flawed

e i g h t h

District_401
year 02 post great shock
•••

Peter POV

I felt as if I had been traveling for eternity, even though I knew it had only been days.
Ten very long, very dull, and very tiring days.

During the days of trudging through run-down streets that had once been bustling places of civilization only a few things were on my mind, the same things that were always on my mind.
Amara, mainly.
I was positive she was still alive... I could feel it. And if she died I knew that somehow I would know.

Yet... I hadn't seen her in two years. If I did find her what was to say that she would want anything to do with me?
As far as I knew she could have been completely changed, she could have become someone that didn't want anything to do with me.
And I wouldn't blame her.

Last time we met I killed someone she loved before her eyes... than she stabbed me in the stomach.
But than again, before she stabbed me she had kissed me.
Really kissed me.

I stumbled momentarily over a rock, before quickly righting myself.
I needed to push her out of my mind, at least for the moment.
The sky was dark above, sprinkled with stars that became more and more clear every day. The moon was near-full, casting a rather creepy look on the ruined city.

In the distance I heard the chortles of rogues who roamed the streets at night, but they were better than the huge gangs that would attack during daytime.
The lesser evil, I guess.

Animal calls drifted through the night, howls and hoots and cricket song, sending shivers down my spine.
I wanted nothing more than to find shelter, secluded with doors that preferably locked.
But I had to keep going.

Over the past few days I had been getting this creeping feeling, as if I was being watched... or followed.
But that was just delusions, who would be following me for so long? So patiently?
Nobody, right?

I heard the skittering of footsteps from nearby, small ones.
Could be anything. Rats, even.
But I unsheathed my knife nonetheless. You could never be too careful out on these streets at night.

I quickened my pace slightly, leaping over the ruins of what appeared to have been a bathroom at one point.
There it was again... footsteps.
They had grown closer and heavier- possibly human steps?
I started to jog, weaving around potholes and the remains of fallen houses.

The footsteps behind me quickened.

I drew in a deep breath, building up the courage to look over my shoulder, and when I did I got quite the start.
It wasn't a human.
Far from it, actually.

"Destiny?!"

Phantom_Island
year 02 post great shock
•••

Chelsie POV

Yulia had left again, promising to be back in the morning.
Morning.
I had a few hours to find a way to get out of this place.

I picked Finn up, propping him on my hip and jimmying the lock to the front door open.
As soon as I was outside I set my son down and he ran, giggling, to play in the sand.
I smiled fondly, than went back inside, grabbing as many buckets and pans as I could- filling them with water.

Once I had done that I carried them one by one out to the shoreline, taking one of the pans and throwing its contents at the barrier.
Instead of bouncing off, or crackling with electricity, the water moved smoothly through.
I let out a slight laugh.
"So... water is the key..."

I took another bucket of water and splashed it towards the barrier at the same time I pushed my hand through.
My hand glided smoothly through, yet became stuck as the barrier closed around it again as the water flow stopped.
I yanked at my hand a few times with no result before splashing more water towards it to free my poor limb.

If I had a shower... or a hose... or something this would work.
But, upon through examination of the house I found nothing.
Absolutely nothing.

The most I could do would be to get Finn out, but he was far too young to survive out there without me.
I looked sadly at my son, sighing heavily.

He looked so peaceful, playing in the sand while humming softly to himself, dark curly hair piled in soft waves on top of his head.

Was I really doing the right thing in escaping?
I remembered what the world out there was like. It was a nightmare.
What was to say I would survive in that mess of a world? That Finn would survive.

I needed to think of my son.
What he needed.
Even if it meant hurting more and more inside every day because I knew I was a prisoner, and I knew that I had been manipulated since day one.

Finn waddled over to me, something clutched in his hand.
"Mama! Look! Look!" He squealed, pushing a shiny shell towards me.
I smiled, taking it from him and setting the little boy on my lap.
"It's a seashell."

"See-ell?" Finn mumbled with confusion.
I laughed. "Yup, seashell."

All of the sudden a shimmer and shudder ran through the barrier.
I jumped to my feet, dropping the shell and clutching Finn closer to me.
What was that?

Than the barrier split open, just enough to let a person through.
That person being Yulia.
Her eyes locked with mine, a spark of anger lighting them.
And when I say my heart stopped beating for a moment, I mean it.

"I-I thought you wouldn't b-be back until t-tomorrow morning..." I stammered.
Finn began to whimper softly, picking up on my fear.

Yulia advanced slowly towards me.
"You've been lying to me. I have protected you, cared for you, been your sister, and this is how you pay me back? With lies?"

She was one to talk.

I glared. "You haven't exactly been honest with me either! Keeping me prisoner, here. And you lied! You lied about Amara."

Yulia was radiating anger. She gripped my arm, dragged me to the open barrier, and flung me out.
I struggled to keep my balance, and my baby in my arms.

"Prisoner, you say? I did this to keep you safe. You wouldn't last a day in the outside world!" She growled with rage.

I lifted my chin defiantly.
"We'll see about that."

"Oh yes we will," she snarled, a wicked grin spreading on her face as the barrier closed.
Wait...

"No! Stop!" I ran forward, pounding my fist against the barrier and only getting a electrical shock in return.
Yulia crossed her arms.
"This is goodbye, Chels. Have fun running for your life."

She smiled and gave me a little wave, than next thing I new I was catapulting towards the mainland at breakneck speed.

•••

Sorry the update came a little bit late. I had a super busy day yesterday.

Heh and sorry for the 2 sorta-cliffhangers. :}