All Which Remains

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Arron

I'm so bored. There's nothing to do around here. Most of the time, I'm not even allowed to leave the dorms.

I lean against the wall. The dorm room is hot. Too hot. Too many bodies crammed together with a large fireplace in the middle.

I close my eyes. I'm tired. I haven't been able to sleep these past few nights.

"Hey," Someone says.

I open my eyes and look up between my knees. "Hi, Ramelan."

"Can I sit next to you?"

"Sure." I pat the ground beside me.

He sits down. It's quiet around us besides the occasional whispers.

"I was wondering if you remember everything? Ha - have you thought about..." Ramelan says, fidgeting.

What does he mean? What's there to think about.

"Yeah," I say. "I remember everything from the simulations. Pretty painful, getting hit by a car in the last one."

"Have you thought about... u-us?" He's stuttering now.

"You mean when we dated? No, not really."

"Oh..."

"It was all fake. They messed with our emotions. Made us feel things that we don't. That's all there is to it," I say, trying to catch his eye. I don't understand. I thought he knew it was a lie.

"Yeah, yeah. You're right. That's what I was thinking, too." Ramelan stands up and brushes his shorts off. "No, no you're not." He whirls on me.

"I'm sorry?" The firelight reflects off his hair.

"I don't think it was a lie, or that it was fake. I do think he warped some of our feelings, sure, but- but I," he looks me dead in the eye, "I like you still."

I'm shocked.

"I'm sorry, I-"

"You don't have to answer now. Think it over," Ramelan says, cutting me off. "I-I'll be over there, with Fadhlan." He gestures awkwardly with his thumb behind him.

"Okay?" I mumble, but he's already gone.

Weird. I am curious about my mom- Farrah. Why was she in the first simulation? Why was that my first simulation?

Maybe I should ask her.

I get to my feet and head towards the door before I realize that she said she was going home. That means she isn't here.

I hope she made it home safe.

Ramelan

I'm trying to focus on something. Anything else. Like the shaking earlier. Wonder what that was about.

I feel trapped. The dorms are too small. My mind feels fractured. I can't focus on one thing.

Thank goodness I ran away to my bunk. It's safe and comfortable up here. The darkness surrounds me like a blanket.

It's warm. While the room is large, the heat from the fireplace reaches every corner. It's probably also because there are so many of us living in one space.

I shake my head.

I need some form of entertainment.

I haven't seen any books. What does anyone do for fun around here? Talk?

That's boring - and sad, really.

I should just go to sleep. Yes, that's what I should do right now. Nothing's wrong.

I'm fine.

Arron

I'm going insane. There's nothing to do here. I'm not allowed to leave the dorms this late in the night, and everyone's sleeping.

There's nothing to do.

Calm down. Don't do what you did last time. You can't go off the rails like that again.

I stroke my hair. It's ratty, but I don't care right now.

It's okay. It'll all be okay. You can talk to Mom tomorrow. Let the fire lull you to sleep.

But what about that girl...?

No. Don't think about that.

I rock back and forth, petting my hair. I close my eyes and sigh. I've got myself under control.

"Hey, are you okay?" A voice asks from the darkness.

I slowly open my eyes to peer at them.

Suddenly, the ground shakes again, but this time, more violently than before. My ears pop, and I can't think straight. What's happening? The person in front of me, a child, younger than me, probably about eight or so years old, freaks out and falls onto their butt. I reach out and grab their arm, pulling them towards me, as if to protect them.

"It's probably just an earthquake," I say, locking eyes with the kid.

They sniffle and let out a soft, "okay", but they don't leave my arms. They curl in tighter. All was forgotten. All of the stress about Ramelan, being thrust into a new environment, and a creepy girl in the white hallway. All of that was taken over by the strong urge to protect this kid with my life.

I don't know their name. I don't know how old they are. But I need to keep them safe. No matter the cost.

The ground shakes again, but this time there's a boom off in the distance. I hear kids around me murmuring, asking each other things like, "what's happening?" and "I'm scared!". I stand up and pick up the unnamed child. Their body curls around my back, and they start to shiver.

"Shh, it'll be okay. I promise. Nothing bad will happen," I whisper to them, patting their leg with my hand.

They nod their head, and stuff their face into my back. I feel their tears leave a wet stain in my shirt.

"Come on," I say, and head off to where Mom's office is. It's probably secure.