Kadyn

Ring ring

The faint buzzing of the repetitive alarm clock rang in the back off my mind as I tried to doze off again with no help from my mysterious neighbor that put me in this position in the first place.

Run away with me.

Those simple light-hearted words created a love story I never thought I would experience.

Maya. Her laugh could light up a child's funeral. Which is something the people in this world need apparently since over half the population shouldn't be included in the population. Her fiery red hair and huge seductive smile creates the image I was honored to know. Honored to love.

I never had the chance to meet my parents. They were either killed because of my birth, or didn't have the money to hide me secretly and safely. Either way, I was sent to the Secrets Sealed compound which is a safe haven for forbidden children on an island.

It wasn't the best place to call home, but It was shelter nonetheless. The employees there were silent and as still as statues. Even when you asked them a question they would lead you somewhere to show you the answer instead of replying like a normal human being. It created an atmosphere of despair and awkwardness. The kids there including me barely talked, even in classes and lunch where kids would be combined to socialize. Until Maya came.

Since the Secret Sealed compound Is hard to transport children to, they closed off anymore transfers from other safe havens, but for some reason Maya was an exception. All the kids admitted into the compound got there around the newborn or toddler stage, while Maya was 16. For someone who talked non-stop, no one could figure out her story. She was the gossip of the compound without anyone actually whispering about her. Everyone was intrigued.

She was loud, nosy, and obviously annoyed that the workers acted like the government could hear every movement, action, and thought.

This girl was not used to quiet, that's all I knew.

Which made me want to study every feature of her, every trait, every quality, and every choice. I wanted to know everything about her. I stared at her a lot. I watched how she interacted with people. It just came so naturally for her.

How could someone be so...confident ? In a world like this. Where no one outside of these walls will approve of your existence. How do you live life so carefree, so endlessly?  Our lives have the highest risk of death. Socialization and optimism shouldn't be your daily goals, they physically can't be.

Until she chose me to be friends with. To start striking up conversation every time she passed me in the halls. She gave me a straight, smooth path to every thought, idea, and plan she held in that complex, intricate brain of hers.

She was completely and utterly incredible, but she had so many dreams. Dreams that were dangerous for a forbidden child that has to stay isolated for their lifespan. She want's to scuba dive, go skydiving, get married, have kids, be famous. She wanted everything.

She wanted to feel sand between her toes and let the ocean sweep them away along with her worries. She wanted to sing at the top of her lungs in the middle of NYC, she wanted the world to chant her name when she competed in the olympics for track and field.

I changed The term hopeless romantic to hopeless dreamer for Maya.

The thing is, she never saw it as hopeless. She wanted to make it happen, she wasn't going to rest until she was given those opportunities as she rightly deserved them.

She was transferred to Sealed Secrets because our security was maxed along with the benefits of being in the middle of the ocean. She was a threat to her past compound, absconditum, because she tried to escape on several occasions. She was the biggest mystery I have ever encountered, probably the only one.

She filled me with excitement, hope, and love for the future. For our lives. Which I never thought I would feel nor be able to speak about. She allowed my real image to shine so much that when she asked me to run away with her there was no evidence of hesitation.

She had friends, on this coded group chat that I couldn't even understand if I wanted to. They helped hack into the security gates, cameras, machinery. She even stole a boat locked in their facilitated garage.

We hightailed out of there like it was something we were allowed to do, like it was something we do on a daily basis. No sense of fear, just pure exhilaration.

When we made it to land, Maya hijacked a car while I programmed the coded address into her phones gps.

"It's 2,329 miles away Maya" I sighed exasperatedly.

It was going to be extremely difficult to cross the United States without being caught and threatening danger towards the other kids we left behind.

"Just more space for dreams to be created and goals to be crossed off." She smiled sweetly.

Whack

I felt the softest object hit me with such force I bolted upright searching for Maya in the bed we made with the backseat of our minivan.

"Wake up sleepy head!!!" She shouted while giggling.

"We are finally in Colorado! I want to see the mountains, visit the beach, drink something cold, and pet mountain lions!"

She continued her wish list for yet another state we have to travel through to get to Utah. Of course we aren't going to do any of those things but it was nice seeing her smile at the thought.

When she was finally finished, I hopped out of the car and got up front to start driving for the day.

"Why do you wake me up when it's still dark?" I questioned with my hoarse morning voice.

"It's easier to stay hidden while we find a vacant road to start traveling for the day." She shrugged like it was the only reasonable answer and that I should have knew it while climbing into the passenger seat.

It's true though, I would not have stayed hidden this long if it weren't for her.

"Fun fact Kade, Colorado is the least populated state since EPA wiped it out with the high altitudes. The beaches could be safe," She said with a sing song voice.

"It's raining." I concluded abruptly.

"How the hell does that affect anything?!" Her anger started to rise.

"You are short-tempered. Who wants to sun bathe without sun Maya?" I explained trying to pay attention to the road.

