Distorted

Chapter four, Steamhall.

Sky feels heavier than stone. It weighed down on the shoulders of every walker. Each breath taken felt venomous. Smoky streets bathed the wanderers in conflicted thoughts. And the air, the air felt as a sharpened knife surrounding their tiresome bodies, Ilusia represented the hellish Earth where its residents never know they're already dead.

Always wandering as a floating leaf in the air, waddling around Illusia stealing all that her tiny hands can catch, but that time, she stole something so precious that she wasn't aware of yet. That time, her legs finally knew where to go, as bizarre and disturbing her situation was, it was good for her to have a goal once in a time.

But how? How can the battery suddenly be snatched right out of its place? Answers were needed, but somehow can never be given.

Once again, Merit jumped into Steamhall's upper ground train with the handful of money that she stole from Jackson, in her bag laid his diary, soon, time will make her unravel more.

Aboard the train, on a seat by the window, a glimmering eyes watched the interior of Milasic's industries and cities buildings in joyfulness. The ride carried so much excitement for her. For these small eyes to witness the world from a window was like a dream ride aboard an airship. On Merit's jacket was a patch, a one with Milasic's greatest airship, The Aurora.

Merit dreamt of flying, but such dreams cannot be achieved by merely a few coins worth tickets carried by commons in the street.

Merit's eyes followed a memory, a one she carried of Ross' son's small workshop in Steamhall's marketplace. Blurry yet still warm. Those memories bring a longing for the past, even though the little one's past is an unfortunate one; there was always something in it to long for.

Steamhall's busy marketplace slowed down her quick steps, following the half broken signs hung on each corner she finally found herself in front of a very small wooden door leading to a one-story tall building, a one with Ilusia's ripped starry flag covering a bit of each window.

She opened the light wooden door slowly and let herself in, the reception was quite small, a wave of dusty air welcomed her in, she started violently coughing and covering her eyes as she finally rested her eyes on a clear vision of the old workshop, the one Ross' used to own.

There was no stir, no sound of any human existence. Merit doubted her steps although her memory can never betray her. These cats' portraits hung on each wall, the mottled pinky worn out ceiling, the small vent inhabited by rodents, even the same huge poster with The Aurora drawn on it. Nostalgia captured her heart drawing a smile on her small reddish lips as she explored the small almost lifeless room.

"That's it." She said, blowing the dust of a children's book put on a shelf, her eyes grew teary as she embraced all these little memories her childhood brought but she held these tears back, she opened her bag and slipped it in quietly as a sudden explosion of a fuss erupted from the basement, Merit zipped her bag quickly as she found a young boy exiting the basement and standing facing her in the reception room, his blue eyes met hers, but a strong wave of yellowish light covered his features leaving Merit unaware of his identity. A moment of silence passed on as her cheeks blushed in embarrassment, "Did he see me?" She asked herself as she swallowed her trembling unspoken words, not shortly after; the boy moved closer revealing his face at last.

A smile was drawn on both of their faces, a huge one that almost reached their ears. The boy ran towards Merit carrying a bag of screws and nails, he threw it on the ground and then suddenly embraced her as hard as he could leaving Merit's happy face slowly turn as red as a boiling tomato soup.

"I can't believe my eyes!" He shouted as he sarcastically rubbed his eyes in disbelief. The boy was around the same age as Merit, he wore a dirty gray vest and shorts with a small cap on his messy ginger hair, that young boy was Merit's oldest friend.