Defect

[chapter 5]

Jeez, this one's 2559 words... enjoy.

When I woke, it was to broad daylight streaming in through the car windows. The first thing that I noticed was that the car was stopped.

The second was that I was soaking wet.

"Hey! It worked!" Jax exclaimed happily.

Sophia rolled her eyes. "I told her to wake you up," she explained, "because we're here. I wasn't expecting her to splash water all over you, though."

"It's cool," I said, even though, clearly, it was not (I was soaking wet!), "Where is here, anyways?"

"I dunno," Jax muttered, just as Sophia launched into a long-winded explanation that didn't actually make anything any clearer.

"So, probably somewhere in the northwest," Jax summarized, "but we don't actually have any clue."

I shrugged, letting my mind wander for a couple moments until it occurred to me that we hadn't actually gotten out of the car, which I promptly asked about.

"We don't know why, but the doors are still locked. We can't get out," Jax said, ever unhelpful.

I had to take a couple deep breaths, centering my mind, before I felt the wave of frustration and anxiety wash away, leaving my mind blank and rational. I had been through worse, and besides, we lived in a society where showing emotions was a weakness. No reason to give them more ammo against the Non-Evos.

Evidently, Jax and Sophia didn't share my views, because it was clear even to me that they were hovering, about to go into full-fledged panic mode.

"Take a few deep breaths. We'll be fine," I said shortly to the two of them. Honestly, were they trying to get us all killed with their attitude? It's P.S. (Personal Slave) 101--don't show how you feel. Evos hate emotions.

They glanced at each other, then at me, their gazes laced with curiosity, but they did as I said. Luckily, it was after they had had their freakout that the door opened, and a man said,"Get up. You are to follow one of the other slaves to get your uniforms and assignments."

He couldn't have been more than a few months older than me, with wavy black hair and eyes like ice--pale blue, and cold but beautiful. It was clear that he was an Evo, however--he talked down to us, like we were lesser beings. He also held himself like a feline, giving the impression of relaxation, but with that dangerous sense that made your hair stand on end with the knowledge that you could be dead any second.

So what did I do? Did I freak out, scream? Did I do as I was told, quiet as could be? Nope. I did pretty much the worst thing I could've.

"Hello to you to," I snapped coldly, brushing past him as I got out, "Do you make a habit of locking people in a car with nothing to do?"

And then I starting walking in the direction of the house.

Yep, pretty much the worst start to my new life ever.

***

Over the next few days, I spent a lot of time asking myself why I had done that, why I had done the one thing that ensured my life here would suck. To be honest, I knew why--the memory of my parents death. It had shaken me up, bad, and when I saw the Evo (whose name I had discovered was Jasper), I lashed out. It was the Evos' fault that I wasn't at home, complaining about homework or boys or something stupid. It was their fault I was an orphan. It was their fault I couldn't let anyone in, that I couldn't show my feelings, that I had to go into emotional lockdown a couple times a day. I was sick of living this way, and I snapped.