Section 3

2: Once Upon A Nightmare

“SF103221, please step forward.” Tipping back my head, I grasped both of the bars, awaiting for the officer to check the bar code tattooed to my neck. Two cold fingers traces the numbers, the ones given to me after I was born.

“SF103221, is clear. Please remain on stand by for your MTD.” The officer took two steps back, waving to the other man behind the glass doors.

A little capsule rolled up to the entrance, the clear doors sliding back. The officer nodded for me to pass through, his eyes covered by the protective shades. Picking up my bag, I made my way to the capsule, silently hoping they were not sending me to the Clinic. I had just been there yesterday and I did not want to spend another three hours talking to shrink about my messed up life.

“SF103221, have a safe trip.” The officer mumbled in a fake cheerful voice, shutting the MTD’s door behind me. Shifting uncomfortably, I cursed whoever invented these.

Around me the world passed by in a blur, the MTD moving faster than the speed of sound. They should be glad that I don’t have a phobia. That would just make their day, me freaking out in a tiny space by myself.

I was not joking when I said that. They would be happy to know that I still had emotion.

“You have reached you destination.” Tuna, the robot woman voice who was programmed into every technology device around the world, spoke through the cool air of the MTD.

A sigh escaped me as I looked up at the building.

So much for wishful thinking.

They sent me to a place worse than the Clinic. They sent me to the Capitol.

<><><>

The room was pitch dark, I could barely make out the shapes in the room. My world had always consisted of fear but even after I have gone through, I still had hope that it would not follow me here. Of course I was a fool to think of such a thing. Happiness had abandoned me long ago, before I met Mark.

Holding the door open , I quickly searched for a light switch. Most of the rooms in the building were newer and had voice sensors built into the walls but this side of the school was older. I’m not for sure but I think this wing was structured to the early 21st century. It was a time that was rarely talked about, too many wars and blood shed for the school’s liking.

A sharp click sounded off in the dark, making me stop.

Hot breath fanned over my face. I could fee eyes on me but I saw nothing. My heart was pounding in my chest. This was a different kind of fear than I have felt before. And humorously, part of my mind even kind of thought this was not fear. My breathing slowed down until I was just holding my breath. Excitement was the last thing I expected to feel in this situation.

It was an element that I had hoped would have disappeared when I was taken in by the city.

But here it was, creeping back into my veins, making my heart thump with adrenaline. Right at this moment I was barely even thinking about anything else except the warm breath that was over riding my body. I should be disgusted by the rusty smell but instead of cringing away like a normal person, I felt myself sighing.

The whole thing made me want to hate myself.

Even if I did want to, I could not. There was something holding my emotions back from my own reach. Which seemed ridiculous when I explained it but I knew what it felt like. To hold myself back from the world, trying desperately to save myself. It makes me laugh. It’s all bullshit. The person and only thing that I needed to save myself from was in fact, me.

It was messed up, running from the person you are.

It can never happen, escaping the shadow that is tied to yourself, running from yourself.

There was nothing I could do but live with it. Doctors can put a label on it but it won’t matter for long. I won’t be here when they figure out there isn’t anything they can do for me. Mark was like that too. He and the doctors have a lot in common except Mark knew when enough was enough. He knew when to stop his crazy dreaming. He knew when things were out of his control.

It was his advantage and his weakness.

“Hello?” I said, pressing my back against the wall.

In the darkness I could not even see the door anymore. There were no windows in the room, a regulation they had back when the wing was surely made. No light could even filter in through, nothing could filter in except darkness and air.

Maybe I just imagined the noise and the door could have just closed on it’s own.

But I knew that wasn’t the case.

Then I felt a hand brush against my arm. Fingers fanned out on my rough skin, goose bumps appearing seconds after contact. My heart sped up even faster, impossible how it was beating so. If my heart beat went even faster I was sure I would die. It was not normal.

“Who—” I started to ask but a finger covered my lips, sealing them shut.

There was a slight chuckle, just beside my right ear, making me jump. I could hear their breathing, much more steady than mine. Is this what happened to everyone who comes to Section Three? Is this our punishment for whatever we have done?

Was this even punishment?

“I know what you want to ask.” I jumped again not expecting for such a deep voice. The hand on my arm tightened, the pads of his fingers digging slightly into my flesh.

“What do I want to ask?” If this what happened in Section Three, I was a little worried for the others who have been in here. Harassment was against the laws of the city, was it not?

Pushing my back even further to the wall, I tried to pull my arm out of the person’s grasp. The finger that hovered over my lips was frozen in place as I spoke. I could tell they were thinking about it. The question&it was just a question.

“Did they send you to Section Three to see me or to teach you a lesson?” He moved back, taking his hand off my arm and freeing my lips to speak on their own.

“It’s dark in here.” This conversation was giving more goose bumps, hearing his hard footsteps sounding off inside such a small room. He was circling the room, avoiding me as if I was the plague.

“I like the dark.” His footsteps stopped, his eyes, which I could, were looking at me.

“And exactly who are you?” Crossing my arms over my chest, I started to move toward the door.

They could not actually believe that they could keep me in here. What fools they must be to think that I would be scared of darkness and of this person stuck in Section Three. They knew what I had been through. This was nothing compared to the place I was born into.

“The door doesn’t open from the inside.” Yelping out in surprise, I tripped over my feet the fall sending me flying to the ground.

