Fifteen ✔

4

     I awoke alone in a field, the sun rising in various colors. Unfortunately I was not alone for long.

     "Hey there Koni! I'm guessing you took me up on my offer?"

I sat up in the grass to face an over energetic green eyed girl. She was kneeling in front of me and playing with the grass before looking up at me.

"One thing led to another and I wanted out. This was a good reason to get out," I laid back down and stared up at the clouds, "I feel so free."

"Koni, we need to get to the Northerners."

"Why?"

"Koni. This.. This feeling you have right now.. Koni, that's freedom. It's the most wonderful thing in the world and I want to keep it. We need to get to the Northerners so we can plan."

I rolled onto my side and looked at her as the sun shone on her free sandy blonde hair. She looked like a god the way her hair reflected the sun and shone around her.

She snapped her fingers in front of me, "You can stare at me at another time, we need to work quickly before the Westerners realise you ran awa-. We can work with this."

She quickly grabbed my hand and stood, pulling me with her. She began running as the long grass brushed softly over our legs, the flowers shifted softly in the wind, the birds chirped in the trees. Larger birds flew freely in the air.

I want to be those birds, flying gracefully, ever so seemingly carelessy. Like their only thought in the world is to fly, sing beautiful songs and fly.

The sun was high in the sky by the time our feet hit concrete rather than grass. It was an abrupt change. I had been so lost in nature I didn't even consider that we'd enter the city.

A building blocked the sun, only for a second though. The sun didn't seem as bright in the empty city, there weren't any flowers anywhere, the little bit of grass that shown through the concrete wasn't as long or free.

I immediately disliked this concrete jungle. I wanted to turn back, run in back in the other direction towards freedom. I would in an instant if Ivris loosened her grip on my hand by even a fraction. It was like she knew I would run away if she didn't hold such a grip on my hand.

I wanted to ask her so many questions, about who she is and how she grew up. I'm sure it wasnt constant training. Jace had people in the group train me for years about how to fight. Strategic tactics, how to lead, survival tips; you name it, I most likely know it. It was hammered into my brain, stuff I was sure I would never use. But it seems like that's no longer true.

+~+~+~+~+~+~+

Ivris stopped suddenly running, causing me to stumble and trip. I was exhausted, I just wanted to lay down. Ivris shot a hand out, but I had already fallen onto my knees. She let out a small laugh and knelt next to me.

"Are you okay?"

"Probably just a scratch," I said as I moved my body so my legs were in front of me in order to examine my potential injuries.

Both knees were lightly bleeding and scratched up.

"I feel like a child. A normal child."

"From before the Fall. A child at a playground. Let's say that we are children from before the Fall," she smiled and stood, "Hi, I'm Ivris! I saw you fall off the slide, are you okay?"

She spoke in a higher pitched voice and at first I was absolutely clueless as to what she was doing, but then I caught on, "I'm okay," I spoke in a similar high-pitch voice.

"What's your name?"

"I'm Konida."

"That's a pretty name. I like your skirt, it's very pretty."

"Thank you! I like your hair."

"Let's be friends," she threw a great toothy smile my way and held out her hand for me.

"I'd love that," I smiled and took her hand.

As soon as I was standing we both let out loud laughs that seemingly echoed through the world. Her laugh was amazing, I loved the way that it blended so easily with mine. This was going to be quite an adventure.

She took my hand and led me inside the building, the one I hadn't noticed, that we stopped outside of.

"Ivris!" A woman who's features were near identical to Ivris's came running down the hallway. She instantly pulled Ivris into a hug, before noticing me and pulling away, "Is this her?"

"Yes, it is."

The woman smiled grandly at me, it was yet another feature she shared with Ivris, "I'm Ivory, Ivris's mother. It's an honor to meet you. After everything Ivris said about you when she met you, I was sure you were another one of her extraordinary imaginary friends."

"Mom.." Ivris said quietly as she looked at the floor, "I was like 12."

"She doesn't like talking about her imaginary friends," Ivory smiled at me, "Ivris, show our guest to a room. I'm going to go tell our leaders that she's here."

Ivory ran off down the hall in which she came from. Ivris looked at me with embarrassment painted on her face.

"She's a handful," she faintly smiled, "Just wait until you meet her lover. The first thing you'll wonder is how? How could these two polar opposites be together? I still wonder that, but it makes me think of how beautiful love can be."

"I'm ecstatic," I smiled, "I'm sure they're not toxic like the people who raised me."

"You still have to tell me what made you leave so suddenly."

"Later. I'm exhausted."

"Okay. I'll take you to your room," she smiled softly and walked up a set of stairs with me following closely behind her.

The building was an old hotel, but it was clearly alot better kept up than that of the Southerners.