Emergent

Chapter Two

I had my reasons for leaving. They weren't very important once I left. Most of the time it's hard to think of reasons when you have such a longing for your home and your family. It really hurts to know that I left them so suddenly. It hurts even more to know I left on my own accord. Of course I never wanted to leave. I needed to. I had the opportunity, and I took it.

I am kept up to date with what happens back in the city by a friend. At least, what she becomes aware of. Cara stayed at the bureau, but can easily find things out. I get a small gist of what is going on with my friends, and a more detailed report of what is going on in the city. I my theory is she knows more than what she reports to me, but I think she doesn't tell me everything, anything much for that matter. Maybe it's better that way. Safer, mentally anyway.

Cara is the only one who knows I'm alive. David did too, but he sacrificed his memory for me. For my mother actually, who I ended up figuring out he was in love with, but it was still a great deed. One I will not be able to repay him for.

The day I left went by too quickly. I just wish I had more time with the people I love. I wish I could have frozen those moments, even temporarily, the last hugs, last kisses, last goodbyes.

The plan to have Caleb go into the serum safe was originally going to happen, but betrayal or not, he was my brother. I couldn't let him die. In resolution, Cara, David and I made a plan that killed two birds with one stone. I saved my brother, and I was able to leave and resolve things.

The death serum was replaced with water by David about five minutes before I entered the room. So either way, whoever went in wasn't going to die. I would be able to survive against the real serum, but if I bailed out I didn't want my brother dying.

For several days Cara and I sculpted a dummy of myself with shot wounds in my back. It took a few days to find the right materials, especially when trying to do it all in secret. It wasn't easy to make an exact copy, but it happened.

The dummy came to use later that day. When David 'shot' me with his fake gun, I ran behind a shelf and then threw out the dummy, which had been hidden there not long before. I stayed behind the shelf until the 'body' was removed. I then met Cara outside the door, who had pretended to knock herself out to avoid giving information to those who worked in the bureau. "Here," she says, handing me keys to a stolen Erudite car "Remember, twelve miles south, three miles west, then a mile north." She faintly smiles and hugs me. "I'll write, I promise." I nod and try my best to muster a some sort of smile. It doesn't happen, so I get in the car I recently learned how to drive, take one last look at the bureau, and drive away.

I tried not to think of what and who I had just left behind, or my reason for leaving. I just focus on leaving.
Now, two and a half years later, it's all I can think about.