The Future's In Our Hands (Calista)

[Camila Reyes]

A knock on the doorframe made Camila nearly jump out of her skin. On instinct, she jumped to her feet and stood in a fighting stance, creating a flurry of white around her. The brunette cursed under her breath in Spanish and glanced around, thinking about the royal mess she was going to have to clean up later. The very thought made her groan internally, but she managed to shake herself out of self-pity and looked expectantly at the person who had interrupted her. The person blinked before striding over to her, slipping a piece of paper between her fingers and walking silently out. She raised a fair, brown eyebrow and stuffed the paper in her pocket, muttering about people wasting her time as she stooped down to clean up the mess all over the floor. She had been rifling through files, hoping to find the operation manual for the West Tower’s defense system. She shook her head a little as she tried to organize all of the loose papers into neat piles. Why was she decide to take this job upon herself? She was probably the least organized person in the entirety of the Battle Front, and yet, there was was, rifling through papers to see if she could find something that probably did not exist. She laughed dryly, shaking her head. If they had designed the system together, there was probably no documentation. There are times I wish I was a genius too, she thought to herself, placing the papers back in the box, Maybe then, I’d be able to figure out what the hell my purpose is… She shoved the box back into the closet she had broken into using a paperclip. It had taken several tries and Google searches, but she had finally succeeded. She flicked the lights off and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

The sound of crinkling paper reminded Camila that she had something in her pocket. She pulled it out and unfolded it, scanning the sheet with attentive, sapphire eyes and black pupils. She was perplexed for a moment; the message made no sense. She took a closer look at the message, though, and found a hidden message within. She nodded slowly, placing the paper in her pocket once more. She jogged back to her dorm to change into her uniform, just in case the reason she was summoned was for training. Honestly, she never knew why she was being called whenever she was requested to go to the West Tower, but she always went prepared to get her a** handed to her. After hastily dressing in her uniform, Camila darted out of her room with her key tucked into the pocket of her shirt. She then made a mad dash for the West Tower, praying she would not get caught by a prefect. She had noticed that there seemed to be more patrols more often. She was not sure why this was, but she guessed it had something to do with that big battle a few months back. She frowned a little in remembrance, but shook her head, carrying on. It was all she could do. The future was in the hands of the living, and it was their responsibility to make sure those who had given their lives did not do so in vain. She strengthened her resolve with that thought and ran faster. I’m going to pay for this later, she thought wryly, darting up the final flight of steps and into the Tower.

Even after she had stopped, Camila could still feel her heart hammering in her chest. Her heartbeat still pounded in her ears and she felt nervousness creep up her throat. She had a bad feeling about this summoning. There was absolutely no one else around, not even the newbies. The only door that was open was the one to Calista’s office, which concerned Camila. Was Calista the one who had summoned her? Why? She breathed out, steeled herself and slowly walked toward the doorway. The pounding in her ears continued as her shaking fist rose from her side. She could not remember the last time she spoke to Calista directly, but she knew that it must be serious if the Battle Front leader wanted to speak to her privately. She knocked on the frame of the door awkwardly, swallowing audibly before speaking. Her voice seemed to quaver as she spoke, showing her uneasiness, which matched the uncomfortable look on her face.

“M-Miss Rosa? Y-you wanted to see me?”

[Calista Leila Rosa]

Darkness and silence. They filled Calista’s senses, depriving her and numbing her. Was numbness better than pain? Pain meant something, meant you were still alive. Numb…it meant you had lost everything. It was something that came with losing so much of you, when there was barely any left to begin with.

Calista pinched the bridge of her nose, a tired breath escaping her lips. Was there any point anymore? Was there still a method to her madness? Questions that had constantly haunted her screamed louder than ever before. What was the point of freedom if no one would live to see it? A lifetime ago, freedom was at her fingertips. She and her sister nearly united the warring sides against the true enemy. All they had to do was work together, and that would be it. They would break free.

Now, both sides were crumbling to dust.

A knock sounded through her room, dragging her from her thoughts. Calista rolled her shoulders and straightened up.

