Beyond

Chapter 6

“Welcome back Levi!” A girl with glasses and a big smile greets us. There are people walking one station to the next doing something. It's busy and our presence isn't noticed.

“Hey there Maggie. Maggie this is Ariella. Ariella, this is our technologist, Maggie.” I smile and nod. She smiles but doesn’t seem happy to see me.

I feel the fever taking over my body and I can’t hold on any longer and collapse.

* * * * * * *

I wake up in a room. Its dark. No windows I try to recall the last thing that happened to me. I begin to get up and pain overwhelms me and I grab my arm. I see my arm redressed and I am wearing new clothes. I get up and survery my room. I find the door out and open it. Its quiet. I leave the room examining everything surrounding me. I am underground. There are no windows and the smell is very musty. I get to another hallway but see people are coming. I hide. Natural reaction, I guess. They pass by me. I feel a hand cover my mouth and panic rises until I hear his voice in my ear.

“Guess who?” Levi whispers, his warm breath giving me chills. I remove his hands from my eyes.

“You can’t do that! I almost died.” he places his hand on my shoulders, careful not to hurt me, and leans in close.

“That, you almost did. Why did you lie to me? Your wound was infected. We gave you antibiotics to help fight the infection but we couldn’t give you anything for the pain. I am sorry.”

“It’s okay, I can handle it.” I give him a reassuring smile.

“Is this your handy work?” Pointing to my new change of clothes.

“No.. no..” he says defensively. “I wanted to,” he winks, “but I was ordered not to lay a hand on you and one of our nurses, female, helped you. She redressed your wound and cleaned you up.” He smiles. I feel a little relieved that Levi wasn’t the one dressing me. I still feel a little nervous.

“Ariella you need to meet my brother. He needs to know you are awake.” He gestures to follow him and I do. We go through a series of hallway until we come to what looks like the main control room. I see a man in black giving orders. He turns to me, and I am taken aback.

“Welcome Ariella, this is the Revolution Fighters and Civilians Security base.” He stood straight with his hands behind his back. I can see the resemblance between him and Levi but they still contrast so much. Levi has blonde hair and his brother's is black. Levi's shorter cut helps me see their resemblance but his brother has a slightly shorter cut. They both have the blue eyes but his brother have a tinge of green in them. A man comes to his side and whispers something into his ear and he doesn’t wait for me and begins to walk. Levi gives me a shove.

“You follow him or you will get lost.” Levi whispered. I begin to follow him. While we walk Levi’s brother talks to the man and Maggie, giving them commands.

“Miss. Moore, I believe you have been briefed on your true identity.” It takes me a moment to realize he is talking to me.

“You can call me Ariella, Ari for short, and yes I have been briefed, sort of.”

“Good then there is nothing further to discuss right now.” Maggie stops me and points in the other direction as they walk into another room. She closes the door behind them.

I am angry. I feel unwelcome and I begin to storm away when Levi stops me.

“I am sorry Princess. He..” I put a hand up.

“Don’t protect him.” I say starting leave Levi’s side.

“Do you even know where to go?” I stop because I realise.. I don’t. Levi comes up in front of me and leads me back to my room. It will take time to learn this place. It big and windey.

I lay in my bed what seems like for hours. I can’t be in my room any longer and leave. I am not a prisoner here. I will find this Captain. I need answers now. I roam the halls and stop once I see Maggie walking with a boat load of file and paper. I hide and follow her. She leads me to the same room where Levi’s brother cut me off. She walks in closing the door. I see another door next to it, maybe it leads to the other room? I open it and check. The light it off but I can tell that it’s a small office. I check for a way in but hear voices, and one of them is Levi’s. I see a vent in the far right corner and get down to look through it.

“How could you be so cold towards her? You know she knew nothing and still doesn’t know anything.”

“Levi, I am the Captain and I act accordingly. You on the other hand are letting your feelings get in the way too much. You know that she is a threat right now until we get all the information we need from her.” His words hurt me, I am not sure why. I know logically, I would think the same way.

