Instinct

Chapter 25 -- Crimson

The wall closed. Anthony and that girl were locked out of this world, and lost in another.

Everything seemed strange about this ceremony. They never let anyone. Anyone. Go out the walls. The wall opened for them. They just let them go out there. They were going to die, there was no doubt.

They had a ceremony for them. They were being sent out to collect data. Is that why he was gone for those days?

I looked over to Kaitlyn. Her jaw still hung open. Her eyes fixated on the closed wall.

"He's gone" she whispered. "I never got to say I was sorry to him".

I put my hand on her shoulder. "It's okay Kate".

She didn't say anything more.

'He's fine'; I wanted to tell her that. But I was sure they wouldn't be fine. Then I remembered him and that girl. I knew he would find a girl, just not when this went down.

In a way I know, they'll die happy.

"Kate we can't stay here for long. Someone might see us up here" I pulled her arm. She stumbled her way to the edge that led to the alley way behind us. "Come on lets go" I nudged her. She looked dead. Like her emotions were all drained out. I guess seeing Anthony leave the gates without her not saying sorry or at least a bye, mentally ruined her.

Eventually after a while of her looking over the edge she made her way down the wall. She was so numb and dull with her movements, she almost looked like a robot. I climbed down more swiftly than her. She waited at the bottom. Her eyes looked out in the far beyond.

The alleyway was stuffy and compact. It was about five feet in width. The walkways were covered in boxes and trash. The clean up people never kept up with the junk.

"Kate snap out of it. There was nothing you could have done to stop him and there was nothing I could do to stop him" I snapped at her. Her head rotated. She gave me a different look than before.

"I'm sorry" I added. I felt bad for snapping at her. She lost her best friend today. The only one she had at the time when she lost her home and family.

Something crept across my mind. That sign in her room.

"Kate" I sighed. I hoped I could get her out of her trance. She stared at the floor not moving a muscle. Not even blinking.

"Kate can you please just listen to me for a second".

She tilted her head up. Her eyes met mine.

"I know you wanted to say sorry to Anthony for what you did at the peak. And I know you lost him, he was your family, I get it. But quit beating yourself up about it. There was nothing you could have done about it".

I paused.

"Kate. We know who we are, but not who we may be".

She looked at me confused.

"I don't want to hide this anymore" I paused again, scratching the back of my neck.

"I know who I am".

I walked over to her and grabbed her shirt collar.

I kissed her.