Cold Blooded

Chapter 12

The two sat quietly for a while, not really sure how to engage the other, when suddenly Eira finally broke the long silence "Why do your handcuffs look different?" She asked. Russell turned his attention down to his hands and smirked, "They're a stronger type. I guess they're all afraid I'll break out" he responded casually. Eira nodded and their silence continued on for a few more minutes until Russell then decided to speak, "Hey, why don't you have any handcuffs on?" He questioned. Eira shrugged and turned to face the young boy, "I am not allowed to use my powers unless instructed to. Therefore I don't need to be restrained" she responded nonchalantly. Russells face contorted into one of confusion, he wasn't really comfortable with holding conversations any longer than this yet, but he had to make an exception this time. "Wait wait wait ... they're just leaving you here unrestrained? We could totally get out of here! Just freeze my cuffs like you did last time!" He suggested quietly so that no one else would hear. Eira shook her head, "Escaping is bad, Russell. It's against the rules. We would get in big trouble. We have to stay in here until we get taken to the trials." She explained, laying back into her bed. Russell sat dumbfounded at the older girls response, "What?! Are you kidding me? You clearly had no problem trying to escape before, and now we have the perfect opportunity to, and you're not taking it!?" He whisper yelled, trying his best not to get too angry and draw attention over to their cell. "I was foolish back then. I didn't understand the consequences of my actions. I know now there's no chance for a better life, so why try to leave? Just to cause more pain? This is all we're good for anyways." She said back in a monotonous tone. Russell shot up from his bed and stomped over towards Eira's bed and slammed his handcuffed hand into the wall beside him and stared her right in the eyes. "Listen. I dont know what the fuck they did to you during our punishments but this is NOT the Eira I remember! I dont know if you're under a fucking spell, or if you're brainwashed or what, but you gotta snap out of it and GET. US. OUT. OF. HERE! They already killed Nerezza! Yeah, thats right! They fucking killed him! They need to pay for what they did! All of them! I know you feel the same way, come on!" Russell said in a very serious and scary tone. Eira sat in shock at what Russell was telling her, did they really kill Nerezza? Even though Russell was speaking in a hushed tone, the enunciation of his words and his overall body language showed he was fuming. Eira felt as if she were having an internal battle with her true self and the conditioned version of herself the Observers created within her brain. Her eyes darted to the cell door, she didn't see any guards or Observers around. Eira sprang off the bed in that moment, "Ok ... let's do this. But we have to work quickly!" She stated sharply. Russell smiled, "Now that's the Eira I remember!" He said joyously and filled with determination.