Her World

Chapter Eight "Conflicted"

      Lately my days are filled with work, or lounging at home, visiting various friends that I made from the store. Although mostly I've been hanging out with Jason, he keeps talking about something called free-running, and wants me to join him and his crew when they do this free-run thing. So today, I will yet again listen to the advertisement of his crew. "Soooo Sky, will you come with me?" I knew it. "Ugh! If I go will you stop talking about it in the future?" I stop walking to look at him with a sarcastically annoyed expression. "Yes." He happily wraps an arm around my shoulder, then continue our walk to where ever he's going to take me. 

   Over the course of six weeks, I have gotten to know Jason a lot, like he is twenty, yet I am fourteen. When I told him my age, he didn't mind, he just said, "I heard that you were younger than any of us here, so I decided a while ago that I will wait for you when you're older, and if you choose me to give your heart too." I told him that I'm only going to focus on having fun, and enjoying my life, not any other major obligations. He agreed, so we just enjoy each others' company, that is until now that I let him take me to his other friends to meet them. He has been owner free for about two years now, he said he hated being a pet. That his owner wasn't too nice, or caring. He talked a lot about how much he hated the sky beings, how much he wanted to create a rebellion and take out the commander. After he said this, I didn't feel comfortable telling him who my owner was, because he went into detail how loathsome the commander is, and whoever his pet was, they deserved punishment for keeping someone like him company. I never defended the commander's title, I just stopped bringing him up to my closest friends, I told them to not tell anyone here anything about who I belonged to. They agreed, because they also heard terrible things being said about the sky beings. Jason is a nice guy though, caring, happy all of the time, he is practically everything good that a person can be. I always ask him if he's okay, or I just randomly hug him to let him know someone sees through his shell, and that he doesn't need to give me any fake masks every time we meet up. 

   As he walks me through this alley, into a dark building. Cold feeling darkness, and far too quiet for a social gathering. I grab for his hand out of fear of what, or who could be hidden in the dark, I squeeze his hand while keeping myself close behind him. He looks back at me smiling, "Scared?" "Yes!" He squeezes my hand too, and keeps pulling me through the darkness. Finally as we get to a door, he knocks a couple times then the door opens to a room full of people, they all get hyped up when Jason enters. With me in tow, they slowly go silent as he leads me to the center of the crowd. "Hey ya'll, I have with me here is Sky." Everyone then greets me, then goes quiet again. "As I said before, she will join us from here on out, I trust her and so should all of you." They nod at his statement. "We will all show her what really goes on in this city." They then cheer, and come closer to us. Some embrace me into a hug like I was family, but I noticed a woman leaning against the wall at the back, glaring daggers at me. She moves from the wall and goes up to Jason, as I'm talking to the others, and getting to know each one. I look again to see that woman being rather affectionate to Jason, must be his girlfriend. As the evening wears into night time, the curfew siren rings in the air. I get up and head out the building, walking, thinking, looking at the sky. I just realized that I can't see any stars here, a shame. I guess Jason left with that woman, goodness that guy, he shouldn't say flirtatious things to me if he already has a lover. 

   I get back to the apartment, walk to my room, everyone's already asleep. I gently close my door, and plop myself on my bed then drift off to sleep, a dreamless slumber. 

   "Sky!"

   "Sky, wake up." Frantic knocking follows.

   "I'm awake now, I'm awake!" Jeez, so much for sleeping in late after working eighteen days straight.

   "Uh...Sky, you....have a guest here."

   "I'll be out in a few minutes." I drag myself up to put on some clothes. Nothing happened much in the last four years, I worked, I've made many friends here, got some piercings on my ears, apparently it was a popular custom back nearly a century ago. I'm eighteen today, I've been hanging around Jason's clan. Free-runners, it sounds childish but it's really liberating when all I do is work and chill out with friends. Unfortunately our clan became known by the sky beings, so they've been looking for any of us. So the captain started interrogating all citizens in the city to find us. Maybe because we can climb, and basically be anywhere in the city we want, no control of us since they can't catch us.

