[XIII] - Calling Harbor

"You!!!" — We both shouted simultaneously, pointing with our shaking fingers at each other.

I stared at him deeply, not believing my eyes that I could find that man here, at this shady place. His eyes looked like they wanted to express the same feeling. What were the both of us doing here?

Lying on a ground, startled like that, I couldn't spit any word from my mouth, and he, standing shocked like that, couldn't either. We've always been similar in the topic of reactions to some things, but our characters were entirely different, in many matters.

He never worried unnecessarily about things, walked forwards no matter what happens, always stood up quickly from the place he fell at, with a smile. He doesn't argue, was rarely lifted by his anger, he just grins and tells everyone to let the grief go. Furthermore, he has helped me countless times, we have spent hours talking about the unfair society of ours, but he, unlike me, doesn't hold hate for this city inside his heart. I still remember his words: "Everything is made for a reason." Such an explanation made me furious, and I didn't talk to him for a while, feeling that he is so different from me.

But I understood his other words: "Grief doesn't lead anywhere." So, I tried to forget about his previous words, and stopped being fed up with someone so innocent and good as him. I realized that the key to the freedom I wanted was to have the freedom of mind and speech, and let people have their own opinions. It was hard to accept, but being fed up over someone's unmaterial words, was very foolish.

So, we never came back to that moment again. And he wasn't mad at me at all, for thinking differently and being angry with his opinions.

I've met him for the first time with a smile on his face, it always is there. Even when he wears his mask, I know a soft grin is under it.

Something that I don't know how to understand, he made me wonder about his personality for hours. How can a person being raised in a "prison" like this, living though hell, be as cheerful as him? A living mystery of a charm that makes me attached to him, and everyone else too.

Icto, my closest friend for years. He was one of the first people I met at the RR, showing me all the basics of living as a "rat" and leading me deeper into the world of seeking the truth behind it all. One of the rare sparks of joy, that has spread in my heart the fire of hope. I'm glad that I've met him in this ominous metropolis. I've known him for so long… I don't know where could have I been if we haven't met…

We stared shockingly at each other, trying to ask why are we both here, but seemed to wait for one another to talk first. But the moment didn't come, so when I wanted to ask him what is his purpose of being at the same time and place as me, he interrupted me immediately, trying to find out the same.

"You go first." — He spoke softly as always.

"No. You." — I replied coldly. — "Actually… Let me speak first." — Changing my mind immediately after, that's something new to me. But I decided I need to be straightforward and not let anything disturb me from getting to my destination.

I think I'm really close to the place… Maybe Icto will lead me there?

"Okay, go on. But let me help you stand first. These people are looking at us weirdly." — He answered, looking around, pulling out his hand to help me stand from the ground I was still sitting on.

"Nothing new." — The short reply came out of my mouth, when I grabbed his bare hand tightly, and let myself get pulled by him.

"What the hell did you do today!!? Do you know how much I was worried when I didn't see you at our place?! — He loudly complained straight into my ear, as he pulled me closer, not letting my hand go. So he didn't let me speak first at all…

Our faces got close and were just a few inches apart. I could feel him breathe heavily. His pale violet eyes burst with fury and an urge to hear an explanation.

But I didn't answer, couldn't think of what to tell him. Should I tell him the whole truth? Can I trust him completely?

Why am I doubting myself? Have my trust issues worsened because of the situation with my aunt? … I hope she is doing well, It's been a while since I left…

Icto is not my aunt, and we have been through a lot together… So lot… And besides, I'm counting on RR in helping me, and they will see the footage anyway. There is nothing stopping me from not telling what I've been through today.

I got away from him, a few steps back, as his glare startled me. It's one of the rare times when I can see him as nervous and annoyed as at the moment.

"I've called you so many times, and you know I barely use the communication device? I was so worried… That something actually happened to you… Didn't you get the text that our meeting is supposed to be moved a few hours past?" — His worries were expressed fully.

He realized that he probably pulled me to close to himself, and tried to erase that moment by speaking.