My head smashed into a box shaped object, the pain blooming in mere seconds. Groaning, I rolled to my side, holding my head with both hands. The pain was pounding all over my head, throbbing like a pulse. I lightly massaged the spot that hurt the most with my pointer and middle finger, the pain dulling slightly. Two arms wrapped around my shoulders, pulling me up into a sitting position. I said nothing as the boy walked away, leaving me to handle my pain alone.

“That would be your bed that you tripped over.” His taunting voice made me roll my eyes.

“Thanks for letting me know.” My hands felt over the rough material covering the thin mattress. What I assumed was what I hit my head on was the metal frame. I snorted.

They gave us pillows? Well, this must be heaven.

“So what did you do to get sent here?” Across in the room I could hear springs creaking as he laid down onto his own bed. I shrugged to his question, forgetting that he could not see me in the dark.

“Was late for a couple tutoring sessions.” I sat on the edge of the bed, resting my elbows on my knees and my head on the palm of my hands. A sigh escaped me as I tried to adjust my eyes to the dark. This was going to kill me, being so blind.

“I’m sure it wasn’t just that.” I didn’t say anything, hoping he would take my silence as a reason to just stop the conversation right now.

“Don’t worry. I’ll find out all your secrets soon enough.”

My heart stopped.

It was not what he said but how he said it. His voice did not sound like his own. My palms became sweaty and my cheeks burned. He said it like a promise, a promise he would never forget.

“Why?” My words were raspy and my throat was dry.

“I like secrets. They help the days go by.”

My welcome to Section Three was nothing that I had expected. There was a boy who loved to live in the dark and a secret he wanted to know. He wanted to know about me just as much as I wanted to know more about him. We were hiding something from each other.

Maybe that is what started city.

Two secrets and a common goal.

<><><>

“What’s your number?” The little girl pulled on my hand. I could see her mother rushing towards us, her hair flowing back in the wind.

“You shouldn’t talk to strangers.” In the little girl’s hair was a pink bow, tangled in her hair because of the way she kept flipping it out of her hair. In her hands was a little notepad and a pen to match. They were dark purple, like a plum.

“But you aren’t a stranger. We have met before.” The little girl giggle but I didn’t. She was just a little girl. What she said should not have puzzled me, I should have just laughed it off rather than dwell on it. She was just a child. She did not know anything about me.

We had never met before.

“No we haven’t.” The Elders had told us not to argue with a child, raising us for when we would be a parent. But I never listened to the Elders.

“Don’t be silly. We are best friends!” The little girl threw her arms around my waist, burying her face into my shirt, her tiny arms barely even wrapping half way around me.

“We met at the edge of the bridge. Where Harley was.” She tipped her head back, her loose black curls long running down her back.

“That isn’t true.” I tried pulling her arms off me but she just smiled up at me, shaking her head as if I was the one who had lost their mind.

“Please, just tell me your number.” I sighed, scared to make the little girl lose her smile.

“SF10322—” Then a thought crossed my mind.

I should not be talking to this little girl. She was young and innocent, maybe a little crazy in the head but she was still just a kid. She would not know the difference if I lied or not. Her mother was still looking around for the little girl, a worried look on her face. She was waiting for me to finish, tell her the last digit to my birth number.

Grinning, I ruffled her hair with my hand.

“SF103223.”

She ran off to her mother, the smile still on her face. I was grinning but on the inside, I felt dirty. I felt like scum. I had lied to a child, giving her a false answer. Why she wanted to know my birth number was beyond me. She would forget soon enough before she could do any real harm with it. If she did find me once again she would not know the difference if I had told the truth or lied.

But I knew I had lied.

I also knew who’s number I had given her.

Mark’s.

And it hurt more than anything in the world, knowing that I had given something so sacred of his away.

And pretending that I was him.

Section Three

3: Just A Phantom

The Capitol building was beautiful in its own sterile way. Everything was white, like the Clinic. Every window was clear glass, outlined in silver and traced with white. White on white was like looking straight into the sun. The same colors blended together should have just been over looked but they made me sick to my stomach.

Or maybe it was just this hallway.

The faces of past Elders were hung up on each side of the hall, every picture painted by the best known artist of that year. Each were signed and dated by the Elder and the artist, their signatures signed in gold. The way their eyes followed me wanted me to run out of that place even though I had just walked in.

At the end of the hall was the office of the head Elder, all of their names and family given up when they signed on for the position. Each Elder had to devote their whole life to the City’s success.

The whole ideal reminded me of a past religion once practiced when people still believed in a higher power. But like everything else, the City wiped out every religion. There was only the City and nothing else.

The door slowly opened, a tall man dressed all in black, one hand in his left pocket.

“Hello, Sky.” His face was bleak of any emotion, the fine lines of his wrinkles weighing down his face. He looked tired, as if even breathing took so much energy to do so.

I nodded, feeling the hate in the air. His eyes were shining with fire, a fire that if blew my way would burn me. He opened the door even wider, not welcoming me in but letting me pass through into the room anyway.

<><><>

I don’t know how many hours have passed since I have been sent to Section Three. I am restless, not having slept since I have been banished to this dark and bleak place. The boy who sleeps soundless across the room, is still unknown. Before he fell asleep to his slumber he made that stupid statement. I have not been able to stop thinking about it since.

Turning to my side, I closed my eyes. I sighed, thinking if I slept then I might be able to dream. If I could go to sleep. It was started to become a difficult task laying on a cardboard like mattress, rough fabric biting at my skin. It was silent in this tiny cell of darkness, I could not even hear the breathing of the unknown boy.

So, I hummed to myself, trying to add some life to the death in the room.

