After the nuclear fallout, little remains of the previous civilization but small magical artifacts which nobody knows how to use. The post apocalyptic world is left to mere children who have built their new society on blood and steam. As the gears o...
"So Soel, I was thinking after the mud bombs, I'd fill the water tanks with mustard so when Axel tries to take a shower he gets covered! What do you think? Pure genius, right?" Carnelian said as she lay in bed, her best friend and roommate brushing her tangled brown curls on the other side of the room.
A mechanical voice sounded from Soel's translator panel, saying "No."
"Naw, what do you mean by no? Usually you're more chatty than this." Carney replied
"You still have not reconciled for your actions earlier this morning at breakfast." The tinny voice replied, as Soel shot her an angry glare.
"Whaddya' mean I haven't reconciled? I spent the whole day cleaning! I'm pretty sure that is enough reconciling for one day!" Carney said, sitting bolt upright.
At that, Soel threw her hairbrush across the room and furiously pointed at a crack in the screen of her translator panel.
"Oh, thaaaaat..." Carnelian said with a raised eyebrow.
Soel nodded furiously. Carnelian shrugged and said, "Could've been worse. Besides, it was all worth seeing the look on Axel's face!"
"Your lack of empathy is upsetting to say the least and really I thought you valued my friendship. I am leaving the premises of this room to go and clear my head. Why don't you meditate on the folly of your actions. Really, I thought you were my friend." The mechanical voice sounded from Soel's translator panel. Soel turned and stormed out of the room, obviously upset.
Carnelian leaped out of her bed, landing in front of Soel and blocking the doorway. She raised a hand and said, "Soel, wait! I didn't mean..."
Soel slipped right past her however, leaving Carnelian alone in the quiet of the room. When Soel had gotten past the dining hall, Axel noticed her and began walking next to her.
"Soel, what's wrong?" Axel asked, looking at her with concern. Soel shook her head and picked up her pace. She turned her translator panel off and dashed ahead of him. Axel caught up to her and gently lifted her chin, trying to look her in the eye. He saw a tear running down her face and he gently caught it on his finger.
"It's Carney again, isn't it?" Axel asked
Soel gave him a hesitant nod.
"Why do you even put up with her?" Axel said, bitterness in his tones.
At that, Soel turned her translator panel back on and furiously typed out her mind, saying, "She found me outside the wall and helped me escape the gen-ones. If she hadn't broken the rules that day I would have died."
"Of course, but you can't let her run wild. Rules are there for a reason. Our kind has worked towards civilization and enlightenment, and most importantly, order. And she comes in and just blasts through the natural balance we have worked so hard to create! If she continues her antics we'll be on the verge of another war." Axel replied.
"I hate the translator device." Soel suddenly typed, the machine reading it in its emotionless monotone.
"What?" Axel asked, confused.
"I wish I had a voice. Then I could laugh at what you said. And you would know what I am feeling. But instead this metal tablet is all I have to communicate. And Carnelian nearly broke it today." Soel's machine replied.
"I wish the same thing. I know that if you had a voice it would be like that of an angel." Axel said as he brushed a stray hair from her face.
"You amuse me." was all Soel had to say in response.
"What would you do if you had a voice?" Axel asked
Soel smiled up at him through glistening lavender eyes and her machine voiced "I would laugh."
"how did you loose your voice?" Axel said.
"I saw something. There was blood everywhere. And I tried to scream but no sound came out. After that I just could not bring myself to talk. I used to sing, before they were killed. And I used to laugh. Father said I was the most talkative little girl for miles. But one day,..." Soel's machine spoke.
"What did you see?" Axel asked
"Goodnight." Soel's machine replied, and she ran back towards her dormitory without another word.
"Soel, wait!" Axel called after her with an outstretched hand. She left him to the icy darkness of the hallway.
Axel stood there for a moment, as if he was frozen in time.
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