CHP 2: the morning after
Disclaimer- I OWN NOTHING DON'T SUE
A/N- this chapter focuses on the other inmates, but don't worry Dumbledore and answers coming in the next chapter! By the way Liem's name in this story is pronounced Lee em.
The smell of metal slowly crept into Remus' senses, he could almost taste it on his tongue. When he opened his eyes it was still dark- although he could see the sky begin to lighten to a dull gray outside his bard window. Sliding gingerly out of bed, Remus began to notice that the smell was stronger than he originally thought. His mind was still foggy and as he stumbled around Karda's bed towards the sink the smell grew even stronger. Suddenly his mind kicked in, registering the smell. It wasn't metal- It was blood.
Remus' body reacted quicker than his mind and as he stood over Scott Karda's bed it took his mind a moment to register the scene. There was blood on the bed, soaking into the mattress. Remus also picked up another metallic scent, one he was surprised he hadn't notice already,
Silver.
It was mixed with the scent blood in the air and Remus didn't know how he had failed to notice it before. Suddenly the weight of his realizations hit him, and he sank to the floor, he had been in Compound Blackbird less than 24 hours and he had already lost a roommate, how could he have not heard? He slept less than 3 feet from Karda...nothing was fitting together, Karda's strange words, the blood, the silver stench that was beginning to make his eyes water, nothing about Blackbird fit. All Remus wanted was an explanation, narrowing his eyes he kicked a wall in frustration, causing him to howl in pain...the wall- it wasn't steel- it was silver...or at least silver-plated, the burn on his foot testified to that. Remus was so consumed with frustration, and the burning sensation that was beginning to wash over him that he almost missed the sound of the intercom flickering to life throughout the compound.
"it is 5:30 am, breakfast will commence in 15 minutes, inmates who fail to reach the mess hall by that time will be met by security."
Remus remembered the way to the mess hall from when he had passed it yesterday. He sighed deeply, he did not assume the best for Karda, wherever he had gone, he probably would not be coming back. Remus had learned to say goodbye quickly at an early age, there was never any use dwelling on death. Dead was dead. And there was nothing that could be done to change it, the only thing one could do was to keep on living.... Remus thought with a heavy sigh.
Remus quickly slid on a pair of black jeans over his boxers and a white wifebeater, abandoning his red cloak on the floor and ruffling his shaggy light golden-brown, waves and pulling on some shoes before heading towards the exit of his cell. The door to his cell opened automatically with a buzzing sound a few minutes later. Remus slid out into the hall quickly, walking swiftly past the guards and counting the floor tiles as he walked, trying desperately to distract himself from the sound of Karda's pained breathing the night before replaying itself in his mind. The mess hall was a dull cement room with florescent lighting and a mass of guards at every entrance. One stopped Remus as he proceeded to enter and swiped his wand over the boy's tattoo, Remus wasn't surprised if the ink used on his arm was charmed to reveal more about the inmates than shown on the skin, with the proper spell.
"you may proceed" the guard said flatly.
Remus limped slightly as he passed into the mess hall, mentally scolding himself for being stupid enough to kick a wall.
"what am I three?" Remus thought sarcastically.
Remus settled down at the nearest table, looking disheartendly at the mess oozing on his plate. He didn't dare guess what it had been, and he didn't trouble himself at what it was now, he only took a quick sniff to see if it was alive.
"don't worry, its not breathing" Remus snapped his head to his right to reveal the speaker, a boy looking to be about 17 with black hair and bright blue eyes.
"I'm Leim" the boy had a light Irish accent and Remus noticed that he also has 3 tattoo's standing out starkly on his pale upper arm.
"Remus" Remus stated and began to relax, the boy reminded him of James, he had a lazy way of lounging back on the bench and an easygoing smile plastered on his face. Leim had a pale porcelain complexion, but a long, angry red scar marred his face on one side, running jaggedly from the outer corner of his left eye backwards towards his jaw line, ending just below his left ear. It gave him a fierce look, despite his lean frame.
Liem noticed Remus' staring and chuckled softly, obviously un offended "I got in a tangle back at Pleiades, they don't believe in separating the inmates before, or during the full moon, when we get irritable. Tangled with a 35 year old wolf, while he was transforming."
