Program Erin

by Alex Fall

  "She's here!" The man I took down shouted, his voice betraying the anxiety that had been building up.

  My irritation sparked. The stupid person just blew my cover. I need to act now.

  Winding up my body, I turned the corner in a way that exposed my head first. Sure enough, it was the two guards at the entrance of the building. Their eyes locked onto me very quickly, and their weapons moved to point at me. I yelled as I charged them, surprising them just enough to make them overcompensate where their guns were aiming. Next came my arm that was holding the pan. It swung in a wide arc that pinned the nearer guard's weapon against the wall as it fired. I stepped down onto the first step, slid the pan up the man's arm until it struck him in the jaw and he stumbled back a step.

  The rear guard also had to take a step back so that he could re-aim his firearm. I leaped off the first step, over the first guard who was now kneeling, and brought the thin side of the pan down across the second guard's cheek and fired the pistol down on them. Before I landed, my leg was grabbed and I was thrown like a ragdoll back to the top of the stairs and into a wall. Pain surged through my burns when I made contact, and when I hit the ground, I had no breath in me. Botches, what just happened? Did I do anything to them? Where is my pistol? Are they still advancing? I grabbed at the floor and kicked off to get out of the way.

  Just as I moved out of the way, two shots pierced the wall where I just was. The Brute cleared the corner and chucked the pan at me. I barely had enough reaction time to move my head, and the pan embedded itself into the wall behind me. I jerked the blanket that the Brute was standing on. He lost balance and fell against the wall, so I charged him, disarmed him, and nailed a blow on him that bought me roughly 1.2 seconds to deal with the other guard.

  I twirled around to make it hard to aim at me, plucked my pistol off the ground, and landed a shot while dodging his. I bent into sort of a backbend to avoid the bear hug from the Brute, then brought my legs up. One foot landed on his jaw again, and the other served to bring me back to standing position. A flash of fire seared the Brute's leg, and two hits later, he busted through the hallway window, towards the ground several stories below. One down. A special electrified metal needle, called a taser needle, struck my leg and my lower body locked up. The second guard was leaning against the wall with a wounded leg himself, and drew a pistol to end me. I pushed off the wall to move away, and channeled an intense fireball into the second guard as I did so.

  All fell quiet. My collection of wounds brought fresh waves of pain on me. I plucked the needle from my leg, and my lower body began to relax. Everyone was watching me in sheer silent terror. Children clung to their parents for safety, older ones had their mouths covered, and everyone stared from deep within their room, as far away from me as possible. I sat on me knees panting, trying to swallow my pain. They just kept staring, no words. I scanned their faces. Fear, disappointment, prejudice, rejection. This is what it feels like to be a monster...

  My hoodie was now just tattered cloth, blackened and held together by loose strings. I pulled at it until the threads broke and it fell off of me onto the ground. A couple gasped at seeing my hideous scars, fresh burns and old ones alike.

  "I need to leave," I said out loud, staring at the floor and char marks I left, trying to swallow my pain. "As long as I am here, you're not safe....I'm sorry it caused you trouble."

  I pulled myself to my feet. "I recommend that you leave this building. I doubt they'll like what they find."

  "You're....a burn..." A voice whispered. It was Darren.

  Glaring at him, I replied softly. "I am....but I'm not like them. I'm not like anyone..."

  That tormenting voice in my head mocked me mercilessly, reminding me that no one cares. I masked it, not allowing even a sign of weakness to exhibit itself. And so for their safety and mine....I left.

  Part 5

  The pain caught up with me. I dragged myself down the road, searching for safe lodging. Hunger found its way into my system and the rest of my body required sleep. If I had to guess, it was only 5 in the afternoon, but the failing sunlight explained why I was growing cold again. I don't know how far I had wandered away from the Dwellers that sheltered me. I had left for their safety, but for my own I had to stay off the main roads.

