Ruination
11
"Stop fidgeting. Someone's going to think we're up to something." August glanced at Madison, watching her gaze sweep the crowded street as she bounced on the balls of her feet.
"We kind of are up to something," she pointed out.
"All the more reason to not draw attention to ourselves." August leaned casually against the market stall they were standing next to, his arms folded across his chest as he slouched.
"Why are you so jumpy anyway?" he asked. "Are you worried about our intrepid glass making friends?"
Madison shot him a withering look. "I'm jumpy, egghead, because there are monsters and psychotic droids on the loose rampaging through the city. Is that not a good enough reason for you? And what do Pierce and Gency have to do with anything?"
"I don't know, Madi. What do they have to do with anything?"
She turned and pinned him with a suspicious stare. "You have that smug look on your face. What are you thinking, August?"
"I was merely observing that there seems to be a certain level of weird chemistry between you and the grumpy giant."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Madison, don't play dumb with me. I've known you since we were knee high to a grasshopper. Well, technically you still are knee high to a grasshopper-"
He flinched then laughed when she kicked him. He rubbed his bruised shin. "You wouldn't be getting so defensive if I wasn't right," he said. "I think you have eyes for the big brooding one."
"Number one, he has a girlfriend already, in case you missed that. Number two, the world is basically ending all around us so it's not exactly the best time to be thinking about romance. And number three, you're an idiot."
August waved his hand dismissively. "He left his girlfriend behind, the world is ending but not ended, so might as well enjoy what you can while you can. And your last point is irrelevant because I'm right."
Madison threw him a look that could probably turn a lesser man to stone. But August knew his way around her sharper edges and he reached out to playfully tap her on the nose.
"You'll see, young Madi," he said with confidence. She swatted his hand away and stuck her tongue out at him before returning her attention to keeping watch for their traveling companions. August let his head fall back against the side of the stall, gazing up at the sky. At least what you could see of it through the dome. He always felt a sense of disbelief that people had once flown out among those stars in giant metal cylinders full of fire and fuel. The technology and society of Arkana was impressive, no doubt, but August couldn't help but turn his attention frequently upward. Perhaps he shouldn't tease Madison so much about her fascination with what lay past the walls.
Hurtling into space seemed like a better option than what they were facing right now.
"Here they come," Madison said, bumping him with her elbow. August slowly pulled his gaze away from the dome and saw that Gency and Pierce were indeed making their way through the crowd, another man in tow who looked very much like an older version of Pierce.
"They must have found their dad," Madison said, sounding at once relieved and a little sad. August knew she must be thinking of her own family, still sectors away. Gency, Pierce, and Gency-Pierce Sr. came to a halt in front of Madison and August, all three looking rather troubled. Quick introductions were made, awkward handshakes and all.
"We're going with you to Sector 30," Gency said in a low voice, eyes darting around to make sure no one was listening to them.
"Aww, I didn't know you guys cared so much," August quipped and Madison elbowed him in the ribs.
"Dad thinks that whatever is happening is even worse than what we've seen so far," Pierce said, keeping his voice so quiet that August and Madison had to lean forward to even hear him. "He thinks we should go with you. If we keep moving maybe we can find out more about what's happening."
"It's going to be dangerous accompanying us all the way to Sector 30," Madison whispered back.
"Well. We've made it this far without dying."
Madison snorted a laugh. "Look at you, looking at the glass half full. I never would have guessed."
August barely suppressed a smirk. Madison still caught the look and wrinkled her nose at him.
"If we're doing this, then maybe our merry little band should get moving," August said.
"As soon as it's dark enough," Gency replied. "We don't want anyone to see us leaving. They could either report us or try to follow us. Our dad was able to fix a couple pairs of the Dark Spectacles for us."
"That was very kind of you, Mr. Gore. Thank you," Madison said politely.
"Come, I'll take you to a less crowded place where you can slip away unnoticed."
August accepted the pair of Spectacles he was handed, resting them on his head. Gore Senior gave some pieces of smooth, rectangular glass to his sons.
"It has special fibers inside," he explained. "They'll glow in the dark. It's not as effective as the Spectacles, but they're better than nothing. It's getting dark enough now; you all need to go. Stop looking so worried, Gency. I'll be all right. Take care of each other."
Gency and Pierce embraced their father and August tried not to worry about Tybalt. His father was a Chancellor; surely he and August's mother would be safe in the heart of Arkana. It was the furthest place from the walls of the dome.
"Go on now," Daniel said, waving them all away. "Go past these stalls, around behind the greenhouses. And be quick; another droid patrol will likely be by soon. You must avoid them at all costs."
"Thank you for your help," Madison said as the four of them tried to melt into the surrounding shadows. Daniel Gore smiled and nodded, raising a hand in farewell.
"Good luck," he whispered after them. Gency and Pierce both glanced over their shoulders until they couldn't see their father anymore. Madison was leading the charge, slipping along silent as a ghost. She snatched a few things from the produce stalls as they went, handing out some apples and oranges once they'd snuck behind the greenhouses.
"You little thief," August whispered delightedly, peeling the skin off his orange.
"Desperate times and whatnot," Madison replied.
"The coast is clear over here," Pierce whisper-hissed. "We should go now, before anymore killer droids show up."
"Will dad be okay?" Gency asked, voice so quiet August almost didn't hear him. Pierce clapped his brother on the shoulder.
"He's a Gore," Pierce assured him. "We'll see him again in no time."
