Immortals- CHAPTER 6

It turns out it's really not fun having to walk the whole way back to Zone 3 on crutches. Though crutches are useful weapons it turns out. Knock someone right out with a single hit. I hobble my way through the streets on Zone 3, no longer looking out of place. Beggars and homeless people take up every available doorway and street corner, holding out cups that I know no one will put money in. It's not that we're unkind or anything, it's just we don't have any spare money around here to help those stuck on the streets. We can barely afford to live ourselves. It's not even like this place is that great. Flickering signs written in Japanese symbols hang above doorways and shop entrances. Strings of tattered lanterns and laundry are stuck between the houses on either side, creating some kind of weird roof. Kids run around the streets with a football, screaming at each other. The only lights are flickering light bulbs that we've had to hang from every available space ourselves since the government won't pay for actual lighting. Isn't it weird how we have to create our own light like that when back in Zone 1 they can afford to have the roof of the bunkers lit up with a simulation of the sky. How did it end up that?



Walking through the kids football game as quick as I can, I make my way down through several different bunkers before I finally reach my destination. In the middle of a row of apartments, on the second floor, sits Caras house. Climbing the stairs to reach the door takes me at least five minutes. By the time I reach the porch at the top, I'm panting. I try to get my hand out of the crutch to knock on the door but can't. Yep, that ain't happening. Using my good leg, I kick the door lightly with my foot. Scuffling and muffled Japanese swearing comes through from the other side of the door. I can't help but smile at what was said. And, no, I ain't translating it for you. The door is flung open and I'm suddenly faced with a very, very angry girlfriend. And a angry girlfriend is way scarier than anything, ever.

"Hey," I say meekly, giving Cara a small wave. The look on her face is completely thunderous.

"Who the hell do you think you are Skylar Rose Brace?!" She practically screams at me, "You go out on a job that should of taken you like two hours and you're gone for two whole fucking days?! You don't call or text me, you can't even be bother to reply to the several thousand texts I sent you! I hear about the break in Carreua and I'm sat here shitting myself in case it was you and then Josh drags his sorry ass up to my door and tells me it was you! What the hell were you thinking breaking in the head Carreua lab without back up or anything?! You could of been killed you fucking idiot! Did you even think about that? Did you even consider the goddamn risks, Skylar? No, of course you didn't, because you're Skylar, the goddamn perfect mechanic who thinks she's invincible! Well, newsflash, idiot, you're not! Just look at your leg, you bloody spoon! What were you thinking?!"



Cara leans against the door frame, her eyes still murderous and her face flushed red. Jesus Christ I'm a shit girlfriend. I reach out my arms and wrap her in them, pulling her close.

"I'm sorry," I whisper into her hair. The girl sighs and nestles her head into my shoulder.

"Sorry doesn't even begin to cut it."

I pull out of the hug just enough that I can see her beautiful face and I lock our eyes together.

"You're right. I should of at least texted you, especially after the break in. I guess I was just too caught up in everything to think about it. I didn't even think about backup, I was in too much of a rush to get the job done. I'm sorry for scaring you, Cara. Honestly, I am. I hate it when you're sat up here with Ai shitting yourself over something stupid I've done. Honest to God, I hate it," I whisper, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear, "I love you, and I never want to scare you. Ever."

"Did you get that from a movie or something?" She asks, smiling up at me slightly. I laugh wholeheartedly and pull her closer.

"Where the hell did you get idea from?"

"It's just oddly romantic and unsweary for you."

"Oh, I love you to.

"Shut it, beibu. I still haven't forgiven you," The gorgeous girl pulls away and grabs my hand, tugging me into the familiar apartment, "Lets get you cleaned up."

I hobble over the tattered leather couch and flop down with a sigh. Ah this feels good. Almost immediately, a gigantic brown Labrador lumbers towards me, his tongue hanging out of his mouth. The dog climbs up onto my lap and starts licking my face excitedly.

"Good to see you too, Ai," I laugh, cupping the dogs adorable head in my hands, "You been keeping an eye on Cara for me?"

She barks, her warm eyes staring up me.

"Good dog," I ruffle the top of her head.

"You two done?" Cara asks from the other side of the room. I look over at her and smile, finally able to relax.

"Yes, boss," I fake salute at her, causing her to roll her eyes. The girl pushes Ai off of my lap and stretches out my injured leg. She also passes me a sandwich. I'm guessing she heard my damn stomach growling the whole time she was yelling at me. I bite in to it gladly. It's a mackerel in tomato sauce sandwich, my favorite! Damn I have a great girlfriend. Dipping a cloth in a metal bowl that I think is full or alcohol- the only thing you get readily in Zone 3- she slaps the cloth down on my wound.
"Fucking hell, Cara!"
"Sorry."
"No you're not."
She smiles ruefully and keeps dabbing at the wound. I need to find a way to make it up to her. I'm surprised she's even still alive, the amount of heart attacks I've probably given her over the three years we've been dated. God knows why she stays with me. She could do so much better than a little punk mechanic that never went to school or actually learn to read/write. She deserves the world and everything beyond it.

Cara finishes treating my leg in silence and disappears out the room. Glancing around the room, my eyes fall on the music player I made her for her 17th birthday. Hobbling over to it, I press play on what I know to be her favorite ever song. I Want You Back by Jackson 5 blares out and I wince slightly. Not exactly my favorite kind of music, but whatever, Cara loves it.



The girl pops her head around the door in surprise. She knows how much I hate this kind of music better than anyone. As soon as I see her, I sat dancing as best I can with my crutches. So, pretty much I start dancing really, really badly. The minute the chorus kicks in, I start mouthing the words towards Cara, holding out my hand to her. I can tell how hard she's trying to stop herself from smiling, so I dance even more, being more dramatic that ever. With a shake of her head, my girlfriend takes my hand and I swirl her under my arm, pulling her close. Yes! Somehow we manage to dance to the whole song with me still on crutches, laughing like lunatics. As the song ends, I pull her up against me, both of us breathless and grinning.

"Any chance I've made it up to you, Cara?"

"It's a start, Sky."