Running With the Wave

Chapter 11

Era:

I manage to climb on top of the wall, but upon seeing the drop I panic. Closing my eyes I try to steady my breathing.

"Don't look down. Don't look down." I breathe to myself.

"Are you coming, Era?" Hunter asks me, concerned.

"I-I can't. It's too high!"

"You have to. We're not exactly supposed to go Outside. We're going to get caught if you dom't get down now!"

I open one eye and stare down at him, already on the other side, and shake my head.

He sighs, looking around nervously.

"I'll catch you. Just please, jump down."

I purse my lips, knowing that this is just another thing I have no choice about. I open my eyes and jump before I can change my mind. I look down, finding that Hunter isn't there.

"HUNTER!" I shriek.

I turn in the air and land on all fours on the ground, trembling. I stand up and glare around, looking for Hunter. He's leaning against the fence with a sly grin on his face.

"Surprise! I knew you could do it." he laughs.

"Oh very funny." I grit my teeth at him and turn away.

"Over this way, kitty." he teases me, pointing in the opposite direction.

"I liked you so much better Outside."

He sighs.

"Outside I can be myself. In the City I'm very different. That way it's harder for people to figure out my secret, s live with it, okay?"

I nod, still angry at him but understanding his motives now. We begin to walk towards his house, our feet crunching on the hard gravel of the paved roads. Everything looks so cheerful, you would never guess that the people here live in misery. The grass is green and lush, the houses all bright coloured bricks and with a million windows. I've never seen anything like it.

Then again, I haven't seen much, have I?

"We need to give you a name."

Startled by his words, I open my mouth to tell him that I have a name already but he cuts me off.

"I mean a boy's name. You can't pretend to be a boy but have the name of a girl."

"Oh. Good point." I answer, happy that he thought of it.

"Erad." He says after a bit of thought, "That way it's still close enough to Era that you'll actually remember to respond to it."

I nod in agreement, then look down at my chest.

"A loose shirt will do the the trick." Hunter tells me.

My cheeks burn. The last thing I want is Hunter thinking about that whole chest area, even if he only thought about it in order to protect me. Then I realize I still have my day outfit with the skirt on. Not a smart choice.

"Boys don't usually wear skirts, do they?" I ask, knowing the answer but still half hopeful.

"No, they don't. My fathef won't be home, I'll give you some of my clothes to change in to."

His clothes? Oh God, why do I have to feel this way for Hunter? He glances at me, amused.

"Not liking the thought of wearing my clothes?"

"No, it's not that! It's-"

"Do you want to live?"

"Yes." I gulp

"Then you'll have to wear my clothes."

I bite my lip and nod, not happy but accepting it. We continue walking up the path then stop when we get to a huge house. It's big and grey, ivy crawling up the walls. Even more windows then on the other buildings line the sides and huge slabs of stone make up the walls. All in all, it's probably the only house in the entire City that looks intimidating.

"Welcome to my home." Hunter gestures towards it.

We manage to get to his room without running into anyone, and he quickly hands me some jeans and a shirt that is way too big on me.

"I need to take the mud off." I say shortly, gazing at myself in tiny mirror.

He nods.

"I'll look more like a girl without the mud."

Hunter nods again. I take a deep breath to stop myself from yelling at him. That wouldn't help our situation at all. It would just draw attention to us.

"Any ideas on how to fix that?"

He hands me a hoodie.

"Here. Keep the hood on all the time. It's not abnormal for those of lower class to always wear a hoodie with the hood up in this season."

I take it from him and slip it on, turning back to the mirror. I smile in approval. I look just like any man prowling the streets. Besides Hunter, of course.

"What's your story for why I'm staying with you?"

"You'll see." he tells me in that vague way that men have.

We hear the door open below.

"Hunter?" a familiar voice booms.

My stomach twists into knots. It's the head Keeper.

"We're coming down, father!" Hunter shouts back.

He rushes down the stairs with me on his tail. I stop dead, seeing the head Keeper at the door. The one that sentenced me to my death.

The reason that I had to leave Keara and Moa.

Anger and fear burst into me at the same time. Hunter motions for me to come down and I slowly take the last steps, biting my lip. The head Keeper raises his eyebrow at Hunter.

"And who is this?"

"My reason for missing Keeper training." Hunter answers smoothly.

His father smacks him upside the jaw and my eyes grow wide.

Not what I expected from his father.

"Answer my question!" he shouts.

Hunter winces, rubbing his jaw.

"I saw him dying on the streets. He had escaped from his father who was leaving the City because he didn't agree with the laws of the Authorities. Erad here does agree, and so he left his father and told the Keepers. The man is already caught and been made a Donator. Erad was dying, and I decided to help him since he may have saved the City from a rebellion."

His father nods slightly the faces his glare on me.

"You. You're Erad?" he barks.

I nod.

"You are welcome to stay here with Hunter and I because of how you've helped the City."

To tell the truth he looked like he wanted anything but me to stay with him, but I nod.

"Thank you, sir." I tell him, deepening my voice to make it sound closer to a boy's.

"Very well. Hunter, set up a cot for Erad in your room. I will have another conjoining room built tomorrow while both of you are at Keeper training. Hunter, I would like to see you later on in the day, you hear me boy? Sebastion will be home soon."

Then he stomps off. I gulp as I follow Hunter back up the stairs. Keeper training? No one ever said I had to train to be a Keeper!

"So," Hunter half smiles at me once we're back in his room, "that's my dad."

It's then that I decide that I can never, ever show nor tell Hunter my feelings towards him.