Awkward Stars

Chapter 13

chapter thirteen

emma montoya 

When we were younger, it was only a dream to be excepted as anything but an Average. Averages is the majority of the Society, coming in second to Supremes. They are the ones who run the Guilds.

Jenna would constantly fantasize about this. One could find a drawing of her getting welcomed by a new family, a look of surprise on her face and a crown on her father's head. I didn't have these dreams, because it wasn't possible. It just wasn't.

I can feel the heat in the room. This isn't happening. I don't even understand, so why do I think I do?

"You're father is a direct ancestor from Stella," Justin explains. "You're a Direct."

That makes some sense. I can't comprehend why though, this world was hidden from me for so long. I spent sixteen years old and living like an orphan. Why didn't they come to me then? I feel anger fuming.

"Then what are you?" I ask. He can't be my brother, and even more obviously, not everyone here can be my family. 

We finish our questioning while walking down a nearby hallway, one that connects the infirmary to the Squad building. Justin inisted on showing me around, welcoming me to my new empire (those exact words too). This is not right, I keep telling myself.

But what a funny name, squad. A name for a group of people to are like family to another.  This should be my family now. My family had left me to fend for myself.

This is not my family. 

"I was born an Awk, but no relation too any. That is what the majority of us here--"

But Justin's plans to get me somewhere are cut short. Suddenly the black circles I was lead to believe were security camera scream out as if in severe pain and glow bright red. Alarm systems. Something is wrong in this promised sanctuary.

My stomach flips over and cries of panic erupt. I can't hear myself think in the moment while dread takes over my mind and my bare feet turn from cold to hot. We stand in the middle of the hallway across from two doorways. One appears to be a mess hall judging by the scrapes of food rotting on the ground and the other a ballroom.

"Emma," Justin yells, and though he is inches away from me, it's hard to hear him. "Follow me."

People I never noticed before swarm us like bees. They run away down the path we came from, and Justin turns to follow while attempting to maintain a grip on my wrist. I look down the other end and see a mist of gray smoke clogging the hallways.

It's then that I realize that what ever set this off is after me. Squad has never been attacked, Justin had told me, nobody knew where to find it. That's how they stay safe. But for some reason when they tried and help me, they were attack.

I break free of his grasp and jog into the smoke, without a thought in the world. 

///

I plunge into a puddle of turquoise water, but I can't breath. I struggle as the water overwhelms me and different creatures surround me. My eyes burn as I try to break through to the surface.  

With a gust of wind, the waters is blown away and I can breath again. I regain my composer and stand to find myself in a dark room. My heart is beating twice as fast and my eyes try to see in the dark. I hear murmurs of a girl struggling to do something.

I press my hand to the wall in an attempt to find a light switched. When I find one, I flick in up and see Jenna in a pad locked chamber with her mouth tied. She bangs on the wall and I can see tears streaming down her face.

"JENNA!" I try and yell, but it's useless, my mouth won't open. Next to the chamber is a long gun. I've never shot a gun before, but I try anyways to break the lock open. There is no key on the nearby desk, I checked.

I pick up the gun and gesture to Jenna to move back. I press the head of the gun an inch away from the lock and pull the trigger. The lock falls too the ground and the bullet is gone.

Jenna pushes the door open and collapses into my arms. I untie the cloth around her mouth and she throws her locket at me. "They think I'm like you," she says, grabbing my cheeks and pulling me closer. She looks into my eyes and says quietly. "I'm not. They wanted me to find someone like you to stay safe."

"You knew about me?" I wanted to ask, but suddenly I'm in the puddle again.

///

"SHE'S IN DANGER," I wake up with a shout. It was a vision.

"Quiet kid," Justin growls. We are in an alley and he carries me in his arms bridal style.

He stops and puts me down. "My name is Emma," I say. "You know that."

"I do," he replies. "But names are given to adults. Not children who runs to danger."

He starts walking forward. "They were after me," I call after him. "I didn't know what that fog would do."

"What fog?" he asks.