But it only emphasized the death by adding a sad tune.

To my dismay, I realized it was the only tune I knew.

<><><>

“I never caught your name.”

There was nothing, not a sound, that seemed like an answer from the other side of the room. I’m sure half the day has gone by, both of us laying in our beds, minding our own business. I was okay with that, no harm done but it was driving insane.

Simply, I was bored and I was bored of this.

This would be Section Three and my cell mate. He was not the quiet type, I knew that for sure, he was one of those people who could go all day talking off someone’s ear. The thing was, they only did that when the person didn’t want them to talk.

Now that I was bored and was going crazy of all the silence, I tried to make a small conversation. I knew he was awake, hearing the whole thing. First he yawned, turning to his side, fluffed out his pillow, flopped his head down onto it, and then went calm with no movement.

It did not last even a minute before he sat up on the bed, the springs squeaking as he did so, and leaned against the wall.

After that, I was sure he was awake.

He was ignoring me. Sure, I should not take it to heart but we were going to have to get along. I mean we don’t know how long we are going to be stuck in here. Why make enemies so soon? Why give me such a cold shoulder?

“Hey,” I called out.

Nothing.

Taking a deep breath, I stood up. My legs were a little wobbly, not using my legs for hours. Maybe if I check that he is still alive. That would be horrible but I can’t say that it isn’t possible. I’ve seen dead people before, they don’t scare me.

Yesterday, this guy had not given me the best of welcomes and I was not expecting some party when I was sent to Section 3. No I was not expecting anything special than what was around me. However, I was shocked by the separate room, a very small room at that, that held a bathroom.

It was plain and simple: a metal tub and a toilet.

How they were planning to feed us was something I was skeptical about. There was also the question of how they refilled the toilet paper.

Odd.

“Don’t move any closer.”

Before I could even take another step, a hand wrapped itself around my neck, the edge of the finger nails digging into my skin. I coughed and then started choking as the hand tightened around me. Instantly, both of my hands flew up and tugged at the wrist of the hand, fighting to get a breath in.

“What were you planning on doing?” The boy asked, pulling me closer to him.

My lungs burned and my mouth fell open, gasping for air. Even though I could not see him in the dark, I knew he was looking straight into my eyes. I shook my head, well, the best that I could in this situation.

He snorted, the air blowing onto my face.

“Sure. Get to your side of the room.” He pushed me back, using the force from releasing my neck from his grip.

Not having anything to hold me up right, I went stumbling backwards toward the bed. The back of my knees hit the edge of the metal bed, my legs giving out. Out of my mouth came a sudden surprised gasp. I hit the bed with a hard thump, throwing my hands out to my side, trying to catch myself.

“Ouch.”

“What?”

Most of the time in my life I was usually scared. It was not out of place for me to be frightened for my life when my parents were dead themselves. All my life death had surrounded me. Sometimes it was scary when I found it comforting. There was always something telling me that I was a freak or some mess up in the world.

Nothing had changed.

At this exact moment I was scared, frightened out of my mind. There was not anything I wanted more than to run but I was locked in Section Three. In that instant as I waited for what the boy would do to me, the walls seemed to draw in closer. Underneath this baggy shirt, my chest was rising up and down, trying to keep up with my lungs who were breathing in time with my heartbeat.

“You should be glad that I have not killed you yet. That’s what I did to the last person who was locked up in here.” The boy was right in front of my face now, his arms on either side of me, caging me in with no way to escape.

“Do you want that? For me to gut you with my bare hands, leave you bleeding on floor and let the care takers clean up the mess without a second thought? They won’t ask questions. In here you are nothing but a glitch in society.”

And there it was, the words that had be falling into depression the first time.

Nothing but a glitch in society.

“But don’t worry. I’m not going to give you what you want.” With that, he blew a warm stream of air on my face, little strands of hair floating up and then down onto my forehead.

But he did not move from where he stood, his arms still resting on my bed, keeping me prisoner. It was ironic when we were both prisoners in Section Three, you would think that he would want to work with me to escape rather than tease me about ripping out my guts and leaving me to bleed to death while he slept soundly in his bed.

And what did he mean give me what I wanted?

Did he honestly think he would be doing me a favor by ending my life? I might be depressed and a little fucked up in the head but I am not going to give up just that easily. There are things that I need to do and there are things that I need to understand and know.

I’m not dying until everything is done.

He chuckled, drawing my attention back to him.

“By the way, my name is Phantom.”

And, as though I had known it all along, he was just like a Phantom. The name suited him, a little too much that it was unbelievable. Almost like the name was invented just for him.

“Now, go to sleep. The care takers will be here in a few minutes.” Phantom moved away from me, leaving me staring out into the dark watching his silhouette move to the far corner of the room.

“Wait! How are they getting in—”

My voice was cut off by a loud whirring sound. A gust of wind came flowing down from the ceiling, my baggy clothes rippling against my skin as the wind picked up speed. I was about to yell out something to Phantom when I smelled something funny.

The scent was familiar. It made my nose tingle and my eyes water. Where had I smelt it before? More sweet than anything, the smell also had a musky scent to it, an odd mix. But then my eyes went wide.

I knew what this was. I knew exactly what this was.

My parents use to use this to make a person pass out.

But why would they need to use this on—

Then, like I was turning around in circles, I became dizzy and I could not speak or think. At first it felt kind of nice, like I was floating. Is this what they call getting high? It’s exhilarating! A smile crept over my face, a warm fuzzy feeling making it’s way to my stomach. But when once you go up, you must come down.

