Chapter 2
Nira scrubbed the metallic floor until she could see her smudged face reflected in the surface. Soft vibrations traveled up her fingers. She looked up to see six grey Guards clad stomping their way across the floor she’d just cleaned. They were larger than average and at least twice Nira’s size. Clean shaven and cropped hair, they each carried a thick metal club strapped to their hips. Frustration clawed its way up her throat as they dirtied the gleaming floor. She took a deep breath and looked back down at her mirrored face, trying to keep her temper in check. Flecks of mud splattered across her reflection when they marched past. The last set of muddied boots stopped just beside her fingertips.
“I think you missed a few spots, Dispo.” A boot nudged her in the side.
Nira only lowered her head, knuckles turning white as she gripped her brush tighter.
“Did you hear me?”
He nudged her again, harder this time. She kept silent. The third blow was a full on kick. She sucked in air against the pain that erupted between her fourth and fifth ribs. The man jerked her up to face him. She held the brush like a sword.
“Of course, sir,” Nira said, anger bubbling over at his laughing face, “Let me get that for you.” She smacked the brush against his right cheek, scrubbing it as though it were a stubborn stain. “You’re right. That looks much better, sir.”
His companions laughed as grey water dripped off his cleft chin.
“You think this is funny?” He snapped on them and the laughter cut short. The Guard reached out and yanked back on Nira’s ponytail. She bit her lip, refusing to show any weakness in front of them. He threw her up against the wall, pinning one of her shoulders in place. Her brush clattered to the floor.
“Just let it go, Erin.” One of other Guards said. He was young, in his upper teens.
“Not today,” Eric said. He pressed Nira up tighter. “Apologize.”
Nira kept her lips sealed shut. Her mouth went dry as he slipped the bludgeon from his hip and pressed the rounded tip up against her cheek.
“I have no problems with hitting a woman”
The young Guard tried to intervene again, “We’re already late. She’s not worth it. Let’s just go.” He looked around at his comrades but they ignored him. Eric shoved him back.
Nira tried to form the words but they lodged in her throat. “I’m…” her voice trailed off. Sorry? Of course she wasn’t sorry. She would’ve dumped the entire bucket onto his face if it had been within reach.
“You’re what?” Soft taps with the bludgeon end.
“I regret nothing.” She tried to straighten her back but the pain in her side limited to a half hunched stance.
His arm drew back. Nira clenched her eyes and turned her face away.
“Stop!” The command came from the other end of the hall. Footsteps echoed off the metal floor. Eric’s grip slackened and Nira fell to her feet. Her legs, unprepared to bear her weight, wobbled before collapsing under her. She looked up at the approaching man and smiled. Derek. “I didn’t realize that hitting women was part of your duties.”
Shorter than any of the Guards and barely over twenty, Derek’s white suit made the other men back away with lowered heads. Eric was the only one to stand his ground, his brown eyes wide. Derek’s slender fingers closed around his wrist.
“But she—“
“She was doing her job before you interrupted her.” Derek said, “Don’t you have a job of your own to get to?” He let go and positioned himself between Nira and the weapon. “Go on.”
Eric’s grip tightened around the handle. Nira wondered if the man would really dare attack an Asset. The younger Guard tugged at the man’s arm until he relented. “Yes, sir.” Eric muttered as he was pushed by his friends from the hall.
Derek turned, taking Nira’s hand. “Didn’t think I’d cut it so close.” He helped her back to her feet and Nira pressed her hand against her aching side. “Is it bad?”
She moved from side to side, testing it out. “I’ve had worse.” There’d be an enormous bruise tomorrow but her ribs were intact. “You really liked playing the hero, didn’t you?”
Derek puffed out his chest in a mock pose, “Don’t I look the part?”
Nira kept one around wrapped around her side. “Hmmm,” she tapped her chin in a speculative manner, “No. You’re too short.”
His entire body sagged.
Nira laughed and reclaimed her brush, tossing it into the grey-water bucket. He smiled and laughed but he kept glancing over his shoulder and his left hand remained tucked away in one of his pockets as though he were holding something.
“Your message said you had something for me?”
“Yes!” Derek’s shoulders relaxed. He lifted up the flap of his overcoat and pulled out a small wrapped package. He held it out “A snack.”
Nira turned Derek’s gift over in her hands. The thin plastic crinkled under her fingers as she traced the faded images on the front. The red letters were too scratched up and worn for her to read but a strange alien creature wearing a wide-brimmed hat made her question the contents. The two yellow blobs inside leaked white and her stomach clenched at the idea of ingesting such a thing. “Are you sure that this is supposed to be food?”
