Neo shifted uncomfortably in bed, breaking free of Trinity's sleeping form. He pulled the grimy pillow out
from under his head and put it over his ears, as if he heard something loud. He shifted the pillow to between his
knees, then under his head, then he hurled it across the room. He pulled his knees to his chest and looked around the
dim room.
It wasn't like he was afraid of the dark or anything- it was just that he liked to know where everything was.
His phobia was especially strong tonight, because he had no idea where things were in the light.
What was that?!
Neo looked around quickly, trying to see through the thick blackness that hung about the room. He could've
sworn he'd seen something moving in the dark. Neo swallowed, feeling like a little kid, alone in a cabin in the
middle of the mountains at night. For some reason, the "mountains" had always "bugged" him. Okay, "scared" him.
He hated that feeling of loneliness, knowing that no one was around for miles and miles.
He considered waking Trinity, but was afraid she'd laugh at him for being so childish. "Grow up," he found
himself saying aloud.
"Hmmm?"
Neo looked over at Trinity, laying beside him with the covers drawn up about her shoulders and tucked
under her arms. "Are you awake, Trin?"
"What do you think?" she mumbled, rolling over to face the sound of his voice. Even though her eyes were
closed, Neo felt as if she were still looking at him.
"Trin?"
No answer.
"Trinity?"
Still no answer. She had fallen back asleep and Neo felt terrible for wanting to deprive her of her much
needed rest. He sighed and climbed carefully over her. Once he had both feet on the floor, Neo fumbled for his worn
boots and threadbare jacket.
He opened the door ever so quietly and snuck out into the cool night air. He stared over the railing
longingly, it was hard to believe it was outdoors, the city was underground, though. Suddenly, he felt a presence
behind him. Neo whirled around and found Flame, staring over his shoulder. They both jumped.
"Gee, I'm sorry," Flame apologized, "I didn't mean to scare you."
Neo smiled, "It's fine. I'm just a little...jumpy, tonight."
"You mean this morning- its about three 'o' clock."
"Oh," Neo laughed nervously, "Yeah. Heh." What was with him? Ever since Rev, Neo felt guilty even
talking to a girl other than Trinity.
"So," Flame asked, trying to make conversation, "What's it like...being The One?"
Neo looked confused, "Good? I dunno..."
"I mean," she edged in closer, "I bet there a lot of amazing things you can do..."
Neo felt himself backing away.
Flame blushed, "I'm sorry if I make you uncomfortable. I know you love Trinity, I saw you too holding
hands. What I meant was... I think there's a chance that might be able to save this city. We've been waiting a long
time for you."
Neo looked away from her perfect face, framed by her silky long hair.
"You know, Zion is particularly known for its great parties. I'm sure Trinity's been waiting for you to sk
her."
"Oh. Well, I'm not much of a party-guy," he looked up at the rocky ceiling.
"Sure you are. Everyone has a wild side- you can't be all grounded. How else can you fly?"
Neo smiled, "Trust me, there are ways."
"You know," Flame leaned over the railing and outstretched her arms, "I've always wanted to fly..."
"Maybe I'll take you someday."
"Are you saying you can fly?" she laughed.
"Are you saying I can't?" Neo gave her a flirtatious smile.
"Well, I'd like to take you up on that offer sometime," she smiled back.
"A friend of Spark's is a friend of mine. Or sister..or whatever."
Flame laughed, "Well thanks for giving him back," she said sarcastically, "Now I have to put up with
him!"
"You don't like your own brother?" Neo asked in disbelief.
"I guess you're an only child, huh?"
"It shows?"
"No one likes their siblings, trust me. Especially when one's four and the others a lazy seventeen year old."
They both laughed and Neo stretched, "I'm going to bed. Night Flame, tell your brother I said hi." He
turned and went back inside, still feeling a tad bit guilty.
Jeez, he thought, Trinity's got me so strung up I can't even talk to a girl without worrying I'll be "caught."
