by Elle Grace
“Well, it is not a concern.” I said as cold as I could. Tristan smirked at me. He knew the truth.
“Let’s get this info upstairs and to William so we can get Rory out of the cells sooner rather than later.” He said leading the way up the stairs.
21
Aurora
5pm 9th September 2020
It felt like I had been in the windowless room for hours again. I was getting ready to start scratching lines to indicate the days I was there into the walls. I heard what seemed like hundreds of deadbolts unlock on the door and it swung open to reveal William stood in the doorway. He looked smug. Behind him Colt stood looking concerned.
“You are free to go.” William walked in and looked down at me sat on the floor.
“Just like that?” I asked.
“Just like that.” He repeated. “The others are in the canteen for supper. I suggest you join them.” He spoke as though nothing had happened. It was strange. I had been in there for hours, I thought.
“And the trial thing?” I dared to mention it, I needed some answers and he clearly was not going to bring it up organically.
“It’s all sorted.” He was curt. Hiding something.
“What does that mean?” I asked.
“We consulted some old Inperium journals and the red is nothing sinister, we suspect it is a trick of the light or something from the coloured smoke.” Colt added quickly.
“And the four coloured smoke was normal?” I questioned more.
“Actually no. The appearance of four colours is rare. It means you are a hybrid made up of all four types of being.” William mused, waiting for my response.
“Oh okay.” I was surprised. I thought I was probably mostly human, not a mix of everything.
“There have been a few throughout history, it means very little.” Colt reassured. I could see that William was tense about the whole situation.
I stood up and left the cell I had been confined to before they changed their minds.
“Everyone will have a day off tomorrow. You should use it to rest, Aurora.” William said ominously.
“Why?” I asked.
“Because Friday will be a big day as you enter the simulation. That is another tradition here. It helps us to find you a guardian match and a role at the Inperium. I will be watching you very carefully Miss Hart.” He warned me.
“Watch as carefully as you want, there is nothing that you are going to see. You are an insane person!” I was angry. I felt like they had brought me to the Inperium to literally torture and threaten me.
As I walked out into the corridor light, I mulled over what he had said to me. It did not feel right. Even though I was not sure what it was that was wrong I knew there was more to what they were telling me. I wondered if I was starting to remember the things, they thought I should have known before.
22
Aurora
6pm 9th September 2020
Walking over to the canteen I was lost in thought. After being released from the cell I had headed to the dorms to change before going in search of other people and food.
I was incredibly grateful for something to eat. My stomach had rumbled for hours in my concrete cell. The canteen itself looked similar to a high school lunchroom. It had several large round tables which had people sat around them Most of the people in the room were younger. A vast majority being less than thirty.
As soon as I entered the room people started gossiping and whispering to one another. Making me feel uncomfortable. It was very clear that I was not welcome at anyone’s table. I could see Colt sat at a table with Tristan. Colt glanced in my direction snapping his head back quickly to make it seem like he did not look at me. Obviously, he was in agreement with everyone else after seeing my trial.
I stood in line and waited to be handed a tray of heathy green food. James walked over to me and pulled me to one side.
“What are your plans for tomorrow?” He asked.
“I don’t have any I don’t think.” I responded. “Rest, I think.”
“I want to take you out on a date.” He smiled and I was taken aback that he felt the same way about me.
“I don’t think we are allowed to leave the campus.” I frowned.
“I have something in mind. Have breakfast with me.”
“Okay?” I was unsure.
“Is that a yes?” He smiled again.
“Yeah I suppose so.” I was reluctant, I knew the rules. We grabbed our food trays and he guided me to join the rest of the group who all sat at a table together. He looked excitedly at me from across the table.
“What was that about, guys?” Doe asked laughing at us.
“Nothing.” I smiled. “James just wanted to copy my homework.” I joked and we all laughed.
“I must admit you guys have made being here a little easier.” I smiled. We were interrupted by William entering the room with an old-fashioned portable microphone and an old speaker strapped to his overly ornate belt.
“Ladies, gentlemen and hybrids, I need your attention please. I am pleased to announce that following today’s successful trials and tests that we will be hosting our annual passing out ball tomorrow night for our recruits. This is in keeping with the traditions here. Hopefully all of you can attend. Your commanders will instruct you further.” He finished, it was short and sweet. As he strutted out Lance walked over to our table.
“Miss Hart can I have a word?” Lance stood at the table looking seriously. All the others stared at him, they shot me warning glances. “Alone.” He added. I felt uneasy.
“Sure.” I said knowing I had no choice in the matter. I stood up and followed him. We walked outside of the canteen. Two of the other graduates were waiting by the door. They grabbed me and put a hand over my mouth to silence me. It had begun to rain heavily.
“So, it is tradition here, that the commanding officers play a prank on the hybrid graduates.” He informed me as I tried to break free. Of course, it was, I thought. “Colt and Tristan never want to do it, but Caitlyn and I love the tradition.” The two graduates were pulling me away from the canteen and away from my friends and I was worried as to what they were going to do to me. Lance continued to talk as he walked.
