Chapter VI

A Chapter by Lydia

As we continued to weave through the crowds of grief stricken people I heard a girl's voice calling Ander's name. Ander quickly whirled me around with him so that I could now see a fiery red headed girl jogging towards us. She didn't seem to even notice me once she approached, panting from the excercise that was quite strenuous on her malnourished body.

"Hey, Ander. Have you seen Maddox?" After asking she slowly turned her gaze to me where I was still pressed closely to Ander's side. Her eyes widened and she looked me up and down. I've never felt like I didn't belong somewhere as much as I did at that moment. Her filthy brown dress hung loosely around her gaunt frame, and her disheveled hair stuck out in all directions even though it looked like she had tried to tame it by tucking it behind her ears. "Who is she?" She didn't really ask it in a rude way, but more in a curious and slightly confused tone.

Ander cleared his throat and unwrapped his arm from around me. I immediatley wanted it back because as soon as he took it away, I felt even more vulnerable to this harsh place than I had before. As soon as I had to stand by myself it was like I was suddenly exposed. It felt like everyone had ceased their conversations and works to turn around and stare at me.

"This is Nyx. I'm sure you can tell that she isn't from around here," he said and glanced over at me. I discreetly stuck my tongue out at him, to which he grinned and shook his head.

The girl watched our exchange with a now polite smile on her face. "Oh, well my name is Cecily," she introduced herself and stuck out a bony hand for me to shake. I shook it quickly, internally wincing at the fact that I could feel every bone in her hand. "It's obvious that you're from the Inside." She gestured to my clothing. "What are you doing here? I'm sure you know that we Inbetweeners aren't the best of friends with you Insiders."

I bit at my lip, trying to come up with an answer. I couldn't tell her the real reason that I was there because I hadn't even told Ander, yet. "I, um..."

Thankfully, Ander came to my rescue and intervened. "We've really got to be going. I know that it's a little strange for an Insider to be here, but I promise I'll explain later. Oh, and I haven't seen Maddox. A few more people passed today so he might be helping out with that. You really should keep a better eye on your brother." He gave Cecily a teasing smile as I stood to the side, feeling slightly left out since I didn't know Maddox.

Cecily laughed and smacked Ander lightly on the arm, seemingly disregarding the fact that people had died. I guess you get used to it after awhile. "I'll try my best. It was nice to meet you...Six?"

I smiled and politely corrected her. "Nyx."

She laughed and rolled her eyes at herself. "Sorry, I'm horrible with names. I called Ander, Aidan, for a year before he finally told me that I was saying it wrong."

Ander shrugged and smiled slyly. "What can I say? I'm a gentleman."

I grinned, amused with Ander's cheekiness, and Cecily waggled her head. "Sure. Anyways, I'll let you guys go do whatever it is that's so important. I'm going to go try to find my crazy brother. See ya!" She waved and spun around on her heel, making her way back the way she came.

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After walking through so many rows of shacks that I had lost count, Ander finally stopped in front of one. As I stepped back to let him open the door I half expected him to pull out some sort of key and unlock it. That wasn't the case, though, as I found out once I looked down and noticed that there was pretty good sized hole in the place where a doorknob would normally be seen.

I watched as Ander stuck two fingers inside the hole and yanked the door open. "That isn't very safe is it? I mean, anyone could just come in whenever they want," I said as I tentatively stepped inside the musty 'house' that sort of reminded me of an extremely small cabin. It was only one room; wooden all around. Two pallets that consisted of one thin blanket each and a pillow were folded up neatly one either side. A hole in the roof casted just the slightest bit of moonlight into the otherwise pitch dark room.

Ander tugged and pulled at the door behind me that slowly scraped against the ground; stubborn as a mule. Eventually the door shut and Ander was able to answer my question with a shrug. "This is how I look at it, if anyone really wanted in here it wouldn't matter if we had a lock or not. This isn't the most sturdy house anyways."

I guess that did make sense. The walls looked like you could kick them and they'd fall over, and the ceiling looked like it was about to cave in.

"Where is Nova?" I turned around to find Ander digging through a cardboard box that's edges were being held together by tape.

"She's staying with some friends tonight. I didn't want her to have to stay by herself while I was with you, y'know?" His head was buried into the box so his voice was slightly muffled.

"Are the textbooks in there?" I asked, coming to kneel down beside him and the box.

He lifted his head to look at me for a second before he nodded his head. "Yeah. It might take me a minute to find it, though. I have a lot of stuff in here."

I wonder what he could have in there? Probably things from his mother and father. Maybe things to remember them by. I imagined him having to take out the contents every once in awhile to show them to Nova so that she could get to know her mother, and so that she wouldn't forget her father. I wonder what their parents looked like. If Nova looked like her mother then she must have been a beautiful woman. If Ander looked like his father then he must have had those same amazing eyes.

"Found it!" Ander brought his head out of the box and in his hand he was holding a thick and dusty textbook. On the front there were many different faction symbols from all over America. I tried to find the Inside one, but Ander had already sat it in his lap and began to flip through the pages to find the faction that sent the food.

As he flipped through the pages, his fingers rustling against the paper, I watched him intently. What did he think I wanted to know all of this for?

"You think I don't know, don't you?"

I furrowed my eyebrows and gave him a quizzical look. "What are you talking about?"

Ander sighed and set the book down on the ground beside him. "Yesterday you said that you would do anything to get away from your father. If you're trying to help us just to get back at him then I want you to leave. A lot of us have been used before, and I think that I can speak for everyone that we don't want to be used again. So, Nyx, if that's the only reason that you're here then thanks but no thanks."

At first his words made me angry. I wanted to jump up and question how he had the audacity to accuse me of using him. But then I started to think, like really really think. And I realized that he was right...in a way. When the idea first came to mind all I could think of was how this could ruin my father if I told this other government. But the more time I spent with Ander and the more time I spent in the Inbetween, I started to really want all of these people to have better lives.

"I can honestly tell you that that is not the reason why I'm doing this. I want something better for you and Nova. I want something better for all of these people. I promise you that I'm not doing this just to get back at my father. I won't lie, it was about that at first. Not anymore, though."

Ander narrowed his eyes and looked at me suspiciously. "You sure?"

I smiled and nodded my head. "I'm positive."

That must have been enough to convince him because he smiled back at me and grabbed the book again. "So what is your plan exactly?"

I tapped the book with my finger. "Let's look at this first, and then I'll tell you eveything."

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