She has a bandage over her abdomen and has an iv sticking out of her arm. Other than that she's fine and according to the doctors she's healing nicely.
"I'm so happy your alive!" Came an excited voice from the doorway that makes Valerie jump sending a wave of pain through her pounding head.
She turns toward the door. A big smile grows on her face at the sight of Eliza. Her eyes look droopy because of the drowsy medication she's on.
"It's nice to see a friendly face." Valerie tilts her head. "Even if I can't see you clearly or if I'm hallucinating. That wouldn't be nice, but it wouldn't be the first time."
Eliza lets out a cheerful laugh. On pain meds, Valerie sounds like Brindle, who always sounds like she's on too much caffeine.
"Why are you here?" Her voice lost its perkiness.
Eliza grins, not in her cheerful way, but I a fake-happy way that Valerie has learned to read.
"What do you mean, silly?" Eliza sounds like she's talking to a toddler. "I'm here to see you.'
"Nope." Valerie has no filter. "I meant this building. We both know that you'd rather be dead with your sister than back here with your creepy uncle."
Eliza's face goes flush. She shakes off a feeling and says. "They didn't want me to tell the people the truth so they took me hostage. They attempted to blow up the other rebels that escaped. Instead they just killed Mr. and Mrs. Morris. The rebels weren't in the house at the time. Everyone knows. Sebastian made the broadcast."
Valerie nods.
"Val... I know you can't exactly process what I'm saying right now... but I think we made a mistake."
Definitely delusional, thinks Valerie. Where's the fire, the spark that shines behind her eyes? Where's the girl that will go down fighting?
Eliza continues. "They can't save everyone. Riots will start and people will die. It's my fault." Tears swell in her eyes and she begins to get choked up. "It's all my fault."
Valerie furrows her eyebrows. "I don't see why you like to hurt yourself. You blame yourself for things out of your control. You want there to be a purpose for everything that happens to you and when you can't see that purpose you just blame yourself. You want to feel something and you do succeed, but maybe you should focus on the flip side of things."
Valerie sees her eyes brighten and a smile slips onto her face as tears roll down her cheeks.
YOU ARE READING
Republic of Omisha
Science FictionSet in the future, after war has demolished entire continents and the survivors flock to the Americas. People no longer wage wars or fight about frivolous things, like race and nationality. As far as they are concerned, there is one race, the human...
