The Runner

The room Kaia showed me to was more like a hotel room than anything else. The two single beds were covered with uniform white duvets with a small wooden bedside table beside each of them. The curtains were a plain and rich green as were the pillows but everything else was white or cream.

"You're sharing with Lizzie." Kaia told me. "There are some fresh clothes pãpã snagged from the army base in the drawers if you want to get changed. Otherwise if you need anything just ask Lizzie, she'll help you out." She gestured towards a chest of drawers.

"Thanks." I said but she had already left.

I rummaged through the drawers and pulled out a large beige T-shirt and some olive linen shorts, both which were far too big for me. I settled instead for a fresh black tank top from my bag and loose black pants. I shrugged my jacket back on with an ash grey beanie.

"I don't like this." A voice said from behind me as I tucked my hair into the hat. I started and turned to see a girl with unruly red curls spiraling in a ponytail glaring daggers at me with piercing green eyes, arms folded and blocking the doorway.

"Ummm." I said.

"All of you Americans dropping from the sky. How do we know we can trust you?" She said coldly.

"Look, I don't want to be here any more than you want me to be here." I said.

"Then leave." She snapped.

"I'm sorry let me just book a ticket back to the USA on the plane that isn't here with the money I don't have."

"And I thought Kaia was sassy." She muttered, turning heel and stomping down the hallway.

I sighed and collapsed on a bed, almost asleep before I hit the pillow. Of course, my sleep was anything but restful. Nightmares attacking my unconsciousness for the first time in ages.

I was surrounded by endless white, white fog oozing thickly around my feet and totally messing up my depth perception suddenly a green dot rushed towards me and before I could flinch the huge bird raked its claws across my scalp and flew off. I bit back a scream. Another bird raced towards me and did the same, its plummage was blue. Another and another came until I was sobbing on my knees in the thick fog with my face and scalp and bleeding mess. I couldn't see for the blood falling into my eyes. A final bird came, its plumage a pure white, and took a perch on my shoulder. A peace raced across my body and the pain faded until it disappeared.

"Kia Kaha." A voice said and my eyes snapped open to the burning red of dawn.

Notes