Intention Man (title in progress)

Understand

The trapdoor thumped open, bringing the lights to brighten. Serafina's head poked through as she pushed herself up to let her feet dangle into the space below.

Lev rolled onto his stomach, propped his head on his hands and looked her in the eyes. "Serafina, why don't people take the time to understand?"

She cocked her head to the side and laughed. "Understand what? Mods? The economy?"

"Life."

"What are you talking about, Lev?"

"I was talking with Trista and she said people don't understand. I don't feel understood."

"You're Lev Langford. That's all people need to know to identify you. Why are you acting so weird?"

"I think I want people to know more. Don't you?"

"That's weird, Lev. Look, people care about what mods you have. That's important. That's how you get places. Maybe there's a few loopholes, Lev. I don't know. If there are you have to find them."

"That's the thing, Sera. Nobody knows and nobody cares to know! Am I the only one who asks questions?"

"You don't ask questions, Lev. You don't even talk to us half the time. That's your fault, not mine. If you want people to be interested in the right way, learn to fit in. Okay? Find the loopholes. You have a job now. You can find some mods that'll work for you. Trust me. This is what you need to do, little hermit. This is how you survive in Trealles." She smiles and slides toward the hole to disappear. "I believe in you, Lev."

But which Lev did she believe in?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 The morning seemed brighter than usual. The sun was a little warmer, tingling upon Lev's skin the promise of a new, better day than the past few. And something akin to hope fluttered with each step he took toward the bridge. He'd missed it yesterday, but he'd make up for it before Higher Learning. Routines change, but that doesn't exactly have to be a bad thing.

Lev settled into the dust, crossed his legs, and took a deep breath of the clear air. This routine today was different because he didn't have to fight for remembrance of the day before.

What was beyond the bridge? Why weren't people allowed to cross over? A spark of fear wavered in his stomach for a moment. Ah. It was possible that the prime reason for it was fear. Did people fear what lay on the other side? If so, why? Was it because it was unknown? They didn't understand what was on the other side?

It was in this moment that Lev began to realize how little he really did understand about the world he resides in. What was in Fiutte? What was beyond the Deathwish Range? What discoveries were to be made where the ships disappeared into that line where the sky meets the sea? More questions would have to be asked. More things to be explored. He wasn't content with the bounds placed around him—he had to go beyond. Why didn't he? What was stopping him?

Lev jumped to his feet, brushed himself off, and began pacing back and forth before the fence. Surely there was something he could do to understand. He needed more answers than he was getting.

"Lev!"

He stopped in his pacing, still facing the fence, and ground his teeth together. Ker had come back. Which wasn't exactly a bad thing, was it? His mind was spinning, his heart was thumping, and he felt like an entirely new person. Which might very well be a bad thing.

Ker came up beside him and he took a deep breath before turning to her. Her face clear like it had been before she'd ever started modding.

"You didn't get a new mod?" For years that'd been her primary objective.