The Purge
Chapter 22: Halley

“I put nothing into the box of bricks/I do not want to lose anything/I hid the toy blocks from you/I am once again carefully building with bricks”

~Bauklötzeby Mika Kobayashi (Attack on Titan OST)

Orange.

My display flared Code Orange. Now that sounded so funny to the ears.

It seemed to me that the alarm got tired of Code Red. An assembly might be called in preparation for the Dark Hour. At least, that’s what I thought it is.

I flew out of the room to the hallway only to find Bri coming out of the Training Room. I picked up her pace just as Conleth followed suit. I stopped dead on my tracks.

Did those two went out of the Training Room? Obviously my eyes weren’t cheating me and I wasn’t dreaming. Glad not to be in pajamas was a good thing though. Sigourney had to deal with it on her way out with Athren behind her pulling his shirt on. Am I really that sober? Cause I’m clearly the only one lacking a love life here. But that would be a very stupid thing to worry about. Being single and staying a virgin is not the issue right now. A war is coming and my life could be in apocalypse.

My display had led me to the dome where the Sentinels have returned with their pilots. Many had left but almost half survived. Most of the Sentinels were damaged. Medics came in and out of the bivouac with a stretcher.

I don’t know what it is to come, but seeing such damage tells me that danger is far more than we should expect when the Dark Hour comes. I looked up at the huge digital clock on the Jumbo Tron.

There’s lesser time to prepare, more lives to spare.

Bri found Capt. Hawke and she rushed to him like any girlfriend would do. I guess that’s what I see it is. The cut on his temple was bleeding and his blood soaked his suit. Behind him, his Sentinel was barely recognizable. It’s a good thing to say that he’s alive. It’s a bad thing for Conleth though. Especially when he didn’t expect the scene that unraveled before him.

As Bri and Fygun shared a kiss, I looked at my friend. He seemed to want to burn the bivouac and all our resources down into ashes. But I just stood there. What do you say to a person when he or she gets his or her heart broken? Do you have to ask if he or she is okay even when they’re not? I don’t know what it feels like to love someone and not have that love in return. I was only thought of communal understanding. Nothing in this world is permanent. My dad would always say.

“Ouch.” Sigourney whimpered. Conleth turned his fiery gaze at her. Sig slid her hand down to her “uninjured” ankle. “My ankle” she added but those were the wrong choice of words to say.

Conleth turned his back on the picture and walked away to his hiding place.

For a few moments, I lingered. But I realized there was nothing for me to really see. We’ve lost a great number of good men out there. They weren’t Addonexus but they served the state with courage and loyalty. They withstand the aliens when we couldn’t. I suddenly felt like a useless creature. What are we supposed to do? They trained us but they wouldn’t let us fight now. How are we supposed to know who to face when we keep on hiding behind these Barriers and wait for them to kill more of our men. Someone has to do something. Someone has to stand up. But I feel so small in the crowd.

So I went out and found myself in the Training Room. Turned out, Conleth had beaten me there. He was drenched in sweat as he drowns himself in training. Well, that’s what the Training Room is for. His glaive glowed in white flames. If I get too close and get hit by chance I’d sure be fried and dead. If I’d be lucky enough to live then I’d live by the reminder of third degree burns.

His glaive sailed home to every target. Slicing through dummies and decapitating them mostly—even damaging the metal walls. I pity the role of the dummies. Surely they don’t deserve to be beaten or be engulfed in white hot flames but that’s what they’re made for. I have to remind myself never to get in Con’s bad side if I wanna live a longer life.

I was to leave him be when his glaive got lost in my direction. I ducked just in time it hit the wall. It bore a bad crack on it and I swallowed a large amount of saliva thinking it could have been my head. Smoke blew out of the wall’s crack as my body trembled from the near death experience.

“Keep your head down.” Con instructed as his glaive flew off the wall and back in his hand like a Frisbee. He smirked at me. “I didn’t know you’re a stalker, Blondie.”

“I am not.” I emphasized each word like a child learning how to say her first alphabets. “I just wanted to be alone. That’s all. It turns out you beat me into it.”

