Hunting For The Sun

CHPATER THIRTEEN

Break Like Glass

For the next two days I´ll have to go on what Draco has told me since.

Draco and Seamus had a massive punch-up after I was knocked out, probably about whose fault it was. They are men, after all. It ended up with both of them in hospital too. Draco broke Seamus jaw and injured shoulder, blacked both of his eyes and knocked him out. Seamus broke Draco´s nose and fractured his skull. Apparently Draco broke his wrist when he punched Seamus´ head. When I was told this I was sickened by the grin on Draco and Seamus´ face. They enjoyed it. Men!

So they ended up in the beds either side of me. There was no space for separate wards. We all got through to task four, though. They postponed it for us. No one had really come out unscathed, and there were fewer people than they had intended, but still enough. Only one-hundred-and-fifty had made it, so competition wouldn´t be so tough to get into the final hundred. They wanted us all properly fixed up.

I was told that my shoulder was sprained, but they fixed all our injuries with magic and waited for Seamus and I to wake up while Draco sat there grinning. They weren´t even bruised when I awoke two days later. Indeed, they were joking like old friends.

`Did I miss something?´ I asked, shoving myself into a sitting position.

`No, not really,´ Draco shrugged, smiling.

`Only an event akin to an apocalypse,´ Seamus grinned.

`What´s that?´ I asked, helping myself to a grape from the table beside my bed.

`We´re friends, that´s all,´ Draco smiled. `How are you feeling?´

`I´m okay,´ I said. `Did we get through?´

Then they told me all the things I already told you.

`So everything´s settled?´ I checked.

`Yup,´ Seamus nodded, nicking my grapes.

`Hey, no fair! I´m the girl here, you´re meant to pay homage to me!´ I protested.

`Sorry, kid.´ He grinned and delved into the bowl, cramming them into his mouth.

`Go away,´ I pouted. `So what was all that about?´

`We´ve been enemies since childhood,´ Draco explained. `Seamus went off with my girlfriend and destroyed me...´

`Then Draco betrayed us all,´ Seamus finished.

`And nicked your girlfriend,´ Draco added.

`Rae was never my girlfriend,´ Seamus disagreed. `You look different,´ he said to me.

`I know,´ I said, creating grapes magically, and devouring them before the grape-less Seamus.

`Better,´ he added quickly. `But different.´

`I know.´ Draco grinned and reached out to stroke my hair fondly.

`Did you really do all that stuff Draco said?´ Seamus asked curiously.

`Probably,´ I said. `I don´t think he´d make it up. The truth´s exciting enough.´

`You´re right,´ Draco said fervently. `Your life is scary.´

`Too complicated,´ I agreed.

~

It was only another day before they let us out, then a day before the next task. Draco and I were walking around the city walls chatting about the upcoming task.

`I don´t know how long we have to get all the stuff planned once we know what we´ve got.´

`No,´ I said, looking up at the hole above us, letting light and air down into the city. It was impossible to know in this place where it began and ended. The wall only appeared occasionally in all the junk. I couldn´t believe all this had been built in just ten years. They were always adding to it. Currently it was being extended South. There was enough of the Wasteland to go around, though. It was huge. All the materials we needed were there, and all we had to do was bend over and pick them up. Trains, a recent addition, shot underneath us through the main tunnel into El Karem. The slipstream that followed pulled hot fresh air over our heads. The loop of the river that had flowed through this area poured down a long chute into the reservoirs from behind a dam. Tiny figures threw ropes down to abseil to points where it leaked. Hot sun painted our faces from the summer above, and the hidden trains drew sweet air down to us. Crews of workers dug new tracks; children fought each other with sticks and climbed the rubble. Massive trucks brought junk into the city to be sorted and piled in the storage areas. Gangs of rebels, fleeing the sector system, crowded on the roofs of the trains, and peered out of the windows. Far ahead we could see the silent London, and the trains that had been broken into and `redirected´ through the walls of the city to bring the rebels here. That was no longer the problem. The nerds had broken all the coding and fetched our side from London. It had been easy, but now security was increasing. We had only, so the guards at the gates called out, only one more trainload coming in about an hour, then we had all of them.

