Imperfection

Imperfection Chapter 3

I'm no longer myself. I don't know who, or what I am and my body feels as if it is nothing but a cloud of dust. That's all I am. A cloud of dust floating through the dark streets of Section D, settling at the cracks and corners in shiny aluminum walls. All I want to do is have a place where I fit in, a place where I can be at least somewhat accepted. But I know now that that is nothing but a hopeless fantasy. I don't fit in anywhere. 

My senses are slowly coming back to me. I'm on a train, I believe, based on the quiet sound of the wind rushing passed. The smell of sweat is so sharp in the air, not only can I smell it but I can taste it too. The metallic floor is arctic against my feverish back. My vision hasn't come back. All I see is white light coming from different sections of the room. My heart pounds with the desire to know where I am, what is happening. It's not fun having some of your senses disabled, especially when you need them. I'm starting to hear voices; fading in and out but still something to rejoice for my sound-deprived ear drums. 

"Where do you... they are taking..?" A woman's voice comes out in barely a whisper. 

"Obviously, they're going ... KILL..." A different, much louder woman's voice chimes in.

"Hey, don't... like that. We don't know what's going to ..." This time a man's voice speaks, deep and confident.

I close my eyes and try to focus on their conversation. 

"It's pretty obvious what they'll do to us. We've already been caught," The loud woman's voice is the first I hear clearly.

"Yes," the other woman considers. "She has a point,"

The man sighs. "Alright, you believe want you want. I just don't think the Dux Ducis would MURDER innocent civilians,"

"You know we're not innocent nor are we civilians," The quiet woman's voice soft and gentle as the shiny silk fabric on lush couches in Beta's main auditorium. 

Someone grunts disapprovingly then sighs as if accepting it. 

I'm starting to feel the energy return to my body and now all of the senses have returned to working order. 

I pry my eyelids open but shut them again against of the blinding white light. 

My tongue is dry as grass that's been dead for so long, it could start a fire. 

My cheeks are stiff as if tears had streamed from my eyes minutes earlier and dried, forming trails of glimmering salt. 

"Is she waking up?" The loud-voiced woman seems to be shrieking. 

"Hush," the man whispers. "You'll scare her," 

It takes me too long to understand that they're talking about me. I try to sit up, but my back is glued to the floor with a thick layer of sweat.

"Don’t," Gentle-Voice coaxes and I feel a hand rest on my shoulder. "You'll only hurt yourself,"

I know she's right; I have too little energy to waste it all on sitting up.

I open my eyes and squint against the light. Then for a second, all I see is black. 

Shapes are coming in slowly, followed by colors. In front of me, three dark figures sit with pale gleams where their eyes should be. Details are becoming more and more visible to my straining eyes. 

The figure with a hand on my shoulder smiles, revealing a set of sparkling teeth: a smile that ever citizen in Beta shares. Her face is clearer now. She has curls the color of the shadows that travel from the top of her head down to her mid-back. Her skin is the color of chocolate: a rare delicacy in the Colony. Her eyes are a metallic grey: she's a pure Opal. She seemed perfect, there was no way such a woman could be anything else.

I open my mouth to question her but she shakes her head. 

"Hush, save your energy," She looks to the steel floor and mumbles. "You'll need it."

The figure beside her nods, eagerly, her bleach blond hair whipping wildly in her face. "Just lie down. Don't worry about anything," 

I want to listen to her and relax, but my muscles are too tense; there's too much on my mind to not worry.

The third figure doesn't say anything, just stares blankly out of the dark windows on the side.

"You must have so many questions," The Opal girl adds. "Don't worry. We're almost there,"

The third figure sighs and mutters under his breath. "Unfortunately,"

I continue to lie on the ground while they introduce themselves.

The blonde-haired girl starts. "I'm Truth. I'm 16. I live- excuse me, lived- in western Beta,"

Opal girl smiles. "...I'm Modesty. I'm 21. I lived in southern Beta."

The man says nothing, just stares at me. His expression is blank, unreadable.

Ignoring what she said, I open my mouth to speak. "Justice... 15... Central Beta,"

Modesty rubs my shoulder gently. "Careful," she whispers.

She gazes up at the man. 

Sighing reluctantly, he speaks. "I'm Walker. 19. Western Beta,"

All my life, I've never met someone who's name wasn't found on the Appello, the list that has all Betain names. The names are all positive character traits, phenomena, beliefs- basically anything positive from the Praeterita. A name like Walker isn't on the list.

I ask the question that has been on my mind since I first saw them. "Are you... Dux Ducis?"

Truth bursts out laughing but merely chuckles after Walker scolds her. Modesty giggles lightly, her hand placed politely over her lips. 

Truth takes a moment to regain her composure and exclaims, "No! Not at all!"

Modestly shakes her head gently. "Quite the opposite, actually."

Walker looks like he's about to smile. "We're just like you,