Daddy, it's okay," she patted his back, feeling him cry.
He parted from her then, his head feeling too light and his chest hurting a bit too much. Son of a bitch, son of a bitch, not now, not here. Where is Capable? Please, come take her, please, she can't see this.
He threw his face into his hands, a choked breath reeling in his cries. Fuck. Fuck, fuck. What do I do?
"Bliss," he finally breathed out. He looked out to her with red eyes, meeting her own confused and watery eyes. "You have to go find mom."
She nodded. She was scared, he could tell. She was scared and confused. She rushed out the door, her curly hair snapping around her head as she turned the corner.
Well, I fucked that up.
He let himself go then, finally letting out a pained cry, crushing his forehead into his hands. He shook, the cold sweat coming from his skin chilling him but the fever inside boiling him. He had tried so hard, so hard. It was getting so much worse by the day, the sickness taking over his body and his mind slowly but surely.
Capable rushed in, Bliss nowhere to be seen. Nux heard her though, from the hallway. What's happening to daddy? Is he okay? Is he going away? What's happening? She was crying. The Dag's soothing drone interrupting her as Capable closed the door.
"Capable, glory..." he sobbed, Capable rushing over to wrap her arm around his clammy shoulder.
"I can go get your stimulants," she whispered into his scalp.
"No, no, it's not that, Capable..." he gasped, moving his hands from his face to his forehead.
She kissed his head, sighing, her eyes closing.
"She can't go through this, Capable. She can barely handle when one of the Pups is out sick for a day, how the fuck is she supposed to handle her fucking dad dying?" he leaned into her, her warmth soothing though he burned on the inside.
"What did you say?" Capable ran her hand up and down his arm, comforting.
"I tried to say that I was sick," he swallowed, his eyes meeting the ground. "I tried to say I was like Whir."
"Ah, Nux... she won't understand. Not yet. She can't."
He shook his head, barely keeping it in.
"I didn't... I didn't mean to, Capable. I didn't mean to scare her. Capable..."
She shushed him, continuing to rub his arm, feeling his breaths shallow, slow, relax. He calmed down, his shaking relenting.
"What do I do?" Nux breathed, drying his face.
"Whatever you can."
–
She swung the bat, the ball hitting it and flying over the Pup's heads. One dove after it, trying to catch it as she sprinted towards first base, the boys groaning as she slid into safety.
"How are you so good at this?" the pitcher yelled. "You're a girl!"
She pursed her lips, trying to catch her breath as she stared daggers at Cavity.
"What do you mean by that?" she called, her hands on her hips.
"She ain't even painted. What's with that?" the Pup on first base yelled, looking to his fellow Pups over Bliss's head.
"My dad doesn't want me to," she crossed her arms. "You're all just mad that I play fletch-catch better than you!"
They started rallying around her, hey, that's not true. A girl can't be better than us! Why are you even here? No one wants you on the team anyway.
She was surrounded then, stepping back but tripping on the base under her heels, falling to the sand. They laughed, called her a cur, a shirk. She stood back up, and, with fury in her eyes, cracked her forehead into Cavity's.
He grinned, a growl escaping as he pushed his head back, their eyes meeting in an intense stare. A challenge. Dominance.
"You think you can talk to me like that?" she growled, her voice low and deep. She'd seen the Boys do this all time time, sometimes over the stupidest things.
"And why not?" he challenged, his green eyes piercing against her blue.
"Because I," she pushed him to the ground, rendering oohs and whoa's from the crowd of Pups, "am better than you."
He laughed heartily, stumbling back to his feet. "Better than me? At what? Being a fuckin' breeder?"
She breathed toughly out of her nose, her eyes widening and her fists clenching. She called out then, a deep cry that she'd mimicked from one of the Boys. She advanced towards him, and before he had time to move, he was tackled to the ground, a fist to his face.
"You know," he spat out after she retracted her fist, "I ain't ever meet my daddy. But I'm pretty sure he lived longer than a month."
She screamed, slamming her fist into his face, bloodying his eyebrow.
The other Pups were excited. Fight! Fight! Get 'er! Cavity, get 'er!
After another punch he reached up and pulled her hair, shoving her face into the sand next to him. She squirmed, jamming her knee into his gut, and he let go. He pushed her shoulder into the sand, climbing on top of her, and jammed his fist into her nose, sending her face into the sand once more.
She opened her eyes, reaching up and grabbing his fist. She growled once more, slamming his fist behind her, and pushed him off of her.
"Hey! Hey! Cavity!" a voice called from the distance as he regained his dominance, his knee in her elbow and his weight keeping her pinned. He landed another fist into the other side of her face, crying out loudly, spitting on her. She squirmed, but it was futile.
A tan hand grabbed Cavity's raised fist, pulling him off of Bliss. Bliss reached up to feel her face; it was sticky and wet.
"What the fuck are you doing?" the Nurturer screamed in his face. Bliss sat up, breathing heavy. "Don't you know who the fuck you're messing with?"
"Just 'cuz she's a girl don't mean she ain't get beat," he growled to the woman.
She sent an open palm across his face. Bliss looked on in disbelief.
"You fucked with the wrong kid," she almost laughed. "Good one, good one." She pushed him away, obviously having dealt with the Pup's roughness before. She knew what the Pups could handle.
She bent down to Bliss in the sand. She hadn't shed a single tear out of pain or fear, only feeling the blood that must be dripping from her nose.
"Glory, Bliss..." the Nurturer ran her hand through Bliss's sandy hair.
"It's fine, we're fine," Bliss insisted. "Just a bit heated is all." She's heard the words before from other Pups.
The Nurturer gripped Bliss's wrist, hauling her up roughly. The woman then gripped Bliss's shoulders tightly, bending down to be inches from Bliss's face.
"You aren't one of them, Bliss," she hissed. "You think you are because your mommy and daddy say so but you're not, you never will be. You're a lady, start acting like it."
Now, her lip quivered.
