Burying the Hatchet (COMPLETED)

Overlapping

Everyone in Revival gathered at the underground base in Hearse City. That was the extraction point. Eli roamed her eyes across the spacious room. It might look a bit run down but the facility is still in optimum shape. Most of the aesthetic were built from scrap metals, oddly shaped tubes and a somewhat faulty wiring system. Though for a fact that the site is off the grid it surely meshes with the EDEN program perfectly. Like most of Revival’s linkage in their other bases.

The recent raid did not leave them unscathed. A quarter of their forces were wounded. Some suffered a whole on their legs that had to be amputated. Bone out of an arm that needed total reconstruction aside from a number of stitches outside of the fresh wound. Most have either bandages wrapped around their heads. Others limping due to shrapnel punctures. Some lost a finger or two while others their toes.

Babies wailing waiting to be fed. Though some of their mothers were wounded and others were dead. The familiar pang of pain hit her chest. It was her eighteen years ago. Robbed off the right to live a normal life even though the future isn’t promised to anyone. She peaked through the crowd busily bustling attending to each other’s clamors. Though she only needs to see a single face to out her mind at ease- Fray.

Worries swarm her head that she refused to give in to. As she rushes towards Trei on the far end of the room near the door, she bumped into someone. A little boy with a shaved head about two feet in height. Roughly six years old and is covered in snot. Wearing a dainty white shirt twice his size that reaches his knees. With the right sleeve hanging like a limb about to fall off. On top of that his bare feet looked like they have been dip in tar- it’s icky.

Though that’s not the reason why she stopped. It was his eyes. They’re like precious jewels of emerald. Having the same olive complexion as Fray. If she didn’t know he was the youngest, she’d think this boy is his brother too. The similarities are uncanny. It darted her a look as he sniffled.

“Did you see my mommy? She said I should wait here,” he sobs while smudging more snot across his face.

She would have been disgusted but her pity for the boy won her over. She kneels and puts down her backpack. Rummages through it then pulls out a handkerchief and pours water on it. From the same bottle she was supposed to drink earlier but didn’t have the chance to.

“I’ll help you find her,” she smiles at the boy. “but stay still first,” she adds as she continues to wipe his face.

The boy squirms as some parts of his face have cuts too. She’s not used to handling kids with that, maybe her hand was a bit rough on him. She blows on them gently.

“I’m sorry,” she apologizes with her forehead creasing---worried, “I didn’t get your name earlier. Though that would be rude not to tell mine first. My name’s Elizabeth but you can call me Eli, and you are?” She extends her right hand to him wearing that expectant smile.

The boy takes out his hand but pulls it back realizing it was too dirty to shake hers. So he roughly rubbed it at the back of his shirt. Eli muses at his cute gesture.

“Jade, my mom and friends call me that. Though my real name is Jaden,” he said as he shakes her hand then shies away.

Eli nods and grins at the same time. Then dips her hand on her backpack again. Exploring the contents without looking. When she thinks she already got her hands on whatever she’s looking for her smile widens. Fishing it out she dangles a small tube in front of Jade. Uncaps and squeezes it to release a white gel from it. Dipping the tip of her right index finger on the gel. Then puts dot-like sizes on his cuts in dabbing motion.

Jade flinches with the other eye half-open which means the medicine is doing its job. After a few minutes of clean up, somehow the boy’s face looked a bit more composed than earlier. She grabs all her belongings dropping them in and prompts her backpack wearing it upfront. Lastly she crouches so her back is facing him.

Looking back gives him a warm and familial smile. “Let’s go find mommy?”

“Uhuh!” Jade nods in reply and climbs on her back for a piggy-back ride.

Eli combed the entire place asking the boy from time to time if he saw his mother.

“Mommy!” he exclaims at the sight of his mother.

When Eli followed his voice it led her to a woman around her age. As she walked closer to her the features grews clearer. Her blonde hair was tied in a loose ponytail put together by a mauve ribbon. Wearing a coffee colored coat on top of a loose cream dress. A black scarf wrapped around her neck up to her nose. Standing on scruffy leather boots. While rubbing her hands together wrapped in bandages as she blows on it. She has the same emerald eyes as Jade but seemed too young to be his mother. Not that she’s judging her.

She crouches again to put him down. “Here you are.”

Eli didn’t expect to receive a quick kiss on the cheek as a thank you. She blushes while following glances on Jade as he excitedly runs towards his mother. There are still simple joys even in the time of war and crisis. Their reunion is proof of that.

As she stood up Jade is already all over her mother holding tightly to her hand, afraid to get lost and separated again. Which Eli totally relates to just a few months ago. She pushes the bitter sweet memory again and greets them with a warm smile as they approach her.

“Thank you again for bringing my brother back to me.” Eli was about to open her mouth but decided not to. “Did he tell you I was her mother too?” She asks, taking a hint based on her reaction.

Eli rubs the back of her nape, embarrassed and guilty at the same time. Even though she didn’t tell her directly about her suspicions. The woman chuckles and slightly swings her waist towards Jade. Then glared at him too.

“But you’re my mom aren’t you Amy?” Jade protested and even stomped his feet.

Then out of nowhere this Amy spanks him.

“I’m your older sister dumba**.” Then smiles at Eli as if it was their normal daily routine. “Yes you heard it right. We’re practically orphans but I don’t want him calling me mother. It gets in the way of my love life,” she chuckles.

While Eli stood there like a statue. Amy grabs her right hand and shakes it. “I’m Amethyst by the way,” she winks at her.

“Elizabeth…”

“But you can call her Eli,” Jade butts in.

Amy palms her brother away from her side. They must be really close to act tactless in front of a complete stranger. Though it is amusing to watch them fight. They were like that too as sisters, though Sol would be in Jade’s place based on her nuances.

“Nice to meet you Amy, “ she replies half-heartedly while craning her neck towards the door, seeing Trei about to leave. “see you around, I have to go now.”

Then she breaks away from the handshake and runs after her leaving aunt. Squeezing herself through the thick crowd. At that rate she even doubts if she could push through it. Then she sees a faint light and opening. Grabbing the opportunity by breaking through it.

Her hand flails and sticks out from the crowd. Next was her body popping out. Finally free, she even feels herself to check if she’s still in one piece though. After confirming it she resumed her running pace. She was panting when she grabbed Trei’s left shoulder along the corridor ---making it in time.

“Have you seen Fray?”

Upon hearing the question Trei’s expression suddenly turned gloomy. Eli felt the world was spinning so fast. She didn’t know if it was because of fatigue, thirst, fear or all of it scrambling in her guts. There’s something even more unsettling in the long pause on her response.

She fought over herself whether to ask the next question, “what happened?” Though she already did, subconsciously.

Trei gently shoves her hand and shakes her head.

Her palms started sweating coldly. Her breathing abruptly shortens. She’s having a panic attack. Her mind and heart is at war with each other at the moment. Moving away from the subject that; hours ago was the last time she’ll ever see those green orbs and warm smiles.

Fray.

She called in her head. His very name seemed like a venom spreading in her veins. His lost seethed in her bones. She won’t believe it until a body is placed in front of her as evidence. But if they did, can she truly accept it?