Prologue
I never held a gun before.
Tasha held up a heavy energy gun in both hands, afraid she might drop it.
I was too good to even look at one
. It wasn't yet finished so it was very unstable. Kyung told her many stories of how one slip of a finger and whole Factions went up in flames. Though, she's pretty much sure he was just telling her that to scare her.
It's so heavy. I wonder what that glowing blue stuff do. She tilted the gun and watched the illuminating liquid sway. It reminded her of her home; the way the waves seemed to glow against the starry night as they brushed against the shore.
"Hey, hey, heey! Be careful with that, Tropics. I don't want you to explode." Kyung said carefully taking the energy gun away from her. "Plus I have to take out the kinks so it won't... you know... go boom." Tasha nodded tucking her hands in the baggy pants she stole from the guard's closet.
She watched as Kyung began to take the gun apart and work on it, she never knew what he was doing or why he was doing it. When she'll see him in town, there would always be bags and dark circles under his eyes. She thought it was nothing, not everyone went to sleep when the Night Bell rung. But now, getting a taste of his everyday life, Tasha felt the adrenaline coursing through her.
To think, the most dorkiest resident of District Lagom was breaking laws every single day. If shined a new light on Kyung.
"When are you going to be finished?" He looked at her over his thick rimmed glasses.
"Completion isn't going to come until you and I are in District Elysian. We have much to do, Tropics. And a weapon isn't going to be our only way out." Tasha nodded. Behind her thunderous banging startled them both.
"Kyung Je Jung! Open up this door!" Kyung moved quickly like it was practiced. His clumsy fingers were steady as he put the gun back together, not even flinching at the increasingly loud banging. He gave Tasha the gun, this time he wasn't careful. Did he fix it? "Jung! Under the oath of the Lagom District we order you to open this door!" Kyung turned Tasha's face to him, holding it steady between his warm hands.
"You go. Don't look back, don't stop to pee. Just. Keep. Going."
"What about you." The tears came out like a flood. Kyung wiped them away resisting to join her.
"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." Tasha shook her head.
"They'll kill you!" Kyung let out a sour laugh.
"People don't destroy the things they need." The metal door whined as it was pried open enough for someone the Guards to came bursting in one by one.
"Go!" Kyung ordered pushing Tasha in the direction of an opened window. He's never kept that window open, never. Complained that on windy days sand flies in disturbing him. Did he know this would happen?
"On the ground....!" One hollered. "Don't let her get away!" Tasha turned back to them, Kyung was already on the ground getting bound by wire. He demanded she leave, begged her to just go. But Tasha didn't go anywhere. Despite the guards charging towards her. She wasn't going to leave her ally behind.
I never killed anyone before. Tasha thought as she raised the gun, instantly stopping the guard in his tracks. She could hear the shouts of Kyung begging her to just go. But the look on this guard's sunburned face changing from hostile to terrified within seconds annoyed her. How could a brute have the emotion of fear, yet ignore other's fearful eyes? I was too good to even have that thought. The image of her home world flashed before her eyes as she pulled the trigger.
