World Of Silhouettes

Five

"What do you want with Katie?" I ask. For some reason, I'm not even that surprised. 

"Katie has a very important role in the story you spin. Both of you must come to me for knowledge." 

"I don't understand you," I tell her. "once we gain knowledge, what do you expect us to do? If its fight a war or something then you are crazy!" 

"I expect you. . ." She looks at me in the most serious expression ever. "to take back whats rightfully ours." 

After a minute of silence, I shrug. "Whatever, Knowledge, if thats what you want, ill bring Katie over here. Be expecting us okay?" 

"Good," She says. "I cannot wait." 

"Here," Knowledge says. She hands me a piece of paper.  Breakfast finished about twenty minutes ago. I spent a slow twenty minutes getting ready to leave this utopia. I never want to leave. Hopefully, Katie shares the same feelings as I.

"What is this?" I ask. 

"Directions to district seventeen. It can get confusing, so follow them carefully." 

"Thank you. You've done so much for me." 

"Here," Knowledge says, not listening to me. "Put your long boots in this bag, it'll  help you carry them home." 

"Thank you," I say as I help her put the boots in the long sack bag. 

"Now go!" She says. " Get out of here! Come back when you have my pay!" I laugh and run out of the cottage. After taking a few steps, I turn around and look back. The wall has shadows on it but is as tall as ever. Theres something that I missed when I saw the wall for the first time. Someone seems to have written on it. I squint to get a better look. "WE REMAIN FREE" Is all it says. I smile. "That you do," I say. "That you do." 

After three hours of relentless walking, I finally reach Katie. Her house looms up ahead on a large hill. I Sigh and begin walking up it. 

"Hey," I say as I walk up. "Katie?" I gasp and fall onto my knees. The door to the house creaks open. "Scarlet! Ive been wondering what happened to you! Where were you?" 

I begin to dramatically pant. "Been walking for eight long years! How you've grown!" I laugh and stand up. Katie puts her hands on her hips. "Im serious!" She says. "Where have you been?" 

"Um," I glance around at the street. "lets go inside."  Once we are inside, I realize just how beautiful Knowledge had made her house. Compared to her house, Katie's just looks very average and bland. Of course, I won't say that to her. 

"Well," Katie says. She folds her arms over her chests and stares me down. I imagine her doing this to her young siblings and suppress and smile. "Where have you been all this time?" 

"Ahh. . ." I scratch my head. How the heck do you tell someone that you met up with some old Lady, who gave you sandals, boots, and food to eat and oh, she wants your best friend to do the same with. I sigh. Now or never, as they say. "Okay Katie," I say. "Look!" I grab my heel and lift up my sandals. Katie gasps and reaches out to touch them. "Wow! Sandals? How!?" 

"Im not done." I reach out and grab the sack bag knowledge gave me. I open it and pull one of the boots out. 

"No way!" She screeches, as she touches the cool black material of the boots. "But how? Hate to be mean but you are kinda. . . you know, poor." 

"No duh, sherlock!"

"Tell me!" She almost yells. 

"Yesterday," I tell her. "I met a woman."