`Interesting way of viewing things, dear,´ Draco smiled, leaning his elbows on the wall and linking his hands together reflectively.

`Keep out,´ I grinned. He laughed, and shifted closer to me. The warm breeze caught his hair, and lifted it up around his face. He looked like a child again. He was, is, beautiful, and it touches my heart whenever I look at him.

`We´ve got that day off, my love. What do you want to do?´ he asked, reaching over to plait my hair again.

I ignored his fiddling, and thought.

`We need to train. There´s only a couple more days before the last task,´ I said doubtfully.

`You´re right, of course, but I won´t listen to you,´ Malfoy grinned, poking me in the back of my head with the end of the plait.

`What do you want to do then?´ I said, resisting the urge to flare.

`I don´t know. I rather thought you´d think of something,´ he said. `Nothing if not honest.´

`Silly,´ I said, then berated myself silently for saying `silly´. It wasn´t a good word.

`Well, we could always work on project whatsit,´ he suggested.

`What´s that?´ I asked, turning around.

`Oh, I can´t remember,´ he shrugged. `It was something we had to do. You´re right, we´d better train.´

`Well, what do you want to do?´ I asked.

`There are over a million annoying things I could say in response to that,´ he smiled, `but I won´t. I think it´s hand to hand combat next.´

So we stepped off the little rim of the parapet and walked hand in hand past the other people up there. The wooden frame steps, which were even then being replaced with an old iron fire escape, were cluttered with paint pots and workers as we walked down into the bustling square. An old fountain and plant display had been salvaged, and it now provided the main square out at the front of the old shopping centre where EKD1 and 2 lived. Rebel children played hopscotch and snakes and ladders out on the smooth concrete, and forklift trucks and pickups carried huge blocks and bits of wreckage along a dusty track by the side. Some off-duty soldiers repainted the magnolia cream colour of the buildings with red and green. We passed through all this and walked the wide alley between EKD1 and 2. On the other side it was a little more business-like. EKD3´s hotel stood on the far side of a deep pit lined with walkways, pillared to keep the ceilings up. Malfoy and I walked along a broad paved boulevard that went along the North side of the quarry. The ornate concrete balustrades that blocked off the edge were hung with ropes to hold paint pots at the right height for those hollowing out homes in the quarry.

`Can we have a look?´ I asked. I watched them every morning, but as yet hadn´t been down. Malfoy shrugged, and we went on to the grand steps that led a little way down then fanned out, just reaching the top level. I dropped the last foot, and smiled at the workman who shrugged apologetically, dragging a block to serve as a last step. Galleries ran all the way around the massive pit, and rooms ran off them. They were being cleared of junk and done up for living in. Apparently, it was to be an extension of EKD3. I hoped we would be some of the ones to be moved. The rooms looked nice. We followed the gallery around to the South side, walking underneath the original walkway we had been on. Sun slanted in through a magically concealed hole in the rubble shell. This really was the `city of miracles´ as it was named.

So far all that ran up the other side to the EKD3 hotel was a dirt ramp, nothing to the lovely staircase on the other side, but it served the purpose. We had to battle our way past many trucks and buggies with materials for the EKD3 Quarry. The area around our original block was well developed already, and very few builders operated there just then. It was a short stroll across the empty plaza and through some gates onto the bridge spanning the forges.

This was a truly impressive part of El Karem. A pit so deep you can´t see to the bottom has been built out of junk and labour, and it´s still one of the most advanced magic forges in the world. My father was a man to be proud of. This bridge wasn´t finished, exactly, and it was dangerous but necessary. It was wide enough, I suppose, but the interminable drop below us was made far more pronounced by the fact that there were no barriers along the bridge. I suppose no one actually had time to see to something that only an idiot would find dangerous. Anyway, we were left with this metal plank spanning a pit a half-mile wide. I smiled. It showed up our personalities that no one noticed this health hazard. To be fair, there was one girl created little posts along the edges and stringing thick rope through them, although that would serve no purpose if one began to fall. Malfoy gave her a warm smile as we passed, and I swear she would have fallen if she hadn´t held on to her little rope. I suppose it had some use, then.