“Come in!” She called. A young man, one of the newer recruits slowly peeked his head in. His hair was blonde, his eyes were a sapphire blue. He looks like Chandler. Calista thought bitterly. She smoothed out her shirt and lifted her chin ever so slightly. Her dark eyes completed contradicted her demeanor.

“I-I delivered the notice as you asked, she’s on her way.” He said quietly. Her eyes softened slightly. She remembered being in his position, afraid and unsure. Even today, she would admit, she still was. Rolo was the one who pushed those fears away, allowed her to fully embrace their cause.

“Thank-you, the other recruits are training, why don’t you join them? Leave the door open, please” She said, forcing herself a slight smile. He smiled back and nodded, hurrying off to other destinations. How easy it had become to temporarily seal the cracks in her perfected mask.

She glanced down at her desk, the elaborate plans and schemes blurring in her mind. One in particular had caught her eye. Some time ago, she would have rejected the idea, but now, now she had to go through with it, setting aside her idealist views. It wasn’t as if she didn’t already have blood on her hands. She could handle this.

She could hear footsteps ringing down the West Tower corridors. Endless days and nights spent in the towers lead to her being in tune with the various sounds that filled it.It was as if she had become part of the tower, she knew its innerworkings better than anyone. She even knew when certain members tended to come and go. Shaking her head ever so slightly, she pushed the papers into a semi organized pile on her desk, as a head of dark brown hair leaned into the doorway.

“Ms. Rosa? Y-You wanted to see me?” Calista forced a smile.

“Call me Calista or Cali. Ms. Rosa makes me think I’m still in the prefects.” Caista joked, trying to keep her tone light. As Calista stared at Camila, she could see herself. A young, innocent and bright eyed thirteen-year-old. She could see herself talking to Rolo, inquiring about where she belonged, her purpose here. The memory brought a faint, true smile to her lips.

“Come in Camila.” Calista beckoned as she leaned forward on her desk.
“I wanted to ask how you’re doing…” Calista asked, concern lacing her face. Ever since that battle, many of them have been left with nothing but scars and Calista knew that Camila had to be one of them.

[Camila Reyes]

The boy’s timidity was odd, but she suspected he was probably a new recruit. No one who had been around for the battle would have been so quiet like that. At least, not in her personal experience. People often took one of two paths, they either withdrew into themselves and pretended they were fine, like Stephen, or lashed out, like she did. She felt a pang of guilt; she should not have threatened someone so important the way she had, but she could not help it. Being snuck up on was the worst feeling in the world. She feared for her life, something she had not really done before. She glanced at herself in the mirror while she buttoned up her shirt, pausing to take a look at herself. The dark circles under her eyes had become less prevalent, but they were still there. She still looked sickly and her skirt was starting to slide slightly down her hips. She sighed; if Stephen found out, he would have a fit. Sure, they were not dating anything, but the battle had brought them closer; after all, he had kind of saved her life. The least she could have done was not be a bitch to him. She shook her head slightly, pulling her chocolate locks into her normal, high ponytail before pulling on her shoes and darting out the door. She had no time for introspection; someone needed to speak with her as soon as possible.

She nearly ran into the young man, who seemed to dart out a randomly open door. She blinked a little, staggering aside. She watched him leave, noticing his skittishness. She smiled sympathetically; she knew exactly what that was like. In all honesty, she had been slightly hesitant to be in the Battle Front in the beginning. Over time, though, she became acclimated to the odd group. Hell, she even became friends with some of them! Well, that is, until most of them died. Of course, some did not want to stay dead, like the young man she had run into the previous week, but, for the most part, the people she made friends with were leagues under the sea. Finally resting in peace, she hoped, considering all of the atrocities that had happened before she had arrived. She shook her head slightly; she had no time to dwell on the past. Clearly, Calista wanted her attention and she was ready to give it, even if she was not sure if could keep her calm demeanor. Seeing the sloppily painted over name on the sign next to the second-in-command’s office made her clench her fist at her side. She had no doubt that Jin was more than capable of the position, but it hurt to know that he had to come into it because Bridget had died. The very thought of the pink-haired girl brought her back to her conversation with Isabelle. I’m so sorry Bridget. I should have thought of you first. She shook her head once more before slowly stepping into the office.

