The Tower

SKY

The outside world was unknown to her, but she could see a glimpse of it through the window in his room. Well, it was her room now, or had been for the last 20 years. Everything in the castle belonged to him though, her father, probably her father. She wasn't quite sure, but it seemed likely considering how she'd been treated compared to the other females. At least, that's what she'd gathered from Dona. Her attendant. Or guard. Whichever.

The world outside was dangerous, dirty and dying. That's all she'd ever been told and not by her father.

She'd only seen him twice. Once, when her mother died and she was moved to this room, her prison. And one other time a few months ago. She remembered very little about what he actually said and only that he looked smaller and more scared than what she imagined the great ruler of the last society on earth should look like.. weak.. she thought.

Loud banging interrupted her reverie.. again.. the last few weeks had been strange. Something was happening, but she wasn't sure what... Dona seemed uneasy, shorter with her than usual and stressed. She'd seen very little of her lately, not like in the past when she would bring her books and talk to her of a world gone long ago. Things were different now. She would never leave the Tower or the Castle. It was the last safe place. Only it wasn't safe - it was her personal prison. Her existence was unknown to the world, of that much she'd been able to discern from whispers and words accidentally spoken between the guards. But why that was the case was a mystery, and to be truthful she didn't care, she just wanted freedom.

I can handle danger, she thought to herself. But to live her like this forever, will be the death of me.

Another LOUD crash, louder than any of the others made her jump up from her bed and rush to the door. What's going on? Something's wrong..

At that moment, Dona rushed in looking disoriented and with blood on her face..

"DONA, What's happening? Are you okay? What's going on?" she breathed the words out so quickly in one breath.

"M'lady! Grab your boots and coat - Quickly now! There's no time to explain! Hurry! Yes! Follow me closely. I'm getting you out of here."

"What? Where are we going? WHAT's happened, Dona?"

"Not 'we' M'lady. Just you, hurry! I don't have time, but, I hope I'm doing the right thing by you, my dear. It's dangerous out there. That's what they've all said, but here will be worse, what they've planned for you.. No! You must escape and now is the only chance we've got! Here, turn here!"

This whole conversation had taken place as they hurried through deep tunnels and castle passages that she'd never seen before.

By the time the sunlight hit her, only 7 minutes had passed since the loud boom she'd heard back in the Tower. And she was no longer in the Tower, now she was on the outside. Alone.

What had Dona said at the last? Something about acting old, an old women. And there was one last thing she'd never forget, her name. Dona had given her a name. She'd never been allowed one before, or at least, never been told she had one. It was only ever "M'Lady" from Dona or "Girl" the two times her father had spoken to her. Her mother must have called her something long ago, but that was too far gone in her memory after years of being trapped in a cage.

"You need a name, M'Lady. They will think it strange if you don't have one."

"Why don't I have one, Dona?" she'd asked. But there was no time for explanations on this day and Dona simply shook her head.

"Sky. Your name will be Sky. You've never seen it properly and you're eyes always reminded me of a calm blue sky." Dona quickly embraced Sky, before turning quickly on her heel and disappearing back into the side of a mountain. The fog obscuring most of the view of the Castle and the tower completely.

Sky shivered. She needed to move.. and look old. The town was below, dark and dirty and dying as she'd been told. Her freedom lay there, whatever it might look like, that's where she needed to go...

*****

CLAY

He didn't have time for this, not today. But things never went 100% as planned for Clay, he had learned that during the last twenty six years spent struggling in the Town. Struggling, but surviving and now, at long last, his hard work was nearing a pay off. So why, today of all days, did he have to walk past an alley with several lower levellers surrounding what was possibly an old man or woman, although the later wouldn't make as much sense. A shout rang out, and Clay made his decision, turning back and taking several purposeful strides into the dank, dark alley in the lower east end. The lowers were charging now and he just had time to get there and start swinging as hard and fast as he could, putting himself in between the crowd and the frail, bent over figure with it's back against the wall.

He caught a sight of the figure every few seconds, in between punches and kicks, and thought he saw eyes and a face covered in.... mud? That's what I get coming to this side of town at this time of night... but he wouldn't have been here, if it hadn't been important and he was very aware of the object in his front pocket and not losing it in the current scrape he found himself in. Out of the corner of his eye, Clay realized the bent figure was slowly and carefully making it's way out of the alley.. Well, that's nice. This is why I don't play hero, why on earth did I try to save that miserable wretch? It was likely a lower leveller itself or one of the infected that had escaped or been let go from the aslyums. He'd feel pity if disgust wasn't so firmly placed in his head. That's it, I'm done. One last solid, bone-crushing punch delivered, and Clay made his own escape, nearly running over the hooded figure in the process. He caught himself in time, but toppled over the lower in the process. When he looked at it though, something was wrong. This wasn't an old man or one of the few sick women left in the Town. This was a girl. A young girl, from the looks of it. Covered in dirt and mud but those bright blue, inquisitive looking eyes and the glimpse of golden locks her caught made it an absolute certainty. She was a girl, and real. They needed to get off the streets. NOW.

