Loss

[Fire Of Zion]

Running.
I can’t look back. No telling what is there. The earth shakes beneath me before I reach the bridge. Poison shards fly past my cheek, telling me they are close. The wind from the shards brushes my cheek.
Where is Kaile?
Blood all around.
Fire explodes at my feet. Heavy breathing.
Nothing.

Nakita sat up quickly, her face wet from sweat. “Dream…just a dream,” she whispered.
Looking over at the cot next to her, she saw Zarin. He was muttering in his sleep. Nakita shook her head, not surprised. She lay back down, hair strewn across the meager pillow.
Almost every night for as long as she could remember, Nakita knew that every one of her people dreamt about that night, that horrible night that she so hoped would one day happen to the Hecors. They had enslaved the Talque when she was only eight years old.
The same loud and obnoxious horn suddenly blew, startling Nakita. She groaned and slowly rolled over. Zarin groaned and opened his eyes. He smiled sarcastically at her, knowing her dread. “Ready?” he asked her.
Nakita smirked and threw her small pillow at him. “As always,” she replied and got up. As they walked together to the water pump, Zarin hummed lightly.
“Will you quit?” she asked him, throwing her rag in the water. She started to wash her face and arms.
He shook his head and splashed water on his face. “Whew, cold today.”
“It’s always cold. Are you awake now?”
He frowned and crossed his arms. “What’s up with you? You can’t tell me that water doesn’t wake you up.” When she didn’t say anything, he continued, “Nikita, it’s been what? Thirteen years. That horn still scares you?”
She dropped her rag into the water again. “Zarin, it’s not that…simple.”
“Sure it is. You just sleep as long as you can then wake up slowly when you get used to the sound,” he said simply.
Nakita pulled her long brown hair up into a high ponytail, trying to ignore him. Finally, she looked at him and crossed her arms. “Then you wake slowly and I’ll just do what’s been working for me for these thirteen years, okay?”
Zarin sighed. “Oh…”
She shot him a look.
“It’s Kaile.”
Nakita whipped at his arm with the wet rag. “Don’t get into my business!” she shouted and walked away, wrapping a multicolored shawl around her hips.
Zarin ran after her. “Nakita, would you calm down?”
She stopped and looked at him. “I…Zarin, ignore me for today, okay? I’ve got too many things…to think about.”
He nodded and patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry, I think he’s off searching for the rebel group.”
Nakita sighed and handed Zarin the rag. “Can you put this over by the water for me?” she asked and walked back to the slaves’ stations.
The stations were many, differently designed for different workers. Those who had to work outside considered Nakita’s job to be the easiest. Anyone would give anything to be out of the noon heat. But once you worked inside the Hecor domain, you expected the worst from those you took care of and cleaned up after.
Twelve stations were for the builders and creators, filled with tubes to carry each person. They led to the outskirts of the wastelands that surrounded the area conquered by the Hecor and the land that once was called Talque territory. The builders and creators were to be kept busy by performing demanding tasks to keep the Hecor pleased with walls, floors and anything else that they weren’t happy with.
Fourteen other stations were for the upkeep below ground. Upkeep watched pipes underground that carried water. Others watched the fires that heated the floors to keep rooms warm and heated water. Tubes there carried the workers deep into the ground into chambers that were beneath each room.
Eight were for those Called. The Called were children when the Talque were conquered. Like Nakita then, they were confused, sad and felt alone. To the Hecor, they were the perfect beings to mold to work for the Hecor inside. As the children grew, they were taught who were superior to extinguish any future rebelling. There were no over powering heat or terrain obstacles but there were the Hecor. The men harassed the Called. Women hated the Called because they took the attention of the men from them.
Nakita climbed into the pod in the tube. Water began to surge around the pod as it closed. Nakita braced herself as the pod was pushed through the tube quickly. The speed hurt but it was fast so she was out of it soon.
As the pod reached the end of the tube and the drop off point, Nakita was ready to get out. “Like Zarin said. Thirteen years. Thirteen year of the same old Scrap Metal,” she muttered as she climbed out.
“Naki,” Nakita heard a voice say behind her. “I thought you were sick.”
She turned to see Lai. “It’s hard to not wish it after a few run-ins with Perri.”
Lai crossed her arms and looked at her carefully. “I also thought he was gone for the week to look for the rebel party.”
“No, Lai. He’s here. I can sense his foul stench.” Nakita started to put on the jewelry required for the Called. The metal of the neck plate chilled her. The earrings were large hoops with tiny rhinestones along it. “Ugh, I hate this stuff It’s heavy and cold.”
“His wife hates you,” she told Nakita as they started to walk up the wide wooden steps.
“I wish she could keep him locked up then. He’s the worst.”
Lai frowned, concerned for her. “There are others?”
“Why do you think I wear this shawl?”
“They’re only half leggings.”
“Too tight for me. But they’re better than nothing.”
Lai sighed and touched Nakita’s shoulder, suddenly noticing a small scrape. “Who did that?”
Nakita shrugged. “I can’t remember,” was all she said as they got to the alabaster floors of the Hecor chambers.