   I get done getting dressed, and head to the living room. "Sky."  I stop at the sight of the captain standing at the front door. "Captain!" Why is he here? I look at Kana, and David to see if they had something to do with why he showed up today. They give me the same dumbfounded look as I have, "Sky, follow me." He says coldly. I obediently follow after him, I get the feeling that he knows I'm involved. He leads me outside, both standing on the street, he's not facing me. "Sky, you will be monitored from here on out." Me? What'd I do? "May I ask why Captain?" He turns to face me, "The Commander requests it." He trails off looking around the surrounding streets, "There is a rebel group within the city, you are to be guarded from their influence." I honestly don't know what to say, is Jason really starting that rebellion? But, he didn't say anything to me. "Captain, I don't agree with this monitoring. I will not kept from living my life peacefully here." I feel myself getting angry, who does the commander think he is to control my life when he no longer wanted me by his side, even now. "Sky this is not a choice for you." The hell it isn't! I will rebel on my own if someone far away from me thinks I am some possession of his. "Captain! I will not agree to what the commander wants, I will rebel against his wishes!" I stiffen my body, and look up at the captain. "No one will follow me around, or tell who I cannot be around!" I let my anger release, I know he's just a messenger but I can't control how angry this made me. "Sky-", "No! I will not hear anymore!" I cut off the captain from speaking more, then I just turn and run from him and his squad of soldiers. "I need to find Jason." I say in a hushed tone, I have to know if it is him planning this rebellion. "I wish Sarah were still here." I start tearing up from this thought of when I need my best friend the most. Sarah was accepted as a pet again, by the captain this time. She wasn't sad or mad about the situation, but she was worried about me in this city with no one to truly open up to for who knows how long. 

   I keep running until I feel like I'm in the clear, then slow down to walk towards one of the members standing at his usually wall by a*****e, I need to get a meeting with Jason, but we don't go directly to him. We have to redirect any suspected spies, basically lose them in the varying message system we made. I tell him my meet spot and when to show up, I then take my leave to go somewhere until the captain can't find me. I use my free-run skills to climb up a tall building, just to watch where the soldiers are gathering or patrolling. ''I just can't believe the commander is doing this to me on my birthday, I'm an adult now!'' I hit my fists on the railing, I look up to see that there no other ships approaching. "Sky Sky!" I turn at the sound of Jason's voice, "Jason, I have to keep this brief." He walks up to stand beside me at the rail of the building.

   "Well then, this wasn't the meeting I had hoped it would be then."

   "Ever so cheeky this one!" I playfully nudge him.

   "So why'd you call me up here?"

   "The Captain told me that the Commander has ordered for me to be monitored." 

   "Oh......Wow, Why?"

   "The Commander knows there is a rebel group within the city.....He doesn't want me to be influenced by this group." I feel myself boiling up with anger again.

   "........Sky."

   "Yeah?"

   "I...I just want you to know....About Briana, It was nothing serious." What the heck? Why is he telling me this now?

   "Jason, I don't care what happens between you and other women." When I was sixteen, Jason drunkenly confessed his love for me, that made everyone's night. I turned as red as a tomato from that, but I knew he was black out drunk. When I saw him sober and clear headed, I confessed my feelings for him too, and we both agreed to wait. Unfortunately a few weeks later, I caught Jason and Briana in his room being intimate. It broke my heart, but I should have known better then because of his general personality of wanting more. He tried to apologize, but I didn't want to hear it, I simply told him that it is best for us to not be anything but friends. We haven't spoken much privately after that, and I guess he's still holding onto this.

   "So....Jason, are you starting a rebellion?"

   "No, It's some guy on the East side of the city, he asked for me, and the crew to join but I just don't like his ideas of going about it."

   "Oh.....Thank goodness!"

   "What you thought I was dumb enough to let the commander be alerted to a rebellion?"

   "Not exactly, but I'm glad it isn't."

   "Don't worry Sky, even if I started a rebellion, I don't want you to get involved." He gently reaches for my cheek, turning my head to look at him. "You're too important to me to risk a failure, such as a rebellion."

   I gently pull away from his grasp, "Jason, I'm not a little girl anymore. I'm done with people telling me what to do."

   "Sky, it's not like that. I want you to be independent and strong."