  There were two people in immaculate clothing up ahead, so I turned down the first side street available. As I dragged along, my toe stubbed against a trash can. Why do I keep having pain thrown on me?! I gritted my teeth to suppress the pain, but out of frustration, I punched down onto the trash can. Waves of intense stinging agony surged through my burns and bruises, fueling my frustration.

  "What the *cuss*?!"

  I thrashed. I screamed. I grabbed things and threw them. I broke whatever I was around me. Why? Because my anger reached a boiling point...

  The two greaters walking down the road now just stood and watched. Someone else came out of a building to watch also. After I finished making a mess, I slumped to my knees. I found my pain was not alleviated in the slightest, and now I was more tired than the start.

  "You stupid lesser!" yelled a restaurant owner as he stepped out to see the mess. "No wonder you have wounds! Get out of here before I add to them!" He ran at me with a broom. I wanted to stand and vent my anger on his carcass, but that would only add more pain, not mention the fact that everyone around would see my eyes and report me. I scrambled to my feet and ran away, the flustered shouting of the man still following me.

  I ran down a smaller street and into the lowest floor of some abandoned shopping building. Finding a corner to settle down into, the pain met me again and clawed at my consciousness. With each heartbeat, it pulsed down my injuries. I needed my medicine...

  An idea popped into my head. There is a way to get my medicine bag back, but I would need a few things first. I rose despite my body's protest and began searching the city for any house that belonged to the Greaters. It seemed like forever until I found one, but that's because the pain was always gnawing at me. In actuality, night had only just fallen before I found THE ONE. This was the house that had what I needed. Large, gaudy, secluded, and empty, it was just the type of home I was searching for. With the darkness acting as a shroud for all but my eyes, I checked the mansion for any signs of life or security systems. Soon I found a sliding back door, and using a finger that wasn't hardly burned, I melted the deadbolt off.

  The inside was carpeted, making it easier to sneak. I had entered through a spare bedroom, snuck through the main keeping area (making sure to be particularly careful in that room because of spotting a motion detector) and found a kitchen. I was drawn to it by the need to eat, and soon I found myself raiding the pantry like a starving person.

  "What are you doing in my house?" A woman's voice quietly asked behind me, paired with the sound of a gun cocking.

  I turned my head slowly while still hunched over. When my eyes revealed themselves, the middle aged blond woman took a sharp breath and became visibly more nervous. (As if me running around barefoot in a bra and sweatpants with massive burns wasn't enough.)

  "You're HER aren't you? The one they're looking for?" She asked. I spotted a knife on the counter, and considering that it was so dark in the house, slowly began to reach for it.

  "Who's they?" I asked, playing dumb.

  "Don't! I can see you," she said, signaling with her pistol for me to stop reaching.

  "See what? Its dark."

  "Doesn't matter. I can see you. Get up."

  I stood and her eyes followed me perfectly. The woman's arms were locked, her footing was loose, and her breathing was fast, all signs of being nervous. Whatever her power or job is, it's not a combat oriented one, which led me to believe that her senses were heightened much like mine, or at least her eyesight was. "You've got the gun. Go ahead and shoot." I put one foot forward to close the distance.

  She stepped back. "Stay back!"

  Quick movements would hurt, but that's what I would need, at least for my first action. Tens
ing in anticipation of the pain that would soon follow, I rushed her, dropping low and towards my right. The gun went off but her stiff stance made her reaction time too slow for the bullet to hit me. I came up and slammed her against the wall, holding her hand with the gun with one arm and pressing my elbow into her throat with my other arm. I clenched my teeth and tried to breath my pain out of my nose before speaking.

  "Now what? You just gonna kill me?" She asked with fear and anger.

  "At least you acknowledge my power. No, you'll live. I'm just here to get back what was mine." I ended the conversation with a swift strike that knocked her out and shot pain through me. As the pain subsided, another presence greeted my senses. Someone else had turned a light on deeper in the house and was now running downstairs to this room. I silently stepped out of sight, just around the corner of the doorway, and waited.

  "Miss Carrie?" Asked a girl child's voice in distress. The figure ran through the doorway and flicked on a light. Out of reflex, I flung her to the ground and raised the gun to her face.