The other side was busier, and more work was going on. EKD4 and 5 were still the smallest garrisons and more people joined them every day. EKD4 had a skyscraper all to itself, and EKD5 lived in a district of houses. We crossed this district, waving to Seamus as we passed, and pausing to chat with Rhea who was working on painting the houses blue with some others.

`We´ve been given colours,´ she told us. `I think you´re white. 1´s red, 2 are green, 4 are yellow and we´re blue. I think the other one was white.´

We nodded, exchanged pleasantries and moved on. Past the houses, now blue, we came to a steep cliff of about one hundred feet. A thin flight of steps descended the face onto what had once been a park. The lack of buildings had kept it clear when the DEs smashed everything. A spell had been activated to hide it from the outside, like one way glass. It was being tended again to make it a nice place. An immediate peace came over me as we stepped onto the grass. There was so little grass in London, and almost none in the underground world of EK. We found a spot under some towering Sycamore trees and sprawled out on the cool ground. It was a big park, and one could only just see the waste beyond.

`Want to beat me up then?´ I asked, resigned.

I don´t know how long we were there, giggling, but twilight was descending and threatening to pass into the warm summer night as we finally left. We went all the way back to EKD3 Hotel and changed out of our dirty clothes to go and have supper. The warm night inspired them to open the restaurant doors onto the terrace overlooking the park in the distance. We sat outside and ate our food with the company of fireflies and the stars.

The last task was dull, just kung fu. I won´t tell you about it, but I came forty-third. The elation was dampened more than a little by the fact that it was a tournament, and one had to win one´s fight then fight the winner of another, and so one. It took a long time and I was nearly dead by the end, not to mention the spectators. Ugh. They had a lovely parade for us, though. Very touching.

I took time out the next day to visit my father in his throne room. He didn´t seem all that pleased to see me, so I left abruptly and didn´t return for a long time. Instead I sought out Apate. She wasn´t hard to find, and it turned out that she was coming too.

`Me, Cloud, Rhea and you,´ I marvelled. `Nearly everyone´s coming!´

`I know,´ she grinned. `That Draco´s fine, isn´t he?´

I decided not to say anything. `Yeah, I´m in his unit.´

`Lucky bitch,´ she moaned. `I´d love to get that close to him.´

I giggled. Oh yes, close to Draco. Unthinkable. `It´s not that close.´

`Closer than me,´ she grunted. `I can´t believe I hated him so much. Now he´s on our side it all makes sense, and he´s so nice.´

`Is he?´ I hadn´t really noticed that.

`Well, who cares? He´s charming.´

`He is that,´ I lied. Yes, charming of him to force me to kill my friends.

`Do you think...´ she said breathlessly. `Do you think we could try to meet him? I´m not busy.´ She quickly put away her paintbrush and flicked her hair.

`We´ll see if we can find him,´ I said.

Draco?

Yes my love?

I´ve got a friend who´s very keen to meet you. I haven´t told her that I know you, though.

I understand. Where do you want me to be so that you can miraculously discover me?

He seemed to be taking his immense popularity in stride. Git.

Try the main wall. I felt an odd flickering as his movement jerked our connection.

Ready and waiting.

We´ll be there in a minute.

Is she pretty?

What?

Your friend, is she pretty?

I suppose so.

Good.

I was disgusted, but tried not to let it show on my face.

`Where should we check first?´ Apate asked, looking around.

`Let´s start right at the wall,´ I suggested. She nodded, and we crossed the square to the iron fire escape.

`Isn´t that him?´ she asked, pointing at the familiar silver-blond head.