"Let's get you cleaned up. Glory forbid either of the Dignitaries see you like this... we might have a dead Pup on our hands."
–
"Are you kidding me?" Capable glared down at Bliss. "A fight? Really?"
"He said-"
"I don't care what Cavity said! You could have gotten so hurt, Bliss. Those boys, they don't relent, you're lucky you just hurt your nose," Capable spat, running her hand through her hair.
"Mom, I-"
"Stop. Stop talking. I've told you so many times, I've showed you how to deescalate a situation, and you go and do this? What is your father going to do? He can barely fathom you skinning your knee."
"He called me-"
"Bliss! You're eight years old, you know this is ridiculous. I have to go find dad, okay? Just..." she sighed, closing her eyes, "just... go to your room."
Bliss nodded, looking down to the floor as she picked herself up and hauled herself through the door and slamming it behind her.
Capable would have to deal with the attitude later.
–
Bliss had heard the commotion in the foyer. She hugged Whiskers as she listened to the yelling, dad was mad, mom was too. She heard Toast and Cheedo and a Nurturer. How could this happen? Was no one watching them? Where did she learn how to fight? She's eight, this isn't supposed to happen yet.
She closed her eyes when she heard the door open slowly, then come to a click shortly after. Her back faced the door as she scrunched herself up further underneath the blankets, tears welling. She'd messed up. She ruined everything. She'd never be able to go back to the Pups, she'd have to sit in this room for the rest of her life.
The weight shifted on the bed, someone sitting on it. She didn't move, trying to slow her breathing and ease the tightness in her chest.
Then, a hand. On her side.
Unmistakably dad's.
He said nothing, only ran his hand up and down her side through the blankets. She let some tears fall, not wanting to go through the conversation where he told her she'd never see them again, never see Cavity again. He was a jackass, but she liked him. He treated her as badly as he treated the other Pups; it was a disturbing thought, but a comforting one as well.
"Can you sit up?" he was surprisingly soft.
She settled for a moment, then shuffled the blankets from her as she turned and sat up, leaning against her pillows and meeting Nux's gentle, blue eyes.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his hand on her leg now. He was painted. She'd interrupted his work.
"Sorry, I'm sorry for everything. Please, I'm real-"
"Answer the question," he was firm but soft. She'd just noticed the red rings around his eyes.
"Yeah, dad, I'm fine," she nodded. He nodded in return.
He sighed, then, surprisingly, he smiled. "How many hits did you get in?"
She tilted her head, her brows furrowed, a smile growing. "What?"
"How many times did you get him?" he insisted, his eyebrows raising.
She stared, incredulous. "I don't know... one or two? Three?"
He nodded, placing his hand on her back. "Good."
Her jaw slacked in disbelief, her eyes scanning the room. "What?" she repeated.
Nux chuckled, breathy. "You think I never got in any fights as a Pup?"
Bliss looked to the floor then. "Nurturer Frit says I'm not a Pup."
He was the one to tilt his head, then. "What does she mean?"
"She said I'd never be one of them, and that the only reason I'm there is because you and mom lie to me and say I am," her lip quivered.
Nux pouted, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck. "Well, that's not true. You play like a Pup, you learn like a Pup," he grinned and patted her back, "you fight like a Pup. Sounds a lot like being a Pup to me."
"She said it's because I'm a lady."
Nux glared at the door, then. "What's that got to do with anything? You keep up with the rest of them."
"That's what I'm saying," her newly wet hair falling in her face.
He laughed, then. She was so animated for being so young.
"What started it?" he turned back to her.
"He said that I'm too good at fletch-catch and that no one wants me on the team," she shuffled her feet under the blankets.
"Well that makes no sense," Nux brushed the hair from her face. "Wouldn't you being good mean they want you on the team?"
She shrugged.
"That's not it and both of us know it," he prodded.
She met his gaze, only to close her eyes. "They said I'd make a good breeder."
Nux's grin faded into a tight line. He swallowed, feeling the rage he'd suppressed moments ago in the hallway creep back up. No, no. It's not her. Don't yell at her.
"Did you tell mom that?" he asked.
"I tried, but she just wanted me to go to my room."
Nux shook his head. He felt his heart race. They dare call his daughter a breeder? The first healthy female to be born in the Citadel under the Dignitaries would certainly be no breeder. How dare he?
"Cavity's getting' his ass handed to him right now," Nux nodded, now vindictive, though towards a child. "There's not fighting allowed officially, especially not with my kid."
"That's the thing," she piped up, "I don't want to be special. I want to just... be like them."
Nux let the silence hang in the room. He understood- Capable was the same way, she hated when anyone doted on her or tried to help her when she didn't need it. She'd been treated like a teacup all her life. Bliss must have felt a bit coddled as well.
"That's why you fought, isn't it?" he finally said. "You want to be one of them, but the only one dumb enough to touch you was Cavity."
She sighed, looking up at him. "I just... want some friends, is all. They fight all the time. Why can't I fight? Why can't I ride the motor trikes? Why can't I get painted?" she started to cry then, Nux reaching his arm around her and pulling her into his chest.
"I get it, it's alright," he comforted. Her cries softened, comforted by dad's chest and his voice.
"He said something else, too," she confided. Nux let out a curious hum.
"He said... um," she wasn't sure how to word it, "that um... you're gonna go away. Soon."
Nux swallowed, inhaling and exhaling to relieve the sadness that always accompanied the mention of his half-life. "I see."
"I just got so mad, dad. I got so mad," she muffled into his chest. He squeezed her harder.
She didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve any of this. She didn't deserve a half-life dad, she didn't deserve to be bullied for things she couldn't control. She didn't deserve to be crying right now.
"I'm not going anywhere, not soon," he said as she parted from his chest, wiping her face. "I promise."
She nodded, her ponytail bouncing.
"I'm gonna go talk to mom, okay? I'll be right back," he assured, standing with a nod from Bliss, and moving towards the door.
–
A knock at the door.
