Until I see you again

Passage to Hope

"The names Thom." Silvi's brother said, casually. He wasn't formal, wasn't there for business, just a normal man. Unlike when I met Dillan, was this a good sign? 0003. The number was shaved into the back of his head, just above where his black hair ended on his neck. If Silvi was 0004, there must be some sort of code. Maybe their parents were the other two numbers to fill in the blanks before them? "You'll be staying in the east centre."
             I watched him as he led us to the back of the house. It was beautiful, small, but it was a cute cottage. Wooden floors, nice floral wallpaper and nice aboriginal-like carpets. There was a tv, kind of off setting in the room I think was the living room judging by the sofas and the five men sitting on them, they're back hunched over something in the centre of the table. Dillan still held me in his arms, which were tense and probably aching.
            "The east centre is close to the centre, where the medical staff are, so you can get fixed up." He said softly, gesturing to me with just his voice. He didn't even look over his shoulder, he just kept walking. Where was this all located? We were already in the kitchen and the glass doors to the forest were right beside us, dim light pouring in. "I want you to pay attention now."
        I watched him as he turned to face us across the wooden counter in the centre, leaning on his elbows and collapsed his callused hands together, looking up at each of our eyes. Even Silvi's.
            "We may be free folk... But there are still rules. No branded. No passionate relationships. No drinking. And no looking back." He said lowly, his voice quiet. Those should be easy enough, I wasn't branded, I wasn't in love with anyone there at the moment, and I hated alcohol. "Understood?"
I nodded slightly, my head was still resting against Dillan's chest tiredly. He nodded, then Silvi. But she nodded in a manner to show she knows this. She rolled her eyes and that made Thom smirk faintly.
"It's good to see you back, took you long enough." He said, playfulness in his voice as he stood from leaning on the counter. Silvi nodded and walked around the counter to him, wrapping her arms around him tightly, even I could tell that she wouldn't let go if her life depended on it.
"Took you long enough to say it." She mumbled into the crook of his neck that she could barely reach at her height. He held her tightly. Like he did to me. That's when I remembered. Maybe he was here. Then, they pulled away and Thom moved over to the knife holder. He grasped the wooden handle of one of the larger knifes, and I was waiting for him to pull it out, but instead, he pushed it in until the end of the handle wasn't anywhere to be seen.
Dillan quickly stepped back as the wood of the counter on our side fell towards us, revealing a small tunnel-like space with nothing but darkness inside.
"Welcome Meerkats." Thom said as he watched us, my eyes were wide and my heart was thumping loudly in my chest. "I hope you like slides."