Ruin - By N.M. Martinez Page 0,16
mine. From this point, his eyes look almost green as he turns his head towards me slightly to smile. "So what's your name?"
"Paula," I pause and decide to say no more. It just doesn't seem like a good idea to tell him too much about myself when I don't know anything about him yet.
Mitchell looks out over the buildings and his smile fades a bit. "You're a long way from your home aren't you? You're Neutral." His voice is soft, spoken low just between us without being accusatory.
Still, I swallow and fight the urge to run away. It's no secret how the Wildlanders feel about Neutrals. They blame us for the Labs and for keeping them here. I look away from Mitchell, one hand on the rail holding tight.
He peeks at me from the corner of his eyes before looking away and tapping on the rail with a finger. "It's okay. Hey, we're the same really. I mean, I'm human too." My words are caught in my throat and I gag on them. When I don't speak, Mitchell stands up and lets his mouth creep slowly into a friendly smile again. "Hey want to see something?"
Not really, but I just shrug and say in a small voice, "Sure."
Mitchell backs away from the rail and steps towards Brandon's apartment. For half a second I worry he's going to step inside, but then he stops and looks back at me to motion for me to follow. "Over here." He stands at the side of the building, and I follow him. He points off in the distance, and my eyes follow his pointed finger.
I stare into the distance without knowing exactly what I'm supposed to see.
"Do you see it?"
One of my hands shields my eyes as I look at the buildings. Those out in front and further away from us look in the worst shape. Some of them look burned, the walls and windows are blackened with soot. All of the buildings sag with the same weary weight as the other non-used buildings.
Except for one far away building. Gleaming brightly in the distance there is a large dome. It almost blends in with the other buildings around it, but now that he's pointed it out, it's impossible to miss. The other buildings around it are darker and damaged.
Mitchell grips the rail with his hands. "You know, that's where the Revolution started."
My mouth falls open as I take in the scene, but the second he says the words, I close it and look at him, shocked that he'd show this to me and that he can even say that with such certainty. "That's a lab? How do you know that the Revolution started there?"
"Everyone knows that." He raises one of his brows at me, a corner of his mouth lifting. "That's how I can tell you're Neutral. We don't get many down this far. They're always easy to spot."
That makes my stomach tighten. “Do many Neutrals get dumped into the Wildlands?"
He looks at me with some pity and I have to turn away. "Yeah. It happens. They don't usually get far though from what I hear." Mitchell sputters a bit, scratching at the back of his neck and his ear. "But, ah, you'll be fine. Brandon's a good guy. I'm sure he wouldn't ever force you to do anything you didn't want to do."
"What?" I lift my eyes again, searching Mitchell's face for understanding that seems to completely pass over my head. What would Brandon ever force me to do? What does Mitchell think I am to Brandon?
"Brandon's a good guy?" Mitchell says it again not as if he's unsure of what he's saying, but he's unsure of why I'm having a reaction to his statement.
Heavy footsteps sound on the stairs behind us and we both turn around to see the back of the person coming up the stairs. The man walking up comes into view quickly, first a head of mostly brown hair with plenty of silver strands throughout and then broad shoulders. Right away I know who it has to be and I glance at Mitchell. He stares straight ahead, his tanned face suddenly ashen. My visitor reaches the top of the stairs and turns towards Brandon's house. At the door resting ajar, he pauses and that's when his sharp eyes land on me and Mitchell standing side by side. We must look like a pair. Me short and stumpy and him tall and lanky with his mouth agape.
“Uh, I have to