Beyond the haven

Esper

Fort. Sector 3.

402 AF.

It was dark. Not much light could filter itself into the house when all the windows were closed shut and the curtains were down.

"Tara."

"Mom?"

A little girl sat on her mother's lap, staring at her with a blank expression on her face. It was cute, but creepy.

The woman shook her head, chasing away those thoughts.

"You're perfect."

"I know." She smiled.

'I can't ignore this anymore. If she continues to grow up like this ...' Miranda thought, with a worried look on her face.

'I have to. It's what needs to be done.' Her eyes went back to Tara's. Her expression wasn't kind.

"What's wrong, mom?"

__________

Fort. Sector 4.

Westward exit.

409 AF.

Tara stood tall, blood seeping out of the open wound.

"Umm.. are you okay?"

She nodded.

"You do realise you have a bullet hole in the centre of your forehead, right?" Ivan looked concerned, but he was still trying to be funny.

Tara nodded again.

The man in the armour turned around to face the shooter. He was standing firm, the gun still smoking. A heavy frown on his face.

"What did you just do?"

"I... Why isn't she dead?"

She suddenly began to laugh manically. The tempo of her laugh heightened as the moments passed by. She laughed and laughed. Even Ivan shifted away in fright.

Without any warning, she stopped abruptly. Then she stared at her feet for a second, her expression not changing. Raising her head was slow, and stiff for some reason. By the time she was staring at the gatekeeper, the blood had dripped down to her nose, and was reaching her lips. She licked the blood off her lips.

"Pathetic."

Then she vanished.

Ivan put his hand into his armour, the metal reconfiguring itself to open up a space for him to insert his hand on the back of his shirt. He groped around until he found something and dragged it out, the golden armour fixing itself to cover up the temporary hole. It was a small platinum disc this time. The disc split up into micro pieces, much like the armour did earlier. These pieces levitated in mid-air until it was time for them to piece themselves together. In barely two seconds the transformation was complete. A saber made out of platinum. The moment it was done, he gripped on to the hilt tightly and swallowed hard.

While that was happening, the guard had lowered his gun, his eyes frantically darting around in a futile attempt to find her. Sweat dripped from his forehead, and his entire body trembled. He put his free hand into his pocket, reaching for something.

"Looking for something?" The girl's voice rang at his ear. Tara was right behind him, positioned on his back, whispering into his ear.

He screamed something incomprehensible, before suddenly going quiet. His body started falling forward. The towering man crashed into the ground, and Tara jumped off him right before he did.

"He's not getting up from that one."

She dusted her hands.

"What... are you?"

Tara frowned.

"I hate it when people say that."

"Okay. I know you're an esper, but exactly what did you do to him?"

The man was lying face down on the floor, undignified. Blood formed a pool under his face. Red finger marks could be seen on both of his shoulders.

Tara responded with her own question.

"Why are you so calm?"

"Do I look calm to you?" Ivan gripper the hilt tighter. His face was tense for a few seconds until he took a deep breath.

"I have experience dealing with espers. Very dangerous espers."

He shook his head.

"I don't want to talk about it. But, I should've realised it. A weird little girl..."

Tara raised an eyebrow.

"...like you. The fact that you're not wearing shoes. And I thought the red stains on your top was... sauce? I guess I was wrong. Blood, right?"

Tara smiled.

"You're cautious, but you're not afraid of me. I like that. But I think it's best if you quit being rude."

He nodded.

"I'm leaving now." She waved him, before turning around, bending down and rummaging through the fallen security man's pockets.

"What are you saying?"

"You know the kind of monster I am. You've seen it with your own two eyes."

"So?"

"Are you dense? I'm a criminal."

"I'm a criminal myself. There's this time when I just went crazy at a club. Did some dirty things. I think my drink was spiked ..."

"That doesn't change it. You're risking your life by following me. I'm a threat to you. I could kill you when ever it suits my fancy." She brought out a cars from the man's pocket.

"You really can't. My armour is impenetrable."

She gave him her usual blank stare again.

"Yeah. I get it. But I'm still not leaving you."

"Why? What reason do you have? Were you sent by the King, or some big corporation? Some powerful person that wants to spy on me?"

"No. I wasn't."

"Then why?"

"I can't let a fourteen year old leave the Fort alone."

"Why? Why were you sitting on that horse in the middle of the road, waiting for me?"

"I.. wasn't waiting for you. I was... lost really. Not lost. Just lost, you know."

Tara just stared at him.

"I had a big thing ..."

"Eww, Stop talking already."

It was Ivan's turn to look surprised.

"..A big thing going on that required all my attention. It, defined me. But then, it was over and... I had nothing."

"You have nothing."

"No. I have you, Tara. You're this big, complicated mystery. I want to know more. And I want to understand more. I want to see how far you'll go, whatever you do. More than that, as I stated before, I'm not going to let a fourteen year old leave the Fort without protection."

"What's going to happen when more fourteen year olds try to break out of the Fort?"

"No-one is as crazy... I mean, as unique as you."

Tara smiled. It was a smile, a real girly smile. It disappeared the next moment though.

"How do you know my name? You're a liar. You were sent here by..."

"Your licence. You know, your adventuring licence. Yeah, it has your name on it."

"..."

__________

"You're a monster."

"A freak."

"Nobody can move that fast."

"Not even human."

"Witch."

A smaller Tara had her hands on her ears. She had tried. She had tried begging them to stop.

She never succeeded.

__________

Ivan stood in front of her, a concerned look on his face.

"You blanked out for a moment, what happened?"

"Nothing, stupid."

__________