{ They were in the cafeteria. All of them. 15-4, 13-8, 10-9, 10-8, 06-8 and 12-7. The one who insisted on being Dylan was running back and forth, tugging on everyone's sleeves and whispering:
"We're running out of time."
The one who wanted to be Fae came striding in, glowing blue eyes moving over the assembled kids with clear disdain.
She looked at the lunches and said:
"No thanks, I've got a boyfriend."
It had taken a year and a half for him to get what she meant, and a few months to realize she didn't mean Dylan.
Apparently, a 'boyfriend' was something more than a friend who was a boy. These group dynamics from Outside were sometimes confusing.
"Oh sweet summer goatface," a taunting voice came from the chair across the table.
"Stell.. um," he started, then looked around in a panic.
The Papas and Mamas were all there too. They didn't seem to notice or care that he had used Stella's name, though. They were softly chanting:
"The good ones fly, the bad ones die. The good ones get off without a hitch, the bad ones end in a ditch."
He was revolted by this. Revolted and.. angry. Yes. He was angry. How dared these people make themselves judges of who walked in the sun and who did not?!
'Walk in the sun'. The turn of phrase was odd to him.
"You about done there, Markie?"
Stella's voice tore him out of his reverie.
"Wh," he started again. Then rallied:
"How are you back? You got Fetched. I'm sorry I couldn't stop them. I was sleeping."
"Relax, Markie," she replied with a smirk.
He noticed he didn't actually mind her calling him Markie. Did that mean something?
"Not your fault. I've found out they gas the others, when someone is being Fetched. You were all knocked out. Maybe, some of you puked later. It's halothane and it can damage your liver. Dunno why they still use it. Fuckers."
His mind reeled. Then remembered. "Fuck" was a swear word too. It didn't only mean "copulate". That had really confused him, the first time he met Fae. She had said she had a "fucking dream" about him. But she didn't mean the kind that he had shared with.
Stella!
"Oh. Sorry. I rambled again," he offered as a lame apology.
He looked at Stella. She was sitting in that chair. He had felt something about that chair, once. She was wearing a white dress and her hair was tied up with an elaborate headband. She looked.. pretty.
"There you are!" Dylan exclaimed and pulled on his arm, interrupting his moment with Stella. "C'mon Lamark. We're running out..."
Time.
Suddenly, everything was black.
How long had he been there? Lost, alone. In the dark.
But. He wasn't alone, though, was he? The light was there as well. The round, blue light. He cast about and his eyes saw the light in the distance.
Was he actually looking with his eyes? For some reason, he felt like his eyes were closed.
Then. How did he see?
How did he. Do. Anything?
He was falling again. At least, he thought he was. The wind that didn't touch him tore every word, every cry from his lips. Sucked every tear shed away and let them disappear in the void.
Where was the light? He had to find it. It could make the falling stop.
The light was his way back.
The moment he caught sight of it, the falling stopped. He was stationary now. Calm.
"Whew. Thought I had lost you there for a moment, Lamark," Stella voice issued from the cafeteria chair.
He looked at the chair, puzzled. The chair came closer, or he approached the chair; same difference.He tried to sit.
"Hey now. Later, maybe. Nasty boy," Stella's voice laughed.
She was sitting in the chair.
"I've got some things to tell you," she began.
"Stella, am I your boyfriend?" Lamark asked.}
YOU ARE READING
Children of the New Dawn n-logy: Book 2 - Liberated.
Fantezie"After an adjusted new way of living, Fae, Lamark and Dylan continue their own personal journeys towards their goal of knowing the truth. The Institute is changing, and the children are evolving. Becoming much more powerful, and intellectual. What w...
