Chapter 8

-Joseph-

"What do you mean, I'm going to be responsible for the subject's care from now on?"

Dr. Palvo crossed her arms, sending me a look of annoyance "I mean your Aunt is the Devil woman who is going to be sending a team of people out into the Outside with the scared woman in the next room."

I opened my mouth in protest but was quickly cut off "She is no longer 'the subject' or 'the outsider' because you can bet that that she devil is going to be sending you out there. So, I've decided that you need a little lesson on bedside manner."

"Really Dr. Palvo? I don't need to-" She cut me off again "Yes you do" She huffed "You need to learn to treat her like a human if you ever want to get anything out of her. So you will be in charge of Ayle's care from now on so you can work on your people skills and I can deal with the council."

"Whatever you say Dr. Palvo" huffing, I quickly turned and shoved the door open. Looking down at the chart I began "If you don't already know, my name is Dr. Devlin and I'll be asking you some questions and such." I looked up to see the petite brunette sitting in front of me, glaring at me with her gold flecked almond eyes.

Swallowing down the odd feeling building in my chest, I returned her glare "Look, we're going to be spending a lot of time together as I'm officially in charge of you as per Dr. Palvo's request so I suggest you get over yourself and cooperate"

I stiffen as she gives me a look saying that she's ready to kill me "Yeah I'm not thrilled about it either, so let's get on with it"

I sit in the chair next next to her "Name"

Silence

I look up at her "Let me ask again. What is your full name?"

She rolls her eyes "Ayle Kelton te Piokye"

I frowns "Why only translate Kelton?" She sighed "Because in your language Ayle only translates to two letters; A and L" I looked up at her "And the last part?" She looked at me curiously "Why do you care?" I stiffened "Its my job"

She smirks "Ahuh, well te Piokye means of Pike or where I'm from. We put it at the end of our names as a way to find our ways back home if you know..."

I raise a brow and she shook her head "The more people that know where you're from the more likely your body will find its way back to your family"

My eyes widened "Well um, moving on" I coughed "Age?"

"20"

"Prior injuries or procedures?"

"To many to count"

I roll my eyes "Could you be specific?" she laughs sending a warm sensation through me "Well I broke my left leg when I was little and had to have a trap pulled from my foot." She paused "My nose has been broken a few times, along with some fingers, then a few stab wounds and cuts, and finally the shots to my shoulder and a few other places." I tried to keep my mouth closed as she listed the different things that had happened to her. "How do can you possibly have that many injuries?" I murmur, she gives me a sad smile "You're used to this bubble, where I'm from, you're not really grown until you've had at least one major scratch."

While her lips are tugged up into a smile, her dark almond eyes are dim and withdrawn as she looks at me and tells me about her reality. Even the flecks of honey in her eyes seemed darker, almost indiscernible. For a moment it felt as if I was falling into them, into her sadness...

"Doctor"

I shake my head and quickly go onto the next question "Family?"

She stiffens "My Mai and Fai... I mean Mother and Father are gone. And my sister Bey..."

I look up at her as she zones out, trying to keep a clinical persona "What else, children?"

She shakes her head, blinking fast as she comes back to reality "No, no children or anyone else." I frown and feel my brows scrunch together in my confusion "But The Magistrate said..." Ayle's face becomes impassive as she stiffens "My Mai and Fai died early on, Bey became my responsibility, my child. I raised her and kept her safe, until of course..." She trails off.

"Is she alive?"

Ayle turned towards me staring me down with a fierce look in her eye "She has to be and when I find her, she will be safe too. That is if I can get to her in time. Which I have to because if I don't then your people will be paying for it."

I grimace, "Right, next question then. How did you manage to escape?"

She smirks "My acuity"

"Your acuity?"

"Yes"

I roll my eyes "What I mean to say is what exactly is an acuity?"

She laughs "I suppose you wouldn't know would you" She shuffles on the cot, making herself comfortable, staring up at the ceiling as she says "It's going to be a long night"

_______________________________________________

-Ayle-

I don't know when Joseph or 'Doctor Devlin' left that night, but what I did know was that I was glad to finally get some rest.

Sure, I would be here for a while but after that I finally find her. The Devil lady thought that I would show her little team a good time as soon as we exited the walls of this forsaken structure. Ancestors, was she in for a surprise.

That night, I closed my eyes with a smile on my face.

***

"Ayle" I looked up from the container filled with ripe fruits "Bey, does this look good for dinner?" I held up the soft purple fruit for her to smell. She frowned looking up at me with her big blue eyes, huffing as a strand of dark hair fell over her face "Ayle wey nsedey te leyavar" I rolled my eyes "This is our last supply run before heading back home, we can stay a bit longer." I turned away, moving onto the next stall "Also we're practicing the old dialect today, remember? No Iscari today, okay?"

I felt a small tug on my arm "We need to go Ayle" I stopped and turned toward the little girl "Bey..." She shook her head and pulled my arm again "Ayle, its not safe! We need to go!"

My vision suddenly blurred... it must be the heat, Aish was always notorious for its brutal sun.

"Ayle, we need to go! We need to go!" her frantic voice was fading fast as the world around me became blurrier and blurrier.

"Bey?" my heart felt as if it would beat out of my chest as I lost sight of her "Bey!?"

***

"Bey!" I scream as I jump out of bed, the dream ending with the sound of gunshots.

Gasping as I try to catch my breath, I back against the wall and hug my legs. "Io wopnte creya" (I won't cry) I murmur, staring up at the ceiling "I won't cry".

As hard as I try I can't help the burning behind my eyes as my vision becomes blurry. Tears are suddenly trailing down my face. A sound echoes through the room, sobs and screams, I think. I squeeze my eyes shut in an attempt to stop the water trailing from my eyes. Where are the screams coming from? Who's sobbing?

A pair of arms wrap around me, holding me tighter as I thrash against them, trying to get them to let go.

"Leyte Mu Giao!" I scream "Let Me Go!"

All my screaming does is cause the arms to become tighter, almost suffocating. It seems like hours of fighting before my fire goes out, leaving me exhausted. Accepting my capture, I slump into the tight embrace and realize that all along the sobs and screams were coming from me.