Salvage

Eight - Part 1

November 14th, 2015

Aurora Miller will now be staying at town residence. Having discovered this via report from Jamison, I conducted an unscheduled visit last night to review the situation. Adjustments will need to be made to preserve our security. Check ins will need to be more discreet, and tails more observant. I have decided at present not to report it to Corporate. I will continue having the house monitored more closely, and continue digging into Ms. Miller's past. According to her background report, she may have a former connection with the program. Some great, cosmic coincidence? Seems unlikely. In addition, W12 responded more poorly than usual to unscheduled check-in. We will see how his scheduled appointment goes today. His independence is growing... He may soon be as problematic as any free born citizen.

Aurora stared apprehensively at the quiet home, front windows still lit with a soft glow. It was nearly four in the morning, but it looked like someone was still awake. Not all that unusual for a house full of college students, she supposed.

Still, she was reluctant to enter.

She had worked solidly through the nine hours since she had left Adam's house. All the working and thinking hadn't helped clarify things, she was so exhausted from missing sleep the previous night. So she'd gone straight home, to her own bed. As soon as she laid down, she was assailed by a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach, a cloud of negativity and fear. Her landlord was unpredictable. He was capable of turning her out into the street. What else was he capable of? Her mind was unable to shake the anxiety.

So, she had gotten right back up and packed as many clothes and toiletries as she could cram into the battered suitcase she'd had in all her travels since childhood. She had always packed light, always ready to move, transplant, stay in another angry stranger's home. Sure, she had a few lamps and rugs she'd have to stash somewhere, but most of her things, she could carry with her, just like she had as a kid. This would be no different.

This would be no different.

She might as well stop being a pussy and go inside. With a deep breath, she pushed open her car door and stepped out into the frosty night air. It was chilly tonight, and she could see her breath puffing out in a cloud as she pulled her large suitcase and a few other smaller bags out of the car. She dragged the precarious pile of luggage across the quiet street, wincing at the rattling of her suitcase wheels in the desolate silence of the residential area. 

As she reached forward to the doorknob to open it, a strange prickling sensation teased the back of her neck. She reached up to rub the skin there uneasily, and turned around to look behind her, into the darkness. She strained her eyes, but... There was nothing. Nothing unusual.

Shrugging, she pushed open the door and heaved her suitcase inside.

"Shit! You scared me."

Aurora jumped and whipped around, startled by the voice. She was greeted by the sight of Chinook, propped up on her elbows on the couch and blinking sleepily. The lamp was on, but dim, and the TV was playing at a quiet volume.

"Sorry," Aurora murmured quietly, closing the door and locking it behind her. "I decided to sleep here tonight, if that's all right?"

"We assumed you would," Chinook said groggily, rubbing her eyes. "If you weren't freaked out too much by Adam's snit fit. Go ahead."

"Thank you. I'm sorry to wake you." Aurora began dragging her luggage as quietly as possible across the living room towards the kitchen, then paused, looking at Chinook. "I know this is maybe the wrong time to ask, but... Are you sure you and Daniel are okay with me staying? I don't want to cause any trouble for you guys."

Chinook gave a crooked grin that hitched up one side of her mouth, and flopped back down on the pillows, pulling her blanket up around her chin. "Nah, we like you. We make decisions fast, about who we trust, you know. All of us do. We're good judges of character."

"Oh. Well... That's good." Aurora bit her lip, wanting to ask more about that Jane person, and Adam's anger, but Chinook's eyes were already closed again.

So, she shrugged and continued shuffling her suitcase and bags through the kitchen, down the hallway, to the game room. As quietly as possible, she stepped in and closed the door, then flicked on the light and looked around. The stack of sheets and blankets were still there, and the couch was empty, so she pushed her suitcase into the corner and arranged her other bags neatly around it. Working quickly, as exhaustion was tugging at her muscles and mind, she made the bed, tucking the sheets into the couch cushions, plumping the pillow at one end, and arranging the soft blankets. She was already wearing her pajamas, she'd driven over in them, so she just grabbed her little bag of toiletries and took it into the bathroom.

After brushing her teeth, washing her face and neck, and using the toilet, she crept back out into the quiet hallway and started back towards her room. Just as she tiptoed past the bedroom door Daniel had pointed out as his, she heard a faint moan.

Too curious to resist, she backed up, and leaned in close to the door, pressing her ear to it. For a few moments, it was silent, then another groan, this one louder. It sounded like... "No..." There were a few mumbles she couldn't quite make out. They got louder, but not more clear, until finally a loud, hoarse male scream made Aurora jump back from the door, stumbling on her own feet. She clamped her hand over her mouth to stifle her own urge to give a startled cry.

The mumbling and groaning sounds fell silent abruptly, and now thumping and shuffling was coming from in the room. He was getting up. Quickly, before she could think, her feet were carrying her scampering down the hallway, into her room, and quickly closing the door just as she saw his swing open.

She was silent for a moment on her side of the door, panting and listening. His footsteps receded, and then there were sounds of the sink running in the bathroom. A little bit of relief made her sag against the door, then she turned and went to the couch. Her heart was still pumping, but it slowed quickly and her exhaustion once more took over, making her limbs heavy and eyes burn. She tumbled down and curled up, with barely the strength to tug the blankets up over herself. Troubled thoughts still churned in her mind, even as her eyes drifted closed of their own accord, and sleep claimed her.