"Well we can't miss him till we leave," August pointed out. He flicked his Spectacles down onto his face. "So let's get this show on the road."
"We kind of are up to something," she pointed out.
"All the more reason to not draw attention to ourselves." August leaned casually against the market stall they were standing next to, his arms folded across his chest as he slouched.
"Why are you so jumpy anyway?" he asked. "Are you worried about our intrepid glass making friends?"
Madison shot him a withering look. "I'm jumpy, egghead, because there are monsters and psychotic droids on the loose rampaging through the city. Is that not a good enough reason for you? And what do Pierce and Gency have to do with anything?"
"I don't know, Madi. What do they have to do with anything?"
She turned and pinned him with a suspicious stare. "You have that smug look on your face. What are you thinking, August?"
"I was merely observing that there seems to be a certain level of weird chemistry between you and the grumpy giant."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"Madison, don't play dumb with me. I've known you since we were knee high to a grasshopper. Well, technically you still are knee high to a grasshopper-"
He flinched then laughed when she kicked him. He rubbed his bruised shin. "You wouldn't be getting so defensive if I wasn't right," he said. "I think you have eyes for the big brooding one."
"Number one, he has a girlfriend already, in case you missed that. Number two, the world is basically ending all around us so it's not exactly the best time to be thinking about romance. And number three, you're an idiot."
August waved his hand dismissively. "He left his girlfriend behind, the world is ending but not ended, so might as well enjoy what you can while you can. And your last point is irrelevant because I'm right."
Madison threw him a look that could probably turn a lesser man to stone. But August knew his way around her sharper edges and he reached out to playfully tap her on the nose.
"You'll see, young Madi," he said with confidence. She swatted his hand away and stuck her tongue out at him before returning her attention to keeping watch for their traveling companions. August let his head fall back against the side of the stall, gazing up at the sky. At least what you could see of it through the dome. He always felt a sense of disbelief that people had once flown out among those stars in giant metal cylinders full of fire and fuel. The technology and society of Arkana was impressive, no doubt, but August couldn't help but turn his attention frequently upward. Perhaps he shouldn't tease Madison so much about her fascination with what lay past the walls.
Hurtling into space seemed like a better option than what they were facing right now.
"Here they come," Madison said, bumping him with her elbow. August slowly pulled his gaze away from the dome and saw that Gency and Pierce were indeed making their way through the crowd, another man in tow who looked very much like an older version of Pierce.
"They must have found their dad," Madison said, sounding at once relieved and a little sad. August knew she must be thinking of her own family, still sectors away. Gency, Pierce, and Gency-Pierce Sr. came to a halt in front of Madison and August, all three looking rather troubled. Quick introductions were made, awkward handshakes and all.
"We're going with you to Sector 30," Gency said in a low voice, eyes darting around to make sure no one was listening to them.
"Aww, I didn't know you guys cared so much," August quipped and Madison elbowed him in the ribs.
"Dad thinks that whatever is happening is even worse than what we've seen so far," Pierce said, keeping his voice so quiet that August and Madison had to lean forward to even hear him. "He thinks we should go with you. If we keep moving maybe we can find out more about what's happening."
"It's going to be dangerous accompanying us all the way to Sector 30," Madison whispered back.
"Well. We've made it this far without dying."
Madison snorted a laugh. "Look at you, looking at the glass half full. I never would have guessed."
August barely suppressed a smirk. Madison still caught the look and wrinkled her nose at him.
"If we're doing this, then maybe our merry little band should get moving," August said.
"As soon as it's dark enough," Gency replied. "We don't want anyone to see us leaving. They could either report us or try to follow us. Our dad was able to fix a couple pairs of the Dark Spectacles for us."
"That was very kind of you, Mr. Gore. Thank you," Madison said politely.
"Come, I'll take you to a less crowded place where you can slip away unnoticed."
August accepted the pair of Spectacles he was handed, resting them on his head. Gore Senior gave some pieces of smooth, rectangular glass to his sons.
"It has special fibers inside," he explained. "They'll glow in the dark. It's not as effective as the Spectacles, but they're better than nothing. It's getting dark enough now; you all need to go. Stop looking so worried, Gency. I'll be all right. Take care of each other."
Gency and Pierce embraced their father and August tried not to worry about Tybalt. His father was a Chancellor; surely he and August's mother would be safe in the heart of Arkana. It was the furthest place from the walls of the dome.
"Go on now," Daniel said, waving them all away. "Go past these stalls, around behind the greenhouses. And be quick; another droid patrol will likely be by soon. You must avoid them at all costs."
"Thank you for your help," Madison said as the four of them tried to melt into the surrounding shadows. Daniel Gore smiled and nodded, raising a hand in farewell.
"Good luck," he whispered after them. Gency and Pierce both glanced over their shoulders until they couldn't see their father anymore. Madison was leading the charge, slipping along silent as a ghost. She snatched a few things from the produce stalls as they went, handing out some apples and oranges once they'd snuck behind the greenhouses.
"You little thief," August whispered delightedly, peeling the skin off his orange.
"Desperate times and whatnot," Madison replied.
"The coast is clear over here," Pierce whisper-hissed. "We should go now, before anymore killer droids show up."
"Will dad be okay?" Gency asked, voice so quiet August almost didn't hear him. Pierce clapped his brother on the shoulder.
"He's a Gore," Pierce assured him. "We'll see him again in no time."
"Well we can't miss him till we leave," August pointed out. He flicked his Spectacles down onto his face. "So let's get this show on the road."