Stealing Perfection

Chapter 6

I haven't been to the compound for three days. I couldn't. It was far too unsafe.

So when I am preparing to leave tonight, I wait until eleven to get out of bed. I change into my loose leather jacket, tight leggings, and lace up my mid-calf length tan combat boots. I move around in my clothes before walking to my clothes dresser. As quietly as I can, I open the middle drawer and sneak my hand to the back. My fingers close around the cold metal sides of my pocketknife, and I stash it in the pocket of my jacket. Just in case.

I close the drawer without a sound, and slide the window open. I ruffle the blankets, and move the pillows on my bed, so it appears that I haven't left my spot. I run my fingers through my hair, and it falls straight to my waist.

"You're leaving again." The whisper from the doorway almost makes me jump. I whip up my head, and Terran is standing there with a sad look on his face. "Why are you leaving?" Soundlessly, I walk over to him and wrap my arms around him.

"I'm sorry." I whisper in his ear. "I have to, you wouldn't understand." He shakes his head, and I pull away to look at him.

"Stop leaving." His eyes are cold and hard.

"You don't understand," I start.

"Please." He adds. I give him a sad smile.

"I'm sorry," I tell him. I stroke the hair on his head, and pull him close again. He buries his head into my shoulder. "But I need to go now."

His head doesn't leave the crook on my shoulder, so I stand there holding him. I take the precious moment to wrap him in my arms as tight as I can, because no one is watching. We are alone with each other, and this is a moment when I appreciate Terran more than anything.

"I love you, kiddo." I kiss the top of his head. "I'm sorry." I repeat. He slips out of my grasp, and goes back to his room next to mine. I shut the door silently.

I start to feel guilty about leaving Terran when I first enter the compound. Everyone is bustling about, and I have left my little brother at home to live his boring life.

"Kat needs you." I hear, and turn to the voice that spoke. It is Serena, a thirty-one year old I often see down in the armory. Her hair is all chopped off in a pixie cut, and dyed blood red. She is one of the members who lives in the compound. There are not a lot, but some members do choose to stay.

"She said she was in the lab." Serena adds.

"Thank you." I say, and make my way to the lab. I take the main hallway, then the back staircase which is closest, and walk down the steps in dim lighting. I feel the knife thump in my pocket as I trudge down the stairs, and I wrap my arm tight across my waist. I shouldn't feel uneasy about carrying the knife, but I am. Most people are armed here, so I have never had a reason to arm myself.

As I approach the lab, I hear arguing inside. I pause by the door. It is rude to interrupt, right? But not necessarily rude to be eavesdropping.

"I'm not going through that again. I swear, if you put that child-" Lance starts.

"Shut up, I know what I'm doing!" Kat yells, and I hear shoes hitting the ground going right to left. "And I don't need you, and your lack of authority to tell me how to run the mission squad!"

"If you put that little girl through that, she'll be scarred for life!" Lance spits out. Are they talking about me?

It gets strangely quiet, and everything is dead silent. I almost stop breathing, when I hear Kat hiss, "Don't tell me how to lead my people." I take the next moment of silence as an opportunity, and I pull the door open. Lance is leaned up against a lab table, and Kat is only feet away from him. They whip their heads at me.