Estranged [Completed]

Water on the Floor

Shenaia's promise lasted all of five minutes.

"Sorry for the delay—" Erit began.

"Hey there, school boy, don't forget to teach me too," Shenaia called from the far end of the table.

"You are not forgotten, Shenaia. As of this moment, you are to wait until you come down from your high. Can you do that for me?"

"Roger that, Teach." She rested her head on her hands and watched Erit and Kalei intently. Kalei turned away to face Erit, but she could still feel Shenaia's eyes on the back of her neck.

Erit squared his shoulders as he continued to watch Shenaia, and then he broke his gaze and turned back to Kalei and said in a quiet voice, "Rule number one in SWORDE, Kalei. Never trust an Estranged." Erit returned to his seat, casting another glance at Shenaia.

Kalei raised an eyebrow. "But—"

"You'll recall earlier when I asked for your hand? Your hesitance was the correct response. Of course, given as I am instructing you, it is asked that you lend at least some level of trust to the validity of what I am saying. Then, one day when you are finished with your training, you will be assigned to a team, and that team will ask for some amount of trust as well. Nonetheless, to work and live among Estranged you must learn to never give your full trust to any one Estranged. When you work with an Estranged, you are not only dealing with the individual, a trustworthy soul perhaps, but you are also dealing with their darkness. The darkness is not an idle entity, Kalei. It works for its own ends. Much like any parasite, it wishes to thrive."

Kalei stared at him. "You've lost me."

Erit sighed. "I suppose I have not yet explained the mechanics of the darkness. When our hands touched, what did you feel?"

"Nothing."

"And then?"

Kalei hesitated, trying to find the words to describe it. At the time, she had felt excitement and relief as the darkness was pushed away from her arm. Now that it was over, she felt as though this whole exercise was stupid. She didn't see the point. She didn't see any reason to go along with some ten-year-old's games. She didn't even know why she agreed to join SWORDE anymore. Franklin, SWORDE, all these people; it was all stupid. She just wanted to go find a place to sleep. She wasn't tired, but she couldn't think of anything else worth doing in this damn world.

Erit leaned forward, "Kalei—"

"Can't you see you're boring her?" Shenaia's voice interrupted.

Erit stood up abruptly as Kalei heard Shenaia's footsteps approach.

The footsteps stopped behind her chair, and Shenaia called out, "Come on, girl. Let's go raid the closet!"

Erit stood up. "And what makes you think I'm going to let you take her?"

"Because I want to," Shenaia replied. Kalei saw a cell phone fly over her head toward Erit. He caught it. "Take it up with Terin if you've got a problem."

Kalei heard the slides from a pair of guns clicking into place. She turned around to see Shenaia aiming two pistols at Erit.

"I'll take her by force if I have to."

Erit glared at her for a moment. "If you lay a single hand on her—"

"She'll be fine!" Shenaia replied, holding the guns out for a moment longer. She looked at Kalei and nodded her head toward the door. Kalei took the cue and obligingly stood and started moving toward the exit. As Kalei walked past her, Shenaia holstered the weapons in their concealed places behind her back and said, "I'll bring her back safe and sound, little boy."