The Mindless Man's Paradise

Chapter six

After seeing him, I immediately knew that the man and woman were his parents.

 He had his father’s piercing blue eyes, and his mother’s dark, dark hair. He was tan, probably due to living in the outdoors.

 But the biggest shock of all; his name. Cyrus.

 Out of the blue, there was searing pain at the base of my neck. Burning through layers of skin. I could almost hear them as they smoldered into oblivion. A shriek of surprise and anguish ripped from my throat violently.

 Cyrus gasped and his hand flew to his neck as did as mine.

 “Oh god this hurts.” I breathed.

 He couldn’t find words through his pain, so he just nodded.

 The charm was starting to melt off and onto the floor. Some of it caught on my coat, but I flicked it onto the ground and listened as the snow sizzled into water and then into steam.

 I looked down to see that Cyrus’s had fallen as well.

 Lifting down the collar of my shirt, I examined the wound. It was red and swollen, and had already bled through my shirt.

 “Oh my god!” Cyrus’s mother cried.

 She put her hand on my back and pushed me into the house. I cringed at her touch.

 Tears were streaking down my grimy face. Cyrus seemed completely oblivious except for the fact that his brows were furrowed and his hand was pressing against the place where the charm had been.

 It burned a hole through his shirt.

 His mother brought me to a couch and sat me down.

 “Jensen, get this poor girl some ice water please!” she shouted at Cyrus’s father worriedly.

  “What about me?” Cyrus muttered sarcastically.

 “And Cyrus.” she added.

 “I’m going, Aurora.” Jensen insisted.

 I felt myself getting lightheaded the more they used names.

 Names, for pete’s sake.

 “You guys…” I drifted off in midsentence, still blinded by the lingering pain.

 Cyrus looked at me expectantly with his piercing eyes that made me get even more lightheaded.

 “You guys have… names?” I finally finished.

 He looked to his feet awkwardly, still with his hand pressed against his chest.

 “I know you’re probably freaking out, but just hear us out.” he eased.

 Despite his words, I felt extremely uncomfortable, even beyond the burning sensation on my chest.

 I wanted to run. Even though Cyrus was nothing short of gorgeous and his family was extremely hospitable. I wanted nothing but to run from this newness.

 Finally, Jensen had returned with a cloth soaked in water and wrapped around ice.

 I greedily grabbed it and yanked down my collar once more and iced the horrific burn.

 Relief. I sighed out of sheer pleasure.

 Soon Cyrus’s stoic look had turned to one mirroring my own.

 “Look, honey…” began Aurora.

 Her eyes darted to Jensen and then to Cyrus.

 “We’re most likely the biggest Infractors in The Land.” she said blandly.

 At that, my whole body froze up. I found myself wanting run more than ever. I wouldn’t have wanted my Journey to be over so soon if it meant this.

 “What infractions have you violated?” I asked, trying to maintain my calmness.

 “Hon, we’ve probably violated every single one.” she began. “When Jensen and I completed our Journeys, we ran away. We built this house together and we had Cyrus and Kian. Kian is out hunting right now, but we believe HQ has been wrong.”

 I gasped, unable to hide my surprise.

 Cyrus looked uneasy and Jensen’s face hadn’t changed the whole time.

 “Look, I went to SHQ when I was younger… it was-” she couldn’t finish before I interrupted her.

 “I know. I’ve been too.”

 I tried to hide my unease at the topic but I could feel the sadness in my eyes already.

 “I’m sorry to hear that.” she appeased. “But, HQ has been using the kids as slaves, and in the Society, it only gets worse. In the Society they-”

 I interrupted her again. “Please don’t tell me.” I breathed in slowly, trying to keep my breathing even. “I want it to be a surprise.”

 Everyone in the room looked sad. Sad for me.

 But these people were… they were Infractors. They were traitors.

 “Honey, it’s nothing good.” Aurora said.

 “I don’t care.” I snapped. “This is my country and unlike you people, I am a loyal citizen!”

 I felt the last of my patience disintegrate.

 “I don’t know about you filthy people, but I was raised normally. Do you want war? Is that what you want? You realize shortly after naming people comes the naming of cities, and states, and more countries! And then culture and ethnicities. And shortly after, there are disputes. They start out small, but you know what happens soon enough? Death. Death and destruction and tragedy and war. HQ knows best. Always have; always will.” I raised my voice.

 “I can’t listen to this anymore, Aurora.” Jensen said doubtfully. “This will never work.”

 “We’re doing this for Cyrus, Jensen.” she argued. “We promised.”

 Cyrus just stared at his hands as he fiddled with his thumbs.

 “She’ll report us, Aurora! If you thought SHQ was bad… HQ’s punishment will be much worse. We are living the highest infraction there is.”

 I seized the moment. In the midst of their arguing, I got up and darted to the door.

 “Hey!” I heard Jensen shout. “Damnit, Aurora!”

 I only barely registered the fact that he had just uttered one of the many Forbidden Words. But, what did that matter at that moment?

 I swung open the door wildly and ran out.

 I was home free!

 Or so I thought.

 In the doorway was a boy who looked younger than me, but was tall and lanky for his age. I had too much momentum to slow down, and I smacked into him with such force that I blacked out.

 The second time in the past week.

 It oughtta be a record.