Cantral The Entra

It will be your fault.

Zafira runs ahead through long grass, waist high on her, knee high on me as we walk to another base, not far from my prison. Fendan walks beside me, his skin matches the colour of the summer sky, whereas mine is more the colour of angsty storm clouds.

The gold beads in Zafira's hair catch the suns radiance. Is the Universe watching this? Does she watch all her worlds? Does she watch as entra come and desecrate them? Or is that simply a sun, not an eye for a divine being?

"Why are we bringing the child?" I say.

"Did you know she's only five years younger than you?" Fendan says, his hands brush over the long storks of green and I nod. "Anyway, even children have their uses, especially that one."

"Are you going to tell me, or do you expect me to guess?"

"Oh no, you'll never guess." He smiles. "I expect you to wait." He enjoys knowing something I don't.

Fendan's happiness angers me. His plans have finally come to fruition, and I have been a pawn for too long, without even realising. How many years has he planned for me to kill Haroc? Since my birth? Since Detrie? Questions spiral as my life continues to fray. But for now, they must be subdued.

Before us a squat building rises from the grass. Identical to the one that held me. Inside is Ramet, I had through our relationship over but now ... I don't know. Excitement and apprehension accompany me over the threshold.

The cold's bite is noticeable after the heat of outside and the dullness more unbearable, the echoes more prominent. We stop at a metal door, Zafira's hand rests on a silver handle.

"The forcefield is still up?" I ask.

"Of course, I believe Ramet will be quite ... angry," Fendan says, his shoulder leans against the wall, he's far too relaxed for my liking. "She always has had a temper."

"I want to talk to her alone. But I'm sure there's a place you can listen in."

"There is." Fendan flashes a smile and strolls away.

I pause at the door, excitement fades and apprehension rules. Why am I scared of someone who's behind a forcefield? Why am I scared of the words she'll speak?

"Why are you with Ramet if you're scared of her?" Zafira asks.

My head darts to Zafira. "What? Why did you say that?"

"I... I don't know." She fidgets with the hem of her red t-shirt. "You just seem hesitant... Oh, Cantral," she glances at me from behind long lashes, "I lied to you, Ramet never said anything to us about you, it was Fendan, but we couldn't allow you to come to that conclusion."

"It's fine, I understand." I flash her a smile, but there's a small part of me that's disappointed. It would have been the perfect excuse, the perfect reason to walk away.

The door opens and we step inside to the sound of metal on concrete, a consistent clang. Light floods in through the window and my eyes adjust to the brightness of the room. I walk to the forcefield and stare through it, I don't see her, but I hear her.

Her quarters resemble the scene of a burglary. Wood and metal litter the ground. Food stains the concrete walls and the trays lie on the floor below. From this vantage I can see into the bathroom, the shower and sink lie on the floor broken and the holes in the wall are coloured blue. Ramets blood.

"Ramet," I shout.

The scraping sound stops, feet tap, and she jogs to the forcefield. A smile spreads but as she notices Zafira beside me her happiness transforms into an angry grimace. Her nails are ripped to shreds, and blood coats her hands. There's a gash on her face and bruises different shades of blue cover her arms. Her fingers curl around a pointed metal stick, the leg of a chair, which she holds defensively like a weapon.