Ignite Me. Tahereh Mafi
“We brought you in,” Warner says, stifling a sigh, “in a body bag.”
My limbs go stiff with fear. “You what ?”
“You were unconscious, love. We didn’t have many options. I couldn’t very well carry you onto base in my arms.” He shoots me a look. “There were many casualties from the battle,” he says. “On both sides. A body bag was easily overlooked.”
I’m gaping at him.
“Don’t worry.” He smiles. “I cut some holes in it for you.”
“You’re so thoughtful,” I snap.
“It was thoughtful,” I hear Delalieu say. I look at him to find he’s watching me in shock, appalled by my behavior. “Our commander was saving your life.”
I flinch.
I stare into my coffee cup, heat coloring my cheeks. My conversations with Warner have never had an audience before. I wonder what our interactions must look like to an outside observer.
“It’s all right, Lieutenant,” Warner says. “She tends to get angry when she’s terrified. It’s little more than a defense mechanism. The idea of being folded into such a small space has likely triggered her claustrophobic tendencies.”
I look up suddenly.
Warner is staring directly at me, his eyes deep with an unspoken understanding.
I keep forgetting that Warner is able to sense emotions, that he can always tell what I’m really feeling. And he knows me well enough to be able to put everything into context.
I’m utterly transparent to him.
And somehow—right now, at least—I’m grateful for it.
“Of course, sir,” Delalieu says. “My apologies.”
“Feel free to shower and change,” Warner says to me. “I left some clothes for you in the bathroom—no dresses,