Inequality

Chapter 7 – Nightmares

Chen ran down the streets as fast as he could. He caught various stares from the people as they wondered what their bubbly officer was up to. As he reached his building, he swung the door open, and Akari stood there, staring at the ceiling.

Chen took a step toward her and she looked away from the ceiling, her gaze dropping to him.

“Chen,” Akari mumbled. It was the first time she had sounded so weak in years. Her own voice surprised her. The last time she had felt this crushed was when she had been tossed into the dungeon. Torn away from everyone that she could even call her family. It was only in there that she had hardened and built a wall around herself, blocking everyone else out. But that need to trust and open up to others was still there. Just like now.

Chen took a step towards Akari and she immediately took a step back, away from him. He stopped and he mumbled, “I won't hurt you.”

But the memories of those words flashed back to her and she placed her hand over her ears. She shook her head furiously, and crouched down on the floor, curling up into a ball.

“No.. No! Go away! GO AWAY!” Akari screamed. Chen covered his ears from the increasingly high pitch of her voice. The wind surrounding her pushed him back and he called out Akari's name, but it fell upon deaf ears.

Akari could still remember it vividly, the horror and despair that had filled her that day. She felt everything go dark, as she slipped out of reality. She could barely hear Chen's faint calling for her as she slipped into the darkness.

But almost immediately after his calls for her had deafened, she hears it, an ear-splitting scream from someone familiar, but she can't respond, even though she wants to, and she couldn't come back, although she desperately wanted to escape the memories. Reality hurt, but the pain from the past hurt even more.

Akari's eyes widened, and she realized it almost immediately. Memories again. Her dreams were repeating that same nightmare once again. Akari watched as her younger self ran away with Dongjun, the two of them panting as they cut through hallways and jumped into sewer holes and crawled through air way tunnels. All for one reason.

Escape.

It was the day of the operation, and five hours after it had happened. Akari still remembered. She was barely turning 7 at that time. Dongjun had gotten permission to visit Akari after her operation. And he had found out the results weren't announced yet, but the fact that she was still alive after the first 30 minutes meant something.

Dongjun had broken Akari out, and had taken her out on the stretcher until they reached the lobby in which the guards were already alerted. Immediately, Dongjun had taken Akari off the stretcher, and grabbed ahold of the small hand that he had then vowed to never let go.

The two of them darted through the halls, and used various chutes, from trash, to food, to air ways and finally the sewer.

Upon entering the sewer, Akari slipped and Dongjun picked her up, tossing the petite girl over his shoulder as he continued running along the sewer ways, the water hitting both of them, but helping them escape faster.

“It's only two children. Two of them! It's because they're the strongest two, that we need them back for that reason. Whether their injured or unscratched, I want them back!” Clovis shouted through the mic. His voice bellowed throughout the entire facility as Akari and Dongjun kept running. She could feel it, the water was practically telling her, rushing them towards it.

The exit was near.

Clovis watched through the cameras as the children neared the exit and he ran out himself before shouting, “You can kill the boy for all I care. I only want the J-37 alive! D-07 is replaceable.”

At this the two panicked, without Dongjun, Akari wouldn't even be here, she wouldn't be escaping him. She needed him as much as he needed her. Clovis' adviser watched in disdain and he said to Clovis, “You need the boy alive to keep her in check, my Lord.”

The adviser watched as the Clovis of then, the 9 year old child prodigy, had contemplated it, and decided against his previous orders. A permanent pout was present on the golden-haired, blue eyed boy's face and he frowned once again before he announced his next decision through gritted teeth, “Keep them both alive, I don't care if they're injured. We breed healers for a reason.”

Akari wanted to throw up, Dongjun wanted to give up, but they were almost there. The water worked with them and Akari willed it as much as she possibly was capable of during that time, before her powers were cultivated, in order to break open the gate that was holding Akari and Dongjun away from freedom. However, as soon as the water pushed the fence out of the way, she noticed it, the ice that was quickly freezing the water.

“Dongjun jump!” she shouted. Dongjun looked at her with wide eyes as he watched Akari jump. He followed suit and, at that time, she lacked the mental strength to will it, but instead, she pleaded, “Wind! Please! Guide me!”