  After I finished breathing the pain of quick movements out of my nose, I opened my one squinted eye to better examine the figure. A young girl with tan skin, roughly eleven or twelve, with a bit of a wider, rounder face, turned away and covered her face to avoid injury. She whimpered under her breath, begging to the air not to be hurt. Her upper back length dark hair fell to cover her face, but it was so obvious that she was legitimately intimidated, I thought I could smell it, so I stood to let her go.

  She turned only enough to meet my eyes, but stayed curled on the ground, holding her arms up like I was about to hit her. The girl also took a sharp breath when she saw my eye color.

  "Who are you?" I asked authoritatively.

  The girl broke her gaze to look back at the floor. "Sharon, I'm just a lesser!" she replied in fright.

  "If you're a lesser then what are you doing here?"

  "I'm a servant girl!" She sounded like she was about to cry.

  I dropped my hand with the gun and sighed with annoyance. Benevolents have powers AND servants? It's all too one sided. I began looking around again for what I originally needed, but decided that the girl could help me find it.

  "And I suppose you might know if these people have rope?"

  The girl, still on the floor, quietly said, "No...."

  "Great..." I sighed, moving to turn the light back off.

  "Please don't beat me!" The girl begged when I moved.

  "....what? I'm not going to beat you."

  The girl timidly looked up just enough to see my face before the lights went out. "You're.....not?"

  "No! Why would I beat you?"

  Sharon sat up slowly, but remained curled on the ground. "Cause you had a gun and Miss Carrie and....you're a greater."

  The comment took me aback. "Being a greater means I'm supposed to beat you?"

  She wiped a tear before answering. "Well...I don't know."

  "Does that one beat you?"

  "Yes..."

  "And the man of the house? If he can be called that..."

  "....yes."

  I glanced around, searching for something to tie 'Miss Carrie' with. In one of the drawers, I found some zip ties, which served well to fasten her to the decorative wrought iron scrolling on a half wall near the end of the kitchen.

  I began to move through the rest of the house, but noticed that the girl was still curled in the corner. "Hey, I need you to come with me, show me where I can find some stuff."

  "Did a burn do that to you?"

  I paused, formulating an answer better suited for a child.

  "My scars?....yes." Leaving it at that, I helped the girl to her feet.

  "Did you kill him?"

  This girl thinks I'm a monster. Everyone thinks I'm a monster...

  "No."

  With her help, I found several changes of clothes that fit, shoes, food, a programmable wristwatch, a comp, some basic medicinal supplies, and a backpack for all of it. I returned to the back door that I entered originally before the lady woke up. Speaking of, it seems she was awakening now.

  "Thanks for helping me," I told the girl. I silently slid the door open, but noticed the girl standing still, looking at the ground. I glanced up when the outside noises greeted my ear. It sounded like a vehicle was approaching the house. "I need to go. It sounds like someone is pulling up."

  Sharon looked up with fear in her eyes. "If I stay here, they'll kill me."

  "What? Even though it's obvious that I broke in?"

  "It doesn't matter, they'll find a way to blame me. Greaters can always find another Lesser girl," she stated with a quivery voice. She was about to cry again.

  Glancing back up at the sounds caressing my ear, my mind warred with itself, trying to come to a decision. "God...come on!" I grabbed her hand and pulled her outside.

  We both ran from the house and through the dark city together until we were far away enough to be relatively safe. We stopped in a small alley behind a wall used to shelter dumpsters. "Sorry we couldn't grab your stuff," I said.

  "Its ok..." she quietly replied. She glanced around nervously but mostly kept her head down.

  "You planning on leaving me?" I asked once I caught my breath.

  Her head snapped back to staring at the ground. "No."

  "It's fine if you do. I just don't want you getting caught again. Did you say your name was Sharon?"

  "Yes..."

  "Do you know who I am?"

  "....the greater that everyone is looking for."

  I lowered myself next to her using the wall. "I prefer Sapphire Eyes."

  * * *

  Flowers.