She stepped into the room, moving to sit next to Nux on the bed.
"Mom, I'm sorry, I won't go back if you-"
"I'm sorry I didn't listen to you," Capable swallowed, Nux's eyes on hers though she looked to Bliss.
Bliss looked up to her, who brushed the stray hairs from her face.
"I didn't know he'd said such mean things about you. I was just mad, Bliss. Not at you, though."
"You always say that, but you always yell at me."
Capable sighed. "Just like you learn every day, mom and dad have to as well."
Bliss nodded. She understood.
Capable pulled her in for a hug. "No one is mad at you. We're just upset that it's so rough with the Pups."
"Are you gonna make me stop going?" she whimpered.
Capable sighed. "It would be cruel to prohibit you from interacting with people your age."
Bliss smiled.
"But," Capable's gaze turned more focused, "there will be no more of that fighting. If any of those Pups insults you, you deescalate, okay? It's just... they're still so rough."
"Yeah," she nodded. "I know."
Capable pulled her in for another tight hug. "I love you," she whispered into her hair.
"I love you too, mom."
–
The Citadel was flourishing like the crops that grew in the now-massive greenhouse. Currency had taken off, money exchanged so quickly for goods that the Wretched often had enough to buy more than their predetermined allowance of water or food. The War Boys churned out beautiful vehicles, the bloodline for all trade and product creation. The War Boys were a proud group, every faction working together to create something they cherished. In nine years, the Citadel had transformed into one of the strongest economies any of the territories had ever seen.
It hadn't come easy. Furiosa had to fight for respect, proving her worth over many trades, negotiations, and other business. It was remarkable- not a single war was started in nine years between the territories, a great feat. Furiosa was indeed respected by all who worked with her and under her. No one respected her more than the Sisters, though, seeing her devotion to her people and also to them as a Sister. Furiosa was bitter at how she often just didn't have time to spend with the women, though they assured her that if they needed anything, they would seek her out.
No one saw more growth in those nine years than Bliss.
"Look, mom!" she called from her room, just waking up. "it's true! You said she'd come and she did!" she held up the red sweet when Capable walked in the room, smiling.
"I told you," she said. "If you leave a tooth under your pillow, the tooth fairy will come and leave something sweet for you."
"I thought you said sweets weren't good for your teeth," she popped it into her mouth, the sweetness still something very rare in the Citadel. Sugar was hard to grow and manufacture, it was the Dag's greatest project.
"Well, the tooth fairy's a bit of a ditz, huh?" Capable ruffled Bliss's hair.
"Can I show dad?" she was excited.
"You just ate it, what's to show him?"
"Well, I mean, tell him, then..."
Capable sighed, guiding Bliss to the door for breakfast. "I think we should let him sleep a bit longer. After lunch you can show him."
"But that's so far away!" she whined, the door closing behind them.
Neither of them said another word as they passed Capable and Nux's bedroom, the door closed, then descended the staircase to join the other women for breakfast.
–
"Fuck, fuck, shit, fuck, fuck," Flaps carried Nux away from the engine room, Nux's pained groans painting every ebb in his step. He carried him to the bunks, quiet from the daytime bustle elsewhere.
Nux collapsed into the bunk, sweating too much and breathing too hard. Flaps stayed with him, holding his hand, squeezing it tightly like Nux said he liked. He tried to mouth "thank you" but was more concerned with not passing out.
"She'll be right, mate," Flaps comforted, watching Nux's chest heave.
Nux let his head collapse into the sad excuse for a pillow that was in Flaps's bunk, the coolness much appreciated.
"Mate, it's alright if you need me to take over, just 'ead home 'n relax..." he said softly over Nux's pained groans.
He opened his eyes, making eye contact with Flaps. He couldn't see him. He could only see the black rim that centered around his vision and the blurry whiteness that must have been Flaps. Oh Glory, I can't see, I can't see, my head...
"Flaps..." he closed his eyes again, breathing heavy. His head didn't just feel light... it felt painful. "Flaps, get Remedy."
He nodded, rushing out of the bunks to do so. Nux heaved, forcing his chest to go up, down, up down. It was getting harder every time. Every day, he had gotten worse... new pains, more things he couldn't do.
And now this.
He felt his lungs refuse to open, only a wheeze escaping. Glory, glory, please...
His heart slowed, his temperature only rising, the chill on his skin only from fear. Why today? Why was today the day?
His arms went slack, unable to move them, dangling from the bunk. His vision came in and out of focus, the blackness returning when he didn't blink. He found it harder to keep his eyes open, to scan the room, with every second that passed.
"Glory," Remedy rushed through the door, Flaps behind her. She grabbed Nux's skull, pointing his face towards her. His jaw was lax, his eyes dull and scanning.
"Fuck," she tapped his face lightly. "Nux, Nux, are you there?"
His eyes fluttered closed, and then open.
"Fuck," she repeated. Flaps stayed in the doorway, his hand covering his mouth, tears welling.
"Nah mate, not now, nah, nah..." he repeated. Remedy ignored him as she rustled through her bag.
She held the stethoscope to his chest, an innovation only recently brought back from extinction.
She heard it. It was weak, but it was there. Though his lungs didn't sound good, his heart was still pumping, though slowly and weakly.
She shook her head, tears welling in her own eyes. She cursed them; she swore to keep emotions out of this. She pulled the stethoscope out of her ears, Nux's eyes stopping their scan and settling on the distant air in front of him.
"Nux!" she called to him. Other War Boys had gathered in the doorway now, silent, though Flaps shook with each cry that overtook him.
Then, his chest stopped moving.
Remedy scrambled, her shaky hands on his chest, sensing any movement that there could be. There was none.
"Fuck, fuck, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Nux," she reached into her bag, pulling out a smaller red container. Opening it frantically, she looked towards the Boys that watched her intently.
"Watch, or don't. I recommend the latter," she insisted, her shaky hands revealing the largest syringe any of them had ever seen.
No one moved.