He shrugged. His usual cocky attitude falling into place. He’s one of his moods. “Ah. Let me guess. Insecurity problems?”

I frowned at him. “What about you? Heart problems?”

He grinned at me. But behind it, I could see the irritation. “Well, I’d have to apologize to you cause I’d be using this room for the whole day. I need an outlet.” He threw his glaive at a dummy and it sailed through its heart, making a massive whole at the center as it burned at the edges.

“If you needed an outlet you can always talk to me.” I found myself saying.

“I hate talking. It doesn’t make any sense at all. People still don’t listen.” He prompted as he threw his glaive at the wall and setting a line of fire at the cracks.

“Bri didn’t mean to break your heart.”

“I thought you’re on my side.”

“I don’t want to be on anyone’s side.” So I have decided.

He sneered at me from his shoulder. “Why are you girls so mercurial? At one point you want boys to believe that you actually like them and then you go off treating them like you don’t even care about them.”

I crossed my arms and I put my weight on one side. “Con, I’m not Bri.”

He rolled his eyes skyward and he cursed. He muttered something like “girls are so annoying”.

“Why don’t you tell her that?” I said as I bravely approached him.

He caught the flying glaive with his hand. “She’d shoot me first before I’d get to finish.”

“Right.”

His face crumpled. I don’t know but he looked like a five year old kid trying to be cute and having puzzles inside his head.

“Do you think she cares about me?”

It’s my time to roll my eyes. “Why don’t you ask her?”

He groaned. “I really don’t understand you girls.”

I snorted. “The best way to avoid confusion is to ask. Gods. Why is it so bloody hard?”

“Because technically you’re not the one falling madly in love.”

I shrugged. “Maybe. I don’t really know what it is to fall in love. I’ve never even kissed a boy.”

He snickered. “You’re such a joker, Hal.”

When I showed him no reaction towards it he straightened up. He moved three platonic strides towards me. He grabbed me by the arm and I literally froze in place.

“You’re not serious, are you?”

“I’m a virgin.” I blushed. He looked so horrified at me that I wanted to get eaten by the ground. What did I do? Did I say something wrong? Is virgin a cursed word?

For a moment after the deluge he would actually laugh at me. But at the state of shock he grabbed my face and I squeezed my eyes shut. I think I stopped breathing.

“Tell me you’re not lying.” He said. I opened my eyes, half embarrassed that I almost thought he was going for the kiss.

“I’m not.” I whispered. I was too focused on returning the air in my lungs that I didn’t notice the doors opening.

Someone had coughed in the background. I looked away to find Athren and the others in the room. I moved away from Con who eventually has his eyes set on Bri.

“So you stormed out the bivouac broken hearted and now you’re almost close enough to get Halley her first kiss.” I turned tomato red at Athren’s words. Does his ability include good sense of hearing too? Conleth just glared at him.

“That’s enough.” Bri bumped his shoulder as she made her way at the center. “We need to focus on what’s on hand.”

“Which is?” Con asked mockingly but Bri ignored him.

“Defeating the aliens.” She retorted in a matter of fact way.

“I thought we’re just to guard the Barriers while the engineering system recharges the…uh…batteries… or whatever so the Gates would hold again for another fifteen years.” Sig waved her hands animatedly.

Bri shook her head. “Fuck the Barriers. Fuck the Gates.” Sig looked incredulously at her like her commander was going nuts. Well fuck it. “This is about survival. Those monsters will feed upon the weak. When they come barging in those useless Gates, we will have to be ready to protect ourselves.”

“But—” Sig started but Bri glared at her.

“If you want to live, Sig, you will have to fight. And I mean it. You have to bloody fight.”

“And still the Republic let our kind die in the Trials while soldiers die in the battlefield. They seat in their beautiful and expensive chairs barking orders. They are enjoying the show.” Athren snapped. “It’s a slaughterhouse out there, Bri. We don’t need to be reminded.”

“I know.” For a moment Bri softened, but she had let the curtains down again. “I know you felt it too. It’s coming. I don’t know when but the Barriers are weakening. And when it does I want you all to survive.”

