One

I clenched my fist around the knife and glanced up at Di. My face burnt with fury as I charged quickly up to her then distracted her with the knife swinging by her ear then held my gun up against her forehead. I bit my lip — almost drawing blood — and without hesitation, without a pause, without a beat. I pulled the trigger with no mercy. I watched as the Di's metal carcass tumbled to my feet. I had some sort of satisfaction due to this...as I heard the loud footsteps of another Di racing behind me. It felt as if I were somewhere else. Somewhere were only I defeat each Di one by one using only my weapons and hands. I spun on my heel, drew my gun and shot multiple times before the expression was blank and he toppled to the ground.

And that's one way how I live my life.

Cover laughed as he finished of Di numéro deux and watched the cold body of tin shatter against the hard soil.

Sail and Vow both placed their arrows under the notch and pulled towards their ear. A colorful dash of green, orange, pink and blue streamed across the sky just as Di (numéro trois) dispersed. The pieces of oily tin thundered to the ground like rain as I slid my knife into my belt and watched my Di's eyes slowly melt into red rivers. The tin cracked open and rusted as I let my own blood run over Di's white tin.

That was a new tactic called; self inflicted pain.

A tactic the Zones would die for. A tactic that showed everyone that their Dis' pain and my pain together was nothing.

Maybe this time the tactic will actually go somewhere instead of running down the road to oblivion.

Unfortunately...my tactic didn't go as planned.

"Get...me...cloth...Sail." I shuddered and dropped my blade to the ground. Cover gave Vow a look and mouthed 'well that's new', Vow nodded and crossed her arms. Then winced slightly and rested them to her sides. Sail came back in a rush as he clasped strips of old gray shirts in his hand. He gently pressed it against my arms. "Tha...nks." My voice broke.

"How bad is it?" Sail asked as he pressed harder on my non-stop bleeding forearm. I shrugged with one arm and watched the blood stream out of my veins until I was on the brink of emptiness. "Ever," I nodded and saw a line of shattered tin dug in my arms. Sail stopped pressing and placed a hand on my cheek then pulled my attention towards him. I smiled and felt tears streak my bloody cheeks. "it's okay."

"Right...." I murmured softly and gestured for him to continue pressing on my wounds. Vow slowly stepped up, knelt down and began picking out the massively dug in shards of tin. I had no effect (and clearly neither did Vow, with her dipped arms slathered in blood.) I just let the tears stream down my cheeks.

I hated the Di. The Di are heartless test tube children who are injected with all these poisons, drugs and toxins until they are to no use. Therefore their minds are rotted with action movie moves and stealth then shipped into a tin body that are called the Di. I wasn't actually sure what 'Di' stood for, let alone meant (ironically you pronounced it 'die', so I'm guessing they wanted you to die...okay lame joke...). But in any case...the Di were pure evil. They were crafted with this menacing tin that took ages to take out and heal (that explains my excessive bleeding) and these hard automatic powerful kicks that could shatter a million bones all together. The Di were on a mission. A mission to exterminated all. Everyone. Until only the Takers (the masterminds who crafted them) and The Born (the mastermind behind the whole plan) are the only ones left, so they can be worshipped in every way possible. But right now they manage to juggle being worshipped and at the same time being hated and accused for many things in every way possible.

I winced as Sail poured a waterfall of freezing cold water down my arms to purify the new cuts that imprinted on my skin. I watched as he emptied the metal bottle of water and was passed rolls of bandages. I glanced over at Vow whose arms were clotted with blood.

Clean up was going to be long today.

As Sail finished bandaging my arm, Vow collapsed to the ground and let the last piece of tin fly in the sky. "Cover clean her up. Inject her with the adrenaline." I ordered weakly. Cover nodded and sprinted for our bags. I twitched as he took out the needle filled with adrenaline. "Wait!" Cover froze. "Only inject it in her if she isn't breathing and her heart is at an irregular rate."

"Really? What happened with risk-taker, Ever?" Cover complained sadly and placed the needle back in the bag. I gave him a sour glare. Clearly I wasn't in the mood for jokes. Cover sighed as he trudged through blood, tin and torn pieces of flesh until he lifted Vow's body and gently placed her in a nearby river. "So...uh," I looked over at Cover who was wiping up the blood with an extra shirt. "how many more?"