"Suit yourselves," Remedy poked at the syringe, removing the plastic cover on the needle. She placed one hand on Nux's shoulder, like a ragdoll, and in one swift movement, plunged the needle between Nux's fourth and fifth rib. She pushed the syringe down, a scowl on her face, the other War Boys already hanging their heads.
Silence for a moment.
Then his chest began moving again, a squeaky whine escaping his parted lips. The Boys remained motionless, Remedy hovering over him, scanning for any signs. His eyes fluttered close, his eyes rolling to the back of his head.
She nodded, a small grin growing as she turned to the Boys who stared at her and Nux.
"He's alive," she said, her hand on his chest feeling his heart beat. "He's alive."
They sighed, Flaps removing his hand from his mouth and rushing to Nux's side. The syringe was still plunged into his chest, but he nestled his head into Nux's shoulder, his eyes squeezed shut. Remedy retrieved some supplies from her bag.
"I have to remove the needle," she said, basically telling Flaps to move. And he did.
She held gauze close to the insertion site as she pulled, very slowly, it needed to come out in the same exact way it had gone in, or she would rupture his heart. It was painstaking, blood leaking into the gauze with every centimeter the needle was removed, but with time, it was done.
"What now?" Flaps asked, still hovering over Nux as Remedy snapped the red box closed over the syringe.
"Now, he rests. He probably thinks he's dead in there," he patted his head. "He'll wake up in a few hours."
"How'd ya do that?" a Boy asked from the crowd.
"It's... It's adrenaline," she answered, not knowing who to look at. Was she a God?
They stared back, blank.
"It was shot into his heart," she continued, not really feeling like explaining what adrenaline was though they all know the feeling. "It's not a permanent fix, but..." she swallowed, "I didn't want him to die here."
They nodded, starting to move away, V8 signs flashing.
–
He woke, feeling softness at his shoulder and warmth down his torso.
Bliss.
His vision was coming into focus, turning his head to the side to bury his nose in her hair, so curly and long now. Where had she gotten such curly hair? Do I have curly hair?
"Dad!" she turned, looking up to meet his dazed face. He couldn't control the smile that grew on his face, seeing her, seeing her.
I can see.
I'm not dead.
I'm not dead.
How?
Capable rushed into the room, meeting his dreary gaze, his smile growing wider. Glory, is this Valhalla? Did He bestow upon me that which makes me the happiest in my afterlife?
No, I'm still here. I'm still here.
Because my chest fucking hurts.
Capable was on her knees next to him, her hand on his head. She leaned in to kiss his forehead, his cheek.
"How?" he cracked out, seeing the other Sisters fill into the room despite focusing entirely on Capable. Bliss lay next to him, her arm wrapped around his chest.
"Remedy," Capable smiled.
"Remedy," Nux repeated, laughing only once before the pain in his chest was too much.
"Yeah?" he turned his head to see Remedy between Toast and Cheedo.
"Glory..." his vision was clearer now, grogginess still claiming him, though he saw Remedy approach and take his hand in hers.
He laughed as much as he could, the women surrounding him smiling with him.
I'm alive.
I'm here.
At least for now.
–
She spun out, the back wheels of the trike spinning around the front one, Cavity's following suit. They laughed, the engines rumbling under their feet, kicking up dust as they chased each other in the desert, the other Pups waiting their turn. Capable watched from the platform, the sun beginning to hang low in the sky, her hair blowing in the desert breeze.
"Hey," Nux said from behind her. She turned to see and unpainted Nux.
"You're not supposed to be home until nine," she panicked slightly. "Everything okay?"
"Yeah, yeah," he nodded, moving closer to her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I just um..."
"If you need to rest, just hang the cloth over the door handle, I'll stay in-"
He encapsulated his lips around hers, shocking her, though she closed her eyes and pushed her body into his. She wrapped her arms around his neck when he deepened the kiss, his arms tightening around her.
He broke the kiss, moving to her neck, Capable giggling and rubbing the back of his neck. "What're you doing?"
"Kissing you," he answered matter-of-fact, inducing another giggle from Capable.
"I missed you," he continued, feeling her warmth under his lips, such soft skin, so smooth.
Capable grinned, the kisses sending jolts down her spine. "You left early because you missed me?"
He looked to her eyes then, his forehead touching hers.
"Should I go back?" he teased, tonguing her earlobe like he knew she loved so much.
She giggled and looked up to him, mischief in his eyes.
"I have to watch the Pups," Nux kissed her, "they'll kill each other if I don't."
He pursed his lips and his eyes scanned her body seductively as he stepped away. "We can do that, then."
She was slightly shocked when he simply leaned on the railing next to her, watching the Pups like she had been doing moments ago. Her skin yearned for more, but she joined him, watching the Pups twirl around in the sand, yelling and laughing.
Bliss was only distinguishable because of her curly brown hair, her behavior exactly like the myriad of white below. Nux seemed content to look down at her, hearing her laughs from this far up.
"Recka," Capable called. A Nurturer appeared in the doorway, surprised to see Nux.
"Yes?" she was obviously under Capable's authority, respectful, hands clasped at the front.
"Can you watch the Pups? Nux needs to rest and I'd like to keep my eye on him," she smiled, her hand on the small of Nux's back. He smiled and, when his gaze met Recka's, nodded.
Recka grinned, "of course, Dignitary. Please feel better, Dignitary Nux," she replaced Capable's spot at the lookout, Nux following Capable as she glided out of view.
"Capable, I-"
His back was shoved into the wall, Capable's lips claiming his, soft but rough. He grinned into her kiss, feeling her buck into him, trying to stay silent so Recka wouldn't hear, the only sounds their hot breaths clashing into each others' skin.
There were times where she was dominant. It was rare, but when it needed to happen, it did. She'd never felt in control sexually, only recently trying to be the top, and found she'd enjoyed it immensely. Immortan had never allowed her the pleasure.
There were times where she was dominant.
And this was one of them.
–
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Bliss said to Cavity, who was hunched under her. He twisted a knob, pushed a button...
