The Refugees

Chapter 34: Ash

Edited

I feel my chest move up and down as my heart starts to beat faster and faster. I hate this feeling in my gut. It's guilt and regret, something I'm not quite accustomed to.

I head out of the room after a few minutes, making sure Savannah is no longer there and head to my favorite spot in The Dome, the kitchen. It's a place where I can relax and what better to clear your thoughts than good nostalgic food.

"Ash!" The cook calls out as she sees me come in.

"Hey Grace."

"How have you been?" She asks a big broad smile on her face.

"Good, I guess."

"You better take care of yourself, boy. Have you been eating properly whilst on all these expeditions? How long are you staying here for?"

"I'm not sure, maybe another day or two."

"Will you be coming back?"

"Hopefully!" I reply sighing as I weigh down the chances of me living after this mission.

"Well what can I get you?"

"Anything savory will be fine." I smile at her and she nods in reply starting to cook something up on the stove.

Grace is a black woman who has always shown me kindness ever since my first day here. I remember her taking me in her arms and that was the first time ever since I lost my parents and I felt so safe and relaxed. She would always get up to cook something for me, even at crazy hours and tried very hard to earn my trust. She was the closest I had to a mother after mine was killed. I still find peace in her presence and I knew I had to see her again at least one last time.

"Here you go." She places a plate in front of me after 20 minutes of conversation.

The plate had quinoa and chicken in a sweet and sour sauce that I've always loved.

"Your favorite." She smiles at me before patting my back. "Now tell me, what do they want you to do next."

I hesitate, looking down on my plate of food.

"I can't say..."

"Will you be able to come back?"

"The chances are slim."

She sighs heavily, looking at me with a strong hint of worry.

"You promise you'll be careful."

"Always."

"Go ahead, eat." She replies, a gentle smile returning to her face.

"Thank you, Grace."

💫💫💫

After eating I head out to the library to look for Chase, another boy that was in my squadron at the time. When I don't find him, I turn to look into the gymnasium. He always did like to train and be better. He was like somewhat of a rival, always trying to beat me at whatever it was. He never could, except for knives, I was never excellent in that department and so Chase made it his major. A way for him to feel good about himself I guess.

As I open the glass door turning to go in I hear two people training on the right. When I turn I see Chase and a girl. Her brown hair is short and in a ponytail as she kicks a dummy that Chase is holding up for her. He looks my way and immediately notices me, a smile forming on his face.

"Ash!" He calls as he drops the dummy. That was a dumb mistake as that girl, who was probably not more than 13 years old, kicked him instead of dummy.

"I'm so sorry!" She calls out to him distressed. And then she turns to face me.

Her eyes are big and blue and her entire face looks familiar. I frown as we both lock eyes.

Who is she?

"Ash?" She questions and even her voice sounds similar but I can't quite place why.

Then it hits me, that voice, her eyes, those tears, that hair.

Callie.

"Callie?"

"ASH!" She yells as she runs towards me, jumping in my arms in excitement. "I thought I'd never see you again."

I want to share her excitement but something bothers me, where has she been all these years?

I hug her back, not letting go of her for a while. She looks so much like our mother that it makes my heart race and squeeze with both sadness and anxiety. My baby sister is alive! But why is she here?

"Where were you?" I finally ask as she pulls away.

"I didn't understand what happened. I had just come back from a sleepover one morning and you were all gone. There was blood in the living  room and so I assumed you were all dead. The police were waiting for me there saying it was a robbery gone wrong and nobody was saved. They placed me in an orphanage but who was going to adopt a 10-year-old girl? I ended finding a way to run away when I turned eleven I found a way to run away and I was on the streets along with other street kids for another year before Evan found me and took me in here along with the other kids. We had nowhere better to go, and although I didn't trust strangers, he was providing refuge, food and beds for all of us so we figured as long as we're together we can always fight him off if he does anything sketchy but he never did. This is the end of our first year here."

"So you arrived right when I left."

"Looks like it, but I never knew you were here."

"He was a subject nobody talked about." Chase cuts in. "Since you were in the army, everyone was told to not talk about you because that could endanger you, even in here because we never know who can't be trusted and who can. Only a few knew you left, the others assumed you ran away or died."

"Yea." I reply looking down. "I don't like the fact that you were on the streets Cal."

"Well what other choice did I have? You weren't there to protect me and I thought you were dead."

"I never knew what happened to you. I wasn't allowed back out because they were scared I would run away. I would have gone back if I could but by the time you were back, I didn't even know where I was. I thought that you died somehow after that. I'm surprised you lasted that long on the streets."

"Well I learned to grow up."

"You're only 13."

"That's old enough in the real world."

"I missed you Cal, I really did. And I'm sorry."

"What for?"

"Everything."

Little did she know that this encounter might have been the last...

~~~

Hey guys!

Sorry this chapter is a little short and boring but I swear it gets better!

I also happen to write a new science fiction story called Black Bird so it would be great if you guys checked it out if you like this story!

Haha sorry for the shameless self-promo!

Have fun reading on!

Song: Flux Pavilion - I Can't Stop (Ekali Tribute)