Nevada Confidential

Bunker

They made a plan to go to breakfast early the following morning- before it started. That way, they could go down to the underground levels, and be back in time to seem like they were just late to the cafeteria.

Brinley could hardly sleep that night; she had so much to think about. Her mind wouldn't turn off, even after ten, when the lights had switched off. The room felt so empty when it was just she and Natalie- who seemed to be in some kind of mental shock, and wouldn't speak unless necessary.

The ceiling had become Brinley's best friend. She could stare at it, and it wouldn't judge her. When she closed her eyes she saw only Alex's face, so she decided to keep them open- and the even cement a few feet above her head was her usual point of eye contact.

She thought about Alex, she thought about Simon, and she thought about her parents. Her mom, Carmen, who had always been so loving and supportive. Her brilliant father, Mateo, who was born in Mexico- as her mom had been.

Simon was a mix between both of Brinley's parents. He was kind, and generous as her mother was, and intelligent, like her father.

Brinley wasn't sure what she was. Was she smart, and witty? Was she loving? She felt too selfish to be loving, and compared to Eli, she didn't think that she was smart. She'd never been much of a whiz in school, but could she be? If she tried to focus harder, study more, and push herself to the best of her ability?

Finally Brinley closed her eyes, and turned to lay on her side. Maybe if she forced her mind to go to sleep, it would. Every time that a thought tried to spoil her sleeping plans, she pushed it away. She imagined it floating away, through a blue sky with clouds and birds. Slowly, the birds began to look more vivid, the sky brighter, with the golden sun burning in the center.

Brinley was surprised that staring at it didn't hurt her eyes.

She could feel carpet beneath her toes, and she knew that she was inside. She was looking out a window at the world beyond the glass- and she couldn't get out. She was locked in- and the only other person in here with her was Alex.

Alex looked peaceful- almost in a sad way. Brinley couldn't put her finger on why, but seeing the girl made a pain grow inside of her stomach.

Brinley didn't know that she was the one talking until the words left her mouth. "Alex, how do we get out?"

Alex didn't speak, and her expression didn't change. She took Brinley's hand, and pulled her through the wall opposite the window as if it were just air. When they were outside, Brinley felt relief in the grass and the trees. Alex ran ahead of her, and Brinley followed. The stretch of grass ended and there was mud, and she grinned as her bare feet sunk into the wet dirt. There was a moment of confusion when she realized that Alex's feet weren't making footprints, but then she let go of the thought. It didn't matter- she was outside, and she wanted to run, to let the wind ripple in her hair, to feel the rich earth beneath her feet.

Alex ran through a break in the trees, into a meadow filled with wildflowers. Bees and butterflies took flight as the girls entered, hundreds of them, and began to circle Alex. Brinley watched in amazement as they swirled around her, and became a dress of brilliant colors. Shades of pinks, oranges and yellows made Alex appear to be a living sunset, and her black hair fell in gentle waves down her back.

For the first time since seeing her, Brinley caught Alex smile.

And then she was gone- just like that. Instead of sadness, Brinley felt content. Alex wasn't trapped anymore- she was happy, and she was free.

That was what really mattered.

When Brinley woke up, it wasn't because the alarm had startled her awake- it was because she was crying. Tears flowed down her cheeks and ran into her hair, making it stick to her face and get stuck in her mouth. She pulled it away, forcing the sobs to stop. She took shaky breaths, closing her eyes and putting her face in her pillow to calm herself down.