"Yeah, yeah, why not? I see the Boys do it all the time," Cavity reassured, the darkness around them murky though she held a lantern.
"You're not supposed to take vehicles out at night," Bliss said, her eyes searching the dark room for any other people. She could feel her heart pound in her chest: nervousness, anxiety.
But also excitement.
"Like I said," Cavity snapped something into place and the engine roared to life, "the War Boys do it all the time. Why not us? Come on, get on the lancer's deck."
In reality, the "lancer's deck" was just the back of the trike. It was much bigger than it started, space added on to accommodate growing legs. Bliss swallowed, hesitant, as Cavity jumped into the driver's seat, his hands on the wheel.
His painted face beamed in the low light, but fell when Bliss didn't board the trike.
"What's the matter?" he asked over the engine's noises.
"We're not supposed to do this," she reaffirmed, her brows furrowed.
"Typical girl," Cavity dragged the gear shift, "always so afraid of everything. Why not be a real Pup and have some fun?"
A real Pup. Why did it always feel like she had to prove herself? Why was being with the Pups never enough for Cavity?
She looked down, then met Cavity's encouraging eyes.
The trike jumped forward, the light of the lantern sinking into the darkness behind the loudly laughing Cavity. Bliss squinted into the sand that was kicked up from under the tires.
–
"Imperator."
Her eyes shot open, her name screamed from a guard outside her bedroom door with a knock. She scrambled to get up, her groggy feet gaining stability with every step she took. She opened the door to her personal guard, standing upright. There was something wrong.
"There's an unidentified Citadel vehicle headed towards Gas Town," he informed. "Do you have any record of a night recon?"
Furiosa breathed heavily, her eyes switching from right to left. No, no there was no missions tonight, no reason for a vehicle to be leaving the Citadel.
She shook her head, meeting eyes with her guard. He turned to follow when Furiosa pushed past him to advance towards the platform watchdeck. The telescope would be useless; it was too dark to see anything past the Citadel's dim lights from the hightower. She could easily see, though, the light of a vehicle as it traveled east, heading towards the other territory.
"What the fuck?" she gripped the deck's railing. The other guards looked to her, seeking guidance from the bewildered Imperator.
"Send out a Reacher," she commanded.
–
"Boys! Ay ay!" Nux called from the archway into the bunks. He wasn't painted, though he wore his pants and his favorite boots.
They called out to him, the dim silhouettes of their heads catching the light of Nux's lantern. What, mate? The fuck you doing? What time is it? He had bags under his eyes though they were wide, excited.
"Anyone missin'?" he called out, antagonizing, seeing that every Boy had stuck their heads out of their bunks.
"What?" one called to him.
"There's an unauthorized Citadel vehicle headed right to Gas Town. Which one of you fucks knows anything about it?" he was slightly joking.
"Nah, mate," one Boy called out before stretching. "Wait, there's a rig out there? Ain't no one heard any engines."
Nux entered the bunks then, the Boys meeting his gaze, serious.
"Imperator Furiosa demands we send a Reacher," he said, the light of the lantern painting the rock orange.
"Well that's great," the Boy next to him said. "Why you gotta wake all of us up for that?"
Nux glared. "'Cuz, moron, if this is some crazy overthrowing shit then we gotta take that down."
"You'd know a lot about crazy overthrowing shit."
Nux grinned. "You want this place to go back to the way it used to be?"
Silence.
"Then get the fuck up."
–
"Imperator," one guard called, his hand waving. She went to his side. "The vehicle's crossed the territory border."
Furiosa cursed. What the hell was this? There's no way just one small vehicle could do anything substantial, is there? Were they planning a robbery?
"Where is the Reacher?"
Another guard answered, "the Boys are lowering it as we speak. Should be in the sand in two minutes."
She sighed. "And you woke Nux?"
"Yes, Imperator."
"He's down there, I assume?"
"Yes, Imperator."
She nodded. The Boys would listen to him much more doggedly than anyone else.
Suddenly, more lights appeared in the distance, from the east. Two, then four, then six.
"Gas Town's sending out responders," one guard said.
"Shit," she rushed back to the ledge, her eyes focused on the lights that descended from Gas Town.
The Citadel vehicle stopped. It began again with a wiggle, then, it circled.
"What's it doing?" one guard said.
Furiosa's mouth gaped, her jaw slacked.
"It's making o-rings," she said flatly.
The guards looked to one another, confused. Why would a Citadel vehicle be doing children's sport? Especially not in Citadel territory? Especially as the moon hung highest in the sky?
Furiosa's eyes widened, her breath hitched.
"The driver has no idea what he's doing," she said, her knuckles turning white, "because he's a kid."
They could only look on as the sound of gunshots permeated the air, thick in their lungs.
–
The Reacher sped out of the dock, full speed. The driver slammed the pedal down as far as it could go, switching gears as quickly as he needed to.
His lancer scanned the horizon. He heard gunshots, banging on the roof of the Reacher four times.
The driver nodded. Gas Town was retaliating.
He sped along, his knuckles turning white and his goggles feeling too tight on his face.
–
"Mom."
Capable was being shaken. Her eyes slowly drifted open, the darkness making nothing apparent.
"Mom," the voice said again, scared and worried.
"Bliss..." she groaned, swallowing.
"Mom, Cavity is gonna get hurt, he's out, he's gonna-"
"Bliss," she reached up to grab her arm gently, "slow down. What's wrong?"
Bliss sighed, shaking and almost crying. "Bliss took out the trike," she said, trying to keep calm. "And now everyone is going after him."
Capable rolled her eyes. She'd have to punish the moron later. "They're gonna go get him, Bliss, he'll just be in trouble."
"No, mom," tears welled now, "no, Gas Town."
Capable was confused. Obviously Bliss was too distraught to communicate clearly. Then it clicked. Gas Town was going after Cavity who had taken out the trike.
Oh, Glory.
