Extremity

8 | Rylie

Today is a relaxing day.

I've done what I need to do. My to-do list isn't full of blank squares, it's full of squares demolished by check marks. This makes me feel good.

I smile happily to myself as I put my bag into my closet. My work bag. Full of files about people I'm after, fake IDs and passports, methods of survival, my old school uniform, and of course, a gun or two. This bag will not bother me today. Today is my day. For me. All mine. By myself.

I pour myself a big bowl of Cap'n Crunch and flop down in front of my television. I scroll through the channels before landing on a simple Nova documentary. I don't both to watch the news. It's just telling us lies over and over. Lies that I know the truth to.

As I crunch on my crunch, my thoughts wander to the future. How long will I be like this, watching out for Robin? When will it be time for me to make my own decisions and live out my own life? The usual thoughts that haunt my mind whenever I have the chance to. I mean, they made me to the hard stuff already. Like taking out her father. After that, and being thrust here, into my new life with my new identity, it hasn't been the easiest. But I can't remember a time in my life when things were actually normal.

For me, Robin Wayne is my normal. Making her life normal, that is.

Just how normal is normal?

I shake those thoughts out of my head. It's going to ruin my day if I keep thinking like that. Today is my relaxing day, free of work. I can do whatever I want, for a day. What should I do?

Leaving my bowl in the sink and letting the documentary play, I mindlessly wander around my apartment. How long has it been since I've had a day off? Hard to tell. Days like these are hard to come by. That's why I should make this one count; who knows what tomorrow will bring?

That's what leads me to catching a bus and heading 60 miles North, where the next largest city is. With nothing but my phone and wallet and snapback hat to hide my face, I feel confident that I'll have a good day. Today I'll explore the city. Do some shopping, eat some new food, meet new people, and pretend for a few hours that everything is normal.

I step off the bus feeling dazed and amazed. I've only been to this city a few times, when I was a lot younger. When I had to protect Robin. But today I'm here for myself, to be normal. What would me, the normal Rylie Clover, do on a day like this?

"Fear, huh? You must know a lot about that," a voice says to my left.

I look over and see a 30-something year old man. He's leaning against a telephone pole, it looks like he's putting up flyers about something. I cock an eyebrow in confusion.

"Your hat," he says, pointing to my snapback hat, which has the word FEAR written in silver letters. "Fear. You must know a lot about that."

"I guess I do," I reply. "Who doesn't?"

"Ah, that's just the thing!" he says, and spins around before grabbing a flyer from his open bag below him. "I work for this psychic guy, he claims to be able to read anyone's minds! Not mine though, I won't let him. But he says even those with no fear will feel fear when they come to him! Crazy, isn't it? Have a look!" he shoves the flyer at me and I take it hesitantly. I guess he's one of those guys on the streets, trying to get business.

My eyes skim over it. A simply psychic guy, claiming to tell you anything about your future. At the bottom, it reads:

Bold, meek, and fearless are all welcome. But be warned - I can break down anyone's wall.

It's a bit temping. But is this really what I want my first activity in the city to be?

"He just opened up his shop down the street," the guy continues. "You should take a look, yeah? Tell him Johnny sent ya, he'll give you a 10% discount."