2050: A Time of Courage

Chapter 17: Dimitri

As I walk in front of Theo and Emilio on the road to Florence, I can't help wondering how Lilian took my earlier comment.

Did she take it as the complement it was meant to be?

Knowing her, she probably thought that I had found an offhanded way to insult her.

I can't help wondering if she has forgiven me, knowing that I didn't bring any harm to her brother when I pushed him off that roof. Still, I could have, would have killed him if Rose hadn't shown up on time.

Lilian knows what my intentions were, and I wouldn't blame her for holding that against me for as long as I live.

With a sigh, I focus on the road in front of me. I'm holding the flashlight and still wearing my pack, Theo walking a step or so behind me and Emilio following him.

None of us speak, and for me the silence is maddening. The walk is dragging on, the minutes turning into an eternity as we keep trudging along at the same pace.

Eventually, I lose what remained of my patience, the silent and monotonous walk grating on my nerves. I have just decided to start some sort of conversation when I see it.

"What's that?" Theo wonders, coming to stand next to me as he stares, following the beam of the flashlight. Caught on the outskirts of the beam is a tall structure, what looks to be a wall or building of some sort. It is at least three or four meters tall, seeming more menacing than it most likely is. I can just make out shadows at its base, and I wonder if someone else is nearby.

That would be the best case scenario at this point, the more undesirable option being that those figures are more Inhumanes.

Emilio makes his way to stand on my other side, gazing at it with curiosity.

"That..." he murmurs, "It wasn't here when I left."

As the three of us continue staring at the structure, I realize that it continues horizontally for as far as I can see. Though the darkness makes it difficult to judge its length, it does not take a genius to understand that it is expansive.

"It's definitely a wall." Emilio is saying now, "Do you think... Could this stretch around the entire city?"

"That makes sense." I decide, "Maybe they have put this up as protection, to keep out as many Inhumanes as possible."

To my surprise, Emilio nods at my hypothesis.

"That seems logical."

"Should one of us... Should we go over there?" Theo asks, sounding nervous in the face of the uncertainty.

"I'll-" I decide to volunteer, but before I can, one of the figures at the base of the wall begins to move again. This one is no longer simply pacing along the structure; it is walking in our direction, toward the beam of my flashlight.

I curse.

"Blimey, turn that off!" Theo squeaks.

"No, don't." Emilio contradicts.

I roll my eyes, opting to listen to Emilio.

The figure is becoming less of a shadow and more of a person now, and I watch them with interest. The person is lanky, appearing quite a bit taller than Emilio, and they are wearing dark clothing. As they walk, I can't help noticing that their gait is unnatural.

The person seems to be leaning on some sort of walking stick, dragging their right leg as they move toward us.

Eventually, the teenaged girl grows close enough for me to make out her face.