Broken Apart

Chapter 9

"First off, you need to eat. I am surprised you haven't died of starvation yet." Ash looped his arm in mine and let me toward a tarp that was draped over a piece of overhanging concrete, forming walls and a door.

"Where is everyone?" I raised an eyebrow and looked around the small gorge.

"Astrid and Finnick are searching the rubble for anything salvageable. Corinna is somewhere, and Myra is in here." He lifted the tarp up and ushered me inside.

"I thought you'd never wake up." Myra grinned, getting up from her position on the floor. The small area had a few ragged blankets and a fire burning in the center. Myra grabbed my other arm and together, they helped me sit beside the fire.

"Food." Myra sat beside me, a box on her lap. It was obviously fire, and maybe bomb, proof. She swung it open and inside were a few packets of dried foods.

"Astronaut food?" I inquired, scooping one of the silvery foils into my palm.

"Genetically engineered. Looks like astronaut, but it's not." Ash mumbled around food in his mouth.

I ripped the foil open and poured some into my mouth. The taste was sweet and dry. I hadn't realized I needed food so desperately. I chewed in and gulped down more, hiding my hunger. I tossed the foil aside and let my eyes sweep the small hut. Two walls were concrete and the other two were blue tarp. I pushed myself to my feet and stumbled toward the door.

"Robin?" A new voice appeared at my side.

"Finnick? Finnick, we need to go to The Dome." I grabbed his arm frantically. I was still a little out of it; not sure what I was doing or saying. Finnick put his palms on my shoulder, shaking my hands off. I rubbed my temples with my fingers. My breath came out quick and frantic.

"Robin. Robin, sit down and breath." Myra ordered.

"Let me go." I whimpered, ripping myself from Finnicks grip and bursting through the tarp. The light hit my skin, making it burn. I lifted a hand and shielded my face as I stumbled to the other side of the gorge.

My gaze skittered across the clearing, looking for a place where I could think. A wall stood a few feet away; still intact. I pulled my strength out of me and let myself slide down the wall. I pushed my feet out in front of me and sat. Shifting my hands, I ran them through my hair. I stared nervously out and across the gorge toward the hut. The tarp was swaying slightly in the weak wind.

"Need a plan." I mumbled, pressing tears from my eyes. Foot steps sounded beside me, then a dragging sound. I looked to my side. Astrid sat there, staring blankly at the ground.

"I want to help you get him back. I can't let someone else loose all their family." Her azure eyes watered.

"What happened?" I swallowed.

"I was young; can't remember much." She ran her hands up her cheeks and shook her head. "We lived in 12 before it was burnt to the ground. Like 15 was."

"Adira?" I raised an eyebrow.

"No. It was her 'secret allies' that did it." She said, "My parents and brothers died in the bomb. I ran away. How was I supposed to know when I came home, there wasn't going to be any home left?"

"You didn't." I whispered.

"You lost your home, Robin. But not your family." Astird's hand brushed my shoulder. I wasn't used to comfort; though, I never had any of my own social problems like this. Isolation kept me away from these things.

"What will we do then?" I looked to her. Her dirty blond hair was hanging in locks on the sides of her faces, sticking to her temples by sweat. Through the sheen of gold, I could see her azure eyes. They were beautiful but full of pain; I'm sure my emerald eyes held pain, possibly greater then hers.

"We will get you to The Dome and get your brother. Then," she paused to push her hair over her head and looked at me sideways. "End Adira's rule."

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My breath came out in quick pants as I pushed pieces of rubble aside. Ash and Finnick had called a meeting up higher on a pile of rubble. To 'discuss the future of our lives', Corinna retorted. I laughed at that, but it was hard. Hard to be happy and upbeat when your word around you has almost completely fallen apart.

"Come on, Robin." Corinna shouted.

"Try having a sprained, and then shot ankle!" I grunted, hauling myself up onto the last flat piece of steel. Everyone sat in a rough shape that I could only assume was a circle. I took my place between Ash and Corinna. I felt a pang in my chest, remembering when we'd sit on my roof and stare out at the lake. The lake was most likely destroyed now. A shiver ran its way up my spine, making me curl my fingers into my palm.

"What'll we do?" I broke the silence with my awkward plead.

Something snaked its way around my hand. I looked up sharply and to my left, where the feeling was present. I met Ash's weary brown eyes. Once, they were full of happiness and joy. Not now. His pupils were dilated, hiding the shining brown with a mass of black. His pale skin was clear of cinder and glinting once in a while under the late noon sun.

His touch sent shivers up my spine. I smiled weakly and looked back to everyone else in the circle. Corinna was whispering to Astrid; Myra and Finnick were staring. I shifted my body uncomfortably, averting my gaze to the dull colored steel on which we sat on.

"Once everyone is well enough to travel, we could begin our journey toward The Dome. Adira and James will be there. We will kill two birds with one stone." Ash said slowly. "To get there, we can follow the fallen train tracks. If they're findable."

I swung my gaze to meet Ash's. I could tell he was reading me again, like he read everybody he came in contact with. I tightened my grip on Ash's hand. I felt his other hand trailing its way over my leg, slowly comforting me, but it wasn't enough to vanquish the pain completely.