"A few hours past? Well… I've dropped my device somewhere so…" — I felt very embarrassed by this information. Losing such a device, where ones contact numbers are saved… And the information could be deciphered by someone…

But he didn't scold me for that.

"You're hopeless…" — He grabbed his head in helplessness and sighed. — "I forgot the ceremony was today. And that all of the citizens were supposed to go and attend the celebrations at the Core Center…"

Wait… WHAT?!

Icto saw my face getting petrified from the shock.

"Don't tell me you don't know what day is today? Well, I forgot myself, but got reminded by the RR Leaders. For everyone registered to attend it, or otherwise we could be considered as an straight opposition. That would lead the governors to the straightforward opinion that those who didn't came were afraid of coming out of their dens, with something on their conscience…"

"You… You traveled outside of the… district?!"

They... They let people... Out of their districts? I... truly can't believe it... Why, all of a sudden?

As I remember, nothing like this has ever happened... Everyone is assigned to their place, their piece of ring, and only a few are let out of their district...

One's dreams have come true surely. But, What was the point? The governors would not let everyone travel out of nowhere, not even on a special day like this... It's suspicious. What was the goal of this?...

No, I don't want to think about this. I want to know how was it in there. In the place everyone seeks to visit... The Core. Why haven't I heard of that to happen? Why hasn't my aunt told me about this... She surely would have known. I need to ask her when I come back.

"How… How was it there!?" — I begged him with my voice, inquiring every bit of information to be spoken out.

"Are we going to stand in the middle of the street like that?" — He asked me with a laughing voice.

I pointed with my head where I want to go. Just to the side of a wall, and then we can continue from there. He nodded in agreement, and followed me as I went to the side of the street, to the deeper darkness.

I just need to go to the end of this street, and then I can ask him to point me to the direct localization. We explain everything to ourselves in the meanwhile.

"Before I tell you how it was, first of all, are you going to tell me something solid? Did someone mess with your brain or what? Who would lose something such precious like a comdevice? — He spoke more calmly, slowly following me behind.

"Well… That's a long story to be told… I don't know where to start…"

"…I'm just glad that you're okay." — He threw this quiet response, expecting me not to hear it at all.

"I never told you I'm okay." — I stopped walking, as the meanings of this sentence got deeper into my heart. I was really not okay. Those worries were just dormant for now, but I knew later or sooner, they would kick in and dominate me to the point where I won't be able to do anything and react. I need to be completely sure nothing awaits me as I pass the corner of my life.

He stopped too, clearly understanding that something is wrong. I grabbed my head in pain, trying to scare away the bad thoughts. And when he tried to catch my arm, I went forward, making him miss. I left him speechless, and he continued to follow me to of the street in silence.

Our ominous silhouettes were barely visible at the wall of pale lights and e-screens. We got to this point of the town where no people were to be seen around, just at the bottom of the great wall. It was a very dangerous area, as the officer patrols were common here. They went around the whole district, along the tall concrete construction, just to check in case any madman would like to cross the stone border. Most of them were guarding the main walls adjacent to the Secundus and Novissimis rings. Secundus was the "better district" where people live with better conditions and more freedom. Wider streets, more light, a happier and spacious concept of life. People living there don't seem to worry as much as we do.

On the opposite side was Novissimis, a "slums" as you could call them. It was a ring full of factories and other industries. Pathological flats filled with people being destroyed by the system utter mostly. The real rats of this world, bearing no more value than the physical one. No rights served those people, and that made me pity them the most. Another unfair selection of the innocent people. They work hard all their lives and get nothing in return, other than fake words of hope and gray darkness of the reality. It makes me desperately sad when I think of the people that can't change their reality, no matter how much they want to do it. Living everyday on the verges of their life, being starved, dehydrated and exhausted to the point where death on the streets is unavoidable, I cannot understand why the governors are letting that happen. They do all in their power to hide the truth that is just mournful. Almost no one knows what is happening behind the great wall of ours, and if they knew, that would make them suffer even more. Because it's also something that we, in the better districts, cannot change. Unavoidable fate, I hope can be changed one day… And I hope I can add my brick to this new "era", with the footage I have deep in my pocket at the very right moment. And I'm a few steps away from fulfilling my goal.

