The Purge
Chapter 54: Halley

“The irony of life is that those who wear masks often tell us more truths than those with open face.”

The Rose Society; Marie Lu

If you don’t resemble a human being then don’t expect to be treated like one.

I was five when I started to train with my father. He was an ex-soldier who used to work for the Republic. And then maybe he retired, got married, and had me. I never knew my mother. My dad didn’t keep pictures of her. Instead I grew up mastering my stigma. Wielding my powers until I know how to control them with my feelings

The more I feel threatened the more my powers hide from me. But the moment the enemy strikes, my powers flow out of my core and it protects me from harm. One of the practices I had from when I was young was the punishments I get from failing. My father would tie me on a tree and would hit me several kinds of object until I bleed. Only then he would order me to defend myself. Heal myself. And then he would hurt me again until I was strong enough to endure.

But people tend to fear what they don’t understand. And that’s why we’re here.

I sat on the staircase, two steps before reaching the top and I watch Bri and Conleth from below. It was like watching a movie. A boy and a girl fall in love in such a tragic time. His lips met hers and then there was happily ever after. But I hope they get a happy ending in this world where everything, everywhere seems so hopeless.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. I gasped and turned to see Chivas at the top of the stairs. He snickered while I placed a hand on top of my chest to channel my heart rate.

“Is that how you say hi to someone?”

“You scared me. You shouldn’t creep up on people like that.”

He laughed. “You looked like you’ve been caught watching porn.”

I rolled my eyes at him. He moved in, leaned on the rail, and looked at the scene I was so fascinated to watch.

“Have you ever been kissed before?”

“No.” I answered. He turned to look back at me. “And if you have bad intentions I promise,” I raised my balled fist. “This will sure be the end of you.”

He smirked at me. “Gee, little girl. Are you threatening me ’cause you might want to try that again. It doesn’t affect me.”

I glared at him but he ignored me by sitting next to me. I suddenly felt the urge to flee. But this guy, no matter how hard or cocky he is, he saved me. And I’m a hypocrite if I flee now and he’d think I’m ungrateful.

“Don’t try to figure me out. I’m a special kind of twisted.” He said and I flinched back. He turned to me. “You’re scared of me.”

“Are you asking me?”

“Why? Was that a statement?”

I sighed, giving up. “Maybe I just wanted to understand you.”

“You don’t have to. You’ll only end up getting in line with people who tried to.”

“I’d rather know the devil than not right? You’re already disturbed so if I may, I’ll proceed with caution.”

“Brave girl.” He smirked at me.

“I’ve endured well.” I smirked back.

“I’ve been called rebellious, wrong, a black sheep, different… I refused to be like anyone else. I stand by my beliefs. And that is why I am being misunderstood. That’s why people hate me. That is why you are scared of me.”

I blinked back at him. “Wow. Admitting that you’re an asshole is the first step to maturity and change. Keep it up because it’s a privilege. No one is actually as strong as you who can actually admit it.”

“I’m not an asshole. I’m actually one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. I save lives every day because there are people that need to be shot. And I don’t shoot them. Just add them to the list of people I will kill when the zombie apocalypse arrive.”

“You must be a saint then.”

“I am. I used to be a people person until people ruined it. Entertain a clown and you become part of their circus.”

“Well, every cloud has a silver lining if you see it in the right direction.”

“Why do you vibrate with positive thoughts?”

“Because I am not filled with outbursts of psychotic behavior.” I looked back at Con and Bri who were still lost in their own little world. “I believe that there is still good in every person no matter how bad they think they are.”

“How’d you know that?”

“They are just sad people who weren’t given much love and attention. Usually those kinds of people become who they are because they got nothing to lose. Those who have nothing are barely afraid of anything. You just made mistakes but you can still correct them at the right circumstances.”

He grimaced. “Life didn’t come with instructions. And even if it did, I still wouldn’t follow them. And I’m pretty sure you cannot handle me even if I came with instructions.”

“I did. Remember I put you on the leash?”

He frowned at me. “Because you don’t trust me.”

“I was.”

He raised his eyebrows at me. “Why did you save me? You know everyone doesn’t trust me. You should have killed me.”

“Because I don’t kill innocent people. You were compelled. It would be unfair to take a life without knowing what they did wrong to deserve it. People are poison.”

“I don’t regret the things I did wrong. But I regret the good things I did for the wrong people.” His aura goes dark again and I wanted to roll my eyes skyward.

“But you saved me.”

“Because then you trusted me.”

I smiled as I looked down at my hands. Do I trust him?

“I saw you ready to die.” He said. “And all I could think about was saving you.”

A strong silence passed by between us. I’m not a people person as well. And yet you just have to accept the fact that some people only enter your life as a temporary happiness.

I smiled back at him. I stood up and I gave him a tap on the shoulder. “This is how you thank someone. So thank you.”

I start to walk upstairs when Con started to shout for help. When I looked down from the stairs, Bri was lying pale and unconscious in Con’s arms.

Bri was poisoned by the droid’s sharp tentacle. The wound has already started to grow and veins started to be visible in its reach. Her temperature has already dropped and her breathing was shallow. She tried to fight it off and heal herself but she was already too weak. If she used up all her strength she might die. And this is where I come in.

We settled Bri in one of the rooms. Although I’ve never tried to heal someone who was inflicted by poison before I wanted to save my commander from crossing the afterlife. I started by placing my hands on the infected part as I push my stigma towards hers. My display showed her vitals so I know where to redirect my stigma in order to heal her. Once I found the source, I pushed my stigma towards it and pulled it out. Her upper body rose as I pulled the poison out like a string from a tangled knot. Once I got it out I closed her wound and I checked her vitals. I let out a sigh of relief once it slowly did.

Conleth stayed with her for a few hours until I finally decided to tackle him into getting some rest while I look out for Bri. After a long debate about it, he gave up and decided to sleep on the next room so that he could still get close to her.

“You’re getting pretty good at it.” Bri whispered as she opened her eyes and looked at me. “Thank you.”

I smiled back at her. “I have a good commander. I was not gonna let you die.”

She outstretched her hand to me. I reached out to her and she grasped my hand.

“Protect yourself.”

Confused, I nodded. She went back to sleep after that.

I looked down at my hands. I played a game by opening and closing them. But it still felt weird. I was talking to Bri. But I felt like there were parts of the conversation we had in my head that were deleted. I looked back at Bri. More questions sprang in my head and yet no matter how hard I try to pull at my memories I cannot remember them.

What were you trying to tell me, Bri?

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