Dust

Twenty-Three: Of Training

A/N: GUYS!!! I'M SO SORRY! Everything is wild right now! Things should start to regulate again soon. Anyway. Here's a new chapter! Enjoy it! Your votes and comments are AMAZING and I'm so grateful for them! Keep them up, friends! Have a great day!

Day 43 of the epidemic: July 20, 2138

The bombs are not stopping the disease, but rather killing the healthy and helping the sick. Our days are spent in constant running and hiding, stealing supplies and weapons from wherever we can find. We've all but managed to avoid the spawn of the Sear, but we lost Emma in one of our more recent running sprees. We walked without her for two days, until this morning.

We found her today, and she's started to spew some nonsense about how she's found salvation. Evan and I are convinced that she's crazy, but it's irritating nonetheless. An obsession with this leather-bound book she now has is developing, and as much as we tell her that the weight is dragging her down, she refuses to dump it. She constantly speaks of a savior and yet, her paradise is only really found in her "heaven" she claims she'll find after death. At least, that's what Evan and I have taken from her senseless babbling.

I'm not sure how much longer I can go on like this for. Water is becoming an even bigger issue than before, and now, almost everything is turned to dry, desolate desert. I'm starting to think this might be the end.

Before I can really process much, two nearly meaningless weeks tick by. Kyros and I make no progress in the way of finding out about Canaan, other than the connections to the Biblical nation. We study and research everything, but Callie, Mikhail, and Kara remain in the dark. Titus knows something is up, and Kyros and I are slowly feeding him the story we know. The wound on my shoulder heals quickly with two visits to the hospital, where they inject some unknown substance into my arm to help with recovery.

As for McGregor, not much happens. With Kyros acting quickly regarding the holo-chip, no one appears to notice our escapades. Mikhail and I remain on unstable grounds relationally, but while my distrust remains, my anger subsides some. Kara and Callie, sensing how Kyros and I are pulling away from them, spend a lot of time with each other, creating a sort of rift between Callista and I as she draws closer to Kara. Titus floats between the two groups, while Mikhail hangs out with the girls a lot more.

It's around this time that Kyros tells me I'm ready to begin training.

So with a heavy heart and an even heavier duffel bag he tosses towards me, I trudge after him in and old t-shirt and running shorts I feel totally uncomfortable in. Mostly because they're Kara's and they feel too short. Anyway.

The drive to the military gym my ghost says we can use is filled with loud music and off-key singing, but my tenseness returns as soon as we pull into the parking lot. Hooray, now everyone here can see my unfitness. With a loud thud, Kyros tosses the two bags onto the ground, and then opens the door for me to get out of the car. I shoot him an uncertain glare, but he merely seems entertained by my discomfort.

"Ari, it's just fight training. I'm not gonna make you run a marathon or something. Not yet, at least," he smirks, and I shoot him another irritated glare. He chuckles as he flings the two bags over his shoulders, and we walk into the glass doors of the building. A cool blast of air immediately greets my warm skin, sending a shiver racing up my spine. The stern looking woman at the front desk softens slightly upon catching sight of Kyros,

"Ashton! How's your family doing?" she asks, as he hands a small, clear plastic card to her. As she scans it, he gives her a small smile.

"They're doing great, Mrs. Chandler. This is my friend, Ariadne. She's coming to train with me," he says, motioning towards me absentmindedly. The stern-looking older lady looks me over judgmentally, unimpressed by my small frame and bandaged shoulder. I feel myself shrivel under her stare, but Kyros' arm that suddenly wraps around my shoulders to pull me towards the counter is oddly reassuring. I peek around the woman and into the area beyond and though I can't make out any clear shapes through the tinted glass, I can see movement. There's other people in there. Great.