Pleuvoir | Eric Coulter

Dalawamput-pito

K a r o l i i n a

Max' eyes are staring straight at our hands, and it is making me uncomfortable.

Eric and I went to him to ask about my things, try to find out where they've gone, but Max has been silent for the past few minutes, just looking at our hands with an expression I can't decipher.

"It's true, then." He concludes in a low voice.

My hands get grasped tighter by Eric, but not so much that it hurt. I let him do it though, because I know this is hard for him. Opening up and showing everyone about us is a new experience, and he needs to find a way to let his emotions out.

"It's none of your business."

There are only a few people who can talk to Max that way, and Eric is fortunately one of them. Max treats him like his own son, but that doesn't necessarily stop him from being harsh on Eric sometimes.

Max laughs, eyes crinkling, "Yeah, not my business. Anyway, her things are probably at the stock room. Lots of shit there."

My ears burn t the curse word, but I'm taking it a lot better than before. In fact, I am starting to use profanities in my sentences daily... sentences in my head for that matter.

Eric nods and pulls at my hand as a sign that we are going, but I force him to stop by not moving my feet. He looks confused at my actions, but when I turn to Max and bow slightly and say a small "Thank you," he smiles a little and as usual, it sends butterflies fluttering in my stomach.

∞

E r i c

Her things weren't there.

Lee sighs next to me, giving off what she was feeling. We've been searching all day for her belongings, but we haven't find it. We've safely assumed that they've been thrown out.

"You can always buy new ones," I tell her as consolation, but she doesn't seem to like the idea as her head bows a bit more to the floor.

"But my things back from Dahlia are there."

I know she misses her and I know she is pained of losing her important valuables, but we can't do anything now. All we can do is go home and face that what happened, happened.

"Come on, Lee. Let's go home."

∞

Home.

I've never considered Dauntless as my home. No, it is merely a place that I ran to when I needed an escape. A place that has no necessity whatsoever in my part. But, as Lee steps into my room, my eyes follow her movements. I realise that Dauntless is not only my home now, but also my place of solitude where I found my significant other.

The two of us lay in my--our bed, feeling the warmth of the other. She and I are silent, but I have had enough silence, I've practically lived in it, so I open my mouth and speak the words of my heart.

"I grew up in a small house back in Erudite." I start. I feel her shift beside me, but I don't look at her because I don't want her to see the tears that have gathered in my eyes, "Mum and Dad were scientists, of course. But we were barely getting by. Had a younger sister, Annie. I was okay, doing good in my studies and was the fucking best brother to my sister.

"One day, I was thirteen, my parents left to try out another job together, to earn more for our needs. They left me with Annie, told me to care for her, and I did." The tears are flowing freely now, and I'm sure that Lee has all her attention on me.

"A man came in suddenly, and he had a gun in hand. Apparently, he was a crazed lab rat. He'd been locked up and used for testing serums by the older Erudites. He pointed the gun at Annie. I didn't know what to do. I ran to her, fuck, I did all I fucking could to save her, but he fired the gun, and the bullet hit Annie straight on her chest.

"She died on the spot, and when our neighbours found us, I was passed out beside Annie, and the murderer had ran.

"It took five years for me to escape that retched place, but when I got the chance, I took it. I left Erudite for Dauntless with only one thing on my mind. I needed to be tougher, not only for Annie, but for myself. And if I was in another situation like what happened that day, I'll be able to do something. I'll be able to save someone."

I think I've said enough. I can't go on any longer anyway. My chest is heaving up and down, and my throat is starting to constrict. My eyes bleed out tears that have been supressed for how many years, and it feels good to let them out. Lee doesn't say anything, she doesn't need to, because her presence is enough to calm me.