The Music Room

Chapter 2

A/N the guy up top is Donovan in his winter gear. Yes we have Donovan, and the gang but they're not until later. Stay awesome guys.
*************

Sifting through the rubble for supplies not yet picked over by the other scavengers in the area. My hands are bloody and bruised from climbing to my vantage point. The wind blows heavily and whips my hair into my face despite the winter camouflage bandana wrapped around the lower half of my face. From where I stand I can barely see the smoking remains of San Diego. I wish I could still say that this was America but I would simply be lying.
The United States are now called the Republic in the east, and Arcadia in the west. Living in the west has given me some advantages over those living in the east. Having my own mind and being able to think for myself is one of them. But the west has a circle of seven leaders, most of them are grouchy old men who are from the old world and my father is one of them. Although he is post war; making him mid sixties rather than early nineties. These men are here to keep somewhat respectful order in Arcadia.
I find a first aid kit behind a large cube of concrete and put in my pack along with three others, tape, needle nosed pliers and a hammer that I found in the lower levels of this well destroyed hospital. Down thirty floors below me I hear the obnoxious honking of my brother Tristam's car. I debate on whether to light the flare that I'm supposed to send out as to show my location when I'm looking for supplies. But my eye catches sight of something on a lower level so I decide to give him a heart attack instead.
Taking a running start I leap out of the side of the crumbling building, hoping against hope that my rope will hold. But of course it will, who am I kidding? I tied the knot and so it will hold and my rope will not break. I fall in slow motion, free falling head first with my arms at my sides. The wind blows my goggles back but I catch them before they can go anywhere. With the wind against my face I have the feeling of upmost freedom, as though nothing has a hold on me. Just me and what I choose to do, how I choose to live my life.
As I fall to the fifteenth floor I watch my brother Tristam who is 24 and my only actual brother. My mother died when I was twelve from being captured, raped on live television and then burned alive. She never cried or called out for help, but she did put up one hell of a fight. She spit in their faces and when asked to surrender she refused and her last words were to fight for freedom.
As I reach the end of my line I prepare for impact of the harsh jolt as the rope tightens. Feet held out, hands tightly holding on to the rope I swing into the landing and slide a good six feet before stopping. Unclipping from the rope I move the clip to the front and attach to the zip line cable.
Once I reach the bottom where Tristam is waiting for me with a disgruntled look in his deep sea blue eyes. He got momma's eyes. He looks down his long slender nose at me and I can tell he's angry by the way he grinds his teeth. Dad does that too, but you know he's pissed off when he starts talking about how he's going to tell momma about our behavior. He tries to be a good father but it just isn't his thing. He's got ten other kids to look after and the leaders of the circle who just never quite agree on anything. The war is taking a toll on him and everyone around him.
Tristam motions toward the car without speaking, he's done this countless of times and they all lead to the same thing. Dad. I don't ask any questions because I know Tristam won't answer them.
When we return to home base, a quant little house built into the side of a hill with just enough room for most of us. Physically we all fit well but mentally it's a war zone. That's why I'm volunteering as a scavenger so I'm hardly ever home. Tristam leads me to Dad's domain in the attic where he has sound proofed his quarters.
When I arrive it is sweltering hot and he doesn't look at me. Instead he faces the huge virtual map on the wall and watches as several of our men get slaughtered by invisible forces. His normal hostility toward me is almost always verbal but I still have several scars from when he couldn't get his words out fast enough.
"Tristam informed me that you wanted to see me?" I ask him politely. The big man nods slowly and I take a deep breath. He turns to face me and I hold my breath in anticipation.
"I am leaving for the front lines in a week, I am taking your brothers and a few of your sisters, you will be given a guard for the duration of the trip unless he decides to stay longer. You will cooperate with him and you won't kill him this time." He says gruffly, reminding me sharply of what happened the last time he left me with a guard. The guy tried to push me over a cliff as a joke and he missed and so I returned the favor. "Dismissed." He tells me and waves me out the door.