Chapter 7: Ciri

I woke to the sound of birds flying around outside and I sat up carefully. My back was sore from sleeping on the floor, but I finally had some energy. I’d been so overtired that as soon as I had the blanket on me I passed out. I looked over and saw Elite guy was passed out with his mouth open. We’d had argued about me going downstairs to find another blanket, but he won that argument. I wasn’t exactly happy about sharing my blanket, but he hadn’t hogged it surprisingly. I stood up and a cold breeze blew through the open window. I felt a shiver down my spine and I shook off the cold. I went over to the cans and looked for something to eat.

I found some peaches and I started cutting it open. “Shut up and let me sleep,” Jasper complained.

“Are you still too proud to admit your people aren’t perfect?” I said sitting on the table.

“I said no more about it,” he said sitting upright and hit the table above him.

“I am not imagining anything; you’re the same as other Elites, you’re in complete denial,” I said nibbling on some slices of peach.

“No,” he snapped and sat on the table across from me, “What is for breakfast?”

 

“Peach slices, your highness,” I said savoring every bite of it.

“That does not sound too bad,” he said grabbing the knife and started wolfing it down.

“Have you ever savored food?” I asked curiously.

“When it is hot, yes, usually,” he said honestly.

“Well this might be one of the biggest meals we have on the trip; savour it,” I told him.

“So when you were working for the other families,” he said uncertainly.

 

“What about them?” I said licking my fingers.

“Did you get hurt a lot?” he asked trying to sound casual. I paused.

“I thought I wasn’t allowed to talk about it,” I raised an eyebrow.

“Just tell me,” he replied.

“I do not know, probably, not nearly as much as others did not you ever get hurt in the academy,” I inquired puzzled.

“When we were fighting occasionally, but it was never on purpose,” he said biting into a peach, “Why did you get yourself in trouble?”

 

“I did not always do it myself, rich people can sometimes be very vain and ready to blame for the smallest thing,” I rubbed my wrists together to warm up.

“I am a rich person,” he said soberly.

“Not as bad as Madame Edwin; she caught her husband in my room and punished me twice,” I replied, “Just a slap at first then an agonizing walk to the reformatory after being pushed down the stairs and finally, nine lashes.”

“What was he doing in your room?” he asked.

“Being a drunken idiot,” I said throwing the empty can outside, “wasn’t the best house I’ve worked in.”

“Or the latest for about a month after that you were nice to me,” he said sourly.

“What a waste of time,” I said amused.

“Seriously though did not you ever fight back,” he asked looking over at me.

 

“When you get pushed around that much you learn to keep out of trouble as much as you can,” I shrugged.

“I guess you threw out that rule when you found out about Phoenix,” he said and I nodded then we put about six cans of food in the blanket and made it into an over the shoulder sac. We decided that I carry it half the time and he carried the rest of the time. We left the garden house and headed off to Eddison’s house it was a long way away from here, but we were ahead of the others still so we were safe. I could not believe I was teamed up with an Elite that just over a week ago was ordering me around. Things had definitely changed now I do not think I’d ever actually spent this much time with a guy before.

I was relieved and pleased that he hadn’t tried anything while I was sleeping last night because I needed the strength sleeping gave me. I could not believe we’d finally had two meals in a row and my stomach was happily groggy for the first in a long time. I kind of liked the fact that I had someone to argue with and talk to that wasn’t trying anything. I was walking along thinking about Umber and that time when she and I had chocolate for the first time. She’d caused a distraction outside with a bird and stone while I snuck two of the lady’s many chocolates. This lady’s husband used to collect chocolates so she will not notice if we took two.

I remember us laughing and savoring every crumble of that little piece of chocolate. Umber snuck around after the bird thing and we ate them in my room. Umber was my honorary sister and I was closer to her than anyone else on this Earth. I did not know how to live without ever seeing her again. That is when it hit me that there might be an afterwards, this thing I was involved in now could end and I would have to move on. I did not know what I would do with myself if I lived I knew how to survive and serve, but not how to live. I did not notice Jasper wasn’t speaking until I saw that the sky was clouding over.

