Inside

Chapter 2

Two

Dublin has been explaining the same thing for the past hour. It reminds me of the day Crome took us to the Orange building to do our job. The day of the disaster. Laan and Garden must be getting better... I hope. A thought strikes. Dublin said Crakes get the info the Mech-wrists hold. Maybe he knows about Laan and Garden. Maybe he knows if they are better. Though my curiosity is bubbling, jogging down dark tunnels doesn't seem like the right time to ask Dublin. Besides, the only reason Dublin's been repeating the same thing is because I asked him to. So I stay quiet.

We've been jogging non-stop because Crome insists that we keep going. I grab the side of my aching stomach as I listen to Dublin.

"So, we need to become friends with the Outsiders, become apprentices of the scientists, establish the radio channel... then what?"

"I'm figuring this out as I go along," Dublin says out of breath. That's... reassuring. Talking to those scientists won't be easy. I'm not good at talking... with teacher-like people. I rather listen and if I have any questions I ask one of the other students. Which in this case would be Crome or Dublin.

"It won't be easy for me to talk to those scientists," I spill.

"I doubt that," Dublin says.

"You don't know me."

"I don't need to know everything about you to know you'll be great for this. I mean, you're practically an Ou-"

"I'll do it. I'll socialize and get on everyone's good side," Crome says.

Right. Cause Crome is the perfect man for this job. His menacing stare will surely win over the Outsiders. How is that going to get them to like him? His 'I'm better than you' and sudden 'I will kill you' attitudes won't get ANYONE to like him. Dublin would do better. Yeah he's dumb, but his child-like smile and positive thinking are likeable.

"I think we should leave the social stuff to Dublin," I say.

Dublin looks at me wide-eyed and I quickly start to explain why. "You're older than me and younger than Crome. Stronger than me and not scary like Crome. And you're always happy... or you seem to be. You can make people like you, while we hide in the laboratories learning. OK?"

I lean in closer and wait for him to answer. He isn't sure about it, but looks like he doesn't want to argue because he shrugs and says, "Sure."

Silence falls over us as we keep jogging. Every now and then shadows crawl on the wall. I swear I'm imagining things, but it happens too often. I try to ignore them until a large circle jumps from the wall to the ground infront of me and I stop abruptly. Filled with panic, I grab Dublin's arm before it's out of reach. He stumbles back and looks at me confused. Fear won't let words come out, so I point a shaking finger to the ground.

"Oh, those are insects, or bugs," Dublin explains. "They are kind of like animals. They don't do anything."

I stare at the dark creature. I can't make it out clearly, but I do see legs sticking out of it's sides as it moves quickly towards the wall.

"They are gross," I say after I swallow hard. Dublin points his light at the insect and a round, ugly brown thing appears. His eyes are too small to see, and weird, thin lines stick out from his head.

"That's gross," I repeat.

"There are alot down here, and on the Surface also."

I shiver at the thought of walking among these... bugs. One could decide to jump and land on me and crawl on my back. I shake the thought away, but another one replaces it. I can picture me asleep and being waken up by a tickle on my arm. Then I see the ugly thing on my shoulder, staring at me.

"Let's keep going," I tell Dublin as I shove his back.

"They really don't do anything," Dublin says trying to reassure me. Ignoring him, I keep walking forward in the dark hallway. We've fallen behind so much that Crome's light is just a spec.

"Look," Dublin says pulling my elbow.

"Dubli- GET OFF!!" I jump back when I see what he holds in his hand. An ugly bug waves his legs frantickly while Dublin holds him tight between his thumb and pointing finger.

"It doesn't do anything. Look." Dublin places the bug infront of my face so I can get a better look. I wave my hands slapping the air.

"Ok, I see," I say stepping back.

"Touch it!" Dublin insists.

"GOSH! Get that away from me and leave me alone!" I yell as I step away.

Dublin lowers his gaze and stares at the ground. My heart races and I keep stepping away. He slowly lowers the bug to the ground, and when the creepy thing touches the ground, it crawls away from Dublin. Finally, it's gone.

I start ctaching my breath, and Dublin starts walking torwards me without looking up.

"I'm sorry," he says so softly I could barely hear.

I stop and open my mouth, but no words come out. I don't know what I'm suppose to say. It was not ok, and it's definetly not fine but I didn't mean to hurt him. Dublin walks past me quickly. My chest stings, but I push myself to go forward and ignore the guilt. Poor sensitive Dublin.