The Elevators

Chapter 13 - Time is up.

The elevator buzzed with people gossipping about earlier. My hands still tremble even after the Commander has left.

Earlier, Simon told us to rest our bones for tomorrow's floor. After Dinner, I hadn't really spoken to anyone. I let Carrie and Leo chat the whole evening.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Carrie asked when Leo was away, leaving the two of us alone.

"Just, shaken up I guess." I shrugged.

"It was pretty awful, the floor earlier." I remember Carrie calling out for Sasha.

"Your Sister?" I asked quietly and she nodded in reply.

"Yours too right? Your twins?" I nodded silently as well. Remembering how I gave up on them, how weak I was and how I felt like my whole world came crashing down on me. I don't wanna feel that again.

The both of us sighed as we share a moment together. "Thank you." I hear Carrie whisper. I looked at her and tears swim in her eyes. "Without your help, I thought I wouldn't make it."

"What are friends are for?" I smiled. Tears started to fall on her pale face. Carrie hugged me tightly. Her shoulders slightly rises and falls. She's sobbing quietly.

Out of nowhere, Leo appeared and he joined in the hugging too. "Don't cry guys." He said softly. Carrie breaks away and wiped her tears from her face.

"So, what were you guys talking about?" he asked.

"About our siblings." Carrie replies, still wiping her tears.

"Ah, siblings." Leo nodded.

"You have one Leo?" I asked and he nodded.

"I do. I have a big brother." He averts his eyes elsewhere. What's he trying to hide?

"What's wrong?" Carrie asks.

"It's - It's nothing." He shakes his head.

"You could tell us Leo. It's just us." I tell him.

"Yeah. Besides, Two or maybe all three of us are gonna die anyways." Carrie jokes and I nodded.

"Okay, okay." He looks at the both of us.

"I have a big brother, he's in the air force. He's always number one in everything."

"Oh." Carrie says.

"Yup. He's the golden child. He recently became Corporal...and me? I make maps. Cartographer is like the lowest of the low. I mean, I do go to war and all but- most of the time, I'm gonna make maps."

"Do you like it? Making maps?" I ask him.

"I do, but-"

"Good. It's better doing something you like, rather than something you don't, right?" His eyes widened.

"You know what? You're right! I may not be leadership material, but at least I got cartography."

"Yeah! People would get lost without you Leo." Carrie says, encouraging him.

"Leo the cartographer." I said and he laughed.

"Is 'corporal' a high rank?" I ask.

"kinda. There are much higher ranks than 'corporal'."

I never knew about military ranks before.

"What about Commander West?" My words fly out of my mouth. Cat's out of the bag now.

"Supreme Commander a.k.a. President of Airen." Carrie swooned. I didn't know she's one of his 'fans'.

"He has the highest military rank ever." Leo says casually.