That was the second stage of this drug.

My mind came crashing down, like I was dropped from a hundred story building and did it hurt like hell. I don’t know how I got myself to my bed but I did not quite care. The warm fuzzy feeling in my stomach was gone and was replaced by the urge to puke.

“I told you to go to sleep.”

“Asshole,” I replied dryly.

Phantom said something else but by then I had already blacked out.

Section Three

4: A Ghost Cannot Feel Pain

“You know, if you want to talk, we can. That is why I am here.” She was back to pleading, her attempt at being demanding backfiring on her.

“I don’t want to.” She sighed.

“Then I guess you don’t want my help.”

“That’s exactly what I don’t want is your help.” She gave me a hard look, daring me to say another word. I was embarrassing her and I was enjoying it too. She knew what I was like and still she came day after day to sit in this room with me as the Elders watched our exchange.

“I also know how you go this job.” I added, picking at the hole in my jeans. She raised an eyebrow, a cocky little smile spreading over her face.

“Oh, you do, do you?” She was mocking me again. Again.

“You slept your way in. It’s easy to spot such a woman from far away.” The cocky smile slipped off her face so fast, it was as if I had smacked it off myself.

“That is not true.” Her face was all red, her hands clutching tight onto her notebook. Her eyes glanced at the black window behind me. They were watching everything we did and listening to everything we said.

I lowered my head, smiling to myself.

There were many times that they had won but this time I won.

It must have been the best feeling in the world.

Power is the best feeling in the world.

&lt;&gt;&lt;&gt;&lt;&gt;

When I opened my eyes, all I saw was blackness. I started to panic, thinking that I had gone blind while I was sleeping. My hands slowly made their way to my face, touching over my cheeks and mouth, making their way up to my eyes.

“What are you doing?”

I jumped at the voice, a high pitched yelp sounding off in the room. With a hand over my heart, I sat up, breathing hard.

“What the hell? Don’t scare me like that! I almost had a heart attack!” Running a hand through my hair, I tried to slow my breathing down, taking long deep breaths through my mouth and then letting them out my nose.

“Whatever. Breakfast is by the door. Be careful not to step in it on your way over to it.” I heard rustling and a scrap of metal on metal. Soon after I realized what he was doing. Eating.

Carefully, I made my way to the door. Not wanting to step in like he had said, I went down on my hands and knees, searching with my hands for the food. My fingers brushed over the corner of what seemed to be a tray. It was cold and so I assumed so was the food. It must have been sitting here for a long time after I passed out.

They actually did that. They made us pass out so they could give us food and refresh the room. They were acting as if we were monsters.

My mind wondered over to where Phantom was eating.

I don’t know about him but I am not a monster. I am a human and I wanted to be treated as one, not like some dog with rabies. But what could I do? They had me trapped in this box, waiting with both hands behind my back for their next move. There was no telling what they wanted with us.

Maybe we were just for entertainment.

Now that was sick.

With both hands gripping the tray, I walked back to my bed. Once I was settled with my back against the wall and my legs crisscrossed, I looked down at the tray.

And could not see anything.

Phantom had stuck to no light. I was blinded the whole day, living in the dark. It surprises me that he would want to live like this. He must have been here, most likely in the dark, for years for his eyes to become like his. He could move around in the dark like it was nothing.

It amazes me for some reason.

Either I was really amazed, or Phantom was a little different. Okay, the last part had to be true or he would not be in Section Three. The City and the Elder what something from us and it did not take a genius to figure that out. I knew they were watching us, waiting for us to do something crazy and then take notes on it because that is what they were like.

They were scientists.

But I know they were not like this. I think it was just when this damn City was built and then the Elders came along and wanted to rule it like kings. Here they had us trapped in a box, under a magnifying glass, throwing us rotten bones.

At that, I turned my attention back down to the tray on my lap. My stomach growled but I was not planning on eating this. A sound of disgust came from me as I held the tray up to my nose and took a whiff of it.

It smelled like trash.

“I wouldn’t be ungrateful. They could just not give us anything at all.” I scoffed at Phantom. Was he trying to defend them? Even if they were kind--yeah, right--enough to give us food I was not going to take it like some b****.

“And what? Let their test subjects go to waste? I think they just want to make us weak by giving us this crap.” Instead of tossing the tray off the bed like I wanted to, I sat it down on the ground. Inside my head I reminded myself not to forget it was there.

“Fine. But don’t come crying to me when you’re hungry.” I muttered a whatever, sinking down on my side to fall asleep.

But I could not.

My stomach ached for something to digest, the growling sounds growing louder. Unconsciously, I sat a hand on top of my belly, slowly rubbing my palm. Of course the ache would not go away by such a gesture, I was just wasting my time. The tray full of food popped up in my head but I pushed the thought away. I did not know what was in that food.

Anything could be in there.

“Just eat the damn food! Your stomach is getting on my nerves.” Phantom threw his fork (or spoon) down onto the tray, growling in irritation.

“But—"

“Shut up! Eat the food or I’ll make you eat it.”

I was flipped over onto my back, a hand on my jaw. The hand forced my mouth open, struggling as I kicked.

“Get off me!”

“No, not until you eat this!”

Something slimy was forced into my mouth. I tried to spit it up but the hand clamped over my mouth, forcing it shut. My gag reflex kicked in, making me choke but still the hand did not move.

“Mph! Mph!” Phantom ignored the way I was thrashing my head back and forth, telling him I was choking. I wanted to puke but there was nothing in my stomach to puke up.

