Messier-17

Chapter 3

I listen to the little boy's rambling intently, having nothing else to do on the train to Washington D.C.

He tells me about the Easter Bunny, fire trucks, baby dolls, his favorite foods, his two older brothers, anything that comes to his mind, really. "I wanna be a...a fire fighter when I grow up!" He said excitedly. I almost smiled at how innocent this adorable little boy is. Almost. He gasped all of a sudden, "I almost forgot! I'm Jeremy, what's your name?" My nearly glowing orange eyes meet his blue-grey ones, hesitate to answer, debating on telling him to truth or not. I use this moment of hesitation to really study Jeremy's face, he has faint freckles across his cheeks and nose and slightly chubby cheeks, making him look even more adorable, if that's possible. He has short, light blond, hair, his loose curls framing his face. I look away, ashamed that I don't know my own name, "I don't know." I whisper quietly. "You don't know?" Jeremy repeats. I shake my head, still looking down, trying to rack my brain for an answer only to come up empty-handed. "Well, that's okay, I'll just give you a new one!" I look up and my eyes snap to his. Can he do that? I look at him quizzically. "Really?" I ask, curiosity getting the better of me as I wonder what name he would give me. "Yeah! It can be like a nickname!" I look downwards to my left, considering his childish offer.

I look back at Jeremy to see him staring at me with so much hope in his eyes that he'll get to give me a nickname, I can't help but nod my head in agreement. "Okay." I say quietly. He grins excitedly. "I know! Your nickname can be...Ash!" At first I was confused, wondering why he chose Ash to be my designated nickname. I furrow my eyebrows and look at him, puzzled. "Yeah! Like the ashes of a fire! Cause your hair makes me think of fire, so...Ash!" I raise my eyebrows and my eyes widen a little at how perceptive Jeremy is before eventually giving him a small smile. "I like it." I stated simply. "Yay!" Jeremy claps his hands happily and tugs on his mother's sleeve, "mommy, mommy! Guess what? I gave the pretty lady a nickname! And she likes it!" Jeremy's mom smiles down at him, "well, that's great! I'm so proud of you." Jeremy beams up at her and kicks his little legs up and down. I was telling the truth when I told him I liked the nickname he gave me, I really do like it. I think it fits my person. My orange hair has that fiery feel to it, and my bright orange eyes hold flecks of yellow and a ring of gold around the edges. I look down, wondering how this little boy could make me feel emotions again other than hatred just by being himself. Then I remember why I'm here. I'm on a mission, I can't let emotions get to me, they're a distraction.

But when I feel Jeremy's little warm hand slip into cold one, my negative thoughts diminish for a little while.

"Well, this is our stop." The mother says to me. I look at her and nod my head, letting go of Jeremy's hand as they stand up and saying goodbye. He looks sad to have to leave me here, but I assure him I'll be fine. "It's okay, I'm sure I'll see you again." Jeremy's eyes light up at my words, "really?" He asks. I nod. "Good! Cause I'm gonna miss you!" My cold, empty heart warms a little and I smile lightly at him. "You know, if you ever need a place to stay, give me a call." I widen my eyes in surprise. Does this woman really trust me enough to do that for me? She shouldn't, and I seriously doubt that I'll ever get the chance to have that freedom, but she does anyway. I shake my head, about to protest, when she hands me a piece of paper with her number on it. I look down at it, surprised. I look back up at her, my mouth parted and my eyes wide. She just smiles at me. "It's okay. Give me a call sometime, I'm sure Jeremy would be happy to hear from you." She just met me a couple hours ago, how could someone be so kind to me, after all I've done? Surely if she ever found out who I really was, she'd fear me like the rest of them. She would be horrified of the things I've done, I would know, because I'm horrified of the things I've done.

I almost want to cry on the spot at her incredible kindness. But all I can muster up is a simple, "thank you." She smiles again and nods her head. "Of coarse." I truly appreciate this woman. Speaking of which, I never caught her name. She grabs Jeremy's little hand and starts to walk out of the train. "Before you go, what's your name?" I ask hesitantly. She turns around, her long, dark brown hair swinging behind her, and looks me in the eyes. "Veronica Grey. Goodbye." I watch as she waves at me and steps off the train. I hope I see her again, but hope has never done me any good, all it's ever done is leave me disappointed and alone. So here I sit, in a train, on my way to retrieve Vanessa Black, foolishly holding onto the hope that I'll see them again. I hope to meet Jeremy's older brothers and to see his innocent grin as I awkwardly say hello. I remember Veronica mentioning that Jeremy's older brothers were fourteen and eighteen this year, placing me right in the middle at sixteen. Physically, though, not chronologically. I place the piece of paper I had been holding onto in the front pocket of my black shorts for safe-keeping. I look up to see a man staring at me. We make eye contact and I furrow my brow slightly. I see him mouth something along the lines of, "I've been made," and my heart immediately speeds up, my stomach churning. How long has he been watching me?