   "Thanks, but to the point. I won't be able to hang out with you guys for I don't know how long."

   "This sucks! Why are they monitoring just you anyway?"

   Aw crap! I can't let him know the truth. "I am good friends with the captain is all." 

   "God that captain is a weird one, first he takes Sarah away from us, then he acts like you're his property."

   "Well I better head home then, I can't let them find me." 

   "Fiend ignorance Sky? Don't forget the locator in your body."

   "For fudge sake!" I throw my arms in the air out of frustration.

   "Hahaha, just relax, you do you." We hug and say our goodbyes then part ways for now.

   I was surrounded by a lot of people, then suddenly I'm alone again, to keep our secrets I will do anything to protect them. There are thirty of us in the crew, that includes David, Kana, and Sarah. I have a family now, a large at that, and am proud of each one of them. Especially Briana, that town bicycle. 

   I nearly get to the apartment when the captain appeared out of nowhere, "Ah! What're you still doing here?"

   "I will not abandon my orders."

   "You don't have to but I won't allow you, or anyone to follow me around watching me like an object."

   "Sky, this is our Commander's, and your owner's order. If you do not comply, it will be reported as disobedience."

   "I am no one's pet! I will not comply with anything you all order!" With that I turn away from him and rush inside the apartment, rush into my room, and lock the door. I walk over to my window to see the captain talking to some soldiers, they stay near the door, but the captain takes his leave. I guess I have to prove that I don't want this. 

   A few days later, I'm jumping, and leaping over rails, and walls. expertly losing the watch dogs. I don't stop, I keep going until I've reached work. It's a good thing they don't know where I work other wise it would be problematic for me. Yesterday the crew stop in pretending to shop, but just checking in on me, making sure I'm okay. 

   "Skyy!" Jason yells as he enters the store.

   "Jason! quiet!"

   "Oops! Meh, I didn't see any soldiers around these parts on my way here."

   "Doesn't mean we need to be neglectful, anyway how are you doing?"

   "I'm good, I just wanted to see you.'' He leans on the counter mere inches from me.

   "Heh, well then....You seen me now." Why am I suddenly flustered.

   "Yeah.....I missed you."

   "Already? It's only been a few days."

   "Yeah and? Just because we hardly spend anytime alone together anymore, doesn't mean I don't love you. I'm just concerned about your rebellion against the captain."

   "Oh....That, don't worry about that."

   "How can I not?"

   "Don't think about it, let me handle them my way."

   He relaxes, and we continue talking about the crew, and what not. After talking, he seems more content, and happier. We say our goodbyes, wave at each other and he leaves. I continue working since I got three more hours to go, "Ahh the sun is setting now." I stare out the window, then go back to wiping down the counter top. Funny thing how all of these buildings were reconstructed for the sky beings to come and go as they please. As I think this I hear marching sounds, "What on earth is going on?" I stop cleaning to watch outside the store. A group of soldiers come and stand inline along the store front, to my dismay the commander walks in. "Commander!?" I just stand there with a shocked expression, why is he here? He stands at the door way, looking around until he sees me, then comes towards me walking like he's marching into battle. Is he mad that I opposed him? Wait how'd he know where I work. Standing in front of each other not saying a word, reminds me of past times. When I was hopelessly devoted to him, a stupid child being fooled into believing I meant something more to him, not just a disposable animal. Angrily looking up at him I couldn't help but raise my voice and say, "Leave me alone!" I'll prove to him like I did to the captain, that I won't be controlled. I hear a low growl come from him, but I won't budge. I start walking towards the back of the store, I have to get a head start at running from him. I need to come up with a course to outrun him and his soldiers. He follows after me to the back, I quicken my walking pace to the back door, once I get there I will shut it behind my and take off. I think he's caught onto my plan, he quickens his pace also. I feel his footsteps hit hard on the floor behind me, I then open the back door. I rush through it and slam it shut behind me. I break into a run, telling myself to run faster, faster! I burst through the end of the alley, and I notice soldiers coming from both sides of the street. I keep going into the next alley, luckily it's too narrow for the soldiers to fit through. This alley is several blocks long, so once I'm out of sight I will climb up onto a building to gain a high vantage. The tracker in my skin, I need to find it but where do I start? I stop in a dark spot in the alley to quickly feel my body for a bump, suddenly I feel it behind my neck. I grab my box cutter, and slowly reach for a good spot to penetrate my skin close to it. It hurts, but I squeeze my skin together to pop it out. "AAhh!" I scream out as it pushes through the small cut, I grab it and bring it around to look at it. oh my, how small it is. I throw it down on the ground and crush it with my foot to break the location. I'm bleeding, but that's so little compared to this liberating feeling of getting that out of me. I realize that they will be looking for me from above so I need to stay low. I open a back door to a building, when I get in it looks like another apartment complex, so I quietly sneak to the front door. I think to myself as to why the commander is trying to control me, my life. Does he care about me, or am I a toy to him? .