“Swallow it!” I squeezed my eyes shut, kicking my arms and legs, clawing at his hand on my mouth.

And then I gave in and swallowed the slimy substance.

The hand left my mouth. I bolted up on the bed, gasping for breath. My lungs were on fire, not having to hold my breath for so long.

“See, that wasn’t so bad.”

“You f*ing asshole!”

My blood was boiling with anger. Not knowing where he was, I just started throwing my arms out in front of me, searching for him.

“What are you—what the hell?!” When I finally found him, I grabbed him arm and pulled. He stumbled a little but other than that he wasn’t harmed, to my dissatisfaction.

“You’re…you’re…” I did not know what to say, just stumbling over my words and running my hand angrily through my hair.

“I’m what?” Phantom snorted, pushing me away from him. His footsteps died away as he reached his bed, the springs creaking as he laid down.

My voice was gone. I wanted to throw a good come back in his face, to let him know that he could not beat me so easily.

But I could not come up with anything. My lips parted but nothing came out. I felt like a fish.

A fish that could not breathe under water that is.

Deciding that it was no use trying to argue with him, I walked back to my bed. It was then that the tip of my foot connected with the corner of the metal tray, sending it flying across the floor and under my bed.

I sighed.

Once I was in bed, I threw a hand over my eyes, even though it was not needed. I don’t think I am going to survive living like this. Phantom had just showed me that once he tried to kill me by trying to force that crap down my throat. Underneath his skin he was probably worse. He was not the worst person out there--no, not even close.

He had a cold heart but he was not evil. I don’t think. I’m not going to lay here and defend his actions but…I won’t say anything bad about him. He could be a decent guy if he was not trapped in this place. I guess it would surprise anyone what isolation could do to a person.

Not knowing if I should close my eyes or keep them open, either way it seemed like it did not matter, I started to think of a plan. It was stupid and irrational but I needed something to think about. And who knew this plan might actually work.

But that I was doubtful.

I was planning to escape. It was a dumb plan. There was no way out of this room given that the only way out was through that door that only opened on the outside, just like Phantom had told me.

After a while of thinking my head started to hurt. The pounding of the head ache made me whimper. It was quiet but I think Phantom heard it, because he grunted in return.

He was strange. But who was I to say things like that? I must be strange too if I was in Section Three, waiting for the Elders to tell me what to do or do something with me.

Maybe Phantom and I were just misunderstood. We were both human and all humans get second chances, don’t they?

Silence was all I could hear. I wonder how long they will keep us in here. There is no telling how long Phantom has been here, he probably does not even know.

I turned on my belly, resting my head on the back of my hand. My eyes were still closed shut, blocking out the world even though if I had my eyes open I would not be able to see it.

The City was full of s***.

The Elders did not give a damn about us just as long as they got their power. That is all that matters to them. If the City would some day crumble, the Elder would be running around like chickens with their heads chopped off. They would not know what to do or how to react.

It was all an act, the Elders being responsible and knowing how to the City. And maybe it was all a lie too.

“Go to sleep,” Phantom commanded.

And for the first time, I listened to him.

Section 3

5: If Blood Tastes Sweet Then Tears Taste Even Sweeter

There was no sound in Section Three. It was as if sound nor light could pass through the solid walls that surrounded me and Phantom. My mind was slowly falling from my grasp as I became bored in mere seconds. This was my life now. I was going to slowly rot in this place without a sound.

The outside world could not be any better. The people out there, the children, were being brain washed by the City. In here they could not do anything to us because in Section Three I could think for myself. But I was also defenseless. One inhale of that gas and I would be unconscious, the perfect state for them to make their move.

Phantom has not spoken to me since our last meal. I don’t know what pissed him off but I was done putting up with it. He was the only person I could talk to in this place, seeing as we were the only ones in here. All he ever did was sleep, eat, and go to the restroom. He was like a dog. And not one of those cute little dogs either.

Some would call it depressed but that was not the word for how he was acting. I think this was just his personality. If things were different and I met him on the outside, I was positive this is what he would be like.

I understand he can act however he wanted, I was fine with that. And I could not believe it, that I was kind of scared of him. Yeah, when we first met he was not so welcoming but he was just creepy not scary.

I think my feelings morphed into thinking I was scared of him. I did not know what he looked like, even though that did not matter, and he liked to tell me how he wanted to kill me.

I think it would be understandable for me to be scared of him.

You know…I don’t think I ever told him my name. He did not seem to care at the time about names when we first met that it slipped my mind. For once, I cared that someone knew who I was. Call me crazy but having his name seemed to give me the feeling that I had an advantage over him.

Phantom is a weird name. It means something that can be seen, heard, or felt, but is not really there. He does sometimes have that air about him. I can see his outline, I can hear him and I feel him but he seems just like my imagination rather than the real thing.

There I go again thinking crazy thoughts but that is expected by someone being held against their will in a box with no light isn’t it? I think so.

<><><>

“Did they come already?” The air smelled funny, the left over gas filling my lungs. It made me dizzy but there wasn’t enough in the air to make me pass out.

“Yeah. They changed the bedding and our clothes.” At that, my eyes went wide and I quickly felt my shirt.

He was right. This was not the shirt that I was wearing when I first came here. My pants were not jeans but pajama bottoms. The shirt was soft, eight little buttons going down the front. I had long ago taken off my shoes and my socks but I can feel the slippers that they had placed onto my feet.

They were soft.

“Do they always do this?” I was confused why they would to so much trouble to take care of us. Scientists were not always this kind.

