REID

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Reid lay in her bed, still, but very awake. She glanced carefully to her side, where Ember slept next to her. Ember. Reid sighed and clamped her jaw shut tightly. It had been happening a little too often, coming home late and after dark. Reid knew what she had to do. She had hoped it would never come to this, but there was no choice.

She would have to track her sister.

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Reid stood by the side of the house in the morning air, hidden from view. She watched as Ember came out the door, ready for work. Ember hopped down the steps and began walking briskly down the street. Reid followed her from a distance, keeping her footsteps soft and stealthy. Nothing out of the ordinary happened until Reid saw Ember halt indecisively with no apparent reason at a crossroads.

Reid pushed herself against a wall and watched Ember peek around a corner, then move back and cover her face with her hands. Then Ember shook her head and ran the opposite way, toward Reid.

Reid froze, and quickly slipped behind a bush. She kept still until Ember had passed, still running. Then Reid rose slowly, eyes narrowed. Taking a shortcut? Why?

After a moment’s hesitation, Reid ran to the crossroads, then peered around the corner with a frown. She sucked in a sharp breath, her frown disappearing. Glenn was standing guard there.

Why did Ember run away when she saw him? Does she know him? Is she guilty about something? Reid sniffed. Of course Ember didn’t know him. She was probably just intimidated by the presence of a guard. But Reid knew there was more to it than just that.

She stared at Glenn for a little bit from behind cover, then sighed quietly and ran away, following Ember’s trail, but then turning the opposite way Ember went, and heading down the road to the administration headquarters.

She never even considered telling her parents and sister the truth, that she worked there. She had kept up the facade that she was employed in the service of Master Welderson, a wealthy and entitled buck who lived in the Sixth District. And besides, her family had never had the curiosity or thought to ask her specifics about how her day had gone, where she went.

Reid shrugged as she thought. She didn’t mind the inattention. She actually liked it. It made her job easier. Straightening her jacket, Reid walked a bit faster, not wanting to be late. She had extra work today. Something involving her sister.

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GLENN

“Daydreaming, soldier, or should I say, officer?”

Glenn turned around, saw his friend and fellow guard Warner, and smirked. “Come to take over?”

Warner laughed. “Not me! I’ve come to watch you. Okay, actually I was sent here. I’m supposed to alert you of the fact that there is a meeting just before curfew, at the usual place. All guards especially must attend. Uh, I think it has something to do with new information and stationing positions or whatever. That sort of stuff.”

Glenn nodded slowly. “Thanks Warn.”

Warner watched him a bit longer, then laughed and clapped him on the back. “See ya there.”

Glenn leaned back with a deep inhale, staring at the gray sky. He had been daydreaming, about Ember. A hint of a smile tugged at Glenn’s mouth as his thoughts drifted to her again. She had the most marvelous eyes, like green, glowing jewels. Everything about her was marvelous, beautifully flawed, magnetic, underrated, even her name. She seemed shy and rather endearingly awkward around him, but maybe that was just because she was icy around strangers at first. He hoped she would warm up to him.

Glenn blew a floating clump of ash away from his face. Ember vaguely reminded him of someone. Something about how she looked, or something in her mannerisms... yes, she reminded him of someone he had met recently. But just who, he couldn’t quite place.

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I hope you enjoyed this! Again, blunt feedback is very welcome (you can also point out typos or whatever). Bear the flame, and Merry Christmas!