"Icto…" — I started with a hesitant voice. I need him to help me.

I've always told him a lot about my goals and wishes. A wish for the society not to be divided in districts and casts. Hope for the freedom we all want, freedom of speech, of movement, of business and beliefs. Destruction of the fear of those greedy officers. Desire to stop wearing masks and hoods wherever you go, to protect your identity and the ones closest to you from getting taken to you don't know where. Readiness to stop running from all the unexpected obstacles on your way, to stop worrying about everything. Is the life I wish for so difficult to obtain?

"What's the matter?" — He answered quietly. I don't even know if it was an answer to the question in my mind, or to me calling his name… Yet, I needed to explain this to him, and stop unnecessarily keeping him worried.

"I'm sorry… It's just… Hard for me to speak those words out of me…"

We got to the end of the street. Before us was just an unending wall of concrete and cords, climbing up to the ends of the dark-violet sky. The electrical cords pulsed in a rhythm. A low bass noise came out from the wall, making it seem to be a more complicated technological construction that it seemed from far away. The sight of it close once again made my heart race. But not only for it, I was afraid of being caught by someone too. Where no people gather, the most dangerous personas can come out from their black holes.

Someone out of nowhere grabbed my shoulder softly from behind.

"It's okay. Sometimes you just need to speak out, in order to be understood easier. I told you so many times, don't hold it inside of you, or you may break from the pressure." — His soft voice comforted me to the point, that some of my worries melted in my mind.

He had a custom of grabbing people's shoulders often, when talking to them. I psychologically don't know what it indicates. Every time someone touches me, it makes me incredibly anxious and uncomfortable, yet for some reason when he does that, unlike all the other occurrences, I just want to stay like it forever. It's like he is passing a positive energy to me, making me want to stand up from my life's failure, and fight running forwards.

"So, tell me. What important happened today, that made you not come to the meeting, even lose your device? And…" — He looked around suspiciously. — "Why did you lead me here? Of all the places, what were you doing here?" — He asked me with a soft, but doubtful voice. — "Are you trying to…"

"Icto… I… have experienced something horrific today." — I was looking at the black ground beneath me, and speaking with a quiet voice. — "Would you believe me if I told you that…"

This sentence got out of my mouth once again. I couldn't bear to do it twice today, but I must tell him, otherwise he will think I don't trust him, and I want that the least. "Would you believe if I told you that I've seen many people die today?" — That's what I wanted to tell. But it got me into a cold situation before, so I'm going to tell it another way now.

"Would you believe me if I told you that I've seen someone fight with a whole squadron of officers and… defeat them all?" — I looked at him now. His eyes were opened widely and surprised.

"What? How… Is there someone capable of doing such things?" — A question with a very curious tone came out of his mouth. — "Wait… The explosion… A lot of officers… Is it, it? Were you there?!"

"You saw it?!" — I almost wanted to throw myself at him, trying to get the answer out of his mouth.

"So you were there!?! How did you get yourself in such a danger?!" — He stepped back, expressing his disbelief, but immediately went towards me, catching my hand that I was holding inside of my pocket.

He forcefully grabbed it and made me take it out.

"Are you injured anywhere? Did something serious happen to you?"

Looking over me thoroughly, I felt uncomfortable and pushed his hand immediately. He found nothing odd apart from a little shining device that I was holding with my hand.

"My aunt healed me, so I'm physically okay now. Please don't worry about me" — "Worry about me." I wanted to shout it out of nowhere, not knowing why such an answer even came to my mind.

"What's that?" — Pointing with his long finger at my hand still being in air, with the footage in it.

"It's… The evidence I recorded…" — My voice broke as I said the last word.

"…The what?!" — He glanced at the small thing in my hand with disbelief.

"I have one back at my home too… I went through hell to deliver it all by myself here… Do you know how much valuable is it?" — I urgently wanted to tell him.

But as I only moved it higher, for him to see it clearly, a loud gunshot pierced through my ears. The loud noise ringed in my mind, making me deaf.