“Look," Levi seems like he is trying really hard to stay calm. "I am not asking you to fall in love with her I am asking you to give her chance before you make her your enemy. Might I remind you that you were friends with her once, inseparable. Some might say you were more than friends.” I can’t contain my shock. What does he mean? I am confused and I feel a slight headache coming on again.

“Levi, this doesn’t change that she could be here to expose us.” I cannot hear anymore and I try to get up but I hit the desk above me and they hear me. Both Levi and his brother along with Maggie come into the room.

“Princess…” Levi says bending down to help me.

“What are you doing here?” Levi’s brother demands.

“Blaze!” Levi shouts in anger. I get up anger swelling my in chest.

“I am not here to expose you. I risked everything to come here. I left my friends and my life there.”

“Hey! you weren’t supposed to…” I don’t let him finish.

“You don’t even know me or anything about me. What right do you have to judge me? If you are so eager to judge me, I will leave. I’ll make it easier for you.” He begins to walk towards me and I take my dagger out.

“Do not, come any closer.” He stops and looks straight at my dagger.

“I was so sure they would have taken that from you” he mumbles. “Do you remember where you got it from?”

“Got what?” I am confused, still point the dagger at him.

“That dagger.” I look at his blue eyes shimmering with the reflection of the dagger. He looks up at me and a strand of his black hair falls to his face. I am hit with a memory again. The same little boy from my dreams is sleeping and I am next to him. I get up from the bed and near the bed was my dagger. The boy gets up.

“You can have it. So that even if I am not there, I will protect you.” He hands me the dagger and grabs my hand but then other images flash back to me being separated from the boy. Suddenly the rush of images falls away but my head is searing and I scream.

“Calm down Ariella. Shh” I feel strong arms around me and fall limp from the pain.

“Blaze..” I sigh.

“What?” At the response I look up to see him, Blaze, Levi’s brother.

“The dagger was yours.. wasn’t it?” He looks at me intently and nods. But before I can get another word out the world goes dark.

* * * * * * *

I wake up and find myself back in my room. Not again. These episodes of blacking out are staring to annoy me. My head is still pounding but I get up slowly anyway. There is a note on my side table.I grab the note and read it.

Ariella please meet me in the hall where Levi and I will be waiting. Maggie will come to get you. Press the button next to the door. Thank you-Blaze

I get up and run my fingers through my hair, get my shoes on and press the button near the door.

After a couple minutes Maggie knocks at the door.

“Are you ready?” She says harshly.

“Yes” I open the door and follow her to the same hall I was in before. When I come in, Levi and Blaze are arguing over something again. There is a large screen that covered the whole back wall and a large stone table in the center of the room that had a icecap which was showing a hologram of the Vetrima. The boys turn to my direction as I enter the room.

“Ariella..” my name sounds so beautiful the way he says it. “My name is Blaze. You will not remember me but we knew each other from before.”

“Before what?Why won’t I remember?”

“Before you were taken. You will not remember because your memories were taken away from you so that you can become an example to others who oppose General McDevit and the government of Vitrima. What you experienced earlier, were your memories coming back. You are going to be 18 soon and they would have given you the serum again when you turned 18 to erase any lingering memories. It would have completely eradicated any memories you still had left.” I try to understand everything but my head is still pounding and I place my hand on my forehead.

“You will continue to have these memories but you have to be careful to take it easy because you are missing a lot of your memory. You may not get all your memories back, but with time you will at least have most of it back.” I look at Blaze and feel naked. My life has been a lie and now I do not know who to trust but when I look at Blaze and Levi again everything inside me feels calm and safe.

“I have so many questions.”

“I know, but I think you have had your fill for now. I do not want to overwhelm your brain. If too much information is given at once your brain may shut down and you will go into a coma” he must of saw my confusion at the word “coma” and added “a coma is like a deep sleep that it very hard to wake up from , but I will answer any question you have. We must take it slow because you have lost a lot of memory and it will take time to regain it back.” Earlier when he had held me his gaze seemed more kinder and gentler but right now he was all business, his attitude changed.

