Others

Cobalt

The showers are always empty in the early hours

Guards usually stand watch on either side

But at this time

They always go on an hour break

So I go when there's no one there

To preserve whatever privacy I have left in this place

The water is cold but it feels good

Better than the sweltering heat of that room

It soothes the burn on my arm

Which has been throbbing the last few days

My body is sore from scrubbing every inch of the upstair quarters

They like me to clean up there

Especially the cold blond one

With icy eyes and a blood chilling smile

The director he mentioned still hasn't summoned me yet

For what he wants from me

I don't know

But I could only imagine...

I step out from the shower

Begin to dry myself off

When a noise startles me

My head snaps up and I see

Him

He's watching me

And for once

I'm afraid

My skin prickles and I tense my muscles

Fight or flight

But before my instincts could choose

He turns his head

And as if I'm not there

Begins to undress

His skin isn't as dark as the others

But still warm and bronzed

The black fire swirling over his arms, his chest, every inch of him is alive with it

I vaguely wonder what it must feel like

If it would burn me

But he then disappears into one of the showers

I dress quickly

Leaving without a backwards glance

Moving so fast

I'm out of breath once I'm back in my cot

My heart beating fast

Startled at his behavior

I saw him kill that Other

He was supposed to be a monster

A murderer

And yet

He didn't even move towards me

Not one step

In the moment that I was most vulnerable

He turned away

My armor is iron and steel

But underneath I'm nothing

But glass

One wrong move

And I'll shatter

I'm nothing more

Than a glass bird with a heartbeat