Steel Ethereal

Ch. 26 Rob and Charlie III

Rob

Shortly after Luciana's visit, I was allowed to leave. When Luciana departed, she left me with Riley's message.

"We'll contact you when we need you."

It left me with a small sense of dread. Would I be called in for more training with Apex, would I be studied and examined, or would I just be locked up...

I feared another place like Bastion. Though I'd feel a sense of accomplishment if I were to be sent out again. It would be me doing my duty, what I signed up for. And that would make me happy. Doing what was needed of me.

It's late at night and I wander the streets of Promenade aimlessly. No particular reason, just whatever direction my feet desired to take me.

I passed Apex HQ. I could make out two people sitting up at the top and kept my head low. I didn't think I could handle running into someone from Apex and awkwardly make small talk.

I passed Apex HQ and crossed into the district of Promenade where Charlie and I dwelt. The bars we visited passed me by, all occupied with late night goers. I wished, that among those who yelled and shouted that Charlie and I were among them.

Charlie.

There wasn't a day in Bastion I didn't think of her. On those hot, sweltering, polluted days I spent working the fields, she crossed my mind and I looked forward to the day we'd be able to spend time together again.

She was there when we returned and I felt guilty that I was half asleep. I remember her thumping my head and saying something about how she was worried.

She was worried about me?

The Promenade Athenaeum was open quite late. It was an hour before it closed so I visited it. Half the dim lights were off with it being so late, giving the athenaeum a dark look. The Athenaeum was a large building housing many books. Its size almost rivaled the stadium like mess hall.

Riley showed it to me when I talked of how bored I got outside of training. Instead of barking at me to train more, He merely gave me a smile and led me through the streets of Promenade until the gargantuan building came into view. He looked satisfied when I dropped my jaw upon seeing what was inside. He told me there were scavengers that scoured the outskirts for objects like books, old machinery, and media used before. A lot of it was collected here for public use.

I spent a lot of time there and they allowed me to rent books like an actual library.

Now I flipped through the stacks of novels I could have sworn I'd read. The search for my focus is a skim across my brain. I scan the words, reading them, but not connecting their meanings and ideas like I usually did before effortlessly. The elder books comforted me at the very least. I felt familiarity as the pages turned and their smell was intoxicating.

Still, with a feeling of frustration, I returned the books to their proper place and departed with my hands in my pocket.

As much as I wanted to avoid others, there was one person whose company I desired. So I went to her door.

As if seeing me for the first time, she slammed into me with the impact of her hug when i show up to her apartment door. She smothered herself to my chest.

"I'm... I'm sorry. I was afraid for you." She said emotionally.

"I'm fine. A lot happened, but I'm ok."

"Good, I'd be a lot lonelier without you..." She said.

Unlike my psyche, she hadn't changed one bit. Her hair was still auburn and hung on her shoulders. Her face was round and warm. The smile she gave me through her tearing eyes gave away her rambunctious personality. Her brown eyes focused on me, giving me a light in my heart and mind.