"It's not about sun bathing Kadyn. Don't you want to run, scream, sing, and shout without hiding? Without waking up before dawn to do a simple task EVERYBODY ELSE IS ALLOWED TO DO?! This is our life, this will always be our life. This is our only chance to do something without anyone noticing. We can have a stress free day with the mountains at our back and the oceans in our front. No one will see us, no one will hear us. Please Kade. For me?" She pleaded while grabbing my free hand.

"Please?"

I was beyond frustrated, I never had problems with standing my ground or protecting friends, but with her it's almost impossible.

"Find the beach closest to Colorado's borders with Utah." I replied squeezing her hand.

'WOOHOO!!!"

I have never seen her glow as much as I did just then. It Almost made it worth it. Almost.

**********************************************************************

You have arrived at the Grand Lake.

We drove silently through the woods searching for overgrown trees to hide our life saving vehicle.

"There!" Maya pointed abruptly.

"Don't do that!" I snarled while smacking her hand but then quickly grabbing it again.

"Ptff, you can't get enough of me..." She smirked.

We parked our car and threw extra greenery to hide details like license plates and headlights. Then we walked hand in hand towards the beautiful sunset that made the clear blue lake glisten as if tiny diamonds were thrown into it.

"This is beautiful," She gasped.

"That's all you Maya."

"Ready to take another leap towards our future!?" She laughed excitedly.

"I guess..."

She yanked me forcefully while she did a ballerina type leap into the gushy, soft, engulfing material known as sand.

'Mmm I'm out, I'll wait in the car." I stated after two steps in the open.

Coward

I heard her whispers as I turned around.

"I brought you here Maya, It's clear you don't care about survival as much as I do. Five minutes, you better be in our car in five minutes." I shouted.

"Doesn't it feel great to yell..." She smiled mischievously.

"Catch me if you can!!!" She yelped, while sprinting towards the world we aren't even allowed to see.

Maya, you dumb fuck.

I'm not as self-centered or as rude as my resting bitch face makes me out to be. I chased her easily becoming in sync and then taking the lead. Boy did it feel good to run, and not the run for your lives type run, but the enjoyable competitive run. That's supposed to be the only type of run.

The sun soon became the moon while the sky became a diminished candle. Rain started pouring down soaking our tired bodies while we found shelter under a tall dock.

"That--- was-- amazing." Maya panted out of breath.

Her soaked white T-shirt pronounced her body in ways I haven't even began to look at before she grabbed my face with her soft, damp hands and pulled me in slowly. Our lips touched with such softness I didn't even know if we were kissing, but I relaxed and pulled her in before she could stop with whatever lame sappy shit that was.

I kissed her like there was no tomorrow. My stomach was full of butterflies and all I wanted was her touch against mine for as long as it could be.

"Kaydn." She stated pulling away quickly.

"I know, I know, you were stopping me from checking you out, I get it." I smirked.

"No..Kaydn I--"

I see him! Over there at four o'clock sergeant.

Shit

"Maya we have to run now!" I shouted erratically while grabbing her hand.

She wouldn't move.

"Maya not now come on." I whisper pleaded.

She looked at me with such guilt , such sadness.

"You didn't."

"I needed the reward Kadyn. You are wanted. That is so valuable." She exclaimed.

"I trusted you..." I couldn't breathe. So I Just ran. Far from her. Far from the enemy. I let her into everything of mine. My soul. My mind.

They were swarming me, patrol car after car, shouts after shouts, threats after threats.

"I got him!" One cut In front of me while others backed in behind me.

"Come on kiddo make this easier for everyone. Get on your knees." He commanded.

I was trapped, I was alone. Maybe Maya will make a diversion. Maybe this was on her wish list, a life or death situation. It gave me hope, so I allowed myself to believe it and I followed instructions.

They patted me up and down for weapons and dragged me by the hair to the boss, Blade Briar. That's when I saw her. Maya. Talking to him like they were long lost friends.

"How does it feel Kaydn? The love of your life turned you in just to receive money like a paid job would. Little does she know we know her secret too. Part of your wishlist right Maya? To work, or receive money?"

The car. The car radio. They heard everything. They know we are forbidden. Both of us. They know every. Little. Detail.

Maya looked at me with a look full of terror. A look I would do everything to forget. Her dreams have caught up with her. She completely lost her mind to be normal for once.

Bang

The look that will remain on her face forever.

No more laughs, no more shared memories, no more rebellion, no more dreaming. It was all gone. The life that I knew was gone in a matter of seconds.

I know she broke my trust, and even my heart in her last moments. But somehow all the anger and frustration boiling in my soul couldn't even compare to the agonizing pain of my heart breaking twice.

The soldiers were scattered, confused, shocked at the quick actions of the man they look up to. He killed a child. A child that I started to fucking love. The humility was starting to show in the young men that were only ordered to capture unless contradicted by Ash Wicker. 

There were screams, arguing, and a lot of erupted chaos when I grabbed a gun and started shooting.