Hidden ( being rewritten)

Chapter Eight

[Layla]

I woke up at 5:30, an hour before we were required to, so that I could get to Zia's as quickly as possible. Today, she was going to teach me how to make beaded anklets out of strips of wood, jewels, and wax. I could barely contain my excitement.

I had always loved handmade crafts, though I never really had time for them as a thief.

I looked in the closet Autumn and I shared, to see that Jay had filled it with three sets of clothing for each of us. She really had thought of everything. I grabbed a dark purple shirt, faded jeans, and sneakers before walking towards the lake.

I checked to see if there was anyone there, and found nobody. Apparently coming early was a good way to avoid the crowd: I kept that in mind. Peeling off my clothing, I walked down the gradual slope into the water.

Autumn may have hated the frigid water, but after sixteen years of showering in it, my body was numb to the temperature.

I scrubbed myself with the soap and wet my hair, frowning when I tried to pull my fingers through it, but they got stuck about half way.

After only two days in Fray Sector, it had gotten even more frizzy and tangled than usual. It stuck to my neck and upper back as I walked out of the pond.

No wind was blowing and that was good. I dried myself off with a thin towel and slipped on the clothing.

I sat down on the damp earth to tie my shoes, smiling to myself when I found that they fit perfectly.

As I was preparing to leave, I heard a noise from behind the trees.

I stood up.

"Who are you? I'm armed." I lied. The only weapon I had with me was my shoe.

A silhouette stepped out of the shadows. It was around my height, with a cloak covering its frame.

"Come with me." The voice was feminine and had a frantic tone to it.

"Excuse me?" I asked. The woman stepped closer to me. I backed away.

"Stop moving, I have to show you something." Her hand started moving around in her cloak and I cringed, wondering if she was going to pull out a knife, or worse...

She pulled out a small box, no bigger than my hand.

I opened my mouth to say something, but she beat me to it.

"Before you say anything, just watch." The small box glowed and showed an image: a black box.

"Isn't that the-"

"Do you have this?" She asked me in her frantic tone.

"No, it was taken by the Supreme Leader's assistant." The girl gasped.

"Why did you not hide it?" She asked.

"Why would we? My friend suggested we pawn it for some extra money, but I didn't want to. I felt something weird about that box." I answered.

"You don't know what's in that box, do you?" She asked, her voice softening.

"No."

The girl sighed and looked back at the hologram.

"This is called the Ruby Box, a box hidden for years by a group of people called the Protectors. The Ruby Box contains something that can benefit or destroy the human race." The girl said, toneless.

"What's in the Ruby Box?" I asked.

The girl's head shot up. "I can't tell you here. It's too risky."

I stared at the girl, confused.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because...last night I was in the forest-"

"Outside!??" I shrieked.

"Yes, I was, but not to hunt like the rest of the Frays. I pick berries there. They're delicious and sometimes, I use them for medicines." The girl explained.

"I overheard some voices and so, I followed them. Soon, I ended up behind a tree listening to a conversation between two people. One was Syrena Hutchinson and I didn't recognize the other person."

"So, what does that have to do with me?" I asked.

"Well..I know that you're a Blender-"

"Ex Blender... I'm an official Fray now." I crossed my arms.

"Well..an ex Blender and I know that you're a thief and that you hate the Specials probably more than a normal Fray. That's why I need you."

"I don't even know you." I huffed.

The girl groaned. "My name is Scarlett Mitchell, daughter of a Ruby Box Protector. Nice to meet you." She pulled her other hand out of her cloak and held it out for me to shake.

"Layla Parsons...Nice to meet you Scarlett." I shook her hand. Scarlett clenched up, but said nothing.

"Now will you come with me?" Scarlett asked.

"I have work, of course not." I rolled my eyes.

"How about tonight?? The sooner we team up, the sooner we can stop Syrena." Scarlett removed her hood of her cloak, revealing her bleached curls.

I thought about that.

"I'll think about it, Scarlett. Most likely not, though, because I don't really trust you." I crossed my arms..

She put her hands in her cloak again. "If you do decide to come with me," She sighed and managed a weak smile, and reached in to pull out a small phone. "Meet me here tonight when the moon starts to rise, okay, and call me on the phone, okay?"

I sighed. "Okay fine, but only after everyone's asleep...I don't need to be seen sneaking to the Outside." I told her. Scarlett nodded in agreement.

"Fine, I will see you tonight, Layla." Before I could say anything else, Scarlett walked away.

Walking towards Zia's, I thought about everything Scarlett had told me.

What was so important about that box? And what did Syrena Hutchinson, the most powerful person in the Aggregate, have to do with it?

Soon, before I knew it, someone had started walking behind me. I turned around and saw Autumn.

"What do you want?" I asked harshly. I was still mad about her decision to be a Warrior.

"Please Lay, please don't be mad!" She said softly. I rolled my eyes.

"No thank you," I told her. "You didn't even bother to think about how I would feel when you chose to be a Warrior...we aren't Jay and Genni." I swiftly turned around and started to run, avoiding further conversation with Autumn.