“Levi, take Miss…” He pauses unsure of what to call me, finally he say, “Ariella back to her quarters to rest and report back here to the command center. Ariella, tomorrow you will help in the armory with anything your handler tells you to do.”

“Sir! Is that wise? Can we trust her?”

“Maggie, I have made my decision. I trust her.. is that not enough?”

“But sir…”

“Do you not trust me?”

"Of course I do Captain, I am sorry I overstepped my boundary.”

“It is quite alright, I understand your concern but please trust me.” She nods and turns her focus on me but I can tell that this doesn’t sit right with her and that she will be keeping a close eye on me.

Levi is already by my side.

“Come on princess.” He says putting his hand on the small of my back and leading me towards the exit. I look back and look at Blaze as we leave the room.

“Is he everything you ever dreams of?” Levi smirks. But I am confused and he sees it.

“Losing our parents, losing you, becoming a Captain. It all took a toll on him.”

“Losing me?” I remember Blaze said we knew each other before but I don’t press Levi about. For some reason I don’t think he wants to talk about the past.

“I am sure you guys will have a lot to talk about.” He didn’t seem quite happy with that fact. We were standing outside my room and he give my good should a squeeze, it feels comforting.

“I just need to rest.” I get myself ready for bed and lay down. The bed is not extremely comfortable but it will do. I am just glad I don’t have to sleep on the ground again. I take the antibiotic pill next to my bedside. I think about my parents. I know they aren’t my parents but they still raised me. I worry about how my thoughts will change once my memories come back and I learn the truth. I try to think of something else. Archimedes comes to my mind. I feel guilt and betrayal. Did he know? Who I was? I can’t help but feel like he knew. But he hated the rebels. Why would he.. love me? Maybe it was all an act. I need to stop. I turn to my side and I remember the feeling of Blaze’s arms around me. How I felt safe and something familiar. It makes sense now because I knew him and Levi somehow before my memories were taken, but I don’t know how everything is connected. I stop thinking and allow myself to drift off to sleep.

* * * * * * *

“Rise and shine princess it’s time to get to work!” I open my eyes to see Levi hovering over me eating an apple. He throws something on my bed and I examine it and it’s a jumpsuit.

“I’ll be right outside the door waiting to take you to get breakfast.” He bit into an apple and left the room smirking. I dress myself. Realizing I didn’t have dinner. I am so hungry.

“Levi…” He must of seen the concern on my face.

“You look fabulous.” He says in a humorous tone. I give him a face. As we begin to walk the hallways people are busy walking to and fro.

“What’s going on here?”

“Oh it’s always like this. There is always something to do. Some work as cooks preparing food, some work in the armory and other in the garden.”

“Garden?” I ask.

“Yes we have an underground garden. We grow fruit and vegetables there. We can’t always go out to get what we need. It’s dangerous so we created our own garden here. Its nothing fancy but it works for us.” He continues to tell me about the different jobs when we arrive to a small cafeteria like room. There are people eating and others still in line. A man greets us. He is tall in stature and built. I need to look up to find his face.

“This is Ron, he is our weapons and armor master and the person you will report to. I am taking my leave. I will be back in 2 days.”

“You’re leaving?” my concern was evident because Levi put a hand on my shoulder.

“Yes, but I will be back, don’t you worry. You are my charge but I have to take care of some business.” He tucks a hair behind my ear.

“Be good Ariella.” he turns to Ron, “and Ron do not underestimate this one.” He smiles. I look at him as he leaves. I look back and all the girls are swooning over him. Ron smirks.

“Him and Blaze are pretty popular here. Most of us guys don’t stand a chance against them.” He beckons me to come and sit at a table. We eat our breakfast. Ron breaks the silence.

“So you are the one everyone is talking about.” he examines me but doesn’t seem impressed.

“No one gets special treatment here. We are at war.”

“I never expected any special treatment.”

“Good, if you are done. Follow me.” I followed him to the armory. It seems like we take a lot of turns into different hallways. How big is this place?

“You’ll learn your way eventually. Give it time.” He stops at a large iron door and opens it. “Well here we are, the armory.” I can feel eyes upon me as I follow ron to my station. But he doesn’t pay attention.