 

I looked over and Jasper was walking along beside me dead silent. “Lose your tongue while I wasn’t looking,” I asked him and he was still staring right ahead of him. “Hey are you okay?” I asked.

“What?” he said looking over at me.

“Nothing,” I said looking forward again, “it is starting to cloud over we have rain to worry about now.”

“Girl with a gun is afraid of a little rain,” he said looking over at his gun.

“Yes she is because rain slows things down and I do not  like the lack of visibility there is,” I said sternly, “they could have a hover craft or brigade so fast and we’d have two seconds warning.”

 

“Relax we are way ahead of them,” he said as it started to downpour, “I wish I had a jacket though.”

“Whiner,” I said then we walked on through all the water in our path. We kept walking for hours even though the rain seemed endless. “So what do you know about who they’d send after us?” I asked suddenly.

“I do not know what they’re accusing you of it could be just regular guards or even Elites if it is Elites though they’ll be in the air or in vehicles they do not  do footwork,” he said pushing his longer hair back out of his eyes.

 

“Boot camps aren’t mandatory anymore?” I said cautiously.

“Boot camps are still around, but it was only a week for the general course you take a year-long one for the studies of weaponry, politics and combat,” he said nodding his head.

“What were you training for?” I said spitting the water that was filling my mouth.

“I was supposed to take over the family business and run for a spot on the council,” he said handing me the sac.

“Why were you out at the outskirts then?” I said putting it over my shoulder.

“That is private, and also confidential, can we change the subject?” he said clearing his throat. “If it was Elites they’d probably in a hover vehicle,” he said and I nodded for him to continue, “They’re incredibly quiet so you do not know they’re coming until they hit you and in conditions like this you’d have a four second warning.”

“That is not much time, how strong are the Elites?” I asked pushing my bangs off my face.

 

“Let’s just say they’re stronger than guards and faster too,” he said taking a drink of water, “I wasn’t kidding when I said I could have you pinned in seven seconds.”

“I wasn’t kidding about the gun either,” I told him.

“Not all Elites are as easy going as I am, Ciri,” he said stopping.

“You’re easy going,” I said looking over at him questioningly.

“Some Elite would have beaten you to death for touching them not only taking their gun,” he said turning towards me, “They’re lethal and vicious.”

 

“What do you think the orders are?” I asked looking down at the ground.

“Most likely to bring you back to town, why?” he asked surprised by my question.

“I am a runaway right,” I said kicking the ground, “Runaways are killed or imprisoned on sight it is the law no one is going to listen to me.”

“I guess we best find this crazy old man then,” he said.

“I guess so,” I said taking a deep breath.

“Hold on,” Jasper said then heard something coming at a moment before me, “get down.”

“What?” I said then I said and dropped down to the ground.

“I was wrong they’re here,” he said standing over me and helped me stand up.

“S**t,” I said panicked.

“Hold still,” he said pulling my arms behind me.

 

“What are you doing?” I said feeling the pressure on my arms, “let go of me.”

“Do as I say,” he said pushing me forward and pulled out my gun, “no back talking.”

“You’ll pay for this,” I growled.

“Nice work Ryan,” a tall and rough looking guy said walking over and I saw his uniform he was an Elite.

“Thanks this one was a little difficult,” Jasper said handcuffing my hands.

“She looks feisty; I like them when they fight back,” one of them said.

 

“Isaacs, our job is to take her back for questioning,” another said walking over, “good work Elite.”

“Yes sir,” Jasper said and I glared back at him.

“Alright I will call in,” Isaacs said starting to walk back.

 

“Hand her over,” the leader said walking closer.

“Good luck with your success,” I said coldly.

“We’ve got her,” another said victoriously.

 

“Play along,” Jasper whispered into my ear and put something into my hand. I pretended to fight back a little until I could see my hand. I opened it and inside was the handcuff key and a small smile came to my face. Maybe this Elite had potential to show mercy after all, I thought closing my fist again.

Author's Note

what do you think of Jasper?