“Yeah. I would not be surprised if they were OCD or something,” Phantom chuckled.

“Yeah.” My fingers twisted the last button on the shirt, staring out into the black abyss. It felt…different in these clothes. In my other ones they were itchy and uncomfortable.

But these…they felt perfect.

“Are they suppose to feel this nice?” I held out my arms in front of me. The sleeves were not too long or too short. They were the perfect size.

“The clothes? Yeah. They’re some special fabric.”

The clothes were just the perfect fit…as if they measured me. My eyes widened in shock.

“They didn’t…like undress did they?” It must have been a really dumb question because Phantom laughed the loudest than he ever had.

“How do you think they got the clothes on us? Sheesh, you’re some kind of stupid.” I blushed as he said that.

“Sorry I asked,” I mumbled.

The more he insulted me the more I became more submissive to it. I felt foolish at that and a little depressed about it. My confidence was being shot down every time he said something like that. I did not want to be a whine baby about it so I kept my mouth shut. But still I wanted to say something about it. It seemed abusive, how he could say such things and then never apologize or make them seem like a joke.

It hurt a lot.

I don’t know why either. It was not like we knew each other. Technically we were strangers. All I knew about him was his name and that he has been living in Section Three for a long time. I did not know how old he was, how long he had been in Section Three, or whether or not he hated living here. From what I have seen he likes it here. A meal every day, darkness, and he did not even have to change his clothes.

He looked like he was in heaven.

But of course that could all be an act. This could all be just a game for him. On the inside he could be laughing at how pitiful I was or he could be playing the City and the Elders by faking this ‘I give up’ act. For all I knew, he could be normal while I was the insane one rather than both of us being out of place in the City.

Maybe that’s what I want. Two days ago I would never believed it but slowly I’m starting to think that this is what I wanted all along. When I met Phantom I was scared the hell out of him. Now, I just want him to be crazy like me. It is a horrible thought. I only want him to be crazy so I can have someone who is like me. I just might as well admit it.

I’m just like them.

It’s the worst thing I could be like. I would never want to be like them. They are fighting against us, trying to win. Phantom would not want them to win would he? He could not actually want them to over power him. They locked him in a cage and watched him like an animal from above. They have taken over his life, so there is no way that he could actually like living here.

Could he?

My head turned to Phantom’s direction. Even though I could see him, I knew he knew that I was looking at him. There was just this feeling that he could sense me just like I could sense him. It was an eerie feeling, like the watching was being watched.

Phantom was not the type of person that would want to be tamed. He was one that wanted to be free. Much like me, I guess. We were different in many ways but that is what we had in common. The City was holding us back from our freedom and neither of us liked that.

I did not know Phantom that well but I hope that I was right about that. Because when the time comes I need him to help me escape. Hopefully when I need his help, he will be there by my side when I need it.

<><><>

We were both sitting on the floor, Phantom eating the garbage that was on the metal tray while I sat there listening to the chewing noises that he made. The ringing in my ears became so loud that I could not even hear my own thoughts. It was quiet, the stillness of the room awaiting for me to say something.

Anything would do at this moment. I had the words, on the tip of my tongue, but I just could not make them come out. My tongue was tied, not literally but it felt like it was.

I needed to say something. Sitting here while I listened to him eat was not going to get me anywhere. I did not want to admit it but I was worried that he would not like the idea. If we did escape from Section Three, which was looking very slim, where would we go?

It was then that I realized that I should have thought this through. Of course I should have! How exactly would I, we if Phantom agreed, survive outside. I felt like such an idiot for not thinking the plan out more carefully. It made Phantom seem like a genius. After all he was right about one thing.

I was a moron.

“What are you moping about over there?” Phantom kicked my foot lightly with his own, tapping the tray with his fork.

My hands were folded neatly in my lap, my fingers of my right hand massaging my wrist of the other hand. The motion soothing my mind.

“I’m not moping.” Phantom kicked me again. I did not move, not wanting to waste my energy at getting back at him.

“Yes, you are. You’re making that face again.” My eyebrows rose with interest. My finger stopped massaging my wrist, my whole body going slack.

“You can see me? In the dark?”

“I’m a Phantom aren’t I?” His question confused me. He was a Phantom? Was he referring to his name or was I missing something?

“What do you—” My voice was cut off by a whirring noise. On instinct, I looked up. My first thought was that it was them coming back to see us but they had already came only twenty minutes ago.

“Be quiet,” Phantom whispered.

He was closer this time, practically whispering in my ear. I jolted in surprise. He always scared me when he did that. Sneaking up on me when I least expected it.

The whirring noise became louder. It was like a fan, the blades turning around faster and faster. Suddenly, the air in the room dropped down, the tips of my fingers and my toes becoming numb.

“Take my hand,” Phantom said, his hand slipping into mine. I did not refuse when he pulled me up from where I had been sitting.

The floor was ice cold and the whirring noise only became louder with each step we took. I knew we were heading to the bathroom, the only place that we could be going. We passed Phantom’s bed, the smell of bleach filled my nose.

There was no door to the bathroom and that was the only reason I was thankful that it was dark. I would be too embarrassed to go to the bathroom in front of someone else.

Then we were standing upon the bathtub. It was at that moment that the whirring stopped. The silence was burning my ears with its presence. Phantom did not speak but leaned over the tub and turned on the water.

What is he doing? I asked myself, gripping tighter onto his hand. The knobs squeaked as Phantom turned them, the sound of water gushing out into the tub filling the silence.

