L.O.V.E.

Chapter 16 - Roone

I-DID-NOT-SEE-THAT-COMING. Pain radiates through my leg, crawling up my spine and sending icy needles along its way. It takes me a while to fully understand what has happened, that I had fallen for such a low trick, especially one coming from her. I used to be the top of my class, for god's sake! The ache doesn't bother me that much as I am used to it by now, however, my ego has suffered the worst. And as if that's not bad enough, I let her go. Again. I press the heels of my hands to my eyes, then drag them both across my face, hoping to wash off the shame and annoyance that has rooted deep inside my mind.

Stupid move Roone, stupid move! I scold myself between curses, as I follow her out the trapdoor and down the ladder. My leg still hurts like crazy, regardless of how much I try to ignore it. She's fast, but not as fast as I am. I let the thought escape my mind while I slide down and jump off on the platform below. Hissing in pain, I divert the ache to feed my anger rather than let it consume my body. She used the same words, my damn words, against me! That little...

'Nerissa!' I call after her, furious and humiliated, but mostly vexed by my lack of stoicism.

Hearing her name, she speeds up disappearing after a corroded car, that was wide enough to hide her tiny body. I glide down the rail only to descend the staircase at the end faster, then after hitting the ground, I bolt in the direction I have last seen her heading towards. Ducking under the wagon, I take a good look around for any movement, yet even the tiniest whiff of air stands still as in a void. How could one disappear without a trace in a blink of an eye? It's like the ground has parted and swallowed her whole. I follow her along the looping track, all the way to what it used to be a double-headed train. It looks incomplete, with one of its locomotives broken in half like something sharp and really powerful had cut through it.

Step after step, I start running towards the light outside, knowing too well she couldn't have hidden in any of those coaches. Gigantic boxes, all packed with relics of the past and long-forgotten lives, are parked one behind the other in an endless metal chain. At first, I would find it fascinating opening old leathered trunks and uncovering secrets that weren't mine, until a vivid dream with most unsettled souls kept waking me up at night.

A few droplets of an inky liquid glisten on the floor like two black beads between seas of white spalls. I examine the lead by spreading the fluid between my fingers, horrified by the reddish trace it leaves on my skin. My biggest fear comes alive depriving me of oxygen as I slowly stand up and wish I am mistaken. This is blood, her blood. I stumble backwards when the thought hits me. Nerissa is hurt and I have no idea where she might be.

'Damn it! Nerissa, where are you?' I call her again, the echo of my voice thundering in the entire train shed and scaring off a legion of birds from under the glass roof above.

Nothing. At this point, I'm sure she's gotten out of here by now, ignoring everything I'd told her before. I rush after her, cursing under my breath and hoping I'll find her soon. This could end really bad in so many different ways I can't even fathom out. The well-known chills of frustration start piling up, futility and guilt consuming my mind.

I feel like in a deja-vu, caught in the same back-and-forth journey that's fogging up my senses. Already surrounded by mountains of glass and steel, I start panting, wondering where the hell she could be. She's good! I admit to myself, but inside my chest, my heart is a prisoner of my own fear, skipping beats and leaving me breathless.

I'm getting closer to Nerissa's district, sunken now in a mist of orange hues and ready to be eaten up by the vale below. Leaving the Institute behind, I'm heading for the mysterious darkness upfront. My head is drowning in a pool of mixed feelings, spread between her and myself and this bloody mission. While I scorn myself for letting her go, I realize that her stubbornness is bothering me more. Why doesn't she listen to me? Is her life that worthless to her? The last question forces its way into my mind, only fuddling my judgement even worse.