Page 82 of Born Savage

I also liked when she rolled her eyes. “I’ll pit my education about the past against yours.”

Chuckling, I grabbed the bottle of tequila, pouring us both a splash. While in my mind, nothing had changed with regard to timing of our departure, I was no fool to think she would leave willingly with two people she cared about on death’s door. “Since we lived in a city that offered any kind of food you could ever considered wanting, every week we went to a new restaurant. Something else I miss. Restaurants. Granted, there are some in Freedom Cities.” A memory of my own I didn’t care to relive.

“There are?”

“Yeah, all run by the government, so I doubt they’re authentic.”

She pulled her foot onto the chair, using her knee as a prop with her arm and head.

“Anyway, we’d have Vietnamese one week, Egyptian the next. I loved it. My sister hated it. My mother tolerated our activities. But I learned a lot and the smells were incredible.”

“You were free to walk anywhere you wanted.”

“Absolutely. There were so many activities, but my favorite was playing catch with my dad.” I could feel the heaviness of my memories weighing me down.

“I don’t remember my father at all. Granted, until recently, I couldn’t envision my mother. But I do remember something about a man who visited at least a few times. She was frightened of him.”

“Do you have any idea why?”

“No, but in the dream, she acted like she wanted me to find Eden, not as a desire for me to find a happy place but as a necessity. I wish I knew why. I know what you said and the reason you’re here, but I can’t find it within myself to believe there’s a location left on this earth devoid of the destruction of man. Peter insinuated such a place a few times, but I know better. Stories and lies to build hope in a dying people. Not that I blame him or anyone else for attempting to keep spirits up. I’ve seen one too many people fall victim to their despair. I wish the dream was real, but I don’t know what to believe or who to trust. No offense.”

“I can understand why and none taken, but I hope one day you’ll find it within you to learn that I’m not here to hurt you. What was lost everyone seemed to take for granted. Don’t get me wrong, there were issues and when you grow up privileged, you definitely don’t have the capacity to understand how difficult life was for so many. My mother tried to keep my sister and me grounded while my father attempted to corral those attempting to make things worse.” I took another swig, uncertain how much further with the conversation I was willing to go.

“Do you ever wonder what would have happened if the war had ended peacefully?”

The question was one that had haunted me for one too many years in the beginning. “Not any longer. Doing so only makes you believe that you could have had a part in altering the score. I don’t think anyone could have.”

“How old were you?”

“Seven.”

“Wow. I can’t imagine. What happened to your family?”

While Peter knew who I was, the fact he’d had an opportunity to tell her and hadn’t meant he’d been pledged to keep whatever reason our lives were supposed to intertwine a huge secret. “They were killed.”

“I’m sorry.” She reached across the table, taking my hand into hers. “I really am. Is that why you volunteered for the program?”

The program. A mild term, but the logistics of what those who’d volunteered had faced also no longer mattered. “Yep. I wanted revenge.”

“I also can’t blame you for that. Now that I know I was tossed aside, I would love to see those involved suffer. Maybe that makes me a terrible person, but how could you leave a child knowing she couldn’t survive on her own?”

While I had thoughts about the reason, even providing the idea was potentially dangerous. “I don’t know, Star. Maybe because your birth parents felt there was no other choice. If what you dreamt about was true, it sounds like your mother loved you very much.”

She half smiled, lost in a sea of emotions. “Yeah, I think she did.”

We sat quietly for a few minutes. While I could say we were enjoying the time together, I had my doubts that she’d ever be able to place her full trust in me. Why should she?

“You’re nothing like what I thought.”

I chuckled and brought the glass to my lips. “How so?”

“You’re not a true Savage.”

“Some would say those in the program were born savage.”

“While I believe some people are born evil, I also suspect savagery is driven into a person from anger and despair. And greed.”

“Maybe you’re right. And maybe you’re a little savage yourself. You certainly know how to wield a sword, little warrior. I think I’ll start calling you a warrior instead of princess. It suits your personality perfectly.”