“Caitlyn will deliver the news and the assignment to your friends shortly, after we have set up the prank.” He stated. We walked for about 10 minutes. We came to a large grassy plain within the campus. In the centre sat a concrete flagpole that held the symbol for the Inperium on it. It was very muddy as we moved across the grass. “This year the prank is a riddle. The graduates have to find you.”
“How is that a prank?” I asked muffled.
“Because there is a catch.” He smiled devilishly. Pulling out a small black pouch from his back pocket he began to prepare a syringe. “You see in this is a paralytic agent. It will begin that you can’t move but as time progresses it will paralyse your breathing too. You have about two hours.” He chuckled to himself as he put the syringe in my neck.
“That still isn’t a prank, you stupid prick.” I spat at him. My legs had begun to go numb very quickly and the two helpers dropped me. Lance loomed above me; he instructed the others to tie me to the post. They did as they were told and as soon as I was suitably chained up, they all left laughing. I could not move, let alone struggle. The rain got heavier and I could feel it soaking through my clothes. It was freezing. I was a little grateful though as the cold weather meant that the effects of the drug would have been slowed down a little.
Time passed quickly whilst I was chained to the post. My thoughts consumed with the events of the last few days. Trying to keep my mind of the fact I was in danger.
I hoped the others were at least attempting to look for me. I realised how far I was from the canteen and I could not imagine the clue that Caitlyn had given the group would have been of any help. My breathing was becoming more difficult and I realised I must have been stood in the dark wet field for at least an hour if not longer. My body was numb from the drug a
nd from the cold. I just wanted to close my eyes and sleep.
23
Colt
8pm 9th September 2020
I could not believe what Lance had done. I was just thankful that I had overheard him bragging when he returned to the canteen. He really was an idiot.
She begun to open her eyes and I thanked the stars after I had given her the antidote. She slowly began to recognise me.
“I am going to kill him!” I hissed undoing the chains and ropes that held her to the post. She fell forward and I caught her. Holding her close to my body. “Are you ok?” I asked, genuinely concerned.
“Cold.” She had begun to shiver, and her teeth chattered. She was soaked through and freezing cold to the touch. I held her closer trying to warm her up a little bit. I had an idea.
“Can you walk?”
“I think so.” She stated testing her legs. They were shaky at best.
“You need to warm up. Let’s go to the showers.” I stated helping her to walk. She stopped and looked at me.
“We only have cold water down there.” She said glumly. Sometimes I forgot just how bad the Inperium treat the hybrids.
“I have a better idea.” I said and led her away to my room. I made sure no one saw us as we walked down the corridor to my room. I opened the door and let her in leading her straight to the ensuite bathroom. I turned on the shower and she just blinked at me. I went to leave the room to let her shower. As I reached the door, she stopped me.
“Wait.” She said. I looked down and saw her hands were shaking so bad that she could not even undo her jacket. “Why are you being so nice to me?” She asked looking sad.
“You don’t deserve to be treated badly.” I was solemn. None of them did. I had never really thought about it until I met Aurora. I helped her with her jacket. She stiffened clearly worried. I stopped and looked at her. “I won’t hurt you.” I said. She softened a little and I helped her to remove her t-shirt and her pants. She stood before me awkwardly wearing only her underwear. I paused for a moment and just looked at her. She was beautiful. I helped her into the shower. Taking my own clothes off until I was only wearing my boxer briefs, I got in with her. She stared at me for a moment, before tracing a finger down a large scar on my chest. Her eyes full of questions. She relaxed into the hot water and I could see her calming.
I stared at her. Her beauty and her strength just affected me in a way I could not fathom. I moved forward cupping the back of her head with my hand and leaning in to kiss her. I could not help myself, I wanted her. She accepted my lips on hers. The warm water of the shower poured between us. Her lips were soft and needing. The kiss went deeper, my hand caressing her waist. I could have stayed there in that moment for an eternity. I pulled away and we spent a long minute together in reflective silence, neither of us daring to talk.
After we finished showering, I got out and got some clean clothes for us both. I left hers in the bathroom whilst I changed in the bedroom. As she walked into the bedroom, I placed a blanket around her shoulders and sat her on the bed. I walked over to the small kitchenette that all the commanding officers had in their rooms. It was only a basic sink, a small fridge and a kettle but it was useful. I made her a cup of tea and handed it to her. She sipped the hot tea. I sat beside her. Silence fell on us for a few awkward minutes again. I just hoped she did not regret our kiss.
“You confuse me.” She said finally breaking the silence. “I cannot take this hot and cold treatment any longer. One minute you look at me like you want to kiss me and the next you have this contempt in your eyes.”
“It isn’t that easy.” I confessed.
“It isn’t that hard either.” She stated and she was right.
“I’ve worked hard to be where I am…”
“And you don’t want to throw it all away for a bit of fun with some half breed?” She finished my sentence.