The Hecor people lived in chambers connected to chambers everywhere. They believed in being a community and to be one, they all lived together. Families had their own divisions but they were still connected in the luxurious setting.
The Talque called the Hecor edifice Palace but to the Called, it was torture everyday. Conditions inside were lovely until the Hecor woke from their sleep.
Nakita and Lai found their post in the kitchen and started to chop the chosen vegetables. The others were at their posts doing the same for their division they had to serve.
“Nakita?” Lai suddenly asked.
Nakita looked up from the stew. “What?”
“Didn’t you say you were pregnant?”
Nakita looked down and started to scoop the vegetables into the stew then sliced the meat.
“Come on. I know I probably shouldn’t ask but I’m concerned. Is it Perri’s?”
“Lai, it doesn’t matter!” she snapped.
Lai crossed her arms. “What do you mean ‘it doesn’t matter?’ Naki, I’m concerned. He’s a rat and you don’t deserve to have that from him!”
Nakita dropped the knife on the table and covered her face. “Lai, his wife poisoned me. Remember those few days I was throwing up the entire time? I…she poisoned me enough to kill the baby.”
Lai smiled then saw it hurt Nakita. “What’s the matter with that? At least he never knew about the baby so you’re safe that way.”
“It was still part of me. I hate Perri with everything I have but…she just can’t do that! It really messes someone up.”
“You had no control over what happened so you shouldn’t have to suffer that.”
Nakita looked at her. “Suffer? Me? No. Perri would have had to deal with his wife on that! I would just be added to her hate list.”
“And beat.”
Lai sighed and started to slice bits of meat. Nakita joined her again. “Lai, I didn’t like what happened but that baby was just as much a person as you and me. It just isn’t right to do that because of what happened. Even if I had wanted what happened, that baby had a right to live just as much as you and me.”
Lai looked at her for a moment. “What right?”
Nakita sighed and finished the meat. Lai was right. The Talque were only toys and pieces of property until the Hecor got bored. Then only the Hecor would know what to do with them.
Whistles erupted when the Called carried out the dishes to the Hecor. As another community effort, the Hecor ate in a large dome. The Called filled bowls of each person.
Nakita dished out the stew as quick as possible when she came to Perri’s family. She kept her eyes as low as possible to keep from having to look at Perri. Relieved, she was able to go to the next family without any problems. She almost smiled. That’s when she froze. She felt something touch her behind.
“Nakita, just go to the next family. Just keep going,” Lai warned, knowing Nakita wasn’t going to put up with anything from Perri any longer.
Nakita grinned sweetly and walked back over to Perri. “I’m sorry. Didn’t you get enough?” she asked him.
Perri grunted and eyed Nakita. Glancing at his wife, he held up his bowl. “I could always use something more from you.”
She dipped her scoop in the hot bowl and poured the soup. Seconds later Perri was screaming.
“OH! Did I miss the bowl? The boiling stew fell in your lap, didn’t it?” Nakita asked him, talking him like a five-year-old.
Perri made a feeble swing at her, which she was able to dodge. “Maybe you should wait until the burning stops so you can fight correctly,” Nakita advised and moved onto the next family to serve. She glanced back only once to see Perri and his wife crying. His wife shot Nakita a warning look, letting her know that it wasn’t over. Nakita smirked and quickly finished dishing out the soup.
Those holding the pots of stew were to stand ready to give anyone more stew. Nakita didn’t see any of Perri’s family after she spilled the stew. Satisfied, she relaxed and was even able to talk a bit with Lai.
“Did you see his face?”
Lai sighed and shook her head. “Nakita, your are a just asking him to kill you!”
“I don’t care anymore. Once I’m dead, I’m dead. No cares about what is going to happen after.”
“It just isn’t right,” she said. After a few moments, she smiled and looked at her. “But it was funny.”
Nakita grinned. “You aren’t supposed to encourage me.”
“I think we’re done. Everyone’s gone.”
They placed the scoops in the pot and walked back to the kitchen together.
“I don’t think there’s a lot of the stew left for breakfast,” Lai commented, looking in each of their pots.
Nakita nodded. “Here,” she muttered as she poured hers into Lai’s. “Eat as much as you want. I’ll have what you don’t want, okay?”
“If this is now about Perri AND Kaile, I think you need to stop worrying. I doubt Perri is going ot bother you again. And…if he is, it will be the last time he bothers you.”
Nakita looked at Lai for a moment. “It doesn’t matter. Kaile and his parents were in the rebel party. They are gone. Dead or just gone.”
“Oh…I understand now.”
“No you don’t. Not you or Zarin. Just…it doesn’t matter anymore.”
Lai shook her head. “It does! He made you a promise. If this is keeping you from eating, that’s not good. We need all the energy we can get.”
“I’ll worry about that later, okay? Lai!” she screamed as something grabbed her from behind and pulled her away. “Lai, run!”
Lai screamed and ran, not looking back.
“Ha, that was a funny game we played earlier.”
Nakita struggled. “Perri, leave me alone. If you don’t, that won’t be the last hazardous thing I do to you.”
“Sure, Nakita. I’ll make sure you change your mind. Good thing that stew wasn’t any hotter. You might have actually done some damage. My wife cried.”
“Too bad you weren’t the first person to serve.”
Perri laughed and threw her against the wall. “I’m sure you’ll change your mind.”

