The Descendents

III-What I Got-Vella

"'The Guild'?" Vella asked.

He nodded, "Yeah, its like a camp for the sanus."

"The what?" She looked at Nihil, puzzled.

"It means 'healthy' in Latin. So the ones without radiation poisoning or mutations."

Vella nodded in understanding, "Wait, why did you take my cigarettes?"

"I needed it." he answered, "I used to smoke, back before this all started."

"Yeah, so did I, and now there's nothing left! This was my last pack!"

"You sound mad." he noted.

"Well, yeah! You smoked two of the four I had left! Even my lucky!" she was enraged.

"Look, you also have a drinking problem." he stated. "We had to pump your stomach."

"You think I don't know that?"

"Well, when I found you, you where passed out about a mile from a bar, with that wound."

"Wait, you found me?"

"Yeah, I couldn't let you get eaten by a four-eyed bear or something, so I carried you here."

"You should've left me." she said under her breath. "My life should not be any of your concern."

"No, I shouldn't have." He walked over and put his hand on her shoulder. His touch was warm and soft, like a blanket pulled freshly out of the dryer. His breath smelled of weed. Vella pulled away. He definitely new something about her that she didn't want him to know. "Look I get it-"

"No, you don't." she interrupted, holding a hand up. She pushed Nihil's hand off her shoulder. "You don't get it at all."

Nihil took new interest in the rug spread under him and Vella.

"How long was I out?" Vella broke the silence.

"About three days." Nihil said.

"Huh. Not too bad. My record is five."

He looked at her, and she felt his gaze, "Five days? My record is two. I applaud."

"Yeah, well...." She let her voice trail off.

"So, you plan on getting out of here, despite that fact that you're still in recovery?" He asked.

"Yeah. I guess so." She sighed.

"Well let me see what I can do." He said, "Follow me." He stood, and stretched out a hand. She took it and stood.

*•*

They where walking down a hall outside the main entrance of the infirmary. It looked like it was carved out, underground.

"So, how long have you been on the run?"

"About six months." She said. "Wait, why am I telling you this?"

"Because I asked."

"Yeah, so? That doesn't mean I have to tell you."

"You can't help it."

"Yeah, I can."

"Fine, how old are you?"

"Easy, fifteen."

"No, you're sixteen."

"How did you know?"

"You just told me." he said, looking at her with a small smile.

"You're an ass." She said, pulling her eyes away from his.

Nihil held up an arm out in front of her, and Vella bumped into him, "Wa-"

"We're here."

Vella lifted her head. They where at the end of the corridor. It opened up to a horizontal walkway, then wrapped all the way around into a square, and dropped off about five feet across. The drop-off was about fifty feet deep, and had more doorways leading off labeled with different Latin words. One door had a bright glow that flickered as shadows walked by. Another had a loud sound of laughter booming from it.

"Wow." she said, amazed.

"This is the medius, the middle." Nihil translated.

"Bigger than I thought." she stated.

"Yeah, everyone says that. Hey, you never told me your name."

"Oh... I'm Vella." she said shyly.

"Nice, what does that mean?"

"Hell, if I knew." She said shaking her head.

"Weird, everyone I know is given a name when they turn ten. At first they're given a temporary name, then when they turn, like I said, ten, they get a new one. They all mean different things."

"Then what does your's mean?"

"Nothing."

"No, really what does it mean."

"No, like, that's really what it means. My full name is Nego Nihil. Deny Nothing. The name also gives us a slight power, that's why you cant deny anything around me."

"That's so weird." Vella said, looking down at the little doorways below.

"We should go talk to Dux." Nihil said, looking in the other direction.

"Who?" Vella asked.

"Dux, To Rule. She runs this place." He answered, grabbing her right arm, firmly.

"Ouch!" Vella almost screamed in pain, "What the hell?"

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry, I forgot-"

"It's fine. Wait, forgot?" Vella said hotly.

Nihil let the question slide.

They proceed to walk, turning right. They came to a stop at the foot of a wide staircase.

"Do you guys have a thing with stairs, or something?"

"Yeah the aedificabos had a thing with it." Nihil said, "They try to put a staircase wherever they can."

"People are weird." Vella stated. Nihil gave a small chuckle at that.

"Come on." Nihil said, this time grabbing her left hand, "Lets get you out of here."

_____

Edited. ~Maddie, the Editor. She's amazing.