And as he put the bath plug in, the whirring noise came back again but also bringing another noise. It rumbled from the floor and shook the walls. A gasp came from me as the whole room started to rock.

Then a roar came from the other side of the room.

“Phantom what’s happening?!” I yelled over the noise, covering my right ear with my free hand.

“I told you to be quiet! Shut up and get into the tub!” Phantom yanked my arm, making me stumble into the edge of the tub.

He’s lost his mind.

I shook my head. There was no way I was getting in there.

“Stop being stubborn and get in! Unless you want that thing to eat you!” My heart stopped when he said thing.

Eat me?

Phantom picked me up and threw me into the water before I could dwell on the thought any longer. Water engulfed me but as I tried to resurface, I felt a body crawl in beside me. Two arms wrapped around me, locking me into place.

I twisted, trying to get free. It was no use as the arms became tighter around me. What was he trying to do? Kill me?

My mouth opened to scream but water came rushing down my throat, making it burn. My eyes were wide open. They stung as the water rushed over them but I refused to close my eyes.

Be still.

I shook my head. I was hearing things. I really was crazy.

Shut up and be still! You’re making me loose my control! The voice hissed again. The voice sounded familiar.

Like…Phantom’s…

At that I became real still. He could not be in my mind…that was not possible…

But soon it did not matter as we were being yanked downward, farther into the bathtub that could have only been three feet deep.

Section 3

6: Killing Yourself Could Save Us All

I have never heard someone sing before. It was a soft melody that I was never graced upon to hear. When I was just five years old I watched my parents bring in a little boy, his hair wet from the rain, and his clothes ruined, while his olive skin was covered in dirt.

When I first laid my eyes on him, I knew he was something special. Although he did not speak to me before that day, I knew his name, his feelings, and why he was there. It made my world tilt in a different direction, sending me flying into another world. A world that I thought could not be possible.

As days passed from our first meeting, he never spoke to me. Then out of the blew he told me a secret.

“I can sing.”

The way he said it made it seem like it was a crime. He had opened his mouth then, a faint note escaping from his lips. I had leaned in closer to hear him sing another note but a hand flew over his mouth before he could.

My parents forbid him from singing. I don’t know why and I still don’t know. They carried him away to another room, his eyes never leaving mine.

Just by one note, I knew he was trying to tell me something.

He never got to finish his song that he wanted to sing to me so badly. I wonder what he would have sung about if they had not ripped him away from me. Would the tune be sad, like his eyes?

Mark held secrets from me. So did my parents.

And now as I was being pulled down into the dark water, which should have only been a few feet deep, Phantom was hiding a secret from me as well. He had the right to keep it a secret as it was not my place to ask him about it. I knew what it was like to have a secret, although I could not remember my own secret. For all I cared he could keep his secret. If it was bad then I felt sorry for him, though I doubt he would want my sympathy.

But now he was dragging me down into his lies, that’s what I believe they were because quite frankly he did not seem like the trusting type. I could see him lying about everything to the faces of strangers so he would not be hurt. It was fine by me as long as he did not bring me into it. However, that is what he was doing.

Whatever that thing out there was, we were running away from it. I had no idea why but I could hint that it was dangerous by the way Phantom had said, ‘eat’. I will admit, it sent shivers down my spine. They were not good shivers.

My eyes were wide open, exposed to the cloudy water. There was a faint glow of light from above, which made no sense what so ever because the room we were in was always dark. I could faintly see the air bubbles rising above us, trying to escape from the water. They floated upward as we sunk deeper into the dark.

Phantom’s arms were still wrapped around me, keeping me crushed to his chest. He could not have been much taller than me, his feet touching mine and his head resting against the side of mine. I could feel strands of his hair fluttering on my cheek.

It felt like we were sinking for hours, rays of light showing down around us. I did not dare turn to look at Phantom. For one I was afraid what I would find. His face had always been hidden from me and I had a feeling that once I saw his face he would not be the same anymore.

But that was nonsense. Nothing would change if I knew what he looked like. He would be the same Phantom that I met, the one that I knew nothing about and still don’t know nothing about. Even if I turned to face him right now we would still be strangers. Strangers that were holding onto each other while they were sucked down into the dark.

A few minutes passed before I started to feel something in the pit of my stomach. It was a burning sensation that was working its way up to the center of my chest. Right as I was about to try and wiggle out of Phantom’s grip and try to figure what was happening to me, Phantom turned me around.

I was not sure what he was doing at first but I did not get to guess as he pushed my face into his chest. Then what happened next almost had me puking.

There was blood.

It was twirling like mist in the water, like oil it separated from it. The red color was darker than any blood that I had ever seen. It passed by my eyes, going on its merry way. At first I did not want to think about where it was coming from. The thought about the burning sensation popped into my mind but it could not be from me. If I was really wounded and bleeding that much, it would hurt worst than just a slight burn.

Close your eyes, Phantom’s voice said.

I frowned but obeyed as I closed my eyes. While Phantom’s arms were tight around me, mine had loosened, my head becoming light. I felt dizzy and that only made the burning in my stomach become worse.

I tried to tell Phantom but I could not work out the thought.

Then I blacked out.

<><><>

Some would say dreams are better than reality. My heart agrees fully with those who believe that. Where I come from and where I am, reality can be cruel. No--it is always cruel. There is not one place in the City that I can not remember hate and sorrow. They were best friends that liked to follow me wherever I went.

Sky? Can you hear me?

