Dreamjumper

Chapter Sixteen

"I'm so glad that today is over."

I stared out the passenger side window of the car, watching Robbinson Day disappear in a whirl of navy uniforms and grids of greenery. I was relieved, to say the least; it seemed like the day had dragged on forever, thanks to my constant worrying over how Alistair was doing on his own.

Alistair's expression looked vague enough, though his eyes gave him away; he looked just as relieved as I, perhaps even more. With one hand on the wheel, he reached up and pulled the elastic from his hair so it tumbled down his shoulders freely. "It is both much easier and much harder here than I expected it to be," he admitted, pulling the elastic up his wrist.

"How so?" I asked, tilting my head to the side inquisitively.

He thought for a moment, as if he were thinking how to best put into words what he was feeling. "I have learned so much about how to face immediate danger, and how to plan my actions to fit a role. But I could never have predicted such casual levels of respect, or the emphasis on appearance. I wear a wig when I go out into the outside world, so I have never experienced what it is like to look the way I do here," he explained. "I knew my hair would be a bit of a problem, but not to this extent."

"Do many men have long hair in the society?" I asked, suddenly curious. I noticed that a flush had spread over his high cheekbones at the question; I quickly realized my mistake, and put my hands up in protest. "Not that having long hair is a bad thing! Not at all! It's just less common here, that's all I mean."

The pink faded from Alistair's face as he replied, swerving onto another road. We were about ten minutes away from Jensen Bridge now, leaving us plenty of time to have a conversation. "It is more or less considered normal. There are even some of us with hair that reaches the floor. Certain things are not considered masculine or feminine that would be here. It is simply a matter of preference."

"Like makeup, right?"

"That is an example."

I struggled to push down the question that burned in my mind, but failed; the curiosity would have eaten me alive. "Do you wear it?"

Once again, he looked a little embarrassed, as most people from the outside world would consider the prospect strange; but he patiently answered the question nonetheless. "On special occasions, I line my eyes, like most others. But that it usually all I have the time and skill for." He looked pleased at the fact that I hadn't burst out laughing or made fun of him.

"Well, there's one thing that I can't do," I pointed out. This comment had earned a smile, which made something swell within me. I hoped we were on our way to become closer friends – and I prayed to God that our constant time together would do us more good than harm.

We had quickly approached Jensen Bridge, covered in splashes of the green water from Kail Lake. The car tires slowly crunched over the gravel, before we accelerated and the sound became a steady hum. Though I didn't scream this time as we sped through the barrier, I still had to close my eyes to avoid the aforementioned situation.

As Alistair parked the car, I felt a mixture of nerves and excitement start to take hold of me. I was excited to see Sector 17 – and Gabe – again, but I was also terrified to begin training. I remembered the dragon – what was it called, a Kelic dragon? – and how Genevieve had said that it was one of the easier opponents to face. I didn't want to imagine how embarrassed I would be if I failed such an easy task.

"Are you worried about training?" Alistair asked, right on cue. It was getting a little ridiculous how easily he seemed to read my mind. Was I really that much of an open book?