“Well let’s get to work.” I pick up a weapon and stand in a training position.

“Oh no, we will not be training today. Today we clean the weapons.” I hear a couple of chuckles.

“But I know how to fight.” I say in protest.

“I know.. but do you know your weapons? Are they like an extension of your body? What I will teach you, no capital tyrant can.” He hands me an arrow and a rag.

“I know my weapons.”

“Clean.” he says and walks away.I clean for what seems like hours then a loud ring sounds off.

“Lunch time.” Ron leads me towards the dining hall again. We sit down at a table to the far left of the room to avoid attention.

“Hey,” a boy with dusty blond hair hovers above me. “My name is Wes,”

“Its short for Wessss-ton” the girl with short bright red pixie cut hair, snickers as she walks behind him.

“Rachel, would you stop?” he glares at her.

“Why? Am I ruining your chances on winning the girl's heart??” she laughs and sits next to me. “No one is sitting here right? Well even if they were they will move” She looked about Ron’s age and Wes, or Weston, looked about my age.

“Please don’t mind my sister. Please call me Wes.” He smiled gently. I could see he was trying to be nice. “Could WE sit here?” he said scowling at his sister.

“Sure.” I said. He sat next to me. He looked at me and waited. I didn’t notice he was waiting until his sister spoke.

“For goodness sake Wes, just ask her you question. Stop gawking like some idiot.”

“Hey mom said not to call names!!” I couldn’t help but laugh. I never had siblings.. well none that I know of.. yet. It was fun to see them bicker because it looked so natural.

“Mom isn’t here, and I am in charge of you which means I can do whatever I want.”

“Listen to your sister Wes,” Ron chimed in. Wes grumbles something but soon enough was back to his old kind self.

“I wanted to ask your name. I mean we all know who you are but it would be rude to just assume and..” he seems to stop. His sister giggles.

“Way to go Weston. If you keep going on I will run away. I am surprised she hasn’t.” he seemed like he was getting frustrated.

“Rachel! I really don’t appreciate your comments!”

He kept arguing with her,

“It’s Ariella.” I interrupted. He stopped abruptly and his attitude seemed to change.

“It’s nice to meet you Miss. Ariella Moore.” He smiled but his smile soon vanished when his sister spoke.

“i***t she didn’t even tell you her last name. Way not to be rude.” He began to reach over to try and take her food and she quickly snached it away and began laughing. But all laughter and talk stopped when Blaze walked in and stood in the middle of the room and everyone fell silent and seemed to give him all the attention.

“News from our central base indicates that our forces are dwindling and they will need reinforcements. The R.C.P. has been asked to give 10 of our best soldiers we may need to send more but for now this is what we can spare. I would like to ask for volunteers as all of you are my best soldiers and I will not choose.” Around 15 hands shot up at once.

“Thank you soldiers.” The 15 soldiers women and men got up and everyone bowed their heads. I looked and saw Rachel, Wes, and Ron with bowed heads and quickly bowed my head not to stand out.

“Please follow Lee and she will brief you on the details of your mission. Everyone else please make an effort to pick up extra work until our soldiers come back.” Only when they left did everyone lift their heads.

I want to ask Ron what just happened but Blaze’s eyes found mine and he signals for me to meet him outside.

“I’ll be back.” Ron see’s Blaze and nods. My palms were sweaty. We are outside of the dining hall.

“How are you feeling?” his eyes gentle

“I am good, thank you.’’ There is a silence for a moment. “Thank you, for the medicine. Is Levi going with this group of people?” He seems uncomfortable but he answers.

“No where he is going is confidential, I can’t tell you. I am sorry. I will head out. Have a good day.” And just like that he leaves again.

“Ariella,” Ron says when I come back in.

“Ari, you can call me Ari.”

“Ari, go get food before it’s gone. Wes help her out.” Me and Wes get up quickly and stand in line. We get our food and begin to walk towards are table but I am pushed and hit Wes. He falls to the ground his food landing on top of him. Pain shoots up my arm but I can’t pay attention to that right now. A boy and group behind him laugh.