(To be continued...)

 

[Fire Of Zion]

((I am very sorry to those who may have found Nakita's past to be...not fun. To tell you, I don't mention what was previously implied to so the rest of my writing is without that thought.))

Nakita heard something. At first she thought it was just her mind. “Hey!”
Perri looked up. “Go back to your chambers, little boy!”
“Leave her alone, low rank.”
“Who you calling low rank?”
The young man laughed. “You’ve only got three stars for rank. Three-starred low-life!”
“What do you think you are? Six?”
“No. I’m actually five. Now, leave!”
Perri rolled his eyes. “Have you noticed she’s Talque?
The young man shrugged. “Are you questioning me, Perri?”
“Not as much as I would like.”
Nakita struggled harder. “Please! Sir, I will pledge my servitude to you alone for your help. I work hard and I am valuable!” she pleaded.
He shook his head. “All of that is not necessary. Again, Perri, leave or you will wish you had not laid eyes on her.”
Perri sighed and looked up at the young man once more to see if he was serious.
“Perri, there are worse things than boiling stew.”
Nakita was suddenly on her feet and against the wall watching Perri running. She breathed small sigh of relief then looked at the young man. She couldn’t ask him anything. A Talque was only to answer when spoken to not ask questions or say anything out of turn.
The young man smirked. “Come on. Speak. You have too much thought in your mind.”
“I have no mind,” she replied sharply.
“Ah, so you are as brave as you looked,” he told her, a small smile playing on his lips. “I can’t believe you would spill hot stew on him.”
“I have nothing to lose.”
He stopped smiling and crossed his arms. “Answer me as quick as you can, all right?”
“I shall try my best.”
He watched her for a moment then said quickly, “How many stations lead here?”
“None.”
“Really? Can you defend your answer?”
“You asked how many stations led here, implying that here is at this very spot. There are no stations that lead here, only to the ground below.”
The young man grinned. “You are wrong.”
“What?” she asked, then realized she was not to question a Hecor. But he ignored it.
“You said you had no mind.”
Without meaning to, Nakita blushed. “Forgive me for telling you false things.”
“Forgive me for not coming earlier. Perri is not one to be taken lightly. You can’t avoid him but I could have helped you.”
Nakita was confused by everything he was telling her. Was he watching her? Why? Why did he care?
“Ask me a question.”
“Why?” she asked him.
He chuckled and crossed his arms. “Because I told you to,” he answered.
Nakita smiled then started to laugh. “You thought that was funny?”
“Only a little.” he teased, smiling again. “So, you have been here since…?”
“I was nine. But we were enslaved when I was eight.”
The young man nodded. “And your name?”
Nakita studied him. He reminded her of Perri. Asking her about herself, her name, what she liked to do, if she wanted to take a break. “No,” she whispered and ran into the kitchen. She shut the door and leaned against it. She had just told a five star man no.
Lai walked over to her hesitantly. “Here. I wasn’t as hungry as I thought.”
Nakita smiled. She drank what was left and went into the kitchen to finish cleaning with Lai.
“What happened over there?” Lai asked her softly.
Nakita smirked and scrubbed the bottom of the bowl. “You really want to know? Probably some Talque-Hecor was what my savior was. He came out of no where and got Perri away.”
“Did he tell you his name?”
“No, but he asked me mine.”
“And…?” Lai asked impatiently, stopping her chore.
Nakita shrugged. “And nothing. I ran in here.”
“What?”
“Lai, I’m not about to set myself up for another Perri problem. That guy…he reminded me strongly of someone. Most likely Perri. He asked me so many questions and I swear he was trying to make me feel…feel intelligent and important.”
“Why? How?”
“I think he did it because he knew it was how Perri got to me. He knew Perri’s name and he was there…he probably set it up with Perri. But he asked me about my past and sounded concerned.”
Lai grinned and went back to scrubbing. “Have you ever thought that he was concerned?”
Nakita shot her a look. “Are you crazy? It’s only to get my guard down. What am I?”
“Talque,” Lai answered with an annoying tone.
“Exactly! He’s…”
“Too good for you?”
Nakita bit her lip and looked down at the soap and the bowl in her hands. “Well, let’s just say I’m not exactly the best choice,” she said softly and rinsed the dishes and dried them. Then she put them away and walked out.