“Try it,” Derek said, “you’ll like it.”
She hesitated.
“Go on.”
Not one to waste food, even if it was at the high end on the questionable scale, Nira tugged at the plastic ends. The package opened with a soft pop and an overwhelming smell of sweetness coated the insides of her nose. It tickled down her throat and made her cough. She’d never seen Derek grin so wide before. Despite her better judgment, her mouth began to water and curiosity tempted her fingers into the little bag. The yellow log compressed between her fingers and more whiteness beaded up on the bottom. Its texture reminded her of the sponges she often used, only dry and squishy. Nira looked back up at him.
Derek stood there, all patience and smiles.
With a sigh, she bit down. The whiteness melted across her tongue and sent sparks up her spine. The spongey yellow turned to sweet mush before dissolving along with the cream.
“Well?” asked Derek. He moved closer, looking anxious for her approval.
“It’s very strong.” Nira said. The tips of her fingers began to tingle and there was a slight buzz in the front of her head, “Where did you get it?”
“Parson had a few of them lying around. He called it a ‘Twinkie’. People used to eat it all the time.”
Nira found it hard to believe but nodded anyways. Sticking the rest of the cake back into its covering, she tucked the cakes away in her water canteen along with Avin’s meat. “Thank you, Derek.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek. A bit of the white filling must’ve been on her lips because it smudged across his cheek, making her smile. “And thank you, for the rescue.”
“I had to do something. You would’ve beaten him into a pulp if I hadn’t stepped in.” Derek’s hand came up to her cheek. He used his thumb to wipe off a smudge. “I wish you would be more careful. You give the Guards too many excuses to hurt you.”
“But it’s so much fun to watch them turn red.” Nira chuckled. Her ribs protested against the movement with a ripple of pain. “Then again, maybe you have a point.” Her smile faded when he looked down to the hallway end again. “What is it?”
“I found something that I don’t think I was supposed to see.”
“What?”
Derek opened his mouth. He paused and shook his head. “I’ll tell you later when I’m sure I’m right.” The echo of a soft thunk made his head jerk up. She could see the pulse in his neck quicken. “Can you keep something secret for me?”
“Of course.”
He pulled the left hand out of his pocket. Balled up, he unclenched his fist one finger at a time. Inside his palm rested a thin strip of metal the length of her finger with an ornate number 4 etched into the bottom half.
“You?!” Nira closed his hand back around it. “Why would you take it?
“It was only on accident at first.” Derek said, “Yesterday, I took my father’s coat by mistake and the key I was inside. In the main observation room where Doctor Parson works, there are slots where the key might fit. I just wanted to see what it would do.” He grabbed her hand and forced her to take the key. “If I keep it, my father would find it eventually. Please.” He stopped and took a step back when a pair of old men in black shuffled by. The Dispos didn’t give Nira or Derek a second glance. Nira could see small beads of sweat forming on Derek’s forehead. When the old men turned the corner, Derek continued, “You can bring it back to me later tonight. Just keep it safe for me for a little while. Please?”
Nira stared down at her clenched fist. The metal inside felt hot against her skin. “I only have to keep it till tonight?”
“Yes.”
“And you’ll tell me what you found that’s making you so nervous?”
He nodded.
“Fine.” She said. Reaching into her dirty water, she shook out the brush and wedged the piece of metal between the thick bristles. No one would go searching in there. “After I bring Avin his dinner, I’ll come by and bring this back.”
“I’ll be there.” Derek took her hand again, “I owe for this.” He leaned in to kiss her when someone cleared their throat. At the end of the hall, a near copy of Derek stood in white with his hands behind his back. Only the faint traces of wrinkles around his eyes and the splash of silver on the side of his trimmed black hair revealed his age.
“Asset Wrin.” Nira dropped to her knees before the man as he approached. She had never seen Derek’s father before but it made her wonder if Derek inherited his kind nature from his mother.
“Don’t presume to address me directly.” His voice was ice. The sharp sound of a slap made her wince. Derek said nothing against the punishment. “Another Dispo whore that you’ve decided to take pity on?”
Nira watched them from the safety of her bangs. Derek’s father yanked him by the collar and marched him out of the passageway. She looked back at her bucket of cleaning water. She could keep something safe for a few hours, couldn’t she?
Sorry I've stopped doing the short 15 minute prompts. I've been working on my stories instead and I'm actually really excited on all the changes that I've made.
Thanks for reading :)
