CITADEL (Updated Weekly)

Seven - New Life

    Grey and I put on our coats and boots to get ready to go out. Despite my world falling apart, it was nice to have friends to hangout with. Grey was ready to go before I was and he watched patiently at the door as I tied the second boot on. When I was ready he opened the door for me and I happily stepped out. If this life was my new normal, despite the mass murder and a possible government overthrow, I'd be happy. It made me excited to think about what Grey had said back at the house.

    Maybe after we fix this, we can go somewhere just us. The words replayed in my head and my heart started to race. After he closed the door he caught up to me and grabbed my hand. Together we walked in the direction I assume Nik's house to be. I was happy to see Grey happy. Pretending to be living a normal life with him, was the best bandaid I could get right now. I watched him as we walked. I know he knew because of his smile, but he never looked back at me. I felt completely comfortable with him. My smile grew a little, and at the same time, I noticed his disappear. Great. What now?

I looked forward and there was Mikah, walking towards us. His movement was intentional, directed right at our path. "Mikah?" I asked, greeting him with confusion. "Hey Aria." He joined our walk and Grey became annoyed, his face hard but still looking forward. "What's up?" I asked my friend, trying to ignore Grey's attitude. "I just came to talk to you," he began, walking with us. "If that's okay?" He said to me, but he looked over to Grey. Grey didn't look at him but responded with "You're lucky it's not up to me." I almost smiled. "Of course Mikah, what's going on?" I tried to keep the conversation moving.

"I came to try and persuade you to join your brother." Mikah confessed. Grey's grip on my hand became tighter. The three of us walked at the same pace, still on the path to Nik's. "Mikah," I started, but he interrupted. "Aria, just listen to me. I have a few things I'd like to say." I became quiet. "I'm just going to explain what I think, and then I'll be out of your hair." Grey's grip loosened and responded with "Thank God." I smiled fully now. Mikah ignored him and began what he had planned to say.

"Aria, I know this looks bad, and of course it's hard for me to accept was has happened to our village and families, but if you take a step back, it really is a small sacrifice for a huge reward." I could not disagree more. I shot him a look and he understood what I had just thought to myself. "It really is better if some of us survive then none of us Aria." He started again. "We'll never be able to fix what the Broken did to our world if we have zero resources, if we become sick, or die of starvation." He ended. I cannot believe Aaron got through to him. I stopped and Grey copied. We both turned to Mikah.

"Mikah! You saw what happened! You were there!" I began, my voice loud. Only a few people were still out at this hour but Grey squeezed my hand, signaling to lower my volume. "You saw Aaron's guards slaughter our community, for sport! Did it look to you like they were asking for supplies?" I let my hand rip away from Grey's to enforce my point. "Did it look like to you that they were asking our friends and neighbors to join this community?" Mikah looked down at the gravel. "No! Why on earth are you supporting him?" I begged. He looked back into my eyes and for a moment we walked in silence.

"They promised me I'd see my mother again." He admitted. My heart stopped and my mouth opened. "What?" I asked. "Apparently they have her kept here. They told me I'd see her again if I helped them." It felt like pieces of my vision started to shatter and fall like a broken mirror. "And" he started again. "I also believe that this may be the only way to survive Aria." I could not believe what I was hearing. "I know it's not ideal, but look around!" He started to raise his voice and Grey stopped to step in front of me. "You've read what the world was like before The Broken!" Mikah stepped closer to Grey but was still yelling at me.

"We could have that back, if we survive long enough to figure out how to get it!" His tone did not lower and Grey stepped even closer. Their angry faces inches apart. "It's a small issue compared to what could be." Mikah finally said in a lower volume, referring to the killings. A tear started to fall down my cheek but I was not sad. Anger filled my body as I watched my childhood friend slowly drift away from me. "I cannot believe who you've become." I quietly said after a tense moment. His angry expression turned to depression and Grey grabbed my hand again. "You've said what you needed to, now leave us alone." I ended. Grey had started to walk towards the house again and I matched his pace. I did not look back at Mikah, but I would bet he was watching us.