“Don’t stumble little tyrant.” He also looks my age dark hair and dark eyes. “like his dark soul” I grumble under my breath.

“What you say little traitor?” I am mad at this point. I did nothing to this guy to get this kind of attention. I don’t even know him. Wes puts a hand on my shoulder.

“Ari, don’t…” but it’s too late my anger gets the better of me I rip away from Wes’s grip and I punch the boy. He’s on the ground and he looks at me touching his mouth.

“What the??” He looks at his hand, there is blood. “You little..” Ron comes in between us.

“John..” he says in a stern voice. “Let it go. The Captain will be very angry if you start a scene with her. Stop now, before it’s too late.” He looks at me with disgust. I am so angry right now I am ready to punch again.

“This isn’t last time. You’ll get what’s coming for you, little tyrant. I’ll get you next time. You watch your back!!” Him and his group walk away and sit in an empty table.

“Ari..” I run out of the room everyone’s eyes trailing me. I run but I don’t know where I am running. All of a sudden I reach a door. It’s labeled “OBSERVATORY”. I open the door and too my surprise I see roses. Red, white, pink, yellow, and other colors I didn’t know existed. There were grass and trees all around. I felt like I was outside but when I looked up I saw a dome made out of glass. It was beautiful like a little paradise. I walked around and looked at all the roses. I find a space and sit on the grass. I think it’s grass, it’s strange to see grass indoors but whatever.

I bury my face in my knees. I stay like that for a little while until I hear footsteps. I look up. Its Levi.

“Hey there princess. I figured you’d find this place eventually.”

“I thought you..”

“Left? I almost did, until Ron found me and told me what happened.” my eyes fall to the ground, guilty I have stopped him from doing something important.

“You didn’t have to come back.” I said quietly looking at the ground. He sits next to me.

“Princess I am never going to let you feel alone. I will always be there for you.” I want let all my emotions go and have him hold me but I can’t. I am soldier and I already showed my vulnerable side to him. I can’t let him see me as weak. So instead I lay my head on his shoulder. He kisses my forehead. We stayed that way for a little. I again remember Blaze and how he held me. I felt different than I do now, something more. We hear the door open I lift my head up and then from the trees Blaze emerges at first he seems worried but he sees Levi his face seems changes. He just looks at us. I feel like I have betrayed him somehow by being with Levi. It’s like he is snapped out of a trance.

“Ariella.. I am glad you are okay. Levi, I thought you were leaving.” He has a stern face, all kindness leaving his eyes.

“Yea I was and I am.” He gently kissed my forehead again and gave my shoulder a squeeze and then he got up to leave. He stopped as he passed his brother because Blaze grabbed him by the arm. They were talking about something and it seems tense. I couldn’t hear anything until the end.

“She will make her own decision, Blaze.” and then Levi left. Blaze sighed and then looked at me.

“Are you alright?” He asked concern on his face. He seemed to have given up trying to hide his feelings.

“Yes, I am sorry Capta..”

“Just Blaze.” He interrupts.

“Blaze..” I was trying so hard to remember how I knew his name and then I remembered the dream. “Can I be honest with you Blaze?” He nodded warmness returning to his eye.

“I had a dream about a boy named Blaze. He was protecting a little girl. He was in blue and she was in red. The boy was holding this,” I took out the dagger, I always carried with me. He took it carefully and stared at it “and he protected the little girl…” I pause for a minute. “You said we knew each other. Was that you in my dream? Or rather was that a memory?” There is a moment of silence but he responds.

“Yes, that was me.” He said still looking at the blade. “I gave you this blade before they destroyed our town and took you away.” He continued to look at the blade tracing the red dragon on the handle and something compelled me and I placed my hand on his. He looked up and our eyes locked. Something happened between us in that moment. I do not understand what but I felt a rush of emotions and then I knew a memory was coming.

I am in a field and look and I see Blaze. I do not know how I know but it’s Blaze. I am 8 years old and somehow I know that Blaze is 11 today. It’s his birthday.

“So what did you get me for my birthday??” He smiles. I smile back. I run from him, teasing him and playing around.

