Unravel

The grass was still wet from the storm last night. There were little dewdrops everywhere and I decided to just grab a seat among them and take in the fresh air.

That was the best thing in the word. The smell of the air after it rained. It was the only thing that made me feel at peace. Only, the rock wall was there. It was the only thing keeping me in reality.

See, a few years ago, there was a huge meteor shower. At least that’s what we thought it was. Anyway, scientists studying the rock realized they weren’t what they appeared to be. There was some sort of organism living inside. The bad news was that the scientist realized it a little too late. Millions of people had already picked them up and stored them on shelves like souvenirs. Unfortunately, no one knew that living inside was this – thing. It slowly took over them. I were no longer themselves and it just got worst. People hurting people and becoming monsters no one ever thought existed.

But, I guess I should be thankful that some of us either never heard of these rocks or they just didn’t want some foreign object in their house. A lot of us kids were lucky we had strict parents. My mom, for instance, absolutely refused to let me bring the dark brown rock into the apartment. No matter how much I cried and pleaded, she just downright refused. So, if anything, I guess I owe her my life. Quite literally.

Slowly, the rock wall was built to keep us in and the Others out.

That’s what we called them. The Others. Friends and family who were too weak to resist changing. I caught a glimpse of one of them. When I was little. I’ll always remember it. I guess I will since that’s when my Mother saved me. She pulled me into our little car just as it was about to get me. It’s funny because it looked human to me. It’s eyes were the only things that seemed odd. They were dark, strange, and extremely frightening.

I stood up and took a walk down to the wall. Touching it, I realized how cold it was and it was cover in a thin coat of slime from the rain.

There were days I wished more than anything that I could climb over the wall and taste freedom. Then again, that meant risking my life, and I wasn’t to that point quite yet.

“Deanna!” A small voice came from behind me. I turned around in time to see little Bobby Watson coming running towards me. He was ten, so that meant he was born after we took shelter here in Haventown. I always considered him lucky. He had no memories from before. All he knew was life in our town.

“Hey, Bobby. What’s up?” I said as soon as he was close enough. His blonde hair was sticking out all over the place, which looked a little funny.

It took a few minutes for him to answer. He was still out of breath from his run. “Wal-Walter told Dad, who told Mom, who told me that he wants to see you.” He wiped some sweat from his forehead.

I thought a minute, “Wait a sec. Walter wants to see me for what?” There must have been something wrong if he sent someone to find me. “Is it important?”

Bobby nodded his head quickly, “Yeah, that’s what they said. But they didn’t tell me anything else.” he sighed, “They never tell me anything.”

I chuckled, “Don’t worry. No one ever tells me anything, either.” I shuffled his hair, making it messier, “ Where is he now?”

“At his office.” Bobby grabbed my arm. “I’ll walk with you. This way you can tell me more about what it was like outside the wall.”

I think that’s the only reason the kid hangs out with me. He doesn’t learn much about it at home or at school, so he comes to me. “Sure, you can come.”

Bobby began pulling my arm and talking a mile a minute. Each sentence was some sort of question. Apparently, I wasn’t answering them fast enough. He just kept asking me things about what I remembered from before. No one ever asked me. I guess that’s why I didn’t mind talking to him. It was nice to remember the better times. Talking about them was the only way to keep them.