Despite my best efforts, the pain keeps itself firmly planted, never letting go of its strangling hold on me. A sharp rapping sounds on the door, but I ignore it, opting to stay wrapped in my covers.
The door swings open by itself, and I mentally kick myself for not locking it. A few hesitant steps sound throughout the apartment, and then there’s a soft knock on my bedroom door.
“Leave me alone,” I mumble. I lift my head from my covers to see the sharp-edged face of Grier Lan poking inthrough the door. “What are you doing here?” I ask.
“You didn’t show up to work today,” she says bluntly.
I sigh loudly. “What, did Myra sound the brigade thinking I’d taken off? I’m sick,” I mutter in reply. Secretly I’m hoping she leaves, or provides a sarcastic comment or biting remark, but neither of these things happens. Instead I feel the mattress shift as she takes a seat on the edge of my bed.
“What are you—” I start, tossing the blanket off my head, but I’m silenced when I see her sad expression.
“I know what today is, umm, Atwood—Sandy told me. I just wanted to tell you that I’m sorry, and I’ll tell Myra if you just want to stay home today,” she says quietly.
Shock runs through me at her niceness and the apparent sincerity in her eyes; then again Sandy’s probably behind this. After all of our issues with each other, it’s hard to imagine my colleague actually caring about my feelings.
“I don’t hate you, you know,” she continues, “I can’t really justify the way I’ve acted toward you, I’m not usually such a bitch. Okay, sometimes I am. It’s just…it’s quiet here. We don’t have weapons except for in training, and, to be honest, I’ve never killed a real Harpy. God, I’ve never even fought one,” she says, hiding her face like she’s ashamed.
Pity or something like it runs through me and I feel like such an asshole. “You’re a good fighter, Grier, you’ll be able to handle it,” I say gently.
She rolls her eyes and leans back. “To be honest, and I’ve never told anyone this so keep your mouth shut, but I’m scared. We’ve never had a breach until now. They found more evidence of attacks, you know, even closer to the city. What am I going to do if they get into the underground?”
I’m feeling a little hopeless as I watch her wringing her hands. I’m not exactly in the best at making people feel better about things. “If a major breach happens, we’ll be working as a team, and we’ll do what we’re trained to do. It won’t just be you out there, all of us will be helping each other out,” I reply. Then my mind flashes with a great idea. “Tell you what, what would you say if I suggested we hunt down a Harpy and have it be your kill?” I ask, trying to gauge her reaction. I’m ready to wince as she yells and threatens to tell Myra, but to my surprise, she smiles.
“Do you think it’s possible?” she asks.
“Of course it’s possible, but let’s wait a day or two so we can run proper recon and have a secure plan,” I say, and then it happens.
Grier smiles and says, “Thank you.” And then something weird happens. It’s like a weight is suddenly lifted off of our shoulders, as if the negative feelings we’ve had toward each other suddenly don’t exist anymore. With one small act of sincerity, what made us rivals has made us, what exactly? Colleagues?
“You should probably get to Headquarters,” I mention. She gasps as she looks at the clock.
“Yeah. You sure you’re okay?” she asks.
I nod. “I wouldn’t to be able to focus on work today, anyway.”
“Okay, try to stay positive,” she whispers, then leaves the room, abandoning me with my thoughts once more.
But life moves on. You have to keep breathing, and with every inhalation time moves forward; first slowly, then quickly. Eventually the holes inside you start to repair themselves, and your days return to their usual repetitive turn. I settle in at the Corp,
The door swings open by itself, and I mentally kick myself for not locking it. A few hesitant steps sound throughout the apartment, and then there’s a soft knock on my bedroom door.
“Leave me alone,” I mumble. I lift my head from my covers to see the sharp-edged face of Grier Lan poking inthrough the door. “What are you doing here?” I ask.
“You didn’t show up to work today,” she says bluntly.
I sigh loudly. “What, did Myra sound the brigade thinking I’d taken off? I’m sick,” I mutter in reply. Secretly I’m hoping she leaves, or provides a sarcastic comment or biting remark, but neither of these things happens. Instead I feel the mattress shift as she takes a seat on the edge of my bed.
“What are you—” I start, tossing the blanket off my head, but I’m silenced when I see her sad expression.
“I know what today is, umm, Atwood—Sandy told me. I just wanted to tell you that I’m sorry, and I’ll tell Myra if you just want to stay home today,” she says quietly.
Shock runs through me at her niceness and the apparent sincerity in her eyes; then again Sandy’s probably behind this. After all of our issues with each other, it’s hard to imagine my colleague actually caring about my feelings.
“I don’t hate you, you know,” she continues, “I can’t really justify the way I’ve acted toward you, I’m not usually such a bitch. Okay, sometimes I am. It’s just…it’s quiet here. We don’t have weapons except for in training, and, to be honest, I’ve never killed a real Harpy. God, I’ve never even fought one,” she says, hiding her face like she’s ashamed.
Pity or something like it runs through me and I feel like such an asshole. “You’re a good fighter, Grier, you’ll be able to handle it,” I say gently.
She rolls her eyes and leans back. “To be honest, and I’ve never told anyone this so keep your mouth shut, but I’m scared. We’ve never had a breach until now. They found more evidence of attacks, you know, even closer to the city. What am I going to do if they get into the underground?”
I’m feeling a little hopeless as I watch her wringing her hands. I’m not exactly in the best at making people feel better about things. “If a major breach happens, we’ll be working as a team, and we’ll do what we’re trained to do. It won’t just be you out there, all of us will be helping each other out,” I reply. Then my mind flashes with a great idea. “Tell you what, what would you say if I suggested we hunt down a Harpy and have it be your kill?” I ask, trying to gauge her reaction. I’m ready to wince as she yells and threatens to tell Myra, but to my surprise, she smiles.
“Do you think it’s possible?” she asks.
“Of course it’s possible, but let’s wait a day or two so we can run proper recon and have a secure plan,” I say, and then it happens.
Grier smiles and says, “Thank you.” And then something weird happens. It’s like a weight is suddenly lifted off of our shoulders, as if the negative feelings we’ve had toward each other suddenly don’t exist anymore. With one small act of sincerity, what made us rivals has made us, what exactly? Colleagues?
“You should probably get to Headquarters,” I mention. She gasps as she looks at the clock.
“Yeah. You sure you’re okay?” she asks.
I nod. “I wouldn’t to be able to focus on work today, anyway.”
“Okay, try to stay positive,” she whispers, then leaves the room, abandoning me with my thoughts once more.
But life moves on. You have to keep breathing, and with every inhalation time moves forward; first slowly, then quickly. Eventually the holes inside you start to repair themselves, and your days return to their usual repetitive turn. I settle in at the Corp,
Similar Books