"I lost." Liem's last sentence had dark undertones and Remus didn't press.
Remus did however raise and eyebrow in confusion. "you were roomed with an adult? I thought that wasn't allowed- even here."
"its not, but the cut off at Pleiades for children is 18, I'm 21" Liem chuckled good naturedly at Remus' surprise, "it's all right I know I don't look it." Just then Liem stood up to greet another inmate, another boy, this one looking to be 18, with a hardy slap on the back. "hello, who's your friend Liem?" The boy said smiling as he ruffled his burnt-orange hair, golden-hazel eyes gleaming mischievously. Remus was amazed by the good humor of these inmates, although he noticed that Liems companion also had various tattoo's up his arm, although by the looks of them, not all were from previous compounds. One that really caught his eye was a rough etching of a flying bird.
"hey I'm Leon, Pleiades identification number 246, Liechtenstein identification number 12, Delta identification number 98, Blackbird identification number 64..."and the list went on and on..." smileing Leon dealt out an explanation "Ive been in the system since i was 6, I am 18 now, I am a bit of an escape artist... " he said pointing to the bird tattoo on his arm. "that identify's me as 'high risk for escape', as I said, I fly the coup a lot."
"but he isn't very good at staying out" snickered Liem
"yes well...that would explain why I am here now wouldn't it?" Leon exclaimed in mock annoyance.
"you must be new" he said gesturing to Remus' arm. I'd be more than happy to show ya the ropes n' all." Leon finished his sentence with a wink.
"But before I do anything I have to eat some food!" Leon pronounced. "well your not going to find any here!" Liem shot back while poking disgustedly at his own meal and sending the pair into a friendly verbal spar that had Remus completely lost.
When the bell sounded over the intercom signaling that they must return to their cells Remus hadn't even touched his food. "hey see ya around kid, Liem said as he and Leon stood to leave, Remus noted that for Liem's slender build and child-like eyes he was actually quite tall, standing at about the same height as Karda...
Karda, he had almost drowned it out. Almost. And the easygoing air left him immediately as he began to walk towards his cell block, replaced haunting echo's of what Remus assumed to be Karda's last words.
Disclaimer- I OWN NOTHING DON'T SUE
A/N- this chapter focuses on the other inmates, but don't worry Dumbledore and answers coming in the next chapter! By the way Liem's name in this story is pronounced Lee em.
The smell of metal slowly crept into Remus' senses, he could almost taste it on his tongue. When he opened his eyes it was still dark- although he could see the sky begin to lighten to a dull gray outside his bard window. Sliding gingerly out of bed, Remus began to notice that the smell was stronger than he originally thought. His mind was still foggy and as he stumbled around Karda's bed towards the sink the smell grew even stronger. Suddenly his mind kicked in, registering the smell. It wasn't metal- It was blood.
Remus' body reacted quicker than his mind and as he stood over Scott Karda's bed it took his mind a moment to register the scene. There was blood on the bed, soaking into the mattress. Remus also picked up another metallic scent, one he was surprised he hadn't notice already,
Silver.
It was mixed with the scent blood in the air and Remus didn't know how he had failed to notice it before. Suddenly the weight of his realizations hit him, and he sank to the floor, he had been in Compound Blackbird less than 24 hours and he had already lost a roommate, how could he have not heard? He slept less than 3 feet from Karda...nothing was fitting together, Karda's strange words, the blood, the silver stench that was beginning to make his eyes water, nothing about Blackbird fit. All Remus wanted was an explanation, narrowing his eyes he kicked a wall in frustration, causing him to howl in pain...the wall- it wasn't steel- it was silver...or at least silver-plated, the burn on his foot testified to that. Remus was so consumed with frustration, and the burning sensation that was beginning to wash over him that he almost missed the sound of the intercom flickering to life throughout the compound.
"it is 5:30 am, breakfast will commence in 15 minutes, inmates who fail to reach the mess hall by that time will be met by security."
Remus remembered the way to the mess hall from when he had passed it yesterday. He sighed deeply, he did not assume the best for Karda, wherever he had gone, he probably would not be coming back. Remus had learned to say goodbye quickly at an early age, there was never any use dwelling on death. Dead was dead. And there was nothing that could be done to change it, the only thing one could do was to keep on living.... Remus thought with a heavy sigh.