Capable sat up, pushing the blankets out of her way. Bliss moved aside as Capable rushed towards the door, and followed when she swung it open.
–
"Can we send another Reacher? To let him now?" Furiosa queried, examining the lights that drew closer to the Citadel's vehicle. The Reacher was almost to it, its light paving the way. Gas Town had sent out three Gunners, agile and dangerous.
"It won't make it to him in time," one guard said. "He'll figure it out."
Furiosa swallowed.
Another gun shot. They weren't aiming to kill, obviously, or the vehicle would have stopped moving. Instead, it headed west.
Stupid kid must not know which way was home.
Now that the Pup drove west, the Reacher would take longer to reach him. Furiosa hoped her Boys would reach the Pup sooner than the Gas Town Boys would.
"Furiosa," someone called to her from the doorway. She turned to see Capable, her hand on the back of Bliss's head, both with worried faces.
"Nux will be fine," she assured, her eyes almost rolling.
"No, no Furiosa," Capable approached her. "Cavity is out there. Cavity's out on the trike."
Furiosa nodded, her suspicions confirmed.
"What happened?" she asked, her eyes on Bliss.
"He wanted to be like a War Boy," Bliss said meekly. "He found the key in the bunks."
"How do you know?" Furiosa was kind, but strict. She'd never been good with kids, often resenting them for their innocence, but now she found it came to her quite naturally.
"He wanted me to go with," she answered.
Furiosa looked back up to the lights. They were approaching Cavity quickly. She had to take desperate measures. Capable looked down to Bliss, her eyes wide.
"Fire up the whites," she commanded to the guard closest to her.
"But, Imperator," he blinked, "then they would assume we were doing battle in the first place."
"I don't care, they're gonna kill the kid," she screamed. Bliss's features twisted, Capable reaching down to comfort her. "We'll deal with that later."
The guard nodded, sending the command along to, eventually through the chain of guards, the hightower control. It was a small room, more like a nook, that held exactly one watchman and the collection of flares that could be fired from atop the hightower. The watchman nodded, settling three white flares into the firing base.
He looked up when he heard an explosion on the horizon.
–
The driver turned the wheel as fast as he could, the explosion rattling the Reacher and almost toppling it. He could smell the gunpowder. Speeding away from the explosion site, he looked up through the sun roof to see a thumbs-up from his lancer. Glory be.
"Why're they bombing?" his lancer called over the roar of the engine.
"I don't know," the driver answered, his heart pumping, racing, matching the speed of the Reacher.
"How much farther 'till the rig?" the driver called.
"'Bout a mile."
"Where are the Gas Town Boys?"
"Half a mile, mate."
The driver pounded his fist into the wheel, the adornments rattling. He'd give it to whatever fuckwit had stolen a vehicle and decided to take it for a joyride. Absolutely shred them.
–
"Fuck," Furiosa cursed as the explosion lit up the horizon, the Reacher getting lost in the smoke from it.
Capable's eyes widened and Bliss cried quietly.
The guards only looked on.
Soon, though, three pops rang through the air.
"Hopefully the flairs are visible at this time of night," Furiosa murmured, watching the trike spin out, coming to a halt in the sand. It started up again, though, moving towards the Citadel now.
The Reacher emerged from the smoke to thankful stares from the hightower.
–
The vehicle stopped, then, and then began zooming across the sand again when it had turned back towards the Citadel.
The Reacher was closer to the vehicle now than the Gas Town Boys, now that the rig had changed course.
Three white flairs. Pop pop pop.
The driver nodded, knowing that Furiosa must be running around like a maniac up there. He smiled to himself.
He neared the vehicle, the headlights catching on the chrome that glinted. The driver squinted his eyes behind his goggles, trying to make out the vehicle in the dim light. The Gas Town Boys neared, their lancers ready at the guns that were soldered to the top of their rigs. Why were they on the offensive? The Citadel sent up three white flairs.
Bullets rang through the Reacher's hull, its thick steel adopting holes where they penetrated it. They must no longer be interested in the original vehicle, focusing more on the armed Reacher.
The lancer ducked into the platform, the hull protecting him from the bullets. The Gas Town Boys relented as the lancer sent up his hand, three fingers raised. The white flares weren't a gimmick; they were really surrendering.
The Gas Town Boys called out in victory, easily audible over their engines. They continued the pursuit with lowered guns, though, as the Reacher followed the original vehicle back into Citadel territory.
The original vehicle had begun to slow down; the Reacher's driver assumed it was from lack of guzzoline. It was small, a tiny Infiltrator maybe? There weren't many small rigs they'd built, bigger being better in the wasteland.
Except four.
The driver's mouth dropped open, the realization hitting him in the chest.
"It's a trike!" he called up to his lancer. "It's one of the Pups!"
Then another stab at his heart sent him reeling.
"Are ya sure?" he heard, distant compared to the blood rushing in his ears.
He was silent as he pressed on, nearing the vehicle as it puttered to a stop.
–
"It's alright, they stopped shooting, it's okay," Furiosa repeated to Bliss and Capable, obviously disturbed.
Capable ran her hand through Bliss's hair, calming her.
"Imperator, the vehicle is stopping," one guard called out.
It was true. The trike had stopped moving. Finally, a sign of intelligence.
"What're you going to do about this?" Furiosa kept her gaze on the spectacle below, though her words were pointed towards Capable.
"I... I don't know..." she stuttered. She really didn't. Why hadn't the nightwatch Nurturer known about this? How could a trike be taken out, weren't they locked up?
The Reacher stopped with the trike, the headlights going out.
All visibility of the situation went with the halted light.
–
The Gunners stopped as well, their engines still puttering and their headlights too dim to blind anyone.
The driver's boots slammed into the sand as he thrust himself towards the trike, his lancer hopping down from the perch.
His heart pounded. Please don't be, please don't be...
And it wasn't.
"Cavity!" his voice boomed, the terrified Pup sniveling and crying beneath him.