“Stop saying that!”
“What? Half-breed? I have heard you call me much worse.”
“I shouldn’t have.”
“But you have.” She stated and she was right. She sipped her tea again. I wanted to take the tea from her and push her down onto the bed and kiss her again. I had never been shy with women but there was something about Aurora that was different.
“I’m sorry Aurora, I really am.” I said.
“You can call me Rory you know.” She replied. I was happy she gave me permission finally.
“I like you Rory, like a lot more than I should. The issue is I am meant to be your commanding officer and I’m human. We could get into a lot of trouble here.” I laid down the law, it was the truth. If we got caught being together, we would both be severely punished, her punishment would be far worse than mine and I could not watch her go through that.
“I don’t know anything about you, Colt.” She said.
“There isn’t a lot to know.” I replied.
“How did you end up here?”
“I came here after a year in the army, just trying to find my place after…” I paused, worried about the next part, it was something I rarely said out loud.
“After?” She prompted me.
“It’s a long story, I was born and raised in Northern Territory. My pop had a working farm there, but he died when I was quite young. He was a drinker.” I explained.
“I’m sorry.” I said looking down.
“No, it’s okay, it was a long time ago. It turned out much later he was not really my father, my mama had an affair and I was the result. Anyway, after he died, we moved around a little bit. It was just my mama, my sister and me. We eventually settled in a town east of Broome. My mother co-owned a popular diner on the edge of town. My sister was a couple of years older than me and worked there as a waitress. Then one day, this group of people came to the town. They said they were on the road and looking for a bite to eat. I was eighteen at the time. I was miserable that I was not allowed out with my friends and sat in the back sulking. This group weren’t men though. They weren’t hungry for home fries and shakes. They were vampires and they wanted blood. They killed everyone in that diner. Only hours before the gate to Immortuus had been opened. I was locked in the back for a few hours, later the Inperium arrived to clean up and found me. I enlisted the next day, twelve months later my drill sergeant said that they were looking for special recruits for an organisation called the Inperium and that it was an honour to serve them, so I signed up.”
“I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.” She mumbled. “Did you have to be tested too?” She asked.
“No.” I said quickly. It was lucky that I had not been as my birth certificate had been the proof, they needed that I was human. I wasn’t ready to tell Aurora my secret or how I knew the pain she had suffered with the Partenth stone. I was not sure I could trust her yet. She watched me in my silent thought and then stood after a few moments.
“I should go.” She stated.
“No.” I said far too quickly.
“Stay and get some rest. This room has got to be far more comfortable than the dormitory and I want to make sure that drug is out of your system.” She looked at me, eyebrow raised. “I will sleep on the armchair.” I added and she tucked her hair behind her ear again. I liked when she did that. It gave me an insight into her thoughts.
“Okay.” She finished the last of her tea and laid down. I settled myself on the chair. “You don’t have to sleep on the chair.” She sat up and looked at me after a few awkward minutes.
“Are you sure?” I asked and she nodded. We both lay on the bed looking up at the ceiling. Our fingers brushing against each other until our hands found their way together. I don’t think we could help it; we were like magnets. We lay their holding hands until we fell asleep.
24
Aurora
7am 10th September 2020
I slipped back into the dormitory in the early hours whilst everyone was still asleep. My evening with Colt had been unexpected and extraordinary. My lips still tingled from his kiss and my bo
dy ached for his touch again. I shook my head; I knew I had to forget all of it. I would not survive at the Inperium if I did not. Still I could not get him and his piercing blue eyes from my mind.
Someone shuffled around the room. Suddenly James appeared at the side of my bed.
“Morning.” He smiled. I looked at him. He had dressed nicely in a crisp white shirt. I felt incredibly guilty and I had forgotten our date.
“I need to get dressed.” I replied.
“You do that, and I will meet you outside.” He placed a quick kiss on my forehead that surprised me. I got out of bed and put on some clothes that looked decent from the wardrobe. As I stepped outside into the fresh cold early morning air, James waved to me from across the grass. A blanket rolled up under his arm and a basket in the other. I walked over to him.
“I could not quite manage a champagne breakfast.” He started. “But I did manage to convince the canteen staff to let me borrow a basket and grab some breakfast items from the table.”
“That was nice of them.” I remarked.
“I’m a charmer.” He laughed and we walked off across the campus. We stopped when we got to a secluded spot near to a small stream. James laid out the blanket and invited me to sit down.
“This is lovely. You didn’t have to do this.” I said softly.
“I want to get to know you Aurora, away from the Inperium and the others.”
“There isn’t a lot to know.” I shrugged.
“I’m sure there is plenty.” He was reassuring me. “I’ll start with an easy one. What is your favourite colour?” I liked his line of questioning, it was easy.
“Orange.” I said certain. He reached into the basket and pulled out a single white rose. He held it in his hand and closed his eyes and I watched it change colour in front of me. It became a brilliant bright orange. He broke off the majority of the stem and tucked the flower in my hair behind me ear.
