Oasis
1183 Words
I woke up on a divan, sore, with the most potent headache I had ever felt in my entire life. I had a pounding in my head that threatened with opening a hole in it. I felt bruised, my legs were sore and swollen. My arm and shoulder felt like I had collided with a rhino, most likely because I was out of practice with the whole shooting like a maniac thing. And the most annoying thing was that I smelled like a hellhound; sweaty, bloody and with a remnant of gun powder scent all over. I craved a bath.
For the first time since I had woken up, I glimpsed around me. It looked like a very modern and smart living room. The walls were covered from top to bottom by beautiful tapestries. The ceiling was accentuated by a beautiful combed chandelier that provided an air of mystery to the room. Delightful to the eye.
It almost made me believe everything had been a dream, a nightmare. Yet, I could still smell the gun powder all over me. I dared to look at the divan where I´d been laying. The pristine cream and olive cloth were now stained by the filth that covered my body. I felt ashamed and looked around expecting to find some furious owner eager to kick me out. However, I only met my father´s concerned hazel eyes, staring right back at me. Nick and Robert were by his side. Playing cards on a low coffee table.
Although I couldn´t see her, I could hear Madeline humming Ring around the Rosie. It was such a contrasting picture as its characters looked grungy and weary. My father looked as if he had aged 10 years overnight.
I tried to get up, but dad wouldn´t let me. he helped me sit up and recommended I take it slow. He proceeded to check a dressing I happened to have covering my forehead. He told me I had bumped my head when I passed out. I had been out for almost 12 hours. That explained the pounding in the head.
- Where are we?- I asked – Where are the others?-
- They’re eating at the food court- said Nick- just across the furniture shop.
I tilted my head in confusion, furniture shop?
_We are in the CLA-. clarified dad.
He told me he had carried me to the furniture shop after I had lost consciousness.
- Would you like something to eat, little sister?- Nick asked me.
- Yes, please.- I said- I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday’s breakfast. I´m famished-.
I walked to a mirror, which was near the door, dreading the image I knew I would find. My own eyes stared back for the mirror, I couldn't help my horrified expression. My hair, my clothes were all soiled, bloodstained, not my blood, of course, but that only made the whole picture more terrifying. I had sh*t people with the sole intention of k*lling them. I was the daughter of a military official, of course, I knew my way around weapons of different sorts from an early age. But that could never prepare me for the fact that I had terminated dozens of people´s lives. It didn´t matter If they were being aggressive or had m*rderous instincts. that was beyond my abilities to face at the moment. I felt ashamed, disgusting. I needed to get rid of the rogue I saw in the mirror as soon as possible.
- Dad, is there any place here where I may clean myself?-I asked avoiding his eyes.
- There’s a shower on the first floor- said a voice behind me- in the security staff lounge. I can show you the way if you wish-.
I turned around and saw the guy who locked the doors after we arrived. His eyes were a dark grey colour, they reminded me of the dark water of the Steelers lake, the one that was just in the middle of the forest. Dark, mysterious and full of shadows. Odd.
- Just promise me you won’t shoot me- he said laughing.
And then the effect of those eyes was gone. As if I weren´t feeling bad enough with myself already. I raised my chin and summoned all the arrogance I could to be able to answer.
- You have my word- I told him- My apologies for frightening you-
- Don’t worry, I´ve never been afraid of little girls- he smirked.
What a wanker!
I gathered all the manners and good breeding I had within me to gracefully smile and ask for him to take me to the security staff lounge.
He escorted me to the first floor, gabbing non-stop about how he worked at that place, in the security department, how everything had turned upside down after the explosions. how he had a sister who worked as a secretary in the recruitment office but he had not been able to reach her since. Then I realized, his idiotic attitude was just a facade. He was scared after all. Maybe he was not concerned about his safety, but he has someone outside unaccounted for. Suddenly, all my discomfort about him faded away so I endeavoured to be civil.
- My name is Charles Daniel Farrell- he said- but you may call me C.D. -- I rose an eyebrow- What’s your name, Shooting Girl?-
- My full name?-I asked, he nodded- I’m Carlysia Joanna O’Donnell-.
-
May I call you Joanna?-
-
Not if you want me to answer.-
He laughed.
- Okay, and what about Carly- he said after a minute- May I call you Carly?-
- Yes, you may- I said.- And I may as well call you Ipod.-
We both laughed, I told him my age, he was 19 years old, I told him about Nick, we talked about things from outside.
I suddenly remembered I had forgotten to bring clothes.
I glanced around, there were several stores. I had already broken many laws by carrying and firing a weapon without a permit, using a gun that was for military use only and of course manslaughter. I suppose shoplifting during a chaotic situation was not a big concern at the moment.
-I´m going to get some clean clothes at the military dispensary down the end of the hall.- I said.
Technically, I wouldn't be stealing as I could use my father´s code to have them deducted from his account to ease my conscience, not that it mattered right now.
He walked me to the security staff lounge and the wetroom.
-I´ll be guarding the door- he said while stepping outside.
I placed my new clothes in one of the empty lockers and removed the torn and dirty ones and tossed them to a dustbin at the farthest corner of the room, relieved that some part of the horror was gone, even if my memories were vivid enough to send a shudder through my spine.
- Writer