The wind surged to her calling, cushioning the impact of the fall. The moment the two hit ground, she knew she was in danger. Clovis had control over the earth after all.

And her gut feeling was right, the ground rumbled and Dongjun took her hand in his and his speed increased as he pulled her along. The cracks came dangerously closer, threatening to swallow them and he negated it as much as he could, preventing the path in front of him from cracking as he kept going forward.

Both of them could see it, those black gates that guarded the facility and Clovis did one final attempt, he built a wall in front of that gate and continued building them until the walls surrounded the two. Akari was physically and mentally exhausted, and she was still fresh out of the operation for that accursed ability.

She panted and mumbled, “We can't.. not now.”

Dongjun held onto her, holding her close against him and he mumbled, “We were so close..”

“Did you think you could escape?” Clovis' voice boomed out from all directions and Akari clung to Dongjun, burying her head in his chest. Dongjun held the small child closer, he wouldn't let harm come to you even if it meant giving up his life.

Akari, on the other hand, didn't want to hear Clovis' voice, or see him. But that operation seemed to have made her senses stronger. She could feel everything, even the fear emitting from her and Dongjun and Clovis' anger that laced the air.

The walls went down and the two children were immediately surrounded by his men. Almost immediately Dongjun was pulled away from Akari and tossed to the side as he got kicked, punched, and abused in front of her. She cried out for them to stop, but it fell on deaf ears.

She had even attempted to run towards him, but Clovis had her by the wrists, holding her near him, and away from Dongjun.

“Did you really think you would be able to get away from me my pet?” He hissed into her ear. Akari cringed and she felt her knees give way on her. Clovis growled and he said, “Remember.. you are property of mine. You and Dongjun are both mine. I had placed high hopes in both of you because of your abilities, how dare you defy me.”

Dongjun was bleeding, coughing out blood, and his eyes were about to glaze over. Akari couldn't stand it and she screamed, “No!”

That was their first appearance, those accursed wings. She wished they were more attuned back then, more refined. Clovis could have died there, but he didn't. His adviser pulled him back on time before the wings had appeared on Akari's back. Had Clovis continued holding onto her, they would have stabbed him. However, they did leave a permanent scar on his face, cutting across his cheek and nose.

The glare on his face was evident, but there was also an evil pride in his eyes as he stared at Akari's wings in wonder. The moment Clovis released her, she ran towards Dongjun, pushing the other security guards aside in a rush.

Akari cradled Dongjun in her arms, as the tears that she had held back began streaming down her face. Clovis laughed, it was evil, and shudders wracked her small frame and she could still remember his words, “The monster was created. J-37 was a masterpiece. With her absorption ability, she's invincible!”

Akari closed her eyes sadly at the sight of the past. I want to wake up. I want to leave this dream. She willed herself to leave and she opened her eyes once again, to see Chen and the other five in the room staring at her. There was a certain emotion she didn't recognize, one was obviously fear, but the other... It had to be concern. Otherwise Chen wouldn't look like someone had just died.

“How long..?” she mumbled. Akari wanted to sit up, but she realized Luhan's telekinesis was keeping her down.

“3 hours,” Kris replied. Akari's eyes widened in shock and he asked, “What was that vision?”

“Vision..?”

“You attempted escape from Clovis,” Lay softly chimed in. Her eyes widened even more and she barely managed to ask, “You guys saw it?”

They nodded and she turned her head to look at Luhan, he released his hold on her and he said, “Chen was screaming when we came to check.”

“Was there physical contact?” Akari asked Chen. She sat up, and immediately winced at the sudden headache. Chen nodded and he said, “Just barely. I grazed my hand against your shoulder.”

“Jun...” Akari whispered. The female comrade who had willingly given her ability because she had given up on life as a weapon for Clovis. Akari closed her eyes and she curled into a ball as she recounted all the friends that had willingly given her their life to them in order to leave the world they were residing in. Her tears soaked the bed sheets, and Chen felt an unusual tightness in his chest as he watched her.

She's as human as the rest of us... But she's gone through so much more than us.