Unity

Eight: Peace

A/N: So this chapter was a rollercoaster for me to write. I just... there was a lot of stuff going on and I was supposed to finish it a week early but I only finished it a few days early. I only really like the individual sections and not the whole. I don't know. Comment your reactions to the "eh" story. Enjoy.

I read once in a very rare history book that October 31st used to be a large holiday in our area. However, that all changed after The Union. There were no holidays anymore, there were almost no remnants of what Earth was like before. To save the planet, individual countries gave up their own histories and cultures to become one. Now there were no more wars, no more hunger, and no more disease. The only reason Agents were created and cultivated was the need for a small, elite force that would stop the remaining anarchists who wish to drive the Earth back into misery again.

We were the Peacekeepers of our world. It was a high honor. We were given the opportunity to save the world just like our ancestors did. I felt blessed that I could be a part of such a thing.

It was October 29th, two days before the holiday that used to be centered around celebrating the dead and the terrifying, that I encountered something that scared me more than anything before or since. When I pulled back the curtain on the shower I saw a figure, still fully dressed, with steaming water pouring down their back.

The second I saw them my mind went to one thought.

Rolland??

But no. It wasn't.

I reached my hand towards them and yanked it back suddenly. The water was boiling hot. The skin underneath their clothes was a scorching red. I quickly yanked the knobs and turned the water off. A white shirt was sticking to their back and dripping blond hair was covering their face.

"Chance?" I placed a hand on his back.

He suddenly jerked up and two hands vice gripped around my arm. He lifted me off the ground and judo-flipped me onto the bathroom floor. The wind was knocked out of me and I felt my back start to ache instantly. I saw Chance's face, full of panic and distress, staring down at me. He staggered back into the shower and slid down on to the floor again.

"Stop it, stop it, stop it!!" He covered his ears and shook his head like someone was screaming at him.

I slowly pushed myself onto my feet, with a great amount of pain and effort. I grabbed a towel and walked over to Chance. I crouched down in front of him and tentatively placed it around his shoulders.

"I have to clean this up." He looked down at the shower floor and began dragging his hands around in the puddles of water. "Mother, help me please. Get up, get up." His eyes were vacant of any kind of recognition.

"Chance? What's wrong?" I placed a hand on the top of his head, to which his soaking blond hair (now more of a light brown) was plastered.

"There's blood everywhere. Everywhere." He stared at the puddles. "Melody will see, Melody will see. Fix it, fix it. Clean it up, clean, clean, clean." He started humming a little song.

"Chance..." I grabbed another towel and started mopping up the puddles of water. When I was done I grabbed Chance's hand and pulled him up. I dried his hair and took off his soaking shirt, trying not to look at anything and leaving the pants. I gave him a clean t-shirt from a pile and his hands began to shake holding it. "Come on, you have to put on dry clothes."

"Ssssshhhhush." He put a finger to my lips. "She's talking to me." He looked down at his feet. "Dry... so much sand..."

"Come on buddy." I pulled the shirt over his head, he was like a child. "Chance, Chance, talk to me."