The Fallen (On Hold)

Chapter Five

One Month Ago
*****
Since today is my day off, I'm sitting by the side of the lake outside of the base walls tossing rocks into it. The sun is beating down on me because there are no trees above me and wearing all black is not helping at all.

Picking up another handful of rocks, there's a giant splash in front of me that soaks me from head to toe.

Brushing my wet hair out of my eyes, I glare up to see a shirtless Michael surfacing in the water.

"Ugh, Michael, you got me all wet!"

"Well your sweat was already soaking through your clothes so no harm no foul," he starts kicking his legs and swims over to the shore where I am. "Come on, join me for a swim."

"I can't. I don't have a suit."

"You don't need one. Just take you shirt and shorts off and leave them in the sun to dry and then hop in," he smiles at me.

My mouth hangs open at what he's said. "No way! You're no allowed to see me in my undergarments! You're an older boy."

"Honey I've seen worse," he smirks.

"Stop, I don't want to know," I plug my ears with my fingers then lie back on the ground.

The leaves and sticks poke into my back but beside that it's pretty comfy. The cool water that was splashed on me from earlier is keeping me cool and there's now a shadow covering my face.

Wait, shadow? There's no trees here.

Opening one eye, I look up to see a wet Michael standing over me in only his briefs, droplets of water falling off of his body onto my face.

"Gosh, Michael, why are you naked?" I scream.

"I'm not naked, but I can be if you want," he winks.

"Gross," I stick my tongue out at him and close my eyes again.

After a while of just looking across the lake, he sits down next to me and starts tossing rocks like I was doing earlier.

"Do you know what I learned today?"

"What?" I ask opening my eyes and sitting up.

"A little birdie told me it was your 15th birthday."

"Well that little birdie would be correct but I'm concerned that you're talking to birds."

"Haha, very funny," he pretends to laugh at my joke. He hands me a small box. "Listen, I know how we're friends when we're supposed to be enemies. But I'm hoping soon this war will be over and everyone will live peacefully. Now, you need to guard this with your life, and I hope it doesn't come to that."

I take the gift from his hand and smile up at him. Slowly, I start to open the box and when I see what's inside I'm only confused more.

"See, your Council tells you nothing about anything. Let me explain," he grabs the box out of my hands and pulls the present out.