He climbed back over Trinity and lay beside her, staring up at a swinging lightbulb and listening to it
flickering on and off, on and off.
from under his head and put it over his ears, as if he heard something loud. He shifted the pillow to between his
knees, then under his head, then he hurled it across the room. He pulled his knees to his chest and looked around the
dim room.
It wasn't like he was afraid of the dark or anything- it was just that he liked to know where everything was.
His phobia was especially strong tonight, because he had no idea where things were in the light.
What was that?!
Neo looked around quickly, trying to see through the thick blackness that hung about the room. He could've
sworn he'd seen something moving in the dark. Neo swallowed, feeling like a little kid, alone in a cabin in the
middle of the mountains at night. For some reason, the "mountains" had always "bugged" him. Okay, "scared" him.
He hated that feeling of loneliness, knowing that no one was around for miles and miles.
He considered waking Trinity, but was afraid she'd laugh at him for being so childish. "Grow up," he found
himself saying aloud.
"Hmmm?"
Neo looked over at Trinity, laying beside him with the covers drawn up about her shoulders and tucked
under her arms. "Are you awake, Trin?"
"What do you think?" she mumbled, rolling over to face the sound of his voice. Even though her eyes were
closed, Neo felt as if she were still looking at him.
"Trin?"
No answer.
"Trinity?"
Still no answer. She had fallen back asleep and Neo felt terrible for wanting to deprive her of her much
needed rest. He sighed and climbed carefully over her. Once he had both feet on the floor, Neo fumbled for his worn
boots and threadbare jacket.
He opened the door ever so quietly and snuck out into the cool night air. He stared over the railing
longingly, it was hard to believe it was outdoors, the city was underground, though. Suddenly, he felt a presence
behind him. Neo whirled around and found Flame, staring over his shoulder. They both jumped.
"Gee, I'm sorry," Flame apologized, "I didn't mean to scare you."
Neo smiled, "It's fine. I'm just a little...jumpy, tonight."
"You mean this morning- its about three 'o' clock."
"Oh," Neo laughed nervously, "Yeah. Heh." What was with him? Ever since Rev, Neo felt guilty even
talking to a girl other than Trinity.
"So," Flame asked, trying to make conversation, "What's it like...being The One?"
Neo looked confused, "Good? I dunno..."
"I mean," she edged in closer, "I bet there a lot of amazing things you can do..."
Neo felt himself backing away.
Flame blushed, "I'm sorry if I make you uncomfortable. I know you love Trinity, I saw you too holding
hands. What I meant was... I think there's a chance that might be able to save this city. We've been waiting a long
time for you."
Neo looked away from her perfect face, framed by her silky long hair.
"You know, Zion is particularly known for its great parties. I'm sure Trinity's been waiting for you to sk
her."
"Oh. Well, I'm not much of a party-guy," he looked up at the rocky ceiling.
"Sure you are. Everyone has a wild side- you can't be all grounded. How else can you fly?"
Neo smiled, "Trust me, there are ways."
"You know," Flame leaned over the railing and outstretched her arms, "I've always wanted to fly..."
"Maybe I'll take you someday."
"Are you saying you can fly?" she laughed.
"Are you saying I can't?" Neo gave her a flirtatious smile.
"Well, I'd like to take you up on that offer sometime," she smiled back.
"A friend of Spark's is a friend of mine. Or sister..or whatever."
Flame laughed, "Well thanks for giving him back," she said sarcastically, "Now I have to put up with
him!"
"You don't like your own brother?" Neo asked in disbelief.
"I guess you're an only child, huh?"
"It shows?"
"No one likes their siblings, trust me. Especially when one's four and the others a lazy seventeen year old."
They both laughed and Neo stretched, "I'm going to bed. Night Flame, tell your brother I said hi." He
turned and went back inside, still feeling a tad bit guilty.
Jeez, he thought, Trinity's got me so strung up I can't even talk to a girl without worrying I'll be "caught."
He climbed back over Trinity and lay beside her, staring up at a swinging lightbulb and listening to it
flickering on and off, on and off.
