Dust

Seventeen: The Refuge

A/N: GUESS WHO'S BACK. BACK AGAIN. SAY SHE'S BACK. TELL A FRIEND.
In all seriousness... my computer magically turned on again this morning??? Confused but SUPER PUMPED BECAUSE I CAN WRITE AGAIN.

Precious time is wasted for a few moments until Kyros decides it would be a good time to take us all outside. Titus and Callista are nowhere to be seen, so I merely follow my friend cautiously into the outside world. Part of me fears what I will be finding there; will it be like our dome? Is society drastically different here?

Mostly, the weight of the fact that this is our permanent home oppresses my soul like nothing else. The past week of desert travel felt more like a terrible nightmare that was soon to end with us all safely home in the dome. Yet as we push open the door and my boots step from tile to concrete, my heart stands still.

This is nothing like our dome. Sure, I can see the resemblance of the street layouts, but this is... this is insanity!

The rebels walk side by side with the proper, dyed hair and tattoos paired with fancy clothing and proper posture. There are no Guardsmen constantly patrolling, but rather a hubbub of people who blend with each other effortlessly. The buildings are different as well, built less like rows upon rows of rectangles and more like the houses we'd always heard about in the earth that had once been. Some kids on bicycles whiz past us, nearly knocking Mikhail off his feet.

Lower and Upper levels blend into a uniform mass of people; dyed hair side by side with untouched strands, piercings next to those who have none, and tattoos next to clear skin. They laugh and talk to one another like there is no difference between them.

Despite the fact that Titus and I enjoyed the company of people from the lower levels, the idea of them being on the same level of society as us seemed so foreign that I feel as if I've stepped onto the surface of an alien planet. Mikhail's reaction is similar, only with a lot more boyish giggles and thoughts of sprinting off into the sunset. Nerd.

Kyros merely watches us with the happiest grin, reminiscent of a little boy eager to show off something that belongs to him. After all, this is his world we're stepping into, even permanently. This is his show and tell of a new universe for us.

All of these things are phenomenal, though not enough to render me speechless. The thing that takes away my ability to speak is the top of the dome; or rather, the lack thereof. Jagged, sharp edges that open up to the sky replace what used to be fully glass. The irony is not lost on me that our dome commissioned the Skywalkers to avoid cracks, while this dome doesn't even have a top. Alongside that, the ruins of some major city are awfully close to the dome; built side-by-side, even.

Cars that I have only ever seen in history books drive past on the wider streets, composed of all different shapes and sizes. Several such vehicles park on the edge of the sidewalks by the exit of the hospital.

"So you all can stay with my family until we find a more permanent home for you. Is that okay?" Kyros offers, and I give him a small smile paired with a curt nod. His family... I wonder what surprise he'll greet us with. He's got a sister, I think he said, but he's also somehow involved in the military here. I could see him as a commander. He's got the kind of personality that, while nice and sweet when everything's alright, would turn into a monster in sight of trouble. The many Burned people he gunned down without hesitation in the desert attest to my analysis. Another set of conspiracies proved correct. Ten points to Ariadne.

"Alrighty. So the layout of the Refuge is really similar to your dome, except we live... a little differently, let's say. More freedom, for one."

"Hey!" I say, jabbing his ribs quickly as he laughs. Mikhail cracks a grin, just as Kyros pushes the door open.