The Darkest Souls

The Sixteenth Chapter: Shattered

I left the room after getting tired of Michael's persistence in making sure I was fine. Of course I wasn't, but I ended up have to appear it, otherwise he would have kept me for years. He confused me at times. Sometimes he would act all tough, but then he would tell me I shouldn't act like him because I don't need blood on my hands etcetera. He thought I was a better person than I really am, and it irritated me. I tried to convince him I was simply a normal person who made mistakes like everyone else in this world, but he wouldn't hear it for some unknown reason that I couldn't explain the reason behind.

I walked along the hallway and into a laundry room. There was an assortment of clothes that I found behind a door which lead into some weird closet. I guessed it was just an easily accessible area.

I imagined people from State living here. Hiding from the rest of the world. I guessed they would be like any other group of people. Scared and trying to live longer than the world wanted them to.

I sighed at the complexity of my thoughts. They were human too. Maybe Michael had a point. I didn't need to kill people. There were others who were already torn apart by hatred and bad luck. Maybe I could be useful on the side lines. Or maybe, in my perfect world, I would be able to change everyone's minds. Maybe I would be strong enough to do that one day. Maybe I could help reach freedom without paying the price of my life or any other's lives. I doubted it, but I started to hope that it would happen. Hope. I hit my head with the palm of my hand. What had gotten into myself? I wasn't supposed to dwell on hope. I was supposed to live without expectations. I was supposed to be strong for myself as well as others. Michael who was what I had been striving to be like, ironically, was the one who was getting inside my head and trying to change the way I saw things. Scarily enough, it was all working. He had brought back feelings I had never thought I would feel again. Or at least things I wouldn't ever welcome back.

My mind seemed a chaotic mess. I wasn't sure what was what. Or who I was any more. Even though Michael called me an angel. There was no denying darkness had a better hold on my soul than the light attribute did. I felt like an anomaly. I preferred darker attributes, and yet here I was holding onto something that darkness shunned. I guess I was like our president, only the exact opposite. He who used lightness for evil. Who was taken over by something meant to help others, and he turned it into something horrid. Something deathly. I guessed that maybe I had taken a liking to the darkness, and now was using it for better things. Though it could corrupt my thoughts. My actions would always be influenced my Michael's words. He used darkness too, and yet he wasn't as easily confused by what his real desires were. I would need to work on that too I supposed.

I smirked. I would catch up with him one day. Give me two years and I could be at the perfect balance.

I put on red jeans and a grey tee shirt before leaving the room. I grabbed an extra top just in case I needed one for some reason or another. I shut the door behind myself and made a mental note to remember that I needed to tell Michael where this was.

I left the room and started felling really tired. I guessed I spelt in too long. I worried how long Michael would have been sleeping if I hadn't woken up. He probably would have slept until it was night again. He was too relaxed about random things in life.

I turned back towards the sleeping quarters and through the shirt on a bed in hope that I would remember it before Michael and I left. Michael wasn't inside there so I wasn't exactly sure where he would be. I felt a little guilty suddenly about leaving him the way I did. It was completely immature and I wished I could reverse time and think through what he was telling me better.

I walked on down the hallway and went outside. I figured I could live with some fresh air. The buildings were stuffy and hot inside. I didn't guess they had any air conditioning.

I wandered around the outer edge of the building and then came across Michael sitting against the wall of the building. "Hello," I said.

"Hey," Michael replied monotonously.

I sat down beside him and leaned against his side. "I'm sorry, Michael," I said.

"Don't worry about it Lacey. It was pretty cruel and hypocritical for me to say what I did just minutes after defying the very thing I wanted to turn you against. I just got scared. I didn't want to lose you to somebody I created. Believe me, I'm not like that. That isn't who I truly am. It's just a layer of protection for myself I guess. I was probably showing off too. Didn't want you to think I was weak. I didn't want anyone," Michael sighed.

"Well I don't think you're weak Michael. I think you're stronger than anyone I have ever met. In so many ways. Not just generally," I replied.

"You must have met quite a bit lot of wimpy humans, Lacey. I'm starting to judge you for hanging out with those sort of people you know?" Michael replied and then let a smile emerge on his lips.

"Don't say that," I complained. "I know lots of people who aren't wimpy okay?"

"Sure thing. Whatever you say, Dear," Michael responded in amusement.

"You make yourself sound so arrogant," I mused. "I'm actually impressed with how well you do it."

Michael snorted. "Thanks. You're a real sweet person you know?"

"That's what I've been told," I joked.

Michael picked up a cluster of my hair and threw it at my face. "Let's get up. I'm tired of sitting."

I struggled to spit the hair out of my mouth and glared at Michael. "Just stop that Michael."

"Never," he laughed. "This is much too fun."

I looked up at his eyes and he stared down into mine. It was as if we were both trying to solve each other like if we were puzzles. The only downside was that we both had many things that should be kept secret. We both had our problems, and we both had our fair share of misery in life.

Thoughts started to arise in my mind that I hadn't ever considered before. They worried me and I tried to get them out of my mind. What was happening? I took in a deep breath and stepped closer to Michael.

He stared at me for a long time. His expression didn't waver. He was undeniably handsome.

I took in a short breath and turned away. "Let's go on inside," I said with a shaky voice.

"Lacey," Michael muttered. "Do you," he paused and reevaluated me, "Let's just get this over with. You. I can sense your soul a bit. That's how I know... Sorry to ruin the fun, but- I think I've shattered you, Dear. You're in love with me aren't you?"

"You already have somebody you like," I stated plainly.

"Yes. I do," Michael replied. "When we were visiting back there at the building in Seattle you never let me continue with what I was saying. Remember? I never got to her name. It's you Lacey. You've shattered me too. Against all the odds."

"Wait... you're serious about this?" I asked nervously.

"Of course I am. You mean more to me than anyone ever has before. I've never liked a girl before you this much. You're my first too," Michael replied softly.

He reached out for my body and pulled me up to his. I wrapped my arms around Michael and sighed. "Will we make it through this alive?"

"Of course we will. I'm not going to lose you, Lacey," Michael replied.