Indigo Blues

A creaking sound shocked Amara out of her reverie. She twisted her neck to look behind her, widening her eyes in shock.

Kiera stood in the doorway, a blank look marring her features. She glances down at her sister's arm, noticing her wrapped arm.

"Hey," Amara cuts off the water before walking towards the young girl. "how are you feeling?"

"Better." She gives Amara a small smile as the older girl places her uninjured hand on her forehead.

"Seems like your fever is gone." Amara lets out a relieved sigh. Kiera nods, glancing at her sister's wrapped arm.

"What about you?"

Amara paused for a second. She had to answer quickly; Kiera was sensitive to emotions, so she had to make sure she kept them in check when answering her.

So, with an unwavering gaze, Amara said "I'm fine."

Kiera gives her a sideways glance. "Are you sure? You were bleeding and..."

"Yes, it was only a scratch." Amara gives a dismissive gesture. "Deeper than I thought but I took care of it."

Kiera glances at her arm one more time and looks back at her older sister. She knew that she wasn't telling her everything, no matter how much she tried to hide it.

But she didn't want to fight with her sister and decided to let it go for now.

Just as she was about to respond, Kiera immediately stiffened, her head upright and alert.

"Someone's here." Kiera slowly turned her head towards the noise.

Amara paused. "Inside?" Amara whispered.

"No," Kiera replies, "someone's outside. In the street."

Amara turns back to the sink, making her way towards the bedroom.

She hastily throughs on a tattered long-sleeved gray shirt, some black pants that had seen better days, and her combat boots.

she hears the knock on the front door.

Something is outside.

Grabbing the crossbow from the closet, Amara rushes out, passing Kiera who was trailing behind her. A knock sounded again, this time with someone calling out.

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

A shadowy figure appeared by the window.

Letting out a breath she didn't know she was holding, Amara loads her crossbow.

Wrenching open the door and step out, she levels the crossbow at a figure that yelped in fright.

"Wait!"

She glares at him while Kiera lets put a small gasp; there standing by the window was a young man with a medium build with long, dark brown hair hanging messily past his shoulders. With round, chestnut eyes were slanted up and full of fear.

His skin was a tawny color with reddish undertones, mostly hidden underneath the indigo jumpsuit he wore. He was holding up his hands in surrender, eyeing Amara's weapon cautiously.

"Don't shoot, please" he pleads. "I won't hurt you."

"Who are you?" She questioned, the arrow still notched in place. Her gaze never leaves the intruder.

"My name is Kaiden." He begins, " I got separated from my friends. I thought this place was abandoned but I sensed that there might be people here..."

He stopped when he noticed Kiera came up from behind her, whose dark rested on her shoulders, wearing a white t-shirt and black slacks. He shifts his gaze back to Amara.

"I'm only looking for shelter."

Amara's grip tightened on her weapon.

"And why should we believe you?" She glances at his jumpsuit again, noticing the number 626 on the right side of his chest.

"You're friends could be waiting to abuse us. You could be baiting us."

Kaiden fervently denies this, pleading for his innocence.

"Sis," Kiera places her hand on her sister's shoulder. "I think he's telling the truth."

Without taking her eyes off Kaiden, Amara replied "Are you sure?"

Anita nodded. " I don't sense any negative emotions from him."

When Amara didn't relax, Kiera continued. "If he did, I would be able to tell based on his aura."

While Amara didn't doubt that her sister wasn't wrong, there was always a slight chance she could be wrong. Being an empath has its perks but sometimes people can hide their true feelings if they try hard enough.

"Trust me, sis he's telling the truth," Kiera urged, giving her sister a soft squeeze on her shoulder. Amara quickly glances back at the young girl, who gives a reassuring smile.

Sighing, Amara glances back at Kaiden, who, still assuming his non-threatened stance, had been silently watching the sisters.

He gulped, wetting his dry lips, his eyes slightly drooping.

"Alright then." Amara lowered the crossbow. " You can get some food and water but you can't stay."

The young man let out a relieved sound.

"Thank you," he replied, "I'm... glad.."

He slowly sank to the ground and went blank.

. . .

Before he hits the ground, Kiera's hands reach out glowing a slight indigo color that suspends Kaiden in the air.

"Hurry," Amara says, rushing to open the door, "bring him inside." She nods, bringing him carefully through the door settling gently into the little room.

The teen sets him down on the brown couch, making sure to prop his head on one of the only pillows they had. Kiera kneels down next to the unconscious young man. Placing a hand tenderly on his forehead, Anita states that he feels warm.

"I'll get a wet towel."

Amara walks off, down the small hallway to their linen closet just outside the bedroom. When she comes back with a wet towel in her hands, she watches Anita kneel in front of the young man.

"How is he?" She steps closer to her sister, handing her the wet piece of cloth.

"He's warm but he's just exhausted," Anita replied, taking the damp cloth from her sister. She then turns her back to her sister, placing it gingerly on his forehead. Amara watches the young man-Kaiden a little closely. She looks back at her sister, rubbing at her injured arm.

"Maybe," Amara started, "maybe you should..."

"No."

Amara sighed as Kiera whipped her head back at her sister. As she stared defiantly at her, Amara started to shake her head. "Kiera."

"I'm not gonna pry into his head!" She exclaimed, then suddenly covered her mouth in embarrassment. Kaiden didn't even stir.

"Here's wearing a jumpsuit," Amara reasons, "And has numbers on him. You know what that means?

Both girls were silent for a moment. Kiera knew that Amara had a point. This boy was an escaped prisoner and it was highly possible that someone would be looking for him.

This boy was an Indigo.

Whenever they got the chance to journey near the wall, where most people lived, they heard things about how those with Indigo abilities were treated.

Indigoes were people who were affected by the nuclear magic and developed various psychic abilities. The term comes from the blue aura that is emitted when they used their powers. Most of these mutations began in children emerging into puberty but some can happen earlier in childhood or late teens.

There were many types of people who wanted to utilize them for protection but are often exploited for their powers.

"You're right," Kiera concedes.

She didn't like to pry into others minds. It wasn't because she didn't like prying; it was because she had the lingering visions that came with after the fact. Being an empath, Kiera sensitive to the feelings felt in the visions as well. Along with that, she would often go into sensory overload and fall sick.

Or worse, lose control.

Sensing that her sister was uncomfortable, Amara gives a reassuring smile.

"I know you don't like it. But we have to know what we're dealing with. I wouldn't ask you otherwise."

Kiera nods, closing her eyes briefly before letting a out a deep sigh.

"I'll do it."