  I haven't seen this many flowers in a long time. Being that I have a naturally curious mind anyway, I stopped to admire this person's garden. My favorite were the pink ones, because they had the strongest fragrance. At an increasing commotion up the street, I figured I would need to head back to the house now. I stood to leave and noticed several uniformed men stepping out of the cars. Hm...what are THEY doing here? They examined data pads, scrolling through heaps of info. Were they staring at me? I increased my pace. They followed. I began to jog. They did too. I broke out in a run, feeling some panic in me. I dropped the groceries to run faster, but they ran just as fast. THEY grabbed me and covered my mouth so I couldn't scream. Oh my god! Someone help me! Anyone! They bound my hands and feet and dragged me back to the van. I struggled and fought but the men were too big. What are these people going to do to me?! I'm going to die! No one is watching! No one can save me! Someone! Anyone!!

  I bolted out of my sleep and smacked my head on the cover of the dumpster I was in. My panic transformed into strong irritation at the pain. I cussed loudly like I wanted the Decapolis to hear it and punched at the metal wall of the dumpster. At the other end, Sharon also sat up in panic.

  "What are you still doing here?!" I shouted. She recoiled away and stared in a frightened silence.

  Last night, I had decided to sleep in the dumpster, once I found it was full of just cardboard. The dumpster itself was clean and the paper material served well to keep me warm once I filled up on sleeping pills. I figured the girl would run away, and quite frankly I didn't care if she did. One less problem to worry about. Turns out she slept on the other side of the dumpster.

  I threw my top half of the dumpster lid open and cold air greeted my skin through the coat I had on.

  "*cuss* it!" I shouted again, punching the other half the dumpster lid open.

  Dreams of abduction were no way to begin a day. I've already been through that enough. I grabbed my bag and hopped out of the bin, swallowing the pain of the burns and letting it fuel me like a makeshift breakfast. The sleep drugs blurred my mind, preventing me from thinking straight and fully waking up. Internet, I need somewhere with internet.

  "Sapphire eyes?" I heard the child whimper. It was so faint, even I barely heard it.

  "What?!"

  "....nothing."

  I walked back to t
he dumpster and pulled myself up to see into it. The girl pulled away and put an arm up like when she thought I was going to beat her. "What do you need?" I asked, forcing myself to speak in a lower tone.

  She simply shook her head and avoided facial contact like it meant death.

  Ugh! I don't have the patience for this today! I reached in, grabbed her hand and pulled her out, despite her whimpering. Now then, off to find signal...

  Sharon followed slowly with her head down, hiding her face with her hair.

  "What, now you're following me? Don't you have a mom to go to?"

  She pulled away and whimpered, "not anymore..."

  Irritation simmered in me. I let my head fall back and stared at the sky like there was some force making this day Hades, starting with my dreams.

  "Fine." With that I turned and set off for a coffee shop or something that has free internet access. Sharon followed, but at a nice distance.

  I changed clothes before I entered anywhere with people. I dressed like a Greater, with nice, loose yoga pants, a form fitting active top, and a long stylish coat to go over it all, with a quaint little hat to match. To top it off, I added some mirrored aviator sunglasses to hide my eyes. Unfortunately the shoes were wedges. I HATE heels of any kind. They're impractical. They get in the way.

  At last I found a tea and coffee cafe, with free signal. Stray second looks were sent my way by the people inside, no doubt because of my burns and scars. However, an older but capable man stopped me shortly after I entered.

  "Sorry but this place is for Benevolents only."

  I shot him a look of raw annoyance but it was hidden behind my glasses. Then I realized that the comment wasn't directed at me. The man nodded his head toward the entrance, and there, standing at the door, was Sharon, head down as always.

  "She's with me."

  "I'm sorry, No lessers a-"

  I cut his sentence short by grabbing his shirt and shoving him into the nearest wall, knocking a few products off of some stand. Every staff member and customer watched in confusion as I leaned in, swallowed my pain, and quietly said, "My day is already BS. Therefore I repeat, she's with me...."