Chapter 4 Rude Awakening
Reno had expected Midgar to be... well, extrordinary. He was proved to be wrong. Midgar was the scummiest place he had ever been to. He was knocked over by two young boys right after he stepped through the gates and discovered his wallet missing. "Hey, hey come back here," he yelled, chasing after them. " Police!" he yelled, "Help!" Everyone he ran past kept their heads down and he cursed them all, what happened to the Good Samaritan law, he thought. He followed them down an alleyway and ran into something... or rather someone... hard. A boy just barely older than him. The boy shoved something into Reno's arm, and within seconds he blacked out.
When Reno came to again, he had no idea where he was, not that he would anyway. His arm throbbed fiercly and he felt like he was going to throw up. For some reason, he couldn't move. He wasn't tied down, not as he could tell, but he was numb in many places and could hardly keep his eyes open. He heard footsteps coming close but was out again before the person was in sight.
"Is it alive," one small voice asked." "It sure don't smell alive," another added. "Of course he's alive," a third voice, an adult voice, said. "Now scram," that voice commanded, followed by quick falled footsteps and giggles. Reno carefully tested himself, opening one eye just enough he could see the person sitting next to him without being noticed. It was the boy from the alley, and those two were no doubt the youngsters that marked him. Now he was scared. He didn't feel strange anymore, he felt that he could move, but mabey for the time being he shouldn't. He lay there, waiting for the boy to leave, but in waiting fell asleep again.
All time had ceased to exist, in Reno's little world. He was out, then he wasn't, then he was again. He had no idea what day or what time it was, or if he was still alive or not. Everything was slipping by so fast, he wasn't sure if he was still him or not. One time he could hold onto, knowing he was alive, he had sat up, thinking he was alone. He had looked around, and saw a tall man, obviously someone different, coming at him, fast. The next time he came to, however brief it had been, he had noticed the tight ropes against his wrists and ankles, and again, that same throbbing in his arm, the same numbness.
This continued for quite some time, there was no real recorded date, so it was hard to say how long he had been there after he had been taken. The night he woke up was the night he lost his sanity. She was a leggy blonde, with too much makeup on to be real. She was on him. He was confused. He thought he was still dreaming until he realized something very important. Something physical that does not happen in dreams, not that real. When he made protest, though the smallest he could manage being as weak as he was, she attacked him with her cat claws, slicing his face, deep. She got off him and screamed, obviously for the boy. "He was supposed to be out," she screamed loud enough for Reno's ears to ring. "I want my money back!" "Too bad bitch," the boy yelled back. "Non negotional, you know how it works!" Reno laid there in pain, trying to turn his head so the blood wasn't trickeling into his eyes. He stopped when he felt the cold steel pressing firmly against his left temple. There was more screaming. When the gun fire exploded, he truly believed he died.
But he didn't. He survived.
When he started coming to, the first thing he noticed was the beeping. The second thing was he was laying in a bed. Warm. The third thing was the smell. That was what really awoke him from the nightmare. He tried to open his eyes but automatically winced at the severe pain. That made it worse. He had never been in so much pain in his whole life. There was no way he could make any expression without sending fire through his nerves. He couldn't remember what happened, and was absolutely afraid for his life, more than he had been living with his father. "Easy there," a deep voice said, cutting through Reno's thoughts. He started to cry, making things worse. "Lay back down child," the voice said, resting a hand on his shoulder, pushing him back down, "everything will be okay. I promise." Reno obeyed, trying hard to stop moving his face. This was extremely difficult. He decided not to talk for the time being and tried to go back to sleep.
He slept for quite awhile longer, but it was a good, comforting kind of sleep. When he woke up, he was no longer in pain and the bandages were off his face, permitting him to see the three people sitting in the room across from him. Two men, both tall, one with long black hair, the other bald. And the cat woman, the bitch that had marked him. They were all staring intently at him. Seeing her worried him. The man with the hair obviously saw that and walked over and sat next to him, resting his hand on Reno's arm. Reno knew this was the man that had talked to him earlier, whenever that had been. He smelled good. The man stared into Reno's eyes for a moment, before turning back to the other two. "Green," he stated, leaving Reno dumbfounded as they all laughed. Then the man turned back to him. "You'll be safe now, child," the man whispered, and Reno had to admit he did feel better hearing that. "How'd I get here," Reno asked, as loudly as he could. There was silence for a moment and he wasn't sure if the man had heard him. "My partner found you," he said, pointing to the bald man. "You, son, are lucky to be alive. Do you have any idea what happened to you?" Reno didn't, and he shook his head. The man sighed, looking down. "I see."
The man turned to the other two and motioned them to leave the room, which they did to no complaint. Reno wasn't sure why, but he didn't ask. Even though it was comforting to have this man with him, he still was afraid of him. Of everyone. The man adjused the bed knobs so Reno was now sitting upright, and sat on the edge next to him. The man put his arm around Reno's shoulders, and for a moment he thought the man was coming on to him. "What is your name," the man whispered, and Reno looked at him puzzled. What was his name? Catching that he needed to be quiet about it, Reno wispered his name, and the man looked at him, thoughtfully. "Reno, you are a lucky, lucky child to be alive today," the man whispered. Reno couldn't help but grin. "Why's that," he said, not controlling his voice level. The man glanced around, and Reno wondered if he was paranoid. "Because... You survived being held captive by a small group of terrorists. They call themselves Avalanche. They were keeping you sedated and selling you, child. I cannot digress enough how lucky you are to be here with us." Reno looked up at the man, looked up into his steel blue eyes, and started to cry. "And... what about that lady, if she's with you and she's good and stuff, why'd she do this to me," Reno asked. The man breathed deeply, as if he was trying to calm himself down, and gave him the short answer "All things will eventually be revealed." Reno looked up, and realized this man may not be of much help after all. The man let go of Reno and stood up, brushing off his suit. What an ugly shade of blue, Reno thought to himself. He liked black better. Then the man turned and pulled a card out of his pocket, handing it to Reno. "Take this, and keep it close," he said. The man turned to walk away, and Reno called out "Hey, what's your name?" The man gently smiled, a smile Reno would never see again, and left.
Reno had never felt so alone in his whole life.