FicWad

“How could you bring him here Elie?” Gunner demanded when we reached the base. “He’s a pusher, he’s dangerous, a threat to us all!”
“He’s a child Gunner,” I said, for what seemed like the hundredth time.
“So was Roger,” Gunner said softly and I tensed up.
“Never mention that name to me,” I whispered, my voice shaking with fury.
“Roger was what, fourteen, fifteen when he and you were taken from your parents?” Gunner continued, ignoring my whisper. “It didn’t take him long to conform, to use his powers to kill innocents.”
I slammed my hand on the table and stood up, “One is nothing like my brother,” I said, walking toward the door and opening it up.
“How do you know?” Gunner asked before I walked into the hallway, shutting the door behind me.
I stood there for a moment, my back against the wall and closed my eyes.
“How did I know?” I thought to myself. Roger seemed as innocent as One, until the day the raiders came, separating us from our parents, and soon from each other. I had no obvious powers and was sent to a slave labor camp, but Roger, who was a pusher, who had gifts, was taken to the Center and trained. It wasn’t until I was liberated by the outlaws, that I found out what my brother had become. A murderer and a monster.
I sighed heavily, and pushed myself away from the wall, walking down the hall toward my room.
I silently opened the door and found One asleep on my bed, in sleep he looked even more angelic and as I stared down at him, I knew, no matter what, I would never be able to hurt him.
I laid down in bed and gently pulled him into my arms, holding him and stroking his hair.
“I’ll protect you,” I whispered, then slowly fell into a deep sleep.

I woke up with a start, a half forgotten nightmare lingering in my brain and I sat up, realizing that One was no longer in my arms.
I scanned the room and found him, in front of the window, staring out.
He turned when I slid out of bed and came up beside him.
“He’s coming for me soon,” he said softly, and I tensed.
“Who?” I asked, wondering if the government could track him in some way.
“The man with the cold eyes who met us at the ship,” he said softly, looking toward the door. “He comes to finish what he thinks you should of.”
I looked toward the door too and realized that I could hear someone walking steadily toward the door.
“I won’t let him,” I said to One and grabbed my stun gun, standing and waiting.
Finally the door opened, to reveal Gunner with two of our guards.
“Elie,” he said, seeing me, “put the gun down.”
“Never,” I whispered, moving to stand in front of One.
“This has to be done Elie,” Gunner said, stepping forward and I tensed, raising the gun.
“No, it doesn’t,” I said.
“Subdue her,” Gunner said to one of the guards and he rushed forward.
Without thinking, I raised the gun and shot him in the chest, sending him flying backwards into the wall.
Before the other guard had a chance to react, I shot him too, taking him down.
“You’ve made a mistake Elie,” Gunner said, trying to grab my arm.
I punched him in the nose, sending him staggering back, then grabbed One and ran out into the hall.
Behind me, I heard the sirens start to wail and knew that Gunner had pushed the emergency button.
I began to run faster as people poured out into the hallway.
“Stop her,” I heard Gunner yell, as I pushed past people, trying to find a way to escape.
I rounded a corner, stopping short when I realized I had reached a dead end.
I turned to run the other way, then gasped when a door beside me opened and someone grabbed me, pulling us into the room before shutting the door.
“Elie?” A voice whispered, then someone turned on a flashlight.
“Tristan,” I said, staring at the man before me. “Are you going to turn me in?”
“No,” he said, grasping my free hand and pulling me toward a partially hidden door. “I’m going to help you escape.”
“Why?” I asked softly, and he stopped for a moment, looking at me.
“You know why,” he whispered, before opening the door and pushing me inside.
“This is the way out,” he said, and I looked at him for a moment, then kissed him on the cheek.
“Thank you,” I whispered, before turning and sprinting down the dark passageway.
After what seemed like hours, it finally stopped at an old, rusty door, that I pushed open slowly, almost expecting to see Gunner waiting for me.
Nothing was waiting for me, except for the silent darkness of the badlands wilderness.
“We’re safe now,” I said to One, with a smile I didn’t feel, as I walked out into the darkness, away from my only home.
“Not yet,” One murmured softly, “but soon, we have to find them first.”
“Who?” I asked, and he smiled sleepily, snuggling closer.
“You’ll know soon,” he whispered, then fell asleep.