   I successfully stayed out of sight, but I can't go home, or anywhere that I would be normally. Who knows how much the commander has watched me over the years, because how did he know where I worked but the captain didn't. I crawl up into an attic space in an open gym, wedging myself deep into a corner so I don't show up as a suspicious object. I fall asleep despite being extremely uncomfortable, hopefully the commander ceases his search for me. 

   I hear hollering, and yelling, along with things being thrown about down below. I don't want to move, sounds like they're searching here, that means they didn't halt the search. "She's here somewhere!" A powerful, deep, voice echoes the gym, loud enough for me to be startled by from up here. Who's scary voice does that belong to? I think to myself, I don't want to make a sound, not even a movement. I need to hold on a little longer, I refuse to be at his beck-and-call again! Suddenly there is a really loud roar, loud enough to vibrate the roof. "What on earth is that down there?" I whisper to myself, forgetting that I had to be quiet so they don't hear me. Everything is quiet now, so quiet I can hear my heart beat. I need to move now, I'm guessing that was the commander and he is really angry with me. I get up and run for the rooftop service window, opening it up, climbing out. I don't know where else to go, standing there looking at the numerous ships hovering over the city, as I spot the capital buildings. More places to hide, easier ways to out run them. Climbing down the gym, I began running to the capital. I admit now that I am terrified of the commander, I'm scared of what he'll do if he catches me. I feel like a rabbit in the wolfs' den, one slip up in this frenzy, I'm done for. I dodge and weave through alleys, and back streets. 

   I stop to catch my breath, kneeling down because my legs ache so much, my hands are so sore. I accidentally drop my guard trying to recover a bit, when I hear lots of footsteps behind me, I glance back to see dozens of soldiers running towards me. "Oh come on!" I pant out as I gather strength to stand up to keep going. I finally make it to the capital, when I should have predicted they'd shut it down, and patrol the area. "No! Where can I go?" I'm out of options, I can't rack my brain enough to think of a solution on the spot. Listening to the marching getting closer, like they're flushing me out to the open. I briefly wait until I see a gap in the soldiers wall, I rush out, running to the opening. Only to be blocked out by more approaching soldiers from behind them, dammit this was planned. I stop to turn around, seeing more soldiers forming a circle around me. Then behind the soldiers the commander comes forward, not hesitating to march with his hard stomps towards me. I feel small all of a sudden, as he stops in front of me, "Sky!" He yells out, hurting my ears. I need to stand tall now, I didn't do all of this to not prove my point to him. "No Commander!" He doesn't move an inch, I don't either. 

   "Sky, come." He uses hand gesture waving me to go to him, I'm not the ignorant little girl I used to be. 

   "I refuse! Leave me alone!" I yell again, I will disobey him. He can control everyone and everything, but not me. 

   He shakes his head slowly at me, "Come now, or I will force you."

   "I won't allow you, I won't be controlled by you any-" As I'm protesting to him he rushes to me, and grabs my waist, picking me up like I weigh nothing. Putting me over his shoulder, then walks towards their ships. "Stop now Commander! I deserve to live my life peacefully!" I'm yelling at him while hitting his suit. 

   "You will always belong to me Sky." I stop hitting him finding it inevitable to continue hurting my hands if he doesn't feel a thing. I start crying at his words, "Why....me...Commander?" I hide my face in my hands. I'm so conflicted of how I feel about him, I hate him, I missed him, just why?