In Search Of The Neon City

24 - Twelve

The screwdriver moved monotonously between my fingers, but the screw did not seem to want to do as I pleased no matter how many times I spun it.

Like a cold shower, it reminded me of my life, how I was trapped in a life I couldn't change.

With a sigh, I dropped the tool and pulled my fingers through my hair before resting my elbows on the table top with a thump. I had never had such a hard time focusing before, but suddenly my head was full of other things, my thoughts kept going back to Lo.

I quickly glanced at the boy sitting on my bed and fiddled happily with an old game console I found in the scrap heap. I could not help but smile, he was so sweetly innocent that my heart broke when I thought about what I had done to him.

The words sat etched behind the cornea even though the message was gone a long time ago, "A shuttle is on its way to pick up the resource."

"Do you think we could connect it to your monitor?"

His voice made me jerk and I angrily replied "I'm busy with your fucking Link, if you forgot."

He looked up, choked by my sudden outburst, but I couldn't do anything about it. Something inside me was bursting.

"Okay, but can I try it?"

"Do what the hell you want" I hissed and rubbed my forehead with my fingertips.

With hesitant steps he approached me and soon I felt a small hand on my shoulder "if you're having trouble, then maybe I can help? I've repaired Links before" he mumbled softly and the words made me hold my breath.

What the hell had he done to deserve this? Nothing! He was completely fucking innocent and I was a big fucking monster. I closed my eyes tightly and shook my head before forcing a "thank you" and pushed the half-finished arm-Link towards him before I got up and walked away towards the bathroom.

The icy water ran down my face and the cold almost made my skin numb.

I stared into my gray eye that met me in the mirror and shook my head doubtfully.

How could I have let it go this far? What the hell was I thinking? Would I really let them take him? I bit my lip and looked down into the sink, damn it, they would not get him!

With big steps I stormed out of the bathroom and opened the door quickly.

"Pick up your things Lo" I shouted to him and he got up so fast that the chair fell to the floor "we have to leave... now!"

"What's Happening Twelve?"

His voice sounded so weak, so distressed and I could not help but take his hand in mine as we ran over the desolated landscape. "Tristan."

"What?"

He looked at me incomprehensibly and I took a deep breath before continuing. "My name is Tristan."

"Okay" he whispered with a hint of surprise in his voice and looked down as we half-ran across the sand "so, what's going onTristan?"

"I'll tell you when we found a hiding place."

Annoyed, I noticed how he struggled to do what I asked "tell me now!"

"Stop being such a baby Lo!" I hissed and took a few quick steps forward so that he stumbled after me whether he wanted to or not.

"Who is chasing us?" he gasped next to me as he frantically tried to keep up with my long strides.

I hugged his hand a little harder before answering "Vegas."

"What?!"

"They want you."

"ME?! Why me? Aren't you the one fleeing from them or something? What the hell are they going to do with me?!"

"It's my job," I whispered quietly.

The much smaller boy almost started hyperventilating next to me and I stopped abruptly to give him a quick slap over his cheek. The green eyes looked at me in shock and soon I saw tears welling up "ouch!"

"Focus Lo!" I yelled at him and pulled him towards our new hiding place "you can shout at me later, but now we have to hide, okay?"

We half ran in silence but I knew he was close to freaking out and I could hardly blame him.

An hour later we step into the shadow of a large abandoned pipeline, an old entrance to a used sewer system, filled with sand instead of people's stinking waste.

"I don't understand ..." he sobbed "if your mission was to give me to them ... why are we hiding here?"

"Because I changed my mind," I replied monotonously, biting my lip to stay calm. It had worked until the bastard chose to walk up to me and look up at me with those green glittering eyes. Which right now looked completely terrified and triggered every muscle in my body to want to protect him from whatever came against us.

"Why," he whispered, and with those words my rock hard walls crumbled into dust.

Slowly I raised my hand and wiped a tear from his cheek "because you deserve better Lo."

Surprised, I noticed how he took a step forward and leaned his tired head against my chest, I stiffed and held my breath, while I could not help but wonder what he was thinking. He did not seem very angry, not as I would have been if I were in his shoes.

"I'll help you find your way home Lo '' I whispered and let my fingers move underneath his beanie and stroked the thick curls.

"Okay" he replied quietly and let his arms slide around my waist until he held a firm grip around my body "but only if you stay with us."

My heart stopped, what did he mean? "Lo" I mumbled gently "I'm not sure it's a good idea."

"Then we'll just stay here then, you and me." He replied cockily and drilled his face into my shirt.

I frowned and raised an eyebrow but could not help but smile "sure, we stay here without food and water. We can live on air and love" I laughed and rolled my eyes.

Suddenly he turned his little face and stared up at me with eyes as big as saucers "what did you say?"

I quickly got out of his grasp and before he could see my hot cheeks I turned around "I said it's the worst plan I've ever heard Lo, you better come up with another one."

With a grumpy face and his arms folded in front of his chest, he sat down in a corner and muttered to himself "I will!"

But before the heat lamp had burned out and the darkness had enveloped us, the sour face had disappeared, he had eventually moved into my lap, explaining it would be better to stay close to keep warm.

It was a lame excuse to be close to me, and I knew it. But I didn't mind. I had gotten used to sleeping with his body next to mine by now and I couldn't imagine falling asleep peacefully without the sound of his deep breathing close to my ear.