`I think so,´ I said. `Wasn´t that lucky?´

`You´re telling me,´ she laughed, and launched onto the steps like a kangaroo.

I followed her up and spotted her having come to a halt ten feet away I pushed right ahead.

`Excuse me?´ I said.

`Hello,´ he said, turning around.

`We´d very much like to meet you,´ Apate said breathlessly.

`Well, I´m glad to meet you too,´ he smiled, holding out his hand. Apate looked at it for a moment, eyes like dinner plates, then took it and shook it fervently.

You said she was `suppose´ pretty. She´s gorgeous!

Malfoy exclaimed.

Excuse me?

I said dangerously.

Not as good as you,

he thought quickly, flashing me a sexy little smile. I growled mentally.

Easy tiger!

He grinned at me.

They chatted for a while, and I settled against the wall to do a little people watching. I don´t know how they got onto the subject of `back then´, but they did. I started paying attention slowly when I felt Malfoy´s discomfort.

`Well, I´m sure it´s all repented now!´ Apate was flustering. I could see the danger signs already. I don´t know if he´s aware of it, but Draco has a particular pose when he doesn´t like how things are going but he´s daring them to continue. He was in that pose now. He leaned slightly back, and his thumbs were looped in the top of his pockets. One eyebrow was slightly raised, and there was a barely perceptible tightening of the skin about his eyes. His head was tipped back and tilted a little to the right. I prepared to move into the `brace´ position.

`Oh?´ he asked in a very dangerous tone. Apate was clearly too lust-driven to notice.

`Well, anything you did is excused by getting together with Rae! Besides, you could never be as bad as your father was!´ she laughed, slapping her hand to her thigh as though it were highly amusing. Clearly, it was not.

`MY FATHER WAS A GOOD MAN!´ Draco yelled, flinging his hands free and snapping his head to within an inch of hers. `NEVER IN YOUR SORRY LIFETIME COULD YOU BE WHAT HE WAS!´

He raised his arm to strike her. She screamed and flung herself back, skidding and slipping over the edge of the wall.

`Stop!´ I commanded. She froze in mid-air. I chose not to waste time marvelling. Malfoy was advancing on her, his heavy boots crunching the cement flakes on the path.

I did something then I had never done before. I reached into Malfoy´s mind and took over. It helped me to understand. I knew Apate was wrong to say what she did, but I didn´t know how much it had hurt Malfoy. It shocked me to find how much he had loved his father. I know it shouldn´t have done, but Lucius Malfoy has never appeared as the loveable type. His mind was a confused welter of emotions. Hatred, rage, love and fear boiled in him. I didn´t understand the fear, but that wasn´t why I was there.

I tried to shove my way through and get to the part that controlled his body.

`Stop now, walk away and stay there.´ I directed his eyes to a point some way along the wall. `Do not come back unless I call you.´

I drew out and like water filling a hole Malfoy flooded back in. He walked stiffly to the point and waited there, his eyes anguished but his body still.

I returned my panicked attention to Apate who was stock-still in the air a foot or so away from the edge and still level with it. Her hands were grasping towards the ledge, but frozen. Her mouth was open in a now soundless scream of terror. I reached over and caught her hands.

`Unfreeze,´ I breathed, bracing myself for her weight. It came sharply, and she swung around, slamming against the wall as I strained against gravity to pull her up. My arms were popping out of their sockets, but soon she crawled over the edge, tears streaking her face. She flung herself into my arms, and I stumbled back against the parapet. She looked along the top of the wall to where Draco stood woodenly, looking straight ahead, with his hands fisted at his sides.

`Malfoy,´ I called. `You can come back now.´

He didn´t look at me, just marched with his head held high until he reached us. He stopped right in front of me and brought his face around and close to mine. He grabbed my chin with his thumb and forefinger, pinching the skin.

`You and I are through,´ he spat, then he pulled his fingers away roughly, snapping my head to one side so far that my neck cracked in protest. He stormed away, and simply vanished in mid stride.