Remus quickly slid on a pair of black jeans over his boxers and a white wifebeater, abandoning his red cloak on the floor and ruffling his shaggy light golden-brown, waves and pulling on some shoes before heading towards the exit of his cell. The door to his cell opened automatically with a buzzing sound a few minutes later. Remus slid out into the hall quickly, walking swiftly past the guards and counting the floor tiles as he walked, trying desperately to distract himself from the sound of Karda's pained breathing the night before replaying itself in his mind. The mess hall was a dull cement room with florescent lighting and a mass of guards at every entrance. One stopped Remus as he proceeded to enter and swiped his wand over the boy's tattoo, Remus wasn't surprised if the ink used on his arm was charmed to reveal more about the inmates than shown on the skin, with the proper spell.
"you may proceed" the guard said flatly.
Remus limped slightly as he passed into the mess hall, mentally scolding himself for being stupid enough to kick a wall.
"what am I three?" Remus thought sarcastically.
Remus settled down at the nearest table, looking disheartendly at the mess oozing on his plate. He didn't dare guess what it had been, and he didn't trouble himself at what it was now, he only took a quick sniff to see if it was alive.
"don't worry, its not breathing" Remus snapped his head to his right to reveal the speaker, a boy looking to be about 17 with black hair and bright blue eyes.
"I'm Leim" the boy had a light Irish accent and Remus noticed that he also has 3 tattoo's standing out starkly on his pale upper arm.
"Remus" Remus stated and began to relax, the boy reminded him of James, he had a lazy way of lounging back on the bench and an easygoing smile plastered on his face. Leim had a pale porcelain complexion, but a long, angry red scar marred his face on one side, running jaggedly from the outer corner of his left eye backwards towards his jaw line, ending just below his left ear. It gave him a fierce look, despite his lean frame.
Liem noticed Remus' staring and chuckled softly, obviously un offended "I got in a tangle back at Pleiades, they don't believe in separating the inmates before, or during the full moon, when we get irritable. Tangled with a 35 year old wolf, while he was transforming."
"I lost." Liem's last sentence had dark undertones and Remus didn't press.
Remus did however raise and eyebrow in confusion. "you were roomed with an adult? I thought that wasn't allowed- even here."
"its not, but the cut off at Pleiades for children is 18, I'm 21" Liem chuckled good naturedly at Remus' surprise, "it's all right I know I don't look it." Just then Liem stood up to greet another inmate, another boy, this one looking to be 18, with a hardy slap on the back. "hello, who's your friend Liem?" The boy said smiling as he ruffled his burnt-orange hair, golden-hazel eyes gleaming mischievously. Remus was amazed by the good humor of these inmates, although he noticed that Liems companion also had various tattoo's up his arm, although by the looks of them, not all were from previous compounds. One that really caught his eye was a rough etching of a flying bird.
"hey I'm Leon, Pleiades identification number 246, Liechtenstein identification number 12, Delta identification number 98, Blackbird identification number 64..."and the list went on and on..." smileing Leon dealt out an explanation "Ive been in the system since i was 6, I am 18 now, I am a bit of an escape artist... " he said pointing to the bird tattoo on his arm. "that identify's me as 'high risk for escape', as I said, I fly the coup a lot."
"but he isn't very good at staying out" snickered Liem
"yes well...that would explain why I am here now wouldn't it?" Leon exclaimed in mock annoyance.
"you must be new" he said gesturing to Remus' arm. I'd be more than happy to show ya the ropes n' all." Leon finished his sentence with a wink.
"But before I do anything I have to eat some food!" Leon pronounced. "well your not going to find any here!" Liem shot back while poking disgustedly at his own meal and sending the pair into a friendly verbal spar that had Remus completely lost.
When the bell sounded over the intercom signaling that they must return to their cells Remus hadn't even touched his food. "hey see ya around kid, Liem said as he and Leon stood to leave, Remus noted that for Liem's slender build and child-like eyes he was actually quite tall, standing at about the same height as Karda...
Karda, he had almost drowned it out. Almost. And the easygoing air left him immediately as he began to walk towards his cell block, replaced haunting echo's of what Remus assumed to be Karda's last words.