Lai sighed and dried her hands and ran after her. “Naki! I didn’t mean to make you think you were! I only meant…I only wanted to know if that was what you were thinking.”
Nakita stopped and spun around to look at her. “Lai, when are you going to wake up and see? You know what? Here, let me tell you all you’re telling me and then tell me if you sound crazy or not! ‘Naki, you are good enough. It doesn’t matter if you are Talque. It doesn’t matter if they’ll beat you for stepping up! You are good. You do matter.’ Lai, shut up!” she shouted at her.
Lai only stared at her, arms crossed for a few moments. Then she turned and walked away from Nakita.
“No. Lai…oh, no.” Nakita stopped her. Lai looked at her, eyes becoming watery.
“Nakita, you don’t know how I look at you, do you? All you see is that watery reflection and your reflection in Perri’s eyes. Look into my eyes! What do you see?”
She looked away from Lai, ashamed.
“Did you see it? You see something different there, don’t you? Do you know what? My view doesn’t matter! Perri! His view doesn’t matter. The water is dirty and messes up your picture. You need to see yourself through a clear picture. You need to find that picture for yourself. You can’t find it with someone else.”
Nakita shot her a look. “Lai, we have been friends for as long as I know. We may have even been born together. I’ve told you everything and you’ve been there…you’ve told me everything and I’ve been there. But I can’t be friends with a dreamer. It breaks my heart to see you broken over those dreams. Can’t you see the truth? There are no clear pictures…”
She turned on her heel and left. All she heard behind her was Lai running to the kitchen and slamming the door. Nakita paused once then walked into the garden.
Surrounded by the last blossoms of the season, she wondered if Lai was right but at the same time wrong. Maybe there was someone worth it but it wasn’t her. Maybe Lai was worth it but not Nakita.
“No!” someone shouted behind her. Nakita sighed and kept walking, ignoring the argument behind her.
“No!” the person kept saying behind her. “No!”
Finally, when Nakita was starting to think that he was yelling at her, she turned to see what the person was shouting about. It was the young man.
“No, it’s about time you stopped. Why were you ignoring me?”
Nakita frowned. What was he talking about? “I’m sorry. I didn’t think you were talking to me.”
He smirked and crossed his arms. “Really? Is your name not ‘No?’”
Nakita stared at him as if he were crazy until she understood. “Oh! No, my name isn’t ‘No.’”
“You lied to me?” he teased.
Nakita smiled and crossed her arms. “No, I did not. I only became frightened and refused to tell you my name.”
“You don’t need to be frightened around me,” he told her, reaching out to touch her shoulder.
She pulled away. “Don’t,” she said quickly.
He stopped and put his hand by his side. “You are very willful. I haven’t met anyone who has refused me so much.”
Though he was teasing again, Nakita sighed and continued walking.
“So, what is your name?”
Nakita ignored him the first three times he asked but the fourth time, they were standing by some of the eight-starred Hecor, also viewing the garden.
“It’s Nakita, all right?” she told him.
He smiled. “Pleasure to meet you, Nakita.”
She rolled her eyes and walked back the way they had come. He followed her until she came to a linen closet where she pulled out a basket of fresh laundry.
“Excuse me,” she mumbled as she walked past him. Again, he followed her, watching her as she changed sheets and gave people their freshly washed clothing.
Finally, when she was finished, she put her hands on her hips and glared. He sighed and walked out of the chamber. Nakita closed her eyes and dropped the basket, hoping he wasn’t going to tell on her. Finally, she picked up the basket and walked out.
For the rest of the day, she didn’t hear from or see the young man or Perri. But she didn’t see any officials coming after her. Every time they stomped past her, she jumped and searched for a way out, only to find them completely ignoring her.
She did see Lai at serving time but they avoided each other, searching at opposite ends of the rooms.
When dusk had come, she eagerly went down to the station to head back to her cot. Nakita quickly took the jewelry from her neck, arms and ears and got into a pod to be taken.

(to be continued)