When the Smoke Clears

before

Azure

As Quinn and I approached the train station, the misty morning air entered my lungs. Tracing the water droplets as they slowly wove their way down the condensing window, my mind drifted to other things.

Quinn continued to bant on about how excited she was about our new opportunity.

"I swear Azzie, this will be the making of us. We can finally leave this town and life safely!"

Her words made me think harder about the situation. While it was true that we would benefit greatly from the experience, I wasn't sure if I wanted it to permanent. We would never come back.

The blur of the town passed by us quickly; lights flickered and people waved. I just saw memories being washed down the metaphorical drain. Nostalgia flooded my senses as I imagined leaving my home for good.

I didn't even notice the tears until I exited the car. It was a brisk morning which made them cold against my face. I yanked my lilac jacket a little closer to my face in order to hide the moisture collecting. Quinn wouldn't understand why I was crying; she didn't grow up here.

I faced the train station. I had never approached or looked at it closely before; I never really had a reason to do so before the promotion offer. It wasn't like I was unique; most young adults my age waited awhile, pursued their hobbies before heading off into the Capital to receive a new calling.

Quinn called my name from the train door, a giant smile threatening to crack her face wide open. She'd always had the prettiest smile and the most engaging personality. My legs unwillingly followed her onto the blue interior train car. I wanted to sit by the window. Quinn, being in a pretty good mood that day, let me. 

The entire trip there, I stared out the window. 

I watched as our tiny town slipped behind the horizon. I witnessed large cities passing by, none as massive as the Capital. Large reservoirs of our tainted water whooshed past. The sights, the sounds, the smells, the feeling of being somewhere different. It was so strange to me. 

Midway, I accepted a bottle of water and half a sandwich from Quinn. 

"So, are you feeling a little better?" Her eyes were questioning me, seeking the answers she knew I had. 

"Yeah, I guess so. It's been interesting seeing all of the different... places." The lame excuses I was giving her were not cutting it. However, I think she knew I really didn't want to talk about it and abruptly closed the conversation with a nod.

When we reached the outskirts of the Capital city at about 8 pm, I had to gasp in awe. Being a small town girl, I had never really seen a city of this size. 

The buildings which were once built white had been faded over time to a grey-blue color. They soared into the sky, almost all windows and luxury. By the time we made it into the actual city, it was dark and the moon lit up the beautiful city. People bustled around under the lights and action of everyday life. It was like a strange, convoluted tangle of thread connected everyone together; they moved in synchronization, never really stepping out of line.

We came to a slow stop at the train station. The train station in the Capitol was so much larger than the one back home. It had to be since it was like the heart of a human body, pushing the people out and around in order to aid Cian. 

Quinn and I walked off the train and took a moment to stretch. My sore muscles felt much better and we started to make our way to the exit. 

"So, this is really something, yeah?" Quinn grasped at my attention and I gave it to her. After ignoring her the entire trip, it was the least I could do. After all, we would be staying in the same apartment complex for the rest of our adventure.