Broken Brigade (Read Desc.)

Chapter Two

      Slowly, Aisling opened her eyes to find herself in an unfamiliar room. Sitting up, Aisling noticed the sound of a crying child could be heard from another room.

      Aisling got up, feeling the cold hardwood floor beneath her feet as she looked around the room. It was mostly barren with only a few photos with their faces marked out. Inspecting one of the photos, she tried to see if she recognized who was in it. But, since the photo was without a face, she couldn't.

      The crying child got louder, causing Aisling to set the photo aside before walking out into the hallway. There were slash marks on the walls but Aisling paid them no attention as she walked through the hallway, searching for the source of the crying.

      Eventually, Aisling found a door where the crying was loudest. Gently, Aisling pushed the door open. A crib was visible within the room.

      Aisling walked over before peering into the crib. The crying suddenly stopped as Aisling only saw a single stuffed rabbit within. It looked like the ear and side had been stitched back together as it was more like a ragdoll than a real looking bunny.

      Picking up the rabbit, Aisling felt a pair of eyes burning into the back of her head. Whipping around, a woman waited within the doorway with a twisted smile. She had long, messy brown hair and grey eyes. Blood began to trickle down her face before she said in a monotone voice, "You did this to me."

      Aisling backed up until her back was pressed to the wall, clutching the rabbit close to her chest. Suddenly, she realized she was clutching a bloody hatchet rather than the stuffed rabbit. The woman slowly pulled a knife out of a vertical gash down the middle of her chest.

      As the woman slowly drew closer, Aisling stared at her reflection in the hatchet. She saw her younger self staring back. Looking up, the knife grazed her skin beneath her eye. Aisling lashed out, swinging the ax at the woman while screaming, "Get out of my head!"

      A voice repeatedly called out to her, "Aisling... Aisling... Aisling!"

      Aisling's eyes shot open before quickly sitting upright, colliding heads with Molly. Molly fell backward and rubbed her head as Aisling shook hers before asking, "What the hell, kid?"

      Molly replied as she sat up, "You were struggling in your sleep so I thought you were having a nightmare and woke you up..."

      Aisling looked at the clock before saying, "We should start getting ready to go. I don't wanna waste time." She got up and dug through her bag before finding a hairbrush. Looking at Molly again, she said, "Sit on the edge of the bed and face the window." Molly complied before Aisling sat behind her.

      As Aisling struggled with the knots in Molly's hair, Molly asked her, "What was the nightmare about?"

      Aisling replied, "Nothing that concerns you, kid."

      Molly shrugged, "I mean, it can't hurt to talk about it, right?"

      Aisling responded in a nonchalant tone, "I'd rather not. I'm not the talking type."

      After a few moments of silence, Molly spoke up, "Are you scared?"

      Aisling scoffed as she brushed Molly's hair, "I'm part of the Resistance. We don't get scared."

      Molly stared out the window as she said, "Everyone gets scared sometimes. It makes us human. Besi- Ow!"

      Aisling said, "Shush and stop moving. It'll hurt less that way. Besides, I'm almost done."