"Dignitary! Dignitary, please, I'm sorry, I'm- ah!" Nux reached down to grip the boy's upper arm, pulling him from the seat of the trike. He was planted into the sand, meeting Nux's shadowed eyes as he was suddenly face-to-face with him.
"What the fuck are you doing?" he growled, his grip on the boy's arms firm and slightly painful.
Cavity sniffled and avoided Nux's glare. "I- I just wanted, I wanted... to be a War Boy," he concluded, another harsh round of cries overtaking him.
Nux let him go, standing up to meet Flaps and two Gas Town Boys behind him.
"Tell your leader," Nux called to them, forgetting his name, "that this little fuckhead decided to take a joyride. Our apologies."
The Gas Town Boys laughed, sending an unfamiliar hand signal to the other Gunners. Their engines roared as they turned and zoomed east, leaving only one.
"Hey, Nux," Flaps uttered. "Don't call him names like that. You were there, too, once."
Nux looked down at the Pup who covered his face with his hands, sitting in the sand.
He sighed, looking at the trike. He'd taken advantage of one of the greatest things the Boys had done for him.
"Let's figure out how to get this thing back in the garage," Nux stayed on task, advancing towards the Reacher. "Do we gotta tow boat?"
"Yeah," Flaps walked with him, craning his head to watch the boy that shook into the sand. He pulled out a metal sheet and a chain, hooking one end up to the end of the Reacher and the other to the "boat".
Nux walked back over to the trike as the Gas Town Boys sent their mocking regards, boarded their Gunner, and zoomed off. Cavity looked up to meet Nux's gaze, not entirely visible in the darkness of the night. The moon had hung too high in the sky to give any light.
"Cavity," he finally said, breaking the silence, "are you okay?"
Cavity shook his head, his features twisting once more. Nux bent down to wrap his arm around the boy's cold shoulders, trying to remain neutral. He panicked, though.
"Were you shot?" he asked, skimming the boy's body; there were no signs of such a thing.
He shook his head again.
"C'mon, get in the Reacher," Nux murmured into the Pup's scalp, his breath warm against sweat-chilled skin. The boy nodded, getting up and stumbling to Flaps, who helped him get into the Reacher.
Nux swallowed, closing his eyes. He was glad to feel furious instead of miserable, the perpetrator being Cavity instead of Bliss. He counted his blessings as he dragged the trike to the boat, hitched it up, and opened the driver's side door.
–
The Reacher sent up a purple flair, its embers popping in the dark sky. Barely visible, but visible indeed.
The hightower attendants sighed in relief, all but one.
"What does that mean?" Bliss uttered.
"It means everyone is safe," Furiosa explained, her voice soft. Her heart rate slowed, her eyes softening. Bliss smiled.
"You were good to come to me," Capable patted her head. "I'm very, very glad that you didn't go with him. Look at all the trouble he caused."
Bliss nodded. She wished she'd tried to convince him to not go more than she did, but deep down she knew that it would have been futile.
"The Gas Town Boys must've gotten a laugh out of this one," one of the guards said lightheartedly.
Furiosa shot daggers at him. "Of course. They're laughing at our horrible security."
Silence then.
They watched as the Reacher advanced towards the Citadel, the moon hanging lower in the sky.
–
Bliss sauntered out from the bathroom, clutching the white fabric in her hand. Her ponytail bounced as she hurried away from the door, into the hallway.
"Dag!" she called, relieved. The Dag looked up to her from her seed sorting, tilting her head as the very concerned Bliss approached her.
"What's the matter, small creature?" she placed her hand on Bliss's cheek.
"I think I'm sick," she peeped, scared.
"Oh no," The Dag's brows furrowed, her beauty still very much in tact after ten years. "Why's that?" She felt her forehead: normal, no fever.
Bliss held up the white fabric, her palm opening to reveal the spot of red that dotted the linen.
"Am I gonna die?" her eyes switched between Dag's left and right, only to be confused when she smiled.
"Sweet creature," the Dag grabbed the linen from Bliss's hands, motioning for her to sit on the couch next to her. "You're not sick."
Bliss was confused. "What?"
The Dag ran her hand along the nape of Bliss's neck. "Are you in any pain?"
Bliss shook her head.
"Consider yourself lucky," the Dag giggled lowly. "We should go find your mother, she can explain everything."
Bliss seemed comforted by the Dag's soft touches. Since she was a small child, the Dag was always the most gentle, the most comforting with her touches. Nux sometimes seemed too afraid to touch her, afraid he'd break her, but the Dag was so comfortable with her little body that every stroke was confident and sweet.
Bliss stood with the Dag, her hand on the back of Bliss's head, guiding her towards the stairwell.
–
Capable sometimes felt like she was herding cattle, trying to wrangle in the Pups despite their own interests. The sun was perched high in the sky, noon's heat especially unbearable today.
"Capable," the Dag approached her softly, Bliss at her side. The Dag held out the white linen in her hand, Capable knowing immediately what was happening and felt a rush of... something... go through her. Was it sadness? Was it pride? Excitement?
No.
She didn't know what it was.
"The Dag says I'm not sick," she said.
Capable nodded, the Dag making eye contact with her and sharing a knowing glance.
"No, Bliss," Capable felt her throat tighten. "You're not sick."
–
Menstruation was a huge event for the Sisters when they were Wives. Immortan had often abducted them before they were of age to bleed, and when they did for the first time, it was a hightower-wide celebration. He threw a party with food and music, he made each wife the center of attention for the whole duration of their period, his guards doting on them, bringing them sweets and tea and games.
They didn't know that at the end of their time, he would violate them. The first of many attempts to impregnate the now fertile girls, often only ten or twelve. Since they were so young it often took into their late teens and early twenties before a fetus successfully implanted. Capable was the last to get hers; she was fifteen. Something about the malnutrition of childhood or the stress of her situation had held it off.
