The Twins

Chapter 6: The Rebels

Part three: Purple

   The morning came yet again, and yet again there was no natural light. Both twins had begun to understand just what had driven Tiana Mortal crazy. You woke up in a disorienting and frustrating darkness, and completed the same task every day. Both twins had been on the surface for over a week at that point.

   The huts were always cold at night. They were the same temperature in the day but one feels warmer when moving around. The one good thing about climbing up the pillars was how much physical effort it took to keep yourself upright, making everyone warm and pretty physically fit. Everyone in the camp had developed reasonably impressive abs and arm muscles from pushing themselves far enough away from the pillars to manoeuvre but keeping close enough to examine the walls, not to mention, pulling themselves upwards on a rope.

   The work was hard and the conditions were on the rustic side, but Matthew could see what Tiana meant about it being freeing. One didn't have to worry about deadlines (Besides the deadline of their own death) or work, they simply got up and did what they had to. The meals were surprisingly good as well which was Marie's main reason to keep smiling. None of that changed the fact that it was hard being on the surface though, that dreaded darkness being one of the worst things.

   That morning had something new in store for the camp though. Through the darkness figures emerged and those figures turned into people. They wore homemade clothing of scraps and ribbons that were various colours and fabrics. Their faces were ruddy, lined with hard work and perspiration but many of them were paler than people on the surface. They moved quickly and with purpose.

   Each person moved silently into a hut, taking whatever they could carry and coming back for more if they could. Fights broke out among the camp as the Saru Tokai tried to keep their belongings. It became apparent though that these people were quick on their feet and were able to dodge almost every attack thrown at them, be it token or fist.

  Matthew woke up with someone taking the communicator from the corner, loosening bolts and screws with a screwdriver that rattled. Marie bolted out of bed an instant before he did and rushed over to the person her hands glowing an ominous blue. Matthew was beside her right away ready to punch or kick anyone he needed to.

  The person turned and held their screwdriver out like a weapon. The communicator was almost separated from the floor but the last screw had been stripped in the person's attempt to turn it. Nobody moved, staring into each other's eyes, waiting for something to happen.

   Being fully coherent now Matthew could get a good look at the person's face. He couldn't tell if they were male, female, or any other denomination, but he could see that they were young. Their eyes were bright and while their face was just as ruddy as the others, it looked more hopeful. Even so, deep cuts and a few scars were visible on their skin, telling the story of a child who had been through much. They didn't look any older than Matthew or Marie did.

   Matthew put down his fists and took a step back, relenting. Marie glaced at him out of the corner of her eye in confusion, but slowly put her hands down too, the blue glow vanishing. The person looked at both twins suspiciously, crouching down to cut the remaining screw with a tool that looked like a bolt-cutter. They picked up the communicator and ran off as fast as they could. 

  "So?"

  "So what?"

  "Why did you want to let them go?"

   "They didn't look like a criminal. They were too young. Besides, we were only using it as a mirror."