The Cure

Chapter 21 - XX

  "You!" I meant for it to come out as a yell but it barely makes its way out of my throat as a whisper. Reese has heard me though and looks unabashedly guilty. He should feel guilty, I think. I've been trying to hide this and now, well, it doesn't seem as big of a secret as I had hoped.
"He knows you?" I watch the boy as he refuses to remove himself from Reese, like a rubber band that always snaps back even when pried free.
"Uh, well, I...yeah," Reese fiddles with his shirt sleeve. I'm so pleased he's uncomfortable. I'm just reveling in it.
"How?"
"From back home?"
"And where might that be?"
"The growing domes."
"What?" Now I'm befuddled all over again. "Never mind," I state. "I don't want to hear anything until we get her some help." I walk out of the room and out the front door where, as strange as always, Ofelia happens to be heading up the path right as I need her. The minute she sees my face she knows something bad has happened.
"What happened?" she asks, face alert.
"Two things, actually. The girl runaway broke her arm trying to get out of my room and Reese knows about them."
"What?!" Ofelia looks like she's going to punch something and I step away and make sure it's not me. "This is not going to end well, I hope you know."
I nod.
"Good, well now that you fully understand that, take me to her."
I lead Ofelia to my room where Reese is still standing over the bed, boy clutched to his leg. "Back away, my boy," Ofelia commands as she enters the room, very territorial of her. "I need to get a good look at her arm. Ofelia reaches over and touches the girl ins everal places on her left side and declares to us all that it is indeed broken and is going to need some fixing.
"What are we supposed to do?" I question. "Should I go get the doctor?"
"Heavens, no!" Ofelia cries. "That's the last thing we want. No, I'll take care of it. I'll need to be left alone, though, so both of you, and that boy, out!"
Reese and I huddle out of the room, little boy tagging along, and Ofelia shuts the door in our faces.
"Well, I say that means we're no longer needed." I turn to head towards the living room where I make a scene of picking up Reese's things and dropping them on the floor so I can sit on the couch.
"Now would be a good time to tell me everything you haven't explained, starting with them." I fold my arms across my chest and glare at Reese, hoping it doesn't look like I'm pouting, and wait for his response.
"The boy's name is Ciel," Reese tells me. "And the girl is Trix. I've known them since they were born. Trix is eleven and Ciel here is ten. They ran away two months ago on the rumor that there was life out here in the Northern Region, in hopes to find it and the person it had been grown by."
"Wait," I stop him. "Are we talking about the plant?"
"Yes."
"So, a ten year old boy and an eleven year old girl ran away to find a plant all the way across the country when they weren't even sure it was real?"
"Yes."
"I don't believe you."
Reese leans forward, hands folded over his knees. "You said that you can tell when someone's a liar. Look at me now. Do I look like I'm lying?"
I stared hard at him, but he was right. It didn't seem like he was lying. "I'm sorry," I tell him, "but this is all too confusing for my simple minded brain to follow. If you want me to understand anything, you're gonna have to give me a heck of a back-story."
Reese smirks. "You want a back-story? Fine. I'll give you a back-story."

"I was born...

"Whoa. Not that long ago, please."
"No? Well, I'm afraid it's necessary."
"Wha- fine, but the minute you get off track, we're done with story time, got it?"

"I was born somewhere unimportant in the dictator's region. Probably on the streets. My father is the only person I ever remember. He was tall and lanky, but strong and I always asked him why he never let my brother and I leave home. He told me everyday I asked this that if anyone knew I existed, I'd have to leave and never see him again. I wasn't a question-y child, so I left off at that and thought I'd never have to worry about it.
I was wrong. By the time I turned twelve, people dressed in suits and wearing masks showed up at our house and took me and my brother away. As you may guess I never saw my father again. I was taken to a building where everywhere there were people being shuffled about and oversaw. It was the first time I had ever seen anyone else besides my father and brother. I was informed that this was the place where you were told what your future would be. Where you worked and who you married, where you lived. My brother was whisked off and I was left alone and huddled into a line where we were checked for our strength, quizzed for knowledge and tested for health. I met someone that day, who saved me and ruined my life.
Haim."