Now, though, Bliss was ten years old and she was a woman. Her breasts began to develop, not much, but present. She was shorter than the other ten year olds of the Citadel, but just as vibrant. She was rough and gritty like the rest of the Pups, adopting their slang and dreaming of being a War Boy like the rest of them. Her dreams didn't include children, they didn't include nurturing, they included the almighty V8, the roar of the accelerator as she pressed down the gas pedal, the wind rushing past her ears and the sand catching in her hair.
She was the first of many, many women who had seen this time as a time of impeding doom, to see it instead as something beautiful.
Capable helped her clean up, her explanation artistic and medical, a strong blend of the two.
"The other Pups don't get it?" she asked, the clean linen feeling good against her skin.
"You're the only girl Pup, Bliss," Capable said. "And only girls get it."
Bliss nodded. Another thing for them to ostracize her about, another thing to make her different from them. Great.
Bliss wanted to return to the Pups shortly after a hug from Capable, who still felt the unfamiliar tug in her gut. Lucky girl, no pain yet. Who knew if that would change.
The Dag waited outside for Capable and, upon seeing her emerge, wrapped her arm around her shoulder.
"It's alright," the Dag pulled in the quivering Capable who had tried to keep it locked inside her, "she's not going to get hurt. Not anymore."
"Not anymore," Capable nodded into the Dag's shoulder. "Not anymore."
–
"Now? Today?" Nux blinked.
"Yes, this afternoon," Capable said, sitting on the bed.
"You- you said later, twelve or thirteen," he breathed, sitting next to her.
"She's an early bloomer, I suppose."
Nux inhaled a deep breath and held it in a moment before releasing it. "What does this mean?"
"It just means she'll be going through a lot of changes."
"What kinds of changes?"
Capable turned to meet his concerned eyes, her hand on his knee. She leaned in to kiss his nose; his weak spot. He grinned slightly. She was calming him down.
"Bodily ones. She'll get taller, her hips will widen..." Capable noticed him swallow. "Lots of emotional changes. She'll cling less to you and more to herself."
He looked down, then. She wouldn't want to be around him as much? Would she still want to go on joyrides, do o-rings in the desert? Would she want him to read to her, to help him read? Would she be so enthusiastic to do simple errands with him? Would she want to visit the Boys as much? His thoughts raced, anxious.
"She will always love you," Capable said, noticing his internal conflict. "But she has to grow up sometime. And now..." Capable swallowed, "now, she has a choice of what she wants to do with her life."
Nux met Capable's watery eyes, small smiles on both of their faces. Nux pulled her in for a tight hug, feeling her squeeze him back. She could choose.
–
"Do you really want to?" Nux grinned, Bliss's excited face beaming up at him.
She nodded enthusiastically, her long brown hair bouncing. After so many times of him saying no, was he really saying yes?
"Alright, fine," he chuckled, ruffling her hair between his fingers. She squealed, wrapping her arms around his hips.
"Stay here, I'll be right back," Nux nodded to her. She obeyed as he turned and descended the staircase.
She bounced on her feet. Today was going to be the day. Finally. She felt she could jump right onto the moon right now.
When Nux returned, he held two black canisters. "C'mon," he held his unoccupied hand out, grabbed by Bliss as they advanced towards the other Pups.
"Pups!" Nux called out. They all turned to him, chins up, chests out. "Big day today!"
"Why?" Cavity called out. He's grown so much, just like Bliss, filling out from all the games and work.
"Bliss here," he urged her to stand in front of him, "is getting painted."
The Pups erupted in cheer, their previously stoic stances not lasting at all. Capable watched on from the platform, giving a nod to Nux. He tapped on Bliss's shoulder and, when she looked up to him, he pointed her out, her red hair dancing. Bliss waved rapidly, Capable smiling and waving back.
"How're you gonna do it, Bliss?"
"You should do a skull, that'd be real chrome."
"Make a smiley face!"
"Lookit Red's, you should do it like his."
Nux hushed them, setting the canisters in front of Bliss in the sand. "You all know it's a real personal thing."
They nodded, murmuring among themselves.
Bliss opened the first one. White clay. The second: black clay. She looked up to her dad, who moved to sit in the sand next to her.
"I can't help you," he reminded. She nodded.
Applying the clay was almost spiritual for the War Boys. You were only helped to reach places you couldn't- this led to a lot of phallic symbols on a lot of backs. Nux chuckled remembering painting a big ol' dick on Slit's back, and the first time someone wrote "dipshit" on his. It was a running joke among the Boys: how long can this idiot go about his day without anyone mentioning the bullshit on his back?
The first time Nux painted himself he was just six, adopting the skull face paint that would be accentuated by scars later. He wouldn't let Bliss scar herself; that era seemed to be over. Self-mutilation in the name of the V8 and Immortan was long gone.
She dipped her hand into the white clay, cold on her fingers. This was really happening, she thought, I'm going to be a real Pup. She smeared it on half of her face vertically, the other half still bare. On the bare side, she circled her eye and covered her eyebrow. The Pups and her parents looked on in silence; interruptions were forbidden. She dipped her hand into the black now, rubbing it on the other half of her face, then circled the white-half eye. She opened her eyes, blue against black and white. Nux smiled, Capable too, and the rest of the Boys could barely contain their excitement as she closed the canisters, standing up.
Then they cheered.
Nux cheered with them, patting her back as she rubbed the excess clay on her linen pants.
Bliss: balanced and equal, fair and worthy.
–
Remedy cut the skin skillfully, Nux gritting his teeth and squeezing his eyes shut.
"Sorry, sorry," she harvested the sample, placing it in a plastic container, then slid it into her bag. "All done."
"You're sure this is gonna be worth it?" Nux's clammy skin felt uncomfortable under the blankets.
"I'm very sure. I've dedicated a lot of time to this. If I can help the Wretched who show similar symptoms to you, I can help you, too."
Nux swallowed and nodded. Age showed on his face- too many years and too much sun. He smiled, though, hope gleaming through the fever he felt behind his eyes.
Hope was a mistake, he told himself as Remedy bandaged him.
–