Camila repressed a soft sigh. She could tell that Calista was forcing herself to smile. She recognized the strained facial muscles and the glimmer of sorrow in her eyes, even if she did not call attention to it. She had seen this expression many times, not only in the mirror, but on a close friend of hers. She shook her head, forcing her own smile. She hated it, but there was nothing she could do; she had to hide the truth. No one wanted to hear about her problems, and even if they did, she did not want to burden them with such knowledge. She let out a half-hearted chuckle, leaning slightly against the doorframe. She did not have the audacity to come in and sit down in front of the desk unless she was actually invited to do so. She lightly crossed her arms under her chest and over her stomach, feeling a dull pang of pain from the area. She had not eaten anything, but she could not. Looking at food made her want to throw up. This was a common occurrence, especially after she had particularly bloody nightmares. Maybe if I ate more, I would fit in my clothes… she thought to herself, doubling over slightly. Upon hearing the invitation, she slowly stepped into the room, swallowing softly as she did so. She had never really been in Calista’s office before, but it was certainly dark, even with the lights on. Things seemed very organized, for the most part, though she could see a few stray things strewn on the floor. Nothing like my side of the room, she thought wryly, I have no idea how Carter puts up with it… A ‘squeak’ accompanied her taking a seat and red dusted across her cheeks. Either the chair had moved while she was sitting or it was broken; both were entirely possible options. Even though Calista was holding herself together, Camila could not help get the feeling that everything around her was decaying and falling apart. I feel that…

When Calista asked her how she was, Camila’s face reflected her internal surprise. Of course, a leader was always supposed to care about his or her followers, but for some reason, she had decided to talk to Camila privately. She bit her lower lip; had her screaming at night really been that loud? Had her whispers to herself as she paced the hallways been heard by other people? She thought about her response for some time before answering. She could not lie, not to Calista, anyway. Believe it or not, Camila looked up to her in some ways. She was so strong, so brave. She did everything to help other people and almost nothing for herself. She wished that she could be like that, a lot of the time. Of course, she was too weak to do so. Even after being at the school for nine months, she was still working on perfecting her skills. There was no way she could protect anyone in her current competency; the battle had proved that. She frowned slightly, closing her eyes and hanging her head slightly, shaking it before looking up at Calista with saddened, sapphire eyes.

“W-well, I have a huge scar on my right thigh and a burn scar on my left arm. They healed pretty well, thank God. I can’t really heal myself, so I had to trust that the nurses wouldn’t try to kill me… They didn’t try to kill me, thankfully, but the lack of sleep, erratic eating patterns, nightmares, and mid-class flashbacks just might, heh…”

She tried to play her statements off as ‘no big deal’. After all, she had not lost what Calista had. The Battle Front leader had lost her entire family. Sure, Camila had too, but she had not watched them die before her eyes. There was a pause for some time before Camila spoke up. It was only fair if she asked how the other young woman was.

“And how have you been feeling? If I’ve been feeling like s---, there’s no telling what you’re going through or feeling…”

[Calista Leila Rosa]

Calista wanted to wince as she heard the chair squeak. Everything was falling apart, even her office. She should really replace that chair, maybe redecorate, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Rolo had given her this room and she almost felt like if she changed it, she would be destroying one of the only things she had left of him. She remembered how she felt, walking into this room, how it looked, clean and bright. Sunlight had streamed into it, but now there was nothing but darkness and shadows, memories and sadness.

Staring at her hands, she eyed the charm bracelet Bridget had given her. She hadn't taken it off since. The bracelet alone, embodied everyone she had come to love, and now. It was a symbol of how the people she cared about, those who had supported her and loved her in return, how they were always with her. Now, it was just another symbol of all that she had lost, of those who weren't here now.

Ever since the battle, Calista had thrown herself into her office, rarely emerging, rarely eating. She was like a living ghost, one of the many who haunted the tower as of late.