"What?" I spat in confusion. Sail obviously knew something I didn't since he had this smile fixed on his face. I glared at him. "What!" I was complaining now. I hated secrets. I hated anyone who knew something I didn't know — which is the case, like, 80% of the time. Cover laughed softly and began to press on Vow's wounds. He pressed his ear against Vow's chest. He lifted his head again and nodded. I wish he had did that before he placed her in the shallow river. Well at least Vow was alive and I didn't have to spend the rest of my time with these...àssholes.

Sail shook his head and chuckled silently. "How many more," Sail was about to clarify. "as in; how many more days until the Sex-Di." Cover burst out in laughter that made me jump.

"What!"

Cover gasped for air and wiped the tears from his eyes. "Oh it's nothing! It was just this rumor I overheard The Miracle and The Heart chatting about." He continued to force the blood out of Vow's wounds.

I shook my head in disappointment. Or maybe it was more to hide how I thought it was sort of in a way funny.

"T...that makes no sense!" I scowled. Sail rolls his eyes as Cover continues to try and cease his laughter.

"Little Miss. Pure is embarrassed." Cover chuckles. I was on the verge of beating the shit out of him.

I can feel my veins pound with anger. I'm not pure! I've seen them nude countless times! I've had to mend their gashes more than billions of times! And now Cover is calling me pure? "I can slash off...that, which makes you totally vulnerable due to that I can see your leg's blood seeping through your ripped clothing Cover."

Instantly silence swept over us. Cover finished cleaning up Vow and passed her to Sail who began drying her arms before bandaging. I smiled slightly glad that she wasn't badly damaged and roughed up like I was.

I saw Cover strip his pants off. I offered to help Cover clean himself but he shook his head. "I know how to disinfect and clean."

I felt the slightest bit hurt with his direct coldness. I shrugged and sat next to the bags.

My thoughts revert back to, what I hope, was Cover's joke. I couldn't guess why The Miracle and The Heart would be rumoring about a new type of Di used for...pleasure. Wouldn't that be something the Alices would be laughing about? But then again, the Alices consist of two males and two females, so there would be no positive explanation to why the females would be rumoring about a sex toy. I sighed.

Allow me to clarify what exactly The Miracle and The Heart are. The Miracle is a robot that was made just after a lonely scientist lost his daughter in an accident. His wife was already dead after she gave birth to the daughter's twin. It was a miracle because the hair grew back after you trimmed it, it walked smoothly without a glitch, the eyes held tear ducts (that were never to be used) and the mouth could do various useful things. Truly that was the first Miracle robot, and the only. The Miracle had no heart, so for years and years the scientist glued his eyes to a computer screen and tried crafting a heart made of memories. Unfortunately The Miracle would short out if he tried programming the heart in to her system, due to this he made a separate robot not as amazing as The Miracle but The Heart would be able to obtain a heart. Since he already made the female twin into a Miracle he made the male twin into a Heart. It was amazing since just after he died The Heart linked hands with The Miracle and they both sang until the scientist's heart stopped beating. That's what The Heart and The Miracle are. A pair of robots made of pure amazingness.

Now the Alices. The Alices are the most frightful creatures I've ever seen. Each have a card symbol such as; spades, clubs, hearts and diamonds. Spade (known as Arrow) was blue, it was the creature who ate things cold; as in cannibalism. Club (known as Clover) was green, it was the creature of a diva who has been deceased for more than two hundred years. Heart (known as Love, how original right?) was red, it was the creature of blood, pretty self-explanatory, so I need not to go in major details here. Finally, diamond (known as Sharp) was yellow, it was the creature of stitches (as in different arms were stitched to his shoulder blades, etc...) and intelligence...that's also self explanatory. The Alices were deformed humans that lived on fear and blood. They each were tattooed (in black) with their symbols and dyed to the color of their symbol — an example is Clover, she's tattooed with a club and her flesh is dyed to a deep forest green. I really don't want to get in to details with them...that much. I've only met them three times and they still chill me to the bone.

I shuddered. Just remembering Arrow, Clover, Love and Sharp made me want to puke in disgust. Me and Vow could agree on that one, but I think the guys actually enjoy the disturbing creatures — oddly.

"Shit." Cover murmured and pulled his hand away from his leg. I stood up and sprinted over to Cover with a sense of eagerness to help Cover with clean up. I stopped at the edge of the shallow river and saw the giant deep gash. Well it wasn't that deep but it was deep enough for stitches. "How in the —"

"Sail!" I shouted before Cover could finish his sentence. Sail laid Vow on a towel before he ran over to me. He stood behind me almost knocking me over. I steady myself before crouching down for Sail to see. "Do we have —"

"We have ask the Zones." Sail cut me off. I gave him a shocked, angry glare. I shook my head and stood up from my crouched position. I glanced up at him. "We can't ask the Zones!" I protested and stepped forward, making Sail step back slightly. He frowned, "We have to, Ever, or else Cover could die!" I crossed my arms over my chest. I clearly hated this idea.

Cover set himself in the river and yelped a little as he felt the water run through his deep gash. Sail set off; leaving me to sit uncomfortably between Vow and Cover.

The Zones.... I thought grimly and clenched my fist. My jaw tightened as I punched the ground slightly before wincing at the slight, sharp pain that clattered internally through my nerves and veins. I hate the Zones! Why are the Takers so cruel?

The Zones were cameras. Cameras that recorded our every move, our every word and our every breath. They kept track of you, slowly pulling one away along with another — that is, if the Richs get bored. The Richs were the wealthiest people of the land. They watched us mourn and helped us occasionally if we had nothing to aid someone with...hence Cover's leg. I had no idea what the Poors watched maybe they watched a lower quality of us mourning, or maybe they just waited silently next to the radio, with their ear pressed against the speakers, waiting anxiously for the death toll. I could hardly remember my life as a Poor...but I do remember my mother humming songs, painting sunsets and sewing clothes every other day — after all she sold everything she made for a living. Even though my mother did this for all the Desires (Desires are like provinces and states...just larger.) The Born and (or, I never was quite sure,) the Takers blew everything away from us. They took my brother and younger sister away from me then threw me in a cell. The Zones examined me thoroughly until I was old enough to prepare for torture and excruciating pain — which I may add is your late nine year-olds. I met Sail in one of the examination rooms as they pried at my flesh and silently whispered a conversation. I remember seeing a smaller, younger version of Sail with long deep chocolate hair. They pulled it back in a ponytail and chained him to the table. Obviously he had been struggling before I entered the room with handcuffs clamping my wrists' blood circulation off.

Though...I think we were both six at the time, since we were in the same cell until we were nine.

Point is; Sail and I know each other better than ourselves.

Suddenly reverting me back to reality was Vow's suddenly shriek. I jumped from my spot and raced over to Vow. Just as I reached to comfort her a spark escaped her body. Then another, and another, until she was crackling with electricity. I shuffled backwards. The Richs were bored weren't they? Now that all of the Dis have dispersed they want to take away the weakest out of us. I clutched my hair and yanked on it. Clumps of tangled knots rested in my bloody stained palms. What should I do.

I'm the leader. I reminded myself and stumbled for a metal bottle filled with clean, cold, crystal water. I fumbled for the lid then twisted it open before dumping a massive freezing waterfall on her sparking body. Would that help? I bit my lip and rested my weight on my heels. The sizzling stopped.

Vow coughed and hugged her knees. "My god...." She whispered with a stunned expression. I sighed with relief and smiled. I sat next to her and hugged her sopping body. "They're out to get me now, Ever!"

"Not if I can help it!" I smiled and broke from the hug. I noticed Vow was staring at Cover's large gash. She frowned. "Sail is out to get the Zones' attention...." I was assuming she knew that the gash needed stitches. Or maybe that wasn't as obvious as I thought.

"Wait," Never mind, it was obvious. She crawled over to the backpacks and zipped her's open. She rummaged quickly through her bag and pulled out a spool of fine, dark thread along with a needle that was as small as her pinky. "I knew I still had this."

My jaw must've dropped because Vow began to giggle. "W...when? Where...how???" I stumbled in confusion.

"Alise. Alise had a whole medical kit when I was with the Deadly Desires." Vow rushed to explain. "And once they had the Di pulling at her throat, I took everything she had and ran. I ran fast. I was weak then I didn't know what to do...." I could see a faint glint of tears. I smiled and hugged her. "It's okay Vow." I smiled.

"I'll go stitch up Cover, you get Sail."

Vow pranced off with her spool and needle. I grabbed my backpack along with the two empty metal bottles and dashed off into the greenery that had suddenly set behind me. Bored again huh? Well, sure, kill off all the trees! I scowled and stomped on the grass under my feet. I felt a light, soft sensation. I continued to walk on the green cloud until I saw a large, wide river that lay in front of me. I crouched next to the shore, picked up a pebble and threw it.

Plunk.

Huh...only two feet.... I muttered mentally and shrugged. I took out the metal bottles, filled them and twisted the caps back on. This better last us for another battle or at least a trip into the mountains....

I sighed and trudged through the cold, fresh water. "Sail better not be far." I murmured and crossed my arm over my chest, pressing the metal bottles against my thin layered shirt.

※※※


Where is he! I screamed in my head and restrained myself from taking a swig at the cold, tempting water in my arms. I sat on a rock with my hands tangled in my hair. I continued to pant irregularly along with tears the streaked my dirty cheeks. Note to self: wash cheeks when we get back to camp.

I stood up and glanced up at the motionless clouds. I bit my lip, restraining myself from shouting up at the Richs for help. They'd do nothing if I asked for a compass. Or would they? I inhaled sharply before shouting, "You know, I could really use a compass you lame-ass bitches!"

Of course I wasn't taken up to the surface and handed a silver ringed compass. I sighed and continue to trudge through the muddy grass.

Walking wasn't going to help anymore.... Plus Sail had wings, why must I do all the walking and searching? "Sa—"

"What's up?" Sail asked suddenly and wiped his bloodied shirt on his chest. I turned around and practically screeched then ran in his chest. He winced slightly with a yelp and gently wrapped his arms around me. I felt his warmth soak in my flesh and had a bitter, lingering taste of blood. I pushed back gently and ran my fingers over his chest. Each touch he tensed.

"What happened?" I asked then ran my fingers through my hair my clotted hair. Blood was dangling in my hair. Sail sat on the rock and pushed his wings out. His demonic looking wings caught the glint of the fake sun and radiated with heat. I could see clearly now. A Di attacked him — a vicious one.

"A Di happened."

"No really?" My tone was filled with sarcasm.

"Since I was pretty much unarmed it took their shot and damaged my chest and tore slightly at my wings, though I got away fast enough so I could still fly and find you." I watched the blood gush from the cuts in his chest. I closed my eyes and shifted in discomfort before looking at Sail's bloodied shirt. "Anyway, let's head back."

Sail picked me up and stepped on the tip of the rock before propelling himself in the air. I quickly wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my face in his shoulder. I heard the soft, yet powerful beating of his wings along with his steady heartbeat.

I actually felt safe. It felt as if nothing could go wrong.

Until that piercing scream cut through the loud wind, the soft beating of Sail's wings and heart — I began to panic.

I urged Sail to rush. I had a sinking feeling that Vow and Cover got attacked. Oh god, Cover can't run! The stitches with open and.... I ceased my death possibility thoughts and hoped that Vow and Cover weren't attacked.

I was about to ask Sail if there was a faster way...but due to the loudness of everything, including his wings and heart, I decided talking was useless and only hoping was the best thing to do.

Finally, five minutes later we landed roughly on the sandy shore. I saw the pile of our backpacks had been torn open and a spool and needle were left by the water. I wiggled my toes (a natural habit when I was scared) and stumbled for the spool and needle. I clasped it safely around my palm and sighed. We need this.

I collapsed on the sand and closed my eyes.

Bored again? You stupid Richs! I grimly thought and furrowed my brows.

Sail's footsteps were heard vaguely along with the clam lapping of the water in front of me. Sail knelt next to me and pulled his wings in. "Ever, they aren't here."

That's when I began to panic.