PLANET AGAFRA - TOLLINDO CITY

The room was smaller than Atticus’ apartment in Morrian. It was like a studio apartment with extra beds; one double and three small bunks. Just like the corridors, it was pristine white and devoid of colour. It was eerily reminiscent of the nexus with how perfect everything looked. There wasn’t even a speck of dust.

After the twins entered, Trev stopped Atticus at the door. “I need to scan your ID. We need to register all the evacuees in the hospital.”

Atticus hesitated, hiding his wrist in his sleeve. “Hospital? This is a hospital?” 

The blonde man nodded. “It’s one of few structurally sound, self-sufficient locations in Tollindo. It made sense to convert it into a hospital.” He held the scanner out, waiting for Atticus to comply.

Hospitals had always been a big no-no. Dion had never really explained why, but something about governing bodies being able to track their location from medical records. Their whole lives, Dion had always paid extra to see any back-alley doctor with half a degree. He would get angry and shut him down anytime Atticus suggested going to a real hospital.

Trev frowned when Atticus didn’t want to hold his hand out. Atticus thought he could see the transition from impatience to suspicion as he studied the man’s face, debating how to deal with the situation.

“Cut him a break. Half of Tollindo has bad blood.” Echo draped an arm over Atticus’ shoulders. “Not like Ember or I can register either.”

Saved from an awkward situation yet again. 

“Oh,” Trev countered, “You are registered, though. I’ve put you two down as underage dependents. Dion Saunders is registered as your father and caretaker while you’re here. That’s how I got you the room.”

Atticus nearly choked as he tried to stifle a laugh. He settled for snickering when his eyes teared up and he couldn’t hold it anymore.

“Who’s that?” Ember chimed in, speaking around something in his mouth. At some point, he had found a jar of rock candy while Atticus wasn’t looking.

“My brother,” Atticus managed to squeeze out, “the guy we were with.”

“Oh! Simon.”

“Simon?” Atticus was confused.

“SIGH-man,” Ember repeated. “Man sounds like he has as much trouble breathing as Echo does.”

A grin spread across Atticus’ face again. Before he could say anything, he was interrupted by a chime on Trev’s DataCuff. Trev turned away from the group to answer the call, but naturally, all three of them watched him quietly, trying to catch whatever they could from the conversation. Unfortunately, Atticus couldn’t hear what they were saying, no matter how hard he concentrated.

“What? She’s who?” Trev tried not to shout, suddenly looking back at the group with a terrified expression. He gave them an awkward look and turned away to continue his conversation. Atticus could hear more force in the man’s mumbles. Finally, Trev ended with, “I’ll be right there. Hold the line for me. Don’t say or do anything.”

Trev spun around, pointing a finger at both the twins with an accusatory glare. “Behave yourselves. This isn’t the time or place for shenanigans.” He gave Atticus a resigned grimace. “Good luck.” He left without another word.

The man was already out of sight in the crowded corridor when Atticus realised he didn’t have a chance to ask about Dion and Hyejin. There was a lot going on, yet his mind felt strangely blank, almost like his body had given up on using his brain altogether and was running on pure instinct.

“Top bunk is mine,” Echo declared, climbing up the small step ladder. The bunk beds were built into the walls, almost like shelving for human bodies. They looked cramped and uncomfortable, clearly designed for small children. Atticus was pretty sure that anyone under the age of twelve would have a hard time sleeping in the tiny cutouts.

The only other features of the room were a kitchenette, a round dining suite and a door that Atticus could only assume led to the bathroom. He rummaged around in the cabinets for anything interesting until he came across a pile of clean bath robes and white towels. They looked so soft and fluffy. Not threadbare like the ones he was used to. They reminded him that he wanted to shower. He was covered in so much dust and dry blood that it felt like a thick crust, suffocating his skin now that he couldn’t feel as much mana in the air.

Atticus was startled when a dirty boot hit the cabinet door beside him. It left a tread-print on the pristine white surface with red and grey dust. Over his shoulder, Atticus saw Echo hurl another boot squarely at Ember’s head. The two brothers were also filthy, leaving dust and dirt all over the place in the same manner as the hotel room. Atticus doubted the sterility of the room would last the night. 