Calista watched as she bowed her head and slowly lifted it with a look of utter sadness and loss. The dark haired leader's features also softened in complete understanding. Sometimes, words could not describe the pain a person felt, but the body, that was difficult to conceal.

"....it gets easier with time." Calista wouldn't tell the girl that time would heal, no, Calista didn't believe that. Loss in such a tragic display was not something that was ever just forgotten and you never return to how you once were. You just learn to live around it, you change, evolve. Yes, The wounds may be healed, but the scars would always remain.

Calista blinked a bit as the other girl asked her the question in return. Most never asked Calista how she was doing, the answer was quite obvious, even if her demeanor did not reveal the correct one.

"I'm alright. I have to be, but that doesn't matter." Calista didn't have the time to mourn and worry, she didn't have the time to sob and break, she had to ensure that the lives that were lost would not be in vain.

[Camila Reyes]

Camila herself winced at the noise of the chair. The first few times she had been in the Tower, she had been in awe of it. It always seemed to be a relatively clean, minus a few dusty spots. The dust particles dancing in the sunlight had always made her feel a sense of wonder. Of course, that had been when she was much more naive. She looked around the room, noting that it had not physically changed since the time she had first entered it months ago to request to join the Battle Front. Well, minus the slightly open alcohol cabinet, but Camila supposed that Calista had as much right as she did to drown out her sorrows. She shook her head a little, looking around the room again. The room was the same, and yet different. She used to think that the shadows in the corners were just from the trees outside, but not she realized they could be the shadows of their departed comrades and friends. The thought made her a little queasy, but she was almost sure it was from not eating for a few days on end. She shook her head a little; no, she was just being paranoid.

Camila noticed Calista staring at the bracelet on her fair wrist and tilted her head. She had to admit, it was pretty, even if it was just a charm bracelet. She wondered if someone close to her had given it to her as a gift. Her jaw clenched slightly at a memory she had almost forgotten about. That silver hunk of metal was at the bottom of the ocean, much like their comrades. The only difference was that she would not miss that stupid locket, for it reminded her of everything bad in her past. Getting rid of it was one of the best things she could have ever done, because she felt a lot freer. Of course, after that, she had been brought back down to reality by the sadness on people’s faces and the bandages covering people’s wounds. She blinked a little, glancing at the charm bracelet again. Maybe it was a symbol of more simple times, when things were straightforward and not as ambiguous as they had become. Whatever the bracelet meant, Camila was sure Calista kept it on for a reason and not just because she could.

Camila hated being vulnerable. She despised how her body betrayed her when it came to her true emotions. She could verbally cover up anything, but the eyes were windows into the soul and she knew it. The soft look she received from her leader told her that there was an understanding of sorts. Calista’s words made her sigh softly; at least she had not lied. She had been reassured that ‘time would heal wounds’, but she knew that was more of an expression for physical wounds than mental or emotional ones. She could deal with the scars that were left behind from brushes with death; what was hardest for her to deal with was her feelings. She was so used to just bottling them up and letting them out every once in a while in a fit of rage or extreme sadness. It was getting harder and harder to contain, though, which frustrated her immensely. She felt like she was losing control and there was nothing she could do about it. And yet, she still dared herself to hope that someday, they would all be free. Not without scars or wounds, but being free was better than being trapped.

“I hope so. I’d rather not be a royal mess for too much longer. I need to make sure I can do my part so we can get the hell out.”

Camila had to hold back a chuckle at the mildly surprised look on Calista’s face when she asked her how she was feeling. It was becoming part of Camila’s nature to ask such questions. Before, she honestly would not have given a damn. If a person looked okay, they probably were. She could tell from Calista’s tone that she did not want to address the subject anymore, so Camila decided to just drop it. She shifted a little to sit on her right leg, leaving the left one to dangle slightly. After a few moments of silence, she decided to speak again, curious if there was another reason she was called to the Tower. Maybe Calista did care enough to hear about her problems, but Camila was almost sure there was some other reason. The recruit that had come to her had looked quite nervous, but maybe that was because he did not know either young woman very well.

“Are you sure there’s nothing else you needed me for? If you need me to do something, you know I’m more than willing to do it.”