2199 Extinction

Sorry I left you

            Not long after Alpha and son leave, I decide to investigate the room. I wonder what exactly is in here. I open cabinets, move stuff around on the shelves, and that's when I find a small door in the wall. It's not that big, just the size of a very small window. Not sure if you could even call it a door. It looks more like someone took a blade and cut a square chunk of wall out and put it back. It might not be anything at all. I would just ignore it; except for the fact that it's hidden behind varying sized jars and boxes. I slide my fingers along the crack until I am able to pull a chunk of wall out. Inside lays a single, small, black book.

             What the heck is this and why was it hidden? I lay the piece of wall down and reach for the book. On the cover is a large letter K with vines wrapped around it, with a small sun just above it. I run my hand across the cover and spot a small letter M with some sort of creature, above it. M? Could it be? Nah. No way. I open it up and see that it's someone's journal. It describes various experiments as well as drawings of what I'm assuming are the experiments. Now the only question is who does it belong to? I skim through several pages before I ever come across a name. I, Malum, am no servant. This is Malum's journal?! That explains why it was hidden.

             I hear the sound of approaching footsteps. Malum. Am I ready to face him? I place the journal down, turn around, and I take a fighting stance I learned in the Copaie military, drawing my blade. I don't know how this will turn out; I'm just hoping that I survive this encounter. Maybe out in the open isn't such a good idea. I quickly and quietly rush towards the door, stopping behind it. At least I'll have the element of surprise. Maybe I'll be able to work it to my advantage. I hold my raptor up in the defensive position and listen as the footsteps stop in the doorway. Just a few more steps. If you will just walk in, I can end it now. I hear Malum step into the room and stop. Guess he's taking in the scene. Maybe wondering how the little Katara escaped. I rush out from behind the door, blade held high, and bring it down. I hear the klink of metal on metal and it's a good thing I missed. Because it isn't Malum on the other end of my blade, it's Amancia.

         "Vos! What are you doing?" she shouts.

            "Sorry." I say, lowering my blade. "Guess I'm a little tense."

            "I'd say. You almost killed me! Lucky for you I was prepared for a fight." She says, lowering her own blade.

          "You would be too if you were almost eaten by the local wildlife."

          "You left me sleeping under that tree." She says accusingly.

          "I'm sorry. I really didn't intend on leaving you. It just happened that way."

            "What do you mean, 'it just happened that way'?"

             "I mean, I woke up because I heard something, and I heard my mother chatting, so I looked to see what was happening and she was wandering off by herself. And then...."

           "What do you mean woke up?" Amancia asks, cutting me off.

              I run my hand through my hair, trying to think of a good excuse, before answering, "I fell asleep. Okay? I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. But I did."

           She narrows her eyes and crosses her arms over her chest but doesn't say anything.

            "Anyways, I decided to follow her because all of the Talfarians were sound asleep. She was meeting with Malum. They discussed some creatures called Katara and then he kissed her."

              "And?"

              "He. Kissed. Her." I say, putting emphasis on each word. "I got so mad, I just couldn't let him worm his way into her life, again. So, I traveled back and stopped him from doing that. Then I saw Malum meeting with the Katara, telling them to kill everyone. And then the Katara caught me, and I made a deal with their leader to free his son and kill Malum."

            "In exchange for?"

               "In exchange for both of our lives. I rescued his son, and now I just have the killing part left."

              "Hm." She says, uncrossing her arms. "Are you really prepared to kill someone? Because it's not an easy task. Killing someone, even someone you hate, kills a piece of you as well. It changes you. That person will never leave you. You will think of them constantly and at the most inopportune times."

                "You sound like you're talking from experience. But how could you be? You don't have any black stripes." I say.

                In response she lifts up the bottom of her shirt to reveal her stomach and one single black tattooed stripe. "Your very existence was threatened. Another female was angry that your father loved me and not her. She tried to make me miscarry. In my anger, I killed her. After you were born, I gave myself the customary stripe."

               "But why hide it?" I ask.

                   "Copaie females rarely have a chance to get out and fight. That's why most don't have stripes. And everyone knows I didn't stay with the military, so questions would have been asked. You know the law, and punishment, for killing one of our own kind. Being the General's daughter would not guarantee my life. My own father turned over one of my brothers for breaking that law. I used to have twenty-five brothers, but not anymore; now I only have twenty-four." She says sadly.

               "Well, your secret is safe with me." I'm quiet a moment while I think. I'mdefinitely not ready to kill anyone but if I don't Alpha might eat me. Mighteat us both. "I really don't know how I'll find Malum or my mother. This ismy last chance to put a stop to their getting together. I remember my mothertelling me, one time, that her and Malum marry the moment they make it toTalfar."