“Catch me and you’ll find out. But only if you catch me.” and I run. I run through the woods and I run fast. I know where I am going but it’s a surprise for Blaze. I reach my destination. It’s the rose garden building I have escaped to so many times to. I run in and Blaze runs in after me. I stop and watch as Blaze stops in awe. He is amazed by all the roses. We rarely see any flowers or animals anymore because the Capitol does not want us to have beauty or to have anything that brings hope they take it all for themselves so that we have nothing.

“How did you find this place?” He looks at me so amazed.

“It’s very close to Vitrema, and..”

“Ari! We can’t be here! What if someone from the capitol finds us? They would take you.” I see flashes more flashes but the images aren’t clear. I see Blaze’s face, he looks concerned. He calls my name but I keep flashing back and I see a rebel, no revolution soldier come and they manage to get Blaze before the Capitol soldiers got him but I am too far out of reach. Young Blaze calls my name or is it the older Blaze in front of me but I do not have time to figure out because my head begins spin and I scream from the pain.

“Ariella! Ari! I am here!” I stop screaming Blaze’s name but now I am crying, sobbing in Blaze’s arms. He is holding me tight but yet so gentle. I feel safe with him. I bury my face in his chest and he repeats “I am here Ari” gently stroking my hair. I can hear his heart it’s pounding hard. My sobbing slowly stops but I do not leave his chest and his heart beat is like a lullaby and I drift to sleep.

* * * * * * *

I wake up and I am in my bed. I try to remember how I got here but I can’t. I must've fell asleep and Blaze.. “Blaze..” his name escapes my mouth. As I speak his name I feel a fluttering inside. Had it been real? Had he held me? I had felt so safe with him. I try to remember what happened before.. Levi. He and Blaze talked about something and I wanted to know what but I couldn’t hear. Only that someone would make their own decision. Were they talking about me? I needed to stop thinking. I had a horrible headache. I searched my room for any kinds of medicine that might help me get rid of this headache but too my luck.. nothing. I remember Levi telling me they were scarce on medication. I put my jacket and shoes on and opened the door slowly and quietly but it seemed empty. How long was I sleeping? I walked down the hall trying to remember how to get to the command center maybe I could ask Blaze where the infirmary was. Usually they had something, hopefully. I found the command center but I stopped before walking in because I heard Blaze talking what sounded like an argument. Again I am eavesdropping but I convince myself it’s for the greater good.

“Look I thank you for bringing here safely but you cannot do this to her. You can’t confuse her.”

“What are you talking about Blaze?” it was Levi.

“Are you worried she might fall for me and not you?”

“Levi I am not trying to make her fall in love with me. I want to help her regain her memory,” that stung a little. Although I knew that we only met 2 days ago I thought there was something. I think I am crazy.

“Look Blaze, I care for her. I know you two had a thing way back when, but people change and so do feelings. Just yesterday you were ready to call her a traitor and today you want to help her?”

“Levi, you know as Captain, that I have no choice but to treat everyone like a traitor until deemed otherwise. She doesn’t even know who she is and you want to make her fall in love with you? How selfish is that? You always only think of yourself Levi. You are taking advantage of her when she needs to figure herself out first.”

“She isn’t just a girl Blaze and you know it.” for a moment I hear silence.

“I know, she is the heir to the throne and you should try and remember that.” Princess? So it wasn’t just a nickname? I want to stay and listen but I hear someone coming and I try to walk away as fast as possible but Maggie stop me.

“What, are you doing?” She really doesn’t like me.

“I was trying to find the infirmary. I had a horrible headache. But you know all this walking helped,” I lie

“so I am heading back to bed.” I smile at her but I see she isn’t happy with me.

“Miss. Moore.. I do not trust you and do not like you. Get back to your quarters. Captain Blaze will know about this.” Great. I nodded and left. I didn’t need to get in another fight today although I really wanted to punch her in the face for that little smirk she had on her face.

I try to calm myself

“Calm yourself Ariella, she is Blaze’s second in command. Piss her off, you piss the commander off.” I say to myself. A loud bell goes off and a red light begins to flash. Something is wrong.