While Echo and Ember ‘talked’ between themselves in their other language again, Atticus decided it would be the perfect time to slink away on his own. The conversation the brothers were having seemed to be heating up by the rising tones in their voices. The idea of having some alone time sounded like a nice change from the chaos of the last twenty-four hours. 

Atticus grabbed a towel and robe before he locked himself away in the bathroom. It was small as well. The shower head was mounted to the ceiling in a corner opposite a very narrow sink and the toilet. It almost felt like they had built a shower first, then turned it into a room later. There was barely any room to drape his clean things over the towel rack.

As the hot water cascaded over his face and shoulders, Atticus could feel his muscles start to relax. Up until that point, he hadn’t realised just how tense he had felt. It had been a long time since he last had a real shower; without running water, he and Dion had been relying on a bucket full of soapy water and the scratchiest cloth they could find to wipe away the grime.

Why can’t we live like normal people, anyway? Atticus gritted his teeth and scrubbed his face with soap until it stung his eyes. I’m so sick of living in poverty. Why does everything we do have to be so risky?

The entire day had turned into the biggest disaster the brothers had ever experienced… or at least Atticus had ever experienced. Dion was always looking over his shoulder and keeping secrets, allegedly, for Atticus’ safety. When he thought about it, Atticus wasn’t even sure how often Dion had put his life on the line to make ends meet. He’d never had a legitimate law-abiding job.

Now, they were in this mess because of Dion’s debt, yet every time they talked, it felt like Dion pushed the blame onto Atticus and his health condition. They needed the money for Atticus and his medicine, but for some reason couldn’t go to a hospital. Nothing about this shelter seemed to be dangerous. Everyone was so busy trying to stay alive, who had time to care about who they were? Were hospitals on the core planets different?

While Dion accrued debts, risked his life and forced them to live in the shadows, hopping from city to city, all Atticus was allowed to do was sit around the house and wait for him to come home. Occasionally Atticus would find small hacking jobs for a handful of Digits, but the money always disappeared as quickly as it came and Dion wouldn’t let him find a real job. 

Atticus didn’t know what they were even hiding from. A mob boss and his lackeys? Was that all there was to it?

A picture of Dion’s face when Atticus collapsed on the stairs flashed through his mind. The fear on his brother’s face was so real that it made Atticus feel guilty for the bitter resentment that had been surfacing. It was hard to hate Dion, knowing that everything he had done was genuinely out of concern. The whole project had become such a chaotic mess.

Atticus turned the water off and watched the droplets fall from his hair. They were stained blue from the hair dye, forming a vibrant puddle at his bare feet. He wasn’t sure what to do anymore. Atticus didn’t just accept Hyejin’s job because of Dion’s debt; he was so desperate to be a part of Dion’s life, that he didn’t even hesitate when the opportunity presented itself. Atticus was so excited to finally work with his brother on something together. Now their whole plan had gone up in flame and trigby innards. He could already feel Dion’s overbearing attitude weighing down on him again.

Maybe they could stay on Tollindo? The locals seemed accustomed to chaos and lack of law. Atticus had the feeling Trev was more than just a soldier and he didn’t even bat an eyelid at the idea of fabricating information for unregistered civilians. Tollindo wasn’t part of Yoshida’s territory, so it would be hard for him to find them. They could learn how to live like the unregistered do.

There was a knock. “Atty?” A mix of relief and resentment swelled up in his gut. It was Dion.

Atticus sighed and leaned his forehead against the cold tiles. He knew Dion would never agree to stay; not after the gate opened. “I’m fine!” he replied, closing his eyes. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could take this. For the first time in ages, he felt like he was allowed to be himself on Tollindo. Somehow escaping falling buildings and running for their lives from interdimensional monsters was a reprieve from his daily prison of solitude and isolation. He didn’t want to go back to the way things were. Something needed to change or Atticus was going to go insane.

He needed Hyejin as much as she needed him.