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Something
Beyond Seeing: Chapter 11
by MizzMarvel Early in the morning, Rogue wakes up and gets ready for the trips. She slips on the loose, comfortable clothes St. John recommended the night before, then adds an old coat and a scarf. It・s cool enough by the sea that it won・t seem too odd to have so many layers on. She peers at herself critically in the mirror before she leaves the room. The metal collar around her neck is hidden well enough, she supposes. Of course, she・d rather it just not be there at all. But there・s nothing she can do about that. She walks down the stairs to breakfast. As usual, Piotr has beat her there and sits with a bowl of Corn Flakes in front of him. Rogue bypasses him for the moment and heads into the kitchen, reemerging with only an apple. He looks up at her and frowns with concern, gesturing towards his own meal for lack of words to question her. ・Ah can・t eat NOW. Ah・m goin・ ta the city today,・ she answers his silent inquiry. He raises an eyebrow. ・Ah・m too excited,・ she says, shaking her head. ・Ah can・t eat.・ Piotr sighs and stands, then goes into the kitchen. A minute or so later, he returns carrying a second bowl of cereal, which he sets in front of her. She shakes her head again. ・Ah can・t ・・ He interrupts her with a stern point at the food, and returns to his breakfast. Rogue stares at the meal for a moment, then shrugs. She eats. *** Later, Rogue and St. John are outside, readying the truck for their moderately long journey. They store a few bottles of water under the seat, some sandwiches for lunch in a bag in the glove compartment. The other mutants, save the usual mystery trio, stand off a little in distance, watching them. On Evan and Fred・s faces are looks of benign jealously, while Hank is wistfully smiling and Piotr is worried. Remy is clearly feeling some resentment. ・Don・ know why de new girl get ta go・・ he says, crossing his arms. ・Well, if I remember right,・ St. John responds cheerfully. ・Last time you went, you were nearly arrested for shop-liftin・. ・Only ・cause ya give me away,・ Remy shoots back. St. John snorts. ・Idiot! You were tryin・ to steal a damn turkey! Like it wasn・t obvious!・ ・A turkey?・ Fred repeats in disbelief. ・Maybe under his trench coat・・ Evan offers doubtfully. ・The turkey was alive,・ St. John clarifys. ・What?!・ ・Woulda gotten ・way wit・ it・・ Remy mutters darkly. ・Why・d you want a live turkey?・ Remy shrugs. ・Practice.・ St. John rolls his eyes and places his hand on Rogue・s shoulder. ・Time to go,・ he says. They climb into the truck and slam the doors behind them. St. John, in the driver・s seat, turns the key in the ignition and belts himself in; following his lead, Rogue does the same, then glances out to the others being left behind. ・Bye・・ Fred says glumly. ・Be careful,・ Mr. McCoy calls. Piotr, separate from the others, standing on the porch, raises his hand in a silent goodbye. In response, Rogue lifts her own hand and gives a small smile before, from somewhere deep inside the house, the gate was lowered just long enough for the truck to pass through and out onto the old dirt road. *** The drive seems longer than it should be, but that might have to do with the total lack of interesting things to look at out of the window. At first, the green grass and pretty hills and fields were charming and quaint, the wide blue ocean in the distance vast and majestic, but soon it all just starts to look the same. At one point, they take out the sandwiches and some water and eat their lunch, but it・s the only break in the routine of driving. Eventually, sparse businesses, mostly selling produce and gasoline, start appearing on the side of the road, followed by tiny, ugly houses. Some of them are so dilapidated that it・s obvious they haven・t been occupied in a long time, while others are boarded up despite their apparent newness. Soon, the taller buildings start to peek over the landscape, all gray and black and brown. Even the sky is gray now. The road turns from dirt to pavement, but it・s cracked and badly in need of repair. St. John, who turns out to be a very careful driver, slows down and manages to swerve around the bigger potholes. Rogue presses her face against the window and stares outside in fascination as they finally pull into the city of Hammer Bay. St. John finally pulls the truck to the side of the main street, which is lined with shops, some of which are also boarded up and abandoned. He stares straight ahead, surveying everyone on the street. ・Okay,・ he says. ・When we get out, I・m your boyfriend.・ ・What?・ she asks, confused. ・Act like I・m your boyfriend. Hold my arm or hand or something. Stay close to me.・ ・But・・ ・Just DO,・ St. John orders, glancing at her briefly. Then he opens the door and steps out of the truck, making sure to lock it behind him. She follows, stepping out of the last remnant of her imprisonment, except, of course, the hidden collar encasing her throat. She stares up at the sky, blue and empty and free, and nearly smiles. But then she surveys her earthly surroundings; two scruffy men stare at her with unhidden interest. Rogue takes St. John・s arm, looking away from them. He scowls at the men and protectively pulls her close. ・This way,・ he says softly. They walk arm-in-arm down the street, passing several shops, both empty and occupied. There other people as well, some working or shopping, while others just stand or sit silently on the curb, apparently lacking anything better to do. All of them glance at the two young strangers, who are better dressed and better fed than any of them. Rogue can・t stand the envy flashing in their eyes. Finally, the pair duck into one shop; the door clanks shut behind them. The shopkeeper, standing behind the counter, looks at them suspiciously. ・Lookin・ for somethin・?・ he asks. St. John nods and reaches into his jacket pocket. ・I have a list,・ he says. He looks around and, seeing no one else in the shop that could be of menace to them, lets go of Rogue. ・Don・t go anywhere,・ he tells her as he walks over to the counter. Like you really needed to tell me, she thinks. She looks around the shop, moving slowly down the sparse aisles. The inventory seems to mostly consist of canned goods, powdered mixes, and of course boxes of cereal, things that don・t go bad easily. One wall is lined with a few old-fashioned ice boxes, which no doubt are filled with the microwavable meals they subsist on. This certainly explains things. She sighs, and stands still for a moment. There is a slight tugging at her coat, and she whirls around to face a small, dirty-faced girl with her hand in Rogue・s pocket. ・Hey!・ Rogue cries. The girl frowns, pulls her hand back, spits at the ground at Rogue・s feet. Then, without saying a word, the child runs out of the shop and back onto the streets, from which she・d apparently slipped unnoticed. St. John glances at Rogue from across the shop and rolls his eyes. ・Y・know, I SAID don・t go anywhere.・ Dejected, she walks over to him, feeling slightly safer next to her friend. *** Later, driving back, St. John looks at Rogue from the sides of his eyes. ・So. Ya wanna come with me again next time?・ Rogue is silent for a moment. ・No.・ ・Not like what ya expected?・ ・No.・ ・Told ya.・ To be continued・ ***Author・s Notes Sorry this one took SOOOO long, everyone. A college schedule plus work plus a meager social life equals little fic-writing time. So, to make up for it, this chapter is a little longer than average. Yay・? Hopefully, from now on I・ll be able to make small updates at a quicker pace・it・ll help if I get some nice feedback! |