The City could lie to all the others but I knew the truth. I did not exactly know what they were doing behind closed doors but I could only guess that it was something inhumane. I would not be surprised at all. This while place was built off lies and pain, inhumane would just be the icing on the cake.

“Sky!”

A hand shook my shoulder violently. There was only the heavy breathing of the person above me that could be heard. There was an ache in my head, the pulsing beat not so faint to me. It was a steady beat, pounding steadily.

I wanted to grown but I found that I could not. There was something stuck in my throat, blocking from any air to come in or out of my passage way or any sound that I wanted to make. I could feel my lips part but nothing came out. Then I choking up liquid that I guessed was water.

“S***! You’re puking up blood!”

With my eyes still closed, I turned over on my side. I was too busy puking my guts out to care about the hand that was pushing the hair away from my face. Only once did I try to swat the hand away but it only came back. After that I gave up trying, seeing as it only made me use more of my energy that I did not have.

My hand wiped away stray saliva that dripped down my chin and something else that smelled like blood, which seemed obvious after Phantom said that I was puking up blood. My hands were shaking as I slumped down. I felt tired and weak. I could not move.

“Probably shouldn’t have done that. You’re just human.” I wanted to ask what he meant but I could barely open my eyes. Even as I was laying on the ground, probably with blood smeared across my face, Phantom still hand an edge to his voice.

“Go to sleep. You’ll heal faster,” Phantom said moving away from me as he did so. His hand drawled away from where it sat on my forehead. I wanted to refuse but just hearing the world sleep had already making me feel drowsy.

<><><>

The next time I woke up it was from the crash of the waves. I wanted to assume that I was still asleep and dreaming but I could tell reality from a dream. Surely in my dream I would not be in such pain. My stomach, though I did not have the feeling to throw up, still burned for some odd reason.

“Good, you’re up. We don’t have much time before they come looking for us. I would not put it past them to bring their little mutt either,” Phantom growled.

With out think I sat up, rubbing my eyes. They flew open as I realized I was sitting in sand. It was rough against my skin, yet soft at the same time. It ran through my hand like hair but not like water that would slip from your grasp if you did not use both hands. The feeling was strange to me as I had never heard of sand, only seen pictures or heard of it. The same went for snow. In the City it was the same weather all year round, summer.

“Phantom, where are—” My voice was cut off by my own force. Phantom stared straight at me, his jaw clenched.

For a long time we just sat in silence, looking at each other. He did not know what I was thinking and I did not know what he was thinking. What I noticed first was his mismatched eyes. While one was blue, the other was pure black. There was no white around the base color, just black.

They were haunting eyes.

Then there was the scar running from his hair line down to the middle of his cheek. It went through his left eye, the one that was pure black. The scar was almost invincible, thanks to his long black hair. The long strands hung in his eyes.

I thought the only imperfection in the City was me.

“Like I said, we need to go.” His eyes left mine, staring right past me.

Only nodding, I still kept my eyes trained on his face. He was dripping wet, his clothes clinging to his skin. After a while a walked past me, brushing my shoulder with his leg just lightly that I almost missed it.

“Come on then.” I turned around, gasping as I saw a forest.

We were on an island I realized then. How did we get here?

“Phantom—” Phantom turned around sending me a glare. I gulped knowing that my slow pace, or there lack of anything, was pissing him off.

I crawled up to my feet, following him into the forest. The green of the plants were enchanting, it was like they had voices and they were calling for me. Phantom walked a head of me, swatting back branches that were blocking our path. Not once did he turn back to look at me.

Was he ashamed of his scar?

He was not hideous, far from it actually. But I could see why the City had him locked up. They wanted everything perfect and if someone inside the City, one of the citizens, saw such an imperfection they would be quite confused. Phantom’s parents must have been shocked, unless they were like mine and did not give a damn.

We walked until the sun started to set, my feet aching for walking for so long. Phantom never said a word to me and I never tried to start a conversation. I was too busy thinking how the hell we managed to end up on an island when we were locked up in a room just a couple hours ago.

“Phantom, how did we get here? I don’t know what the heck is going--” Phantom stopped walked, throwing an arm out to block me from walking any farther.

“There’s a cave up there.” He nodded in the direction, his bangs falling to the side.

“You have no where else to go and I’m not going to let you go wondering by yourself. Not after I used up all my energy saving your ass.” I frowned.

“You did not,” I spat.

“Oh, really? You would be dead if it was not for me.” Phantom smirked, still not looking at me. It was getting on my nerves, the way he was just shrugging me off like I was just a nuisance.

“No, you didn’t save me! You got me stranded on a island!” Pushing his arms away from me, I gave a sound that sounded like a growl.

“We aren’t stranded. I know exactly where we are.” Phantom grabbed my wrist pulling me along as he strode forward. I tried to struggle out of his grip but he only held on tighter.

“You can’t just handle me like some doll!”

“Why not? You sure look like one.” Stumbling forward, I elbowed him in the ribs but it did not have any affect on him.

“What the hell is that mean?!” Phantom only gave a laugh making me grit my teeth.

“Calm down. We’re almost to the cave.” I looked forward, squinting my eyes. In the distance I could see a clearing with a water fall. At the very top there was a cave, flowers growing around the opening.

As we grew closer to it, I made up my mind. Phantom got me out of Section Three but he suddenly thinking I was now his. I was no one’s property and I owed him nothing. He saved my life but that was it. Before the night was over, I would be gone. Phantom could not keep me here.

Once he woke up he would find nothing left of me and that is how it was suppose to be.