Ascension

Indiana

Lorelei is now in the helpful care of the medical officers. Apparently she has worsened her condition from the last time I have spoken to her. She was a trainwreck when I saw her in Elijah's arms. Her face was covered in dried blood. Her ankle was bent in a weird direction. Her metal limbs are looking a little misshapen. There was also a bunch of burnt skin where there should have been a healthy limb. It is kind of sad to see Lorelei in the hospital again. I have lost track of how many times she has been hospitalized in the past year because of inflicted injuries. I guess this one was self inflicted though. So I don't know.

The doctors have been working all day to basically rebuild her again. They have decided to scrap her metal leg and just cast a new one. I'm glad they took that idea because that metal leg of hers has been through quite a lot of stuff.

We haven't been able to see her yet and Elijah might be going mad. To be honest these people going mad for their loved ones is kind of weird if you ask me. I am just patiently waiting for the day where I can be with Alivia again.

"Do you think we are going to see her soon?" Elijah asks me.

To be honest it has only been five hours since we first brought her back to the Ship so I don't think they are going to allow us to see her.

"Yes. We can probably see her soon." I assure him.

"Lies." He breathes.

"What."

"You can hear it in your voice. Your voice gets a tone higher when you are lying." Elijah says casually.

I had no idea he could do that.

"How did you know that?" I ask.

"I honestly don't know." Elijah admits honestly.

It still shocks me to know that he can tell when I'm lying or not. I need to change that.

"Indiana?"

"Yes."

"Do you think me and Lorelei will be okay?" I ask.

"Yes. Why?"

"When she looked at me briefly when she was awake she seemed so distant." He explained.

I don't remember her being distant in Headquarters so I give him an answer that sounds like it could make sense.

"Lorelei is in a lot of pain right now."

Pretty sucky excuse but it's all I could come up with.

"Right. Right." Elijah murmurs.

Elijah seems like he is in a very far off place. Probably looking for where ever Lorelei's mind may be.

"Elijah? Are you going to be okay?" I ask.

I'm not sure he is. We have been sitting here for five hours and he has just been waiting with an intensity I have never seen before. I never knew waiting could be so intense but whatever.

We sit for another thirty minutes before I have to get up.

"Where are you going?" Elijah asks me.

"I am going to stretch my legs." I assure him.

Elijah doesn't look too happy to be left alone but it's what must happen. I walk off the ship. People in military outfits load computers and files and hard drives into a vehicle.

I walk over to where our tents should be. It still blows my mind that we actually had been dumb enough to leave Sun's Peak not defended. I walked through the piles of singed fabric that lie in heaps.

I breathe out a breath when I see the skeleton of a bedframe. It looks so empty and lonely. On the floor are several items. I guess they were forgotten or something. I sift through them trying to see what was salvageable.

There were burnt clothing. And broken bottles on the floor. I bring one up to my nose and get the unmistakable stench of alcohol. I groan. This is like pure alcohol it seems. I enjoy wine which if I can sip slowly I will only feel a light buzz but this stuff is the hardcore drinking problem stuff.

Whoever was drinking like this has definitely been through some stuff. I sift through the stuff again, being careful for glass shards. That's when I find it. Laying in the midst of the broken bottles lay a necklace. It wasn't very extravagant. It had a single jewel on the string.

The jewel wasn't like any jewel I had seen in pictures. This one glows a blue color. Kind of like the Brights. Blue might now be my least favorite color. This jewel has a sort of eerie feel to it. Like something horrible happened.

I recognized the necklace though. I remember seeing it somewhere. I rack my brain but I can't remember. It seems so familiar in an eerie sense.

"Where have I seen this before?" I whisper to myself.

I stuff the necklace into my pant pocket because I have no idea what else to do with it. It feels cold. It sits against the pocket but I can feel the chill of the necklace seeping into my warm skin.

This thing gives me the creeps. I can be rid of it as soon as I find someone who wants it. I walk slowly back to the Ship wondering about the necklace.

Why does it feel so cold? I take it out of my pocket and hold it in my hand to try and warm it up. I keep it held tight in my hand. Slowly but surely the cold I had felt on my pant leg seeped into my hand. It felt like shoving your hand in ice and keeping it there.

What a strange necklace. I get back to the ship and find Elijah.

"Hey Elijah it's nice to see you up and about." I tell him.

He barely glances up at me.

"Are you ghosting me now?" I chuckle.

Nothing.

"Did I do something to offend you?" I ask more serious now.

He doesn't look at me.

"Seriously bro, if I did something please tell me."

"Please, Indiana, just leave me alone." Elijah responds.