flawed

s i x t h

Phantom_Island
year 02 post great shock
•••

Chelsie POV

"I have to go," Yulia announced abruptly, bursting into the room.

I looked up from where I was sketching out the designs for a larger crib; Finn had been growing rapidly.
"Where to this time?"

"Nowhere special, the usual food runs and surveillance missions." She said casually, pulling on a pair of boots.
Liar.

"Oh okay," I murmured, returning to my sketching. As long as Yulia believed I was completely in the dark about everything she did in the outside world she would continue to leave, and whenever she left I could return to my work.

Because I had recently discovered something, quite by accident.
As soon as I stepped foot off Phantom Island a shock would run through my body, and I would begin to remember things: but only the blurry outlines.

There was some kind of barrier keeping me on Phantom Island though, and I needed to break it.
I needed to remember everything, down to the very day when I was driven to Liberty for the Bounded HQ for the very first time, years ago.

Finn crawled into the room, cooing softly, and I smiled at him, picking him up and setting him on my gently bouncing knee.
He giggled with delight and I couldn't help but laugh a little as well.
Yulia blew a kiss in our direction before slipping out of the door, locking it behind her as she always did.

Finn began to whine softly and I stood, carrying him to his nearly-too-small crib and gently setting his small body down, tucking the blankets around his body and kissing his forehead.
I began to hum a soft lullaby, looking down at his peaceful face.
The exhausted toddler smiled drowsily before drifting off to sleep, hopefully for a few hours if I was blessed.

I quietly closed the door behind me and took out my key I had hidden behind a loose patch of drywall.

Yulia never gave me all the details as to how this house still stood- how it was the only man-made building on the planet that hadn't been utterly destroyed- but I wasn't complaining.
As long as I had a roof over my head.

I inserted the key into the lock and slipped out of the house, having already pulled a pair of sneakers on.
I sprinted towards the oceanside, lurching to a stop as my body pressed against the invisible barrier.

I sighed, pressing my palms against its surface. Nothing.
But than, as I pressed a little harder I could feel a weak electric shock run through my body.
A bit harder and the power of the Shock seemed to double.

Eventually, I could break through the barrier for a moment before I was somehow flung backwards.

I scowled in frustration, stepping back and throwing a handful of the white, powdery sand at the barrier.
It bounced back at me, some of it getting in my sneakers.
Lovely. Just lovely.

I took a few steps back, closing my eyes, calming myself.
When I opened them again an idea popped into my head- and idea that really should have occurred to me a long time ago.

I sprinted back towards the house, quietly opening the door and pulling out my bottles of acrylic paint, as well as a few brushes.

I checked on Finn, who was still sleeping soundly.
Once I was convinced he wouldn't wake up any time soon I returned to the seaside, opening a bottle of yellow paint.

I flung some of the thick liquid towards the barrier, and watched as it splattered over its invisible surface.
I took out a large brush and spread the paint around, repeating this process until I had covered a large piece of the dome, even cleared away some of the sand from its base and painted that as well.

I stepped back, staring at the hexagonal tiles. The surface of the near-dry paint crackled slightly with electricity.

I reached out, pressing my palm gently against the yellow surface.
Nothing.
I pressed harder and once again felt that familiar shock.

If only I had a way to cover this whole thing in paint I would be able to find the door out. Because there had to be a door... right?
I mean- how else was Yulia getting out?

Unless she had some kind of repellant that corresponded with the barrier, letting her through.

I sighed heavily, just as a light drizzle began to fall, the light rain making it through the dome. Too bad I wasn't as light as rain.

But maybe... I very softly reached out and pressed slowly against the barrier.
My finger started to stretch the transparent material before electricity crackled around it, causing me to jerk my hand away once again.

This was hopeless.

I sighed, scraping the paint off the barrier and lugging my art supplies back inside, locking the door behind myself and securing the key in its hiding place once again.

I washed my hair and changed into sweatpants, ready for a relaxing night.
Just as I had settled down on the couch and reached for my book I heard Finn's wails.
Of course.

I practically rolled off the couch and zombie-walked towards Finn's room, reaching down into his crib to lift him out.
When he saw me his blue eyes lit up and a smile spread across his little face.

His father's smile.
When first he was born and I saw how much he resembled Theo I had thought I would have been disappointed.
But this was my son.
And he was undeniably beautiful, every feature of his.

It wasn't Theo's eyes or Theo's smile. It was Finn's eyes. Finn's smile.

I propped Finn up on my hip and carried him to the living room couch, setting him down and handing him his pacifier.
He snuggled into my chest.
I relaxed, taking my book into my hands and beginning to read.

It was only a few hours later, after Finn was snoring soundly, that I realized just how lost I was.

Just how alone.

•••

I know it's a little late, but I just wanted to add that the new cover was made by FlownAwayLastMonth