*****

Sky

Bluish, blackish. Fuzzy. Her head was pounding and her vision was blurry but starting to come into focus a little. Where am I? she thought. The last thing Sky remembered was being surrounded by a bunch of half-human looking beasts who wanted to rip her apart. And then... something or someone else was there. A big guy, he'd ... saved her? Maybe? But then, why did her head hurt so BAD.. Had her hero... hit her in the head? Okay, not a hero then..kidnapper? Attacker? This new world was coming at her fast.

That last slow blink brought the room she was in into focus finally. An apartment, clean enough, with a bed, small kitchen and probably a little bigger than her room back in the Tower.

Hmmm, what to do? thought the girl. She was alone, at least it seemed that way. Sky slowly stood up and hobble-walked to the small kitchen sink where a few dirty dishes were sitting. Something about that sight comforted her. The next sight didn't though. It was a horror story - her face that is in the window's reflection. She'd forgotten all about the mud she'd smothered on her face, hair and clothes. It had felt and smelled horrible when she did it but after drying and cracking, it looked ten times worse than she imagined it had originally.

She spotted some rags, not exactly clean but better than the current state of her face and went to work washing and scrubbing the caked on mud off as best as she could.

Sky was so immersed and focused on her task, she didn't hear the door to the apartment or the foot steps of someone entering until it was too late.

*****

CLAY

What was she doing? Washing her face? Does this girl have no sense of danger? Is she infected and just losing her mind? These and several other thoughts were running through Clay's head as he approached the girl from behind. It was apparent she hadn't heard his approach, or was just that trusting? Dumb?

He was reaching out his hand to grab her shoulder when she caught sight of him and whirled around, surprising both of them but possibly him the most. What had been a disgusting, mud-covered creature was a young girl, no women, with long blonde hair and sky-blue eyes. She was beautiful. Absolutely the most gorgeous thing he'd ever seen, not that he'd seen many women. Other than some older infecteds and his own mother, none. So to be fair his experience was limited, but somehow he knew that this woman would likely put all others to shame with her beauty.

Of course, now she was starring daggers at him. Looking annoyed as hell, but at least not scared which is what he was expected. All the women he'd ever known had always been scared, and with good reason, the way the world was now.

The moment of initial shock fading, he took a slight step towards her and the magic ended. She lunged and caught him off guard right under his chin with..was that my cooking pot?.. SMACK. The sound was worse than the hit and in a few seconds he had her easily pinned against his far wall with his long blade at her throat.

"Some thanks this is, remind me never to save anyone in a dark alley, ever again." he had muttered it before he realized he was even talking. The woman laughed. It was a beautiful sound.

"Okay, no problem." she said smugly. She obviously had no idea who she was dealing with or how dangerous Clay could be. Now was the time to show her. Wherever she came from, she needed to learn the rules of the Town. You didn't laugh at Clay Parker and get away with it.

The sharp edge of his blade pressed deeper onto the sensitive flesh of her throat and his face took a sharp edge itself.

"Who are you and why are you here?"

"I can't .. talk.. with you.. trying to slit my throat.." she breathed out, her eyes flashing at his but the playful look not leaving them.

Clay stared a little longer than necessary at her eyes and then lips and then slowly released some of the pressure from her neck.

"This is your last chance. Who are you?" he said through clenched teeth. She was, after all, talking to the leader of the North Side, whether or not she knew it, he was owed respect.

"Well, that I don't know.. exactly.. I mean, my name is Sky. But that's all I can really tell you." Her voice was even and calm, considering the peril she was in. "If you're going to kill me, could you get it over with. Seems strange you went to all that trouble to save me, just to kill me, but I'm not afraid of death. Just stop dragging it out."

Clay blinked. That was .. not what he was expecting. He lowered and sheathed his blade. He could have killed her, but he didn't want to. She truly did not seem to fear him or being killed by him at least and that fact alone was intriguing.

"..Sky.. and just why is it you don't fear death?" he said stepping in just a bit closer. Now her eyes were looking at his lips as he spoke.

"I've lived my entire life in a cage. The last few hours of freedom have already made me happier than I've been in the last twenty years.. if I die now, I am content. I am free." She finished the last words with her eyes locked onto his and a truthfulness and fierceness that surprised him. Who is this girl? he thought as a new world started to open up for him...

*****

6 months later

Sky and Clay stood hand in hand looking over the Town as the the Castle behind them burned, the flames crawling up the Tower which was once Sky's prison. They'd rescued her father just in time to learn the truth about this world, and the other one. He'd died in Sky's arms but now they knew the truth. Now things would be different. So many lives had been lost, but so many more would have a chance to live. They would make sure of it. Together.