Markom

11: Atlas | Perri

By the time Perri exited the stadium, there was only one black shuttle left. Despite the pulsing pain ripping through her back and shoulders - spreading between tendon, bone, and sinew - she couldn't keep herself from giggling, her smile radiating atop her sun-kissed features. Perri Viate had survived the sick games of Markom, or so she hoped.

It was sheer determination that carried her across the pavement and up the black bus, that and her slow but steady steps as she held onto what was left of her Placement blouse. A buzzing camera was there to greet her, its small machine scanning her retinas before Perri was allowed to sit. Looking around, Perri could see that she wasn't the only one battered and beaten.

She took a seat next to a petite blonde girl who looked completely devoid of color. Perri couldn't fight the feeling of kinship that united them, knowing that they weren't alone in being thoroughly thrashed.

"I was beaten by a One," Perri offered, the short quiet between them a tiny kernel of friendship.

The other girl looked up at her, brown eyes furrowed before croaking, "They had a Three test my lung capacity." Perri's throat closed up. How horrific. "I was underwater for three minutes before they made him resuscitate me." Perri bit her lip. Compared to her, Perri's abuse sounded like a walk in the park.

"I hope he was demoted for it."

"No. Probably given a golden Placement for adhering to orders." Perri scowled. Just like the asshole who had beaten her to a pulp. Perri shook out her fist, the top of her knuckles bloodied. She smiled with the knowledge of her own small bit of revenge. He deserved it. How dare he enjoy her torture.

"Well it's over now. We're free! We're placed."

The other girl snorted. "I hope so, but I don't think we're safe until we leave the parking lot."

Perri rolled her eyes. There was always something.

Anxious and tired, her body worn from the trauma of the day, Perri looked around. Her eyes centered on the boy in the seat in front of her. Brown hair slicked back and ruffling above his ears, for the first time she spotted it -- the unmistakable imprint of a Mark, just like her.

Perri's heart stopped. Aside from her father, she had yet to come across another Marked one. Her body moved faster than her brain and before she knew it, Perri was tapping the boy on the shoulder. His head turned, windswept hair following him.

"Excuse me..." She stared, a nervous smile on her lips. "I couldn't help but notice... you're Marked." He rolled his eyes, a smug look on his light features.

"We're all Marked." He smiled. "You didn't notice." The smug look on his features was infuriating. No, she hadn't noticed. Perri looked back to the girl on her left, a matching smile on her face.

Perri smiled, "I wonder what you wonder." She said dangerously.

The boy scoffed. "Well, I don't." He sat forward. "Learned young, you should too." He crossed his arms against his chest and Perri rolled her eyes.

She couldn't beat down her own curiosity. It was too exciting!

"We were fishing when I was little and I asked a dangerous question," Perri said to the girl beside her, the story as much as an invitation as her first comment. Getting any information as a Five was a delicate dance.

"I was young too. But my question was dumb. My Mamaa had to. Well, we were in the Market. It was a whole thing... I can't believe I survived Placement at all."

Perri's heart sank. She felt the girl's shame as if it were her own. "Don't say that." Perri said, too quiet for anyone to hear. "The past is the past," she said wisely. "All we can do now is move forward." Perri flashed her a small smile. "If it makes you feel any better, I have two Marks." Her voice was a whisper.

"Two Marks." The other girl repeated, green eyes wide.

"Guess I didn't learn, after all..." Perri invited, conspiratorial.

"I like you." Perri smiled. "I'm Becca--"

A wind blew across them as the shuttle doors opened. Perri had to reach up to keep her tattered blouse from falling straight off. A tall girl with jet black-hair and a dangerous smile emerged. She walked through the aisle as if it were her own personal catwalk, blood oozing from a deep cut on her forehead; but rather than be bothered, the girl looked bored. 

The wind seemed to follow her, though as a warning or an invitation, Perri wasn't sure. The mystery walked through the aisles of the shuttle and Perri couldn't keep herself from noticing not one, not two, but eight marks etched at the base of her skull. Perri's jaw dropped in wonder.

The girl smiled and Perri could have sworn she saw fangs. "I could make it nine, you know." Becca sunk into her seat and Perri chuckled. "I'm Atlas." She offered before waving a pair of Fives away so she could take their seat.

"That's not necessary," Perri said flatly. Curious as she was, Perri didn't appreciate someone who thought she was more important.

"Well you're not fun."

"And you're an enigma. Fives aren't capable of that many questions."

"And yet here we sit on this bus..." She licked her lips. "By my count, there's eighteen of us. That's eighteen Fives, incapable of questions, who found themselves... questioning, some more than once" The devilish girl spotted Perri's pair of Marks.

"I'm Becca," the small girl interjected, annoyed that her own presence seemed to fade away as Perri and Atlas took the world by storm.

"That's impossible," Perri mumbled, ignoring Becca's interruption.

"And yet it never occurred to you that it's not." It wasn't a question.

"You're annoying," Perri responded.

"You're confused." Perri pondered her. A Five didn't often behave so brazenly without consequence.

"It's a miracle of Science that you haven't been Taken already," Perri said harshly.

"They would never dream to Take me."

"Bully for you, Ms. Queen of the Peasants."

"Maybe some people are too dangerous. Better off have them rot." Perri snorted then. Her eyes dashed to the autodrone in front of the bus. Atlas winked and Perri wrinkled her nose. The way she spoke frightened her, but she couldn't keep herself from needing more. "Of course there are worst things they could do to me and my grouping. It's why I won't go past ten."

"You can't seriously think you're in control of your own curiosity."

Atlas didn't smile or frown this time, instead, her face was blank.

"I'm not stupid enough to think I know everything." She stated. "But I'm here. I'm Placed despite anyone's best guess. That has got to count for something."

Perri retreated into her seat. It didn't make sense. Everything she knew about Markom was unraveling in the seams. Atlas was a perilous hazard but Perri couldn't keep herself from looking on.

Finally, the bus of eighteen marked ones took off. Off to their new lives and whatever secrets lay beneath the surface, ready to be revealed. At the base of the enormous complex of residences known as the Towers, the eighteen Marked Fives found their new home.