I felt a gong inside my chest, awakening me. She was right about the Barriers. I felt it too. The Dark Hour’s coming. The weakening Barriers are equal to the gnawing feeling in my gut every time it goes off. If the Barriers are out, we’d be the first to know.

“From now on no distractions. Control all emotions. We need to set aside everything.” Bri said.

Con shot his hand up. “I’m guilty with the emotions issue. Survival is such a big word and I am sensitive enough to take my feelings into consideration, chief.” Bri scowled at him but Con just smirked at her.

“I am not asking for your opinion, Conleth. This is a direct order. So, it’s either you obey me or get out of my way.’

Con sneered at her. He shook his head and he headed out of the door.

Impressive. As pissed as she was, Bri composed herself and followed Conleth outside.

Athren snorted. “Talking about emotions. They’re not setting a good example.” He stood beside Sig and flawlessly held her hand. I felt like I needed to evacuate the room.

“And where the hell you think you’re going?” Bri yelled at Con in the hallway. Her voice was so sharp it scared the silence off of the place. I wanted to retreat back to the Training Room. But it’s either this scene or Athren and Sig’s PDA.

“To find a girlfriend!” Con shouted without turning back at her.

“Wow.” Bri scoffed at him. “Dying wasn’t an issue to you. But not having a love life?” she snapped her fingers in the air for emphasis. “Crisis.”

Con simpered. “Look who’s talking.”

“Conleth, we are in a middle of a war. The aliens are about to invade us. Will you please, for once, stop being so self-centered and think about the benefit of the many!”

“Well, I’m sorry because if I was so self-centered which you have badly assumed then I wouldn’t have risked myself to save you.”

“I never asked to be saved.”

“And yet I did.” Con started to walk away again but Bri followed.

“I am not done talking to you!” He pulled him back and Con whirled around like a thunder storm.

“Why is it when we’re together you’re so different. But when we’re in front of everyone else you treat me like nobody other than your soldier.”

“Because you are.”

“And that is why this conversation is over. Besides, people with good positions are your type. Conleth’s a big violation.” Con moved pass her.

“And this is why I don’t like emotions getting involve in our team.” She said. “It makes things complicated.”

“So that’s why I’m looking for a girlfriend from another army! No harm done. If you aren’t so jealous to admit it, you’ll just let me go!”

“Jealous?” Bri gaped at him. “Who will I be jealous? Imogen? Halley?” I flinched at the sound of my name. Now they are way too over the border. “We both know who you want, Con.”

Con sneered at her. “And we both know who you want, Bri.”

Bri flinched. Conleth looked like he wanted to take his words back but he didn’t. I know I shouldn’t be listening to this but still I did. I’d rather have this conversation than be in the Training Room with God knows what Athren and Sig are probably doing.

“And this is why I choose Fygun over you.” Bri finally said after moments of awkward silence between them.

Conleth seethed. “No. He was the safer choice for you and I’m not.”

Bri sighed. “Did you like what you heard, Halley?” she shouted and I stiffened. I wanted to blend in with the wall.

“I-I was just going to my room.” I started to turn.

“Wait for me, Hal.” Con said. “We’re done here.”

I waited for him to reach me and we both walked silently to our rooms.

The following days were brutal. They are pushing us to the Inception Trials almost every three hours a day. We remained with intact numbers. We were just lucky that Bri was our commander. I was lucky I was in Wyvern Army. Every Trial we learned. Every battle we improved. But as the Dark Hour approaches, the signs of the weakening Barriers had affected us too.

It was almost 1400 when the Zenith decided to end the Trials for the day. As soon as we’ve been dismissed, I threw myself in the bed, face down until I started to snore. I woke up to find my clock at 1458. I pushed myself up, placed myself in a bathrobe and marched dreamily towards the shower room. I badly needed a shower. I don’t smell so bad but I don’t like the sweat hanging on me like a shirt.

But before I could even get inside, a commotion encouraged me. People started to file in the hallway. I moved closer just as Conleth went out of the shower room with Bri unconscious in his arms.

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