Faultless

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

            When I woke up, I knew it was early morning. The sun had just barely begun to rise. I had so many dreams the night before. All I could remember was tossing and turning. Every single one of them included Benson and I hated to admit that he was my weakness.

            I could hear Kali, Maryn, and Benson’s even breathing around me and I knew that they were still asleep. Some successful watch they were doing. I could have gotten up and run away without anyone knowing. Although I wasn’t sure what good would come of that for Louis, Arnold, and I.

            I got up anyway and decided it was the perfect chance for me to slip away. As soon as I was on my feet I was off in a sprint. I had always hated running, but the thought of putting distance between me and the others put a smile on my face and a freeing feeling in my heart.

            I thought for a moment about my life and how drastically it had changed. Just a little over a week ago I was back in the Division living my perfect little life. Now I was off on my own in the woods, fending for myself. My life in the Division felt like it was years ago. Finally, I slowed down to a jog, then a walk, and then stopped altogether to catch my breath.

            As much as I wanted to run away and be as far from Benson as possible, I knew that I couldn’t do it. Louis’ life depended on me. Without the others, I would never rescue him. I had no idea where he was. I also knew that I would probably never survive on my own. Benson, Maryn, and Kali had resources that could get us all the necessities we needed to survive: food, water, shelter, and clothing.

            And I can’t forget the fact that if I ran away from them, they would surely hunt me down and if I managed to outsmart them, there was no way I would be able to outsmart them and the adult team they would surely get when I went missing. If I was going to go back to the Division, which I still wasn’t sure I was going to, I was going to do it on my own terms and I was going to do it willingly. That was if I could even find the Division from here, which was highly unlikely.

            That was why I stole Kali’s bright red lipstick before I left. I marked the trees as I passed as I ran so I could easily find my way back to camp. I longed to stay here and get away from them, but I knew I couldn’t. Although I did hope they would wake to find me gone and panic a little.

            I began to think about the projects and being perfect. But I came to realize that being perfect was boring. Our faults and flaws were what made us who we are. I didn’t want to be perfect or faultless. And I certainly didn’t want to live in a world where everyone was perfect. Faults and wrongs were what made the world exist as it was. A world without them would just be boring.

 

            I took one final moment to myself, composing myself to go back to camp. I sighed and picked up Kali’s lipstick I had stolen. I was about to throw it before I realized it might come in handy if I wanted to get a way again or if I ever decided to really run away so I stuffed in my pocket. I took one final deep breath before I found the first lipstick stain on a tree and headed back in the direction of camp.