Saving the Monster

Chapter 17

After Rey had realised that she was feeling Kylo Rens pain, she hadn't been able to get that thought out of her head. For some reason, knowing that he was hurting made her want to go to him, to comfort him. She had no idea why though and the feeling agrivated her. Why should she feel anything for that monster?

But is he a monster? A voice in her head whispered. She had seen the man underneath the previous night when she'd told him about his mother and he'd subsequently let her go. Just a glimpse of the man from her vision but it had been enough, and now feeling his utter agony, it pushed the monster image further from her mind.

Jakku came into view and Rey sighed deeply. She hated this place. The only good thing about coming here was leaving again.

They stepped out into the blinding sunshine,the familiar sting of sand on her cheeks transporting her back in time, a deep loneliness filling her as she thought of the endless days, the endless hours spent here alone. Was it just coming back here that had made her chest ache so? Now she wasn't sure.

Finns hand landed on her back and he smiled sympathetically at her, "Come on, the sooner we find Zorri's people, the sooner we can leave"

Rey nodded and they followed Poe and Zorri down the ramp, leaving Chewbacca and Babu to look after the ship. Rey looked back to see them stood at the top of the ramp and if she hadn't have been so low then she would've laughed at such a comical scene of little and large.

"So where are these friends of yours?" Finn asked as they made their way through the featureless desert,

"Cratertown, it's a small settlement just north of..." Zorri began

"The sinking fields" Rey finished

Zorri turned to look at her, only her green eyes visible through the slit in her helmet, "You know it?"

Rey nodded, "I know every inch of this planet"

"Well this should be easy then" Poe said as he strode ahead.

Finn tossed his eyes and Rey smiled appreciatively, enjoying her friends attempts to lift the mood. 

Cratertown was just as Rey remembered it, old, crumbling square buildings rose up from the sand, small slits their only source of daylight, any wider and too much sand would blow in during one of the frequent sand storms. The vast majority of the population here were human and although Rey had always found them friendly enough during her visits collecting scrap, she had always thought how tired everyone looked. Tired and beaten down. Kind of how she felt right now, maybe she'd fit right in.

Zorri led the way, winding through the sand covered streets until she came to a red door.  "Ok leave the talking to me, it's been a few years" she said, glancing over her shoulder at Rey and the others.

Zorri knocked.  They waited.  Sand blew in clouds around them and somewhere a shutter squeaked, but other than that the town was silent.

"I don't like this" Poe said, lifting his blaster from his belt.  Finn and Rey exchanged nervous glances.

"Zorri, that you?"

A sudden voice and they all spun around.  Nothing, just an empty street.  Rey lifted her saber, holding it ready in her hand.

"Look to the side of the house" came the voice again.

Poe furrowed his brow and Zorri led the way to the side of the house.  At first they saw nothing but then the ground quaked and shook and a trapdoor lifted, revealing the sandblasted face of a man.