Re:trct

Chapter four

Startled, Erin quickly got up, eyes fixed on Aira.

As if suddenly noticing her, Aira shook her head frantically then waved her down.

"I didn't mean you... I just... I miss him so much and everything here reminds me of him. It's frustrating but I can't just leave, you know? I'm sorry. I need to find a way to deal with my demons," Aira stated as she scratched the back of her neck nervously.

Erin slowly got back in her seat, a tad bit sceptical of Aira.

"You don't have to explain yourself to me," Erin said as she tried to keep calm.

The two spent the rest of the day in Aira's room. Erin fell asleep on her chair while Aira continued to read.

At around quarter to six, a knock on the door woke Erin up, to an empty room with no sign of Aira.

"Yes," she responded as she rubbed her eyes.

"Dinner will be in ten minutes," a voice probably belonging to the old man replies.

"Thank you."

Erin got up and left the room. The flight of stairs she had come up earlier were easy to find but the dining room a little less. Luckily, the light from the dining room illuminated the wall opposite it.

She walked into the dining room to find Remy standing by the long red curtains, with a bit of a hunch in his posture.

Aira sat at the dining table her attention on her hands on her lap while Madam Hesse sat at the piano at the corner of the room, playing random keys.

Erin took a seat opposite Aira, Madam Hesse followed and took her seat at the head of the table. They all began to eat their meal.

"Erin, tomorrow there's a party we will be holding. Unfortunately I can't cancel it seeing as I hold a rather important position in State. It would be advisable for you to stay hidden during this time. Not all the guests have proper etiquette...classless bastards,"Madam Hesse said.

"I'll be hidden. If I may ask, what is the party for?"

"Nothing big. Just some event State feels the need to hold every year. Aira make sure you wear the dress we got last week."

Aira nodded.

Madam Hesse clapped her hands together in an exaggerated manner. Then left after barely eating anything.

After dinner, Erin followed Aira back up to her room.

Aira reached the door first but let Erin get in first. She shut the door behind them.

"Don't trust my mother-in-law. She tends to be rather deceitful. She'll trap you using any faith you might have in her, for her own benefit," Aira states, a serious expression plastered on her face.

"Isn't everything we do for our own benefit?" Erin says, brushing off Aira's warning."Sorry. I didn't mean to say that. I don't trust her nor do I trust you. I don't need you to tell me." She added.

"Well then...do you know Frank?" Aira asked with a hopeful expression.

"Um...not really. Before I escaped, I had been kept in solitude for a year. Didn't see anyone other than scientists, trainers and representatives from State. I heard them mention a Frank once but I didn't hear what about. Sorry," Erin said nervously.

"You escaped?!?" Aira half whispered half yelled.

"I got lucky...I guess."

"You don't get lucky when it comes to State." Under her breath she said "If you could do it why can't Frank?"

"I did."

Aira shook her head and muttered something under her breath.

"Hesse was the one that called State when Frank started showing signs of modifications. She didn't even blink. The broken look he had on that day... She'd taught him to hate you guys then. Now he is one of you. I really need to find him make sure he's okay but I don't know really know how to leave. Despite how much Hesse hates me I've been living with them since I was a kid after my parents died. "

"I'm sorry but I don't..."

"You can help me. We'll go help him escape."

"There is no way I'm going back to State." Erin said as she grabbed Aira by the neck. Black marks had begun to appear on her arm. She let Aira go trying to keep calm.

"It's been three years since you last saw him. How sure are you his not dead? If he's alive, he must be a State's dog which is a worse fate for anyone."