Juniper

It had been a crazy day. I woke up today feeling the month-long depression dredge, thinking that today would be another gray day. But here I was, captured by a national agent and heading towards impending doom.  

Strangely, I didn’t feel angry. I didn’t even feel guilty. 

And for the first time in months, I could breathe free. 

Sure, I was scared. Near-certain death can do those kinds of things to a girl.  

But I had hope. This stranger, this freakishly strong agent, had promised me that she wasn’t just going to hand me over. And for some weird reason, I trusted her. Maybe it was the apple. Maybe it was because this day had been so crazy. I must’ve been in shock. 

I knew she must have some ulterior motive. Why would anyone help a stranger, particularly one on the run?  

I didn’t know much about Elia, and the small bits and pieces that I did know about her terrified me. Girl could force monorail doors open, was heavily armed, and possessed some kind of governmental authority.  

Yes, I saw the bulge in her pants. And before any of you perverts make any jokes, I saw the glint of metal as well. Elia was concealed carrying a gun, a small caliber pistol by the looks of it. I had no idea how she got a permit for that, especially on Gamma-8. Only high-ranking military personnel could carry a weapon concealed in such a public area like this. 

My seatmate was young, maybe early 20s, yet the bags under her eyes carried the weight of decades of lived experience. How was anyone this young this powerful? What happened to her?

I turned back to the window, watching as the tiled tunnel passed by, counting the tunnel lights as if they were sheep. 

But as the monorail finally surfaced, the gray was gone. The clouds had cleared for the first time in months, the hazy purple sky just peaking out. I mean, sure, it was still cloudy, but for the first time since I left Xylia, I saw the stars.  

The light reflected around the cabin, turning it a faint purple. Outside the window, civilians flocked the streets, staring up at the sky like it was a sign from their god. Previously austere WellCorp employees cried tears of joy, stopping their commute to bathe in the starlight. Children played in the streets as their parents watched on with pride.

I turned to glance at my seatmate, my captor, Elia. She was just as in awe as me, gazing out at the starlight as if it was a message from above.  

Elia let out a breathless sigh and turned to me, the dim starlight reflecting in her eyes. 

“I haven’t seen starlight in the lower city in years,” she whispered, a tear sliding down her cheek. “Not since they executed my father.”

Her face spread into a bittersweet grin as her tears dropped into her lap. Yet, even with the salt stinging her eyes, Elia kept them transfixed on the sky. 

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the black silk handkerchief she had wrapped the apple in, shaking it out and handing it to her wordlessly. She glanced over briefly and lent me a grateful smile before returning her eyes to the skies.

The entire monorail car sat in comfortable silence for the rest of the train ride, too busy watching a miracle unfold to converse with others.

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It wasn’t long before we arrived at the final stop on the monorail. 

“Monorail to WellCorp Offices and Business Quarter has reached its final stop,” the speakers crackled. “Please make sure to exit promptly and safely. As always, we value your safety above all, dear passengers.” 

Elia squatted below me, reaching into her back pocket and pulling out a silver card. 

“Time to go,” she ordered. “I’m going to unlock the handcuffs from the monorail. Don’t try anything stupid.” 

What would I do? This mysterious woman was superhuman. I stood no chance if I resisted. 

She swiped the silver card through the receptor on the handcuffs, snapping them off of the monorail bar and briskly onto her right wrist. Then, she swiped the same silver card through the handcuff on my leg and pulled my left wrist to her chest, snapping the handcuff on it.

“Is it too tight?” she looked up. “Do you need me to adjust it?" 

I gave her a brief nod no and got up, lifting my hand up and grinning. 

“Look at us,” I joked. “You aren’t getting away from me now.”

She raised her eyebrow, surprised I was attempting to joke in such a time like this. 

“Forget it,” I muttered. 

She laughed and walked out of the monorail cabin, dragging me along with her.

With her back to me, I could finally get a good look at her without feeling embarrassed as soon as her eyes caught mine. 

Even through her shirt, I could tell she was ripped. And not just your average gym brat, but absolutely jacked. I had to admit, even I was a bit jealous. Her black suitcoat was stretched across her muscular shoulders, rippling in the wind.

She was dressed in a full-length pantsuit, likely trying to fit in with the other businesspeople making their commutes as not to appear suspicious. Even I had to admit she was smart, nabbing me when I least expected it.

Her black hair was magical, always shining. Despite its true black hue, it almost appeared inhuman, perennially pink and blue.

A gust of wind blew into the aboveground station, pushing Elia’s hair back and exposing her neck. Her skin was ghastly pale and porcelain-like like everyone else on this dismal planet, yet unlike everyone else, her skin on her face and arms appeared flawless and unblemished, and her neck was no different. Yet, this only made the strange marking on the back of her neck stand out more.

Tattooed in the center of her neck, right above her collar, was the number “021” in black ink.

I had seen tattoos before. They were common in my home world, bright permanent patterns dedicated to lives lived and lost. But this one was different. Back on Xylia, tattoos represented joy and remembrance, whether it be the name of a loved one or a scene from a popular play. But here on Gamma-8, I had yet to see a tattoo. 

This tattoo was different. It was almost too perfect, in a mechanical, corporate way. Instead of a sign of personal expression, it looked more like a livestock brand.

This woman was nowhere near who I thought she was. What was she?

Elia looked behind to check on me and caught me staring at her neck, instantly pulling up her jacket to cover it, her eyes brimming with leftoveremotion from earlier.

“Just… forget you saw that,” she forced a smile.

“Will do, boss.”