Hidden Temples

(38) Cousin?

(Rue)
Who?
Who could he possibly want me to meet?

"He will also be training you everyday. He is very talented, and is one of my strongest, and mots faithful guards. Hutton?"

A teenage boy walks into the room, maybe eighteen or nineteen, I'm not sure.
His tight black t-shirt sticks to his skin, showing off his large muscles, and his grey and black jacket is draped over it.
He stands tall, his face emotionless, and his light blue eyes rock hard, sending a dead glare towards me.

"This is Hutton, your cousin. You see, your father's sister and I had Hutton, of course your family never met Hutton because after my wife died, I made this."
He gestures to the large ship and black buildings around him.

"And I brought Hutton here for a good life."

"This is a good life?" I ask.
"You really think this is a good life? This is a poor life, pitiful, a life no one should have to endure or go through."
I pause, wondering if I've gone to far, but when he smiles, I relax.

"I think that's the most I've ever heard come out of your mouth."

I glance at Hutton, and see he's still staring at me, not moving nor blinking.

"Hutton? Would you like to show Rue to her room?"

Hutton holds the chains on my cuffs, and drags me along, down unfamiliar hallways in this new building.

I look ahead, but can feel his eyes boring into the side of my head.

"Quit staring at me," I spit.
He doesn't look away.

"I said, quit staring at me," I say, anger clearly visible in my voice.

He finally turns away, looking straight down the hallway.

I ponder on whether I should ask him a question, or even talk to him. But my curiosity gets the better of me.

"Why are you even here?" I ask.
"What?" He asks, his voice low.

"Why are you here?" I repeat.
He pauses.
"Because I have to."

"Do you want to be here?"
He shakes his head.
"No."

Suddenly, I hear a voice in my head.

"And I know you don't like it here ether."

I don't yelp or scream, or do anything, I just continue walking, a little bit more stuff than before.

Then I transfer my thoughts into his head.

"So, I don't and you don't?"
"Yep."
"What do you do here?" I ask.

"Mostly patrolling hallways,and occasionally...well...um, gruesome stuff. I never liked it, I watched innocent people die, and sometimes I was the one doing it. I had to go along or else I'd be punished."

"I need your help." I say.

"I already know you want to escape, and maybe do more, and I can help you. I've wanted to escape for a long time, and when I finally got close to escaping, I heard about you, and I knew I couldn't leave you here to suffer, so I waited. I can help you, but it has to wait till tomorrow. I'll pick you up from your room, on my way to uncle, and then it'll happen."

I look up at him, seeing his face has softened.

How glad I am to ha e a cousin.