Chapter 6

“Water?” It seemed so strange to have a plastic container of water on a shelf, but then, perhaps they didn’t have hydration pills back then. She couldn’t imagine a world where a person had to worry about finding water.

“The cans must’ve been food,” Mist said as she stood back up and shined the light around toward the chair in the corner. “Maybe people took shelter down here during the war.”

“Maybe,” Rain agreed. It made sense that a room like this might be able to withstand the bombs they were dropping at the time, but it seemed dangerous to build the stairs of wood. If a fire had broken out, they could’ve burned, leaving them stranded. “It’s all so bizarre.”

“I agree.” Mist took a few steps toward the mess in the corner, walking slowly. While there was still some light radiating her direction, Rain didn’t want to move too far without the full effect of the beam, so she stood still and watched as Mist picked her way over the debris, kicking larger items out of the way, like broken wood pieces and some of the metal.

After several minutes of looking around and seeing nothing of particular interest, Mist shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. Maybe we should come back some time with protection gloves and see if we can find anything of value.”

“Yeah, that would be a better idea than digging around with our bare hands,” Rain agreed knowing protection gloves would be impenetrable to anything sharp or pokey. “We should probably get back home.”

“You’re right,” Mist said, her eyes still scanning the ground. “Too bad we didn’t find anything useful, though. Such an interesting place but no clues to anything.”

Rain had taken a few steps toward the stairs but stopped and turned to look at her friend. “Clues?” she asked, not sure what Mist meant. “What sort of clues?”

“You know, about the past,” Mist said with a shrug. “About… before the Claiming and the War. Don’t you ever wonder what life was like back then?”

Muscles constricted in her stomach as a nausea flooded her senses. “Mist… that’s forbidden,” Rain reminded her. “We aren’t allowed to explore that period of history. You know that.”

The red-head squared around to look directly at her. “Don’t you want to know, Rain?”

“It doesn’t matter if I want to know or not, Mist! We aren’t allowed to.”

“Rain, you’re too intelligent to continue to say things like that. Don’t you ever question… anything?”

A wave of anger took over as Rain looked her so-called best friend in the eyes. She took a few steps closer. “You’re right, Mist, I am smart. Too smart to get myself thrown in Isolation--or worse--over some stupid hole in the ground! No, I don’t question the past! We’ve been told not to, for our own good. Why would I want to go against the Mothers? They know what’s best for us!”

Mist made a sound like steam coming out of a vaporized cooking bag. “It’s time to open your eyes, Rain.”

Glaring at her, Rain insisted, “My eyes are open! I’m going up. You can dig through stupid cans and leaves all you want to!” She whirled around and headed back to the stairs, glad the sunlight penetrated the high trees on the perimeter enough to illuminate the way out, even though Mist wouldn’t be cruel enough to turn the flashtube off while she was on the stairs. She reached the top and considered storming off and leaving her friend alone, but she didn’t. Instead, she took a few steps back toward the woods, folded her arms, and seethed.

Mist stayed down a few more minutes, giving Rain just enough time to cycle through what had transpired. Her anger morphed into something else--something she didn’t even want to admit to herself: realization. In her heart, she knew Mist was right. So many of the Mothers’ teachings never made much sense, but Rain had never questioned them. In fact, she was under the impression no one ever questioned them. Now, she was beginning to realize some people did. People like her best friend. And she’d had no idea.

Footsteps echoed off the stairs. Mist emerged from the hole, an odd expression on her face. She looked a little surprised to see that Rain hadn’t gone home without her, and her hand went to her back in an odd way, as if she were trying to tuck in her shirt or something, which made little sense because the button-down shirt she wore over her T-shirt wasn’t tucked in at all. Rain arched an eyebrow at her but didn’t say anything. Just because Mist was right didn’t mean she had to admit it.

She watched as Mist closed the door and buried it under some leaves, dirt, and logs, making sure the metal handle wasn’t obvious but they could still find it if they ever wanted to come back. Rain told herself there was no point, but in the back of her mind, she wasn’t so sure that was how she really felt.

Without a word, Mist began walking toward the path they’d taken through the forest, and Rain followed, but an uneasiness hung between them, one not sparked by the argument but by something else. A heavy feeling settled in her chest as Rain contemplated what it would be like to lose Mist’s friendship. She couldn’t imagine life without her. She’d have to find a way to apologize without Mist knowing Rain thought she was right. Questioning the Mothers was wrong--and risky--and Rain didn’t need any of those things in her life. Surely, Mist realized she was treading on dangerous ground and would stop making such crazy statements. If she’d said something like that to anyone else…. Rain couldn’t finish the thought.

Mist stepped through the trees, moving quickly, but Rain kept up, her haste to get back home fueling her speed. Whatever else was going on with Mist, Rain couldn’t tell, but a few times, she adjusted her pants in a way Rain had never noticed her yank on them before, and as they neared the exit of the forest, Rain got a glimpse of something protruding from the back of Mist’s waistband. She couldn’t tell what it was, but Rain was certain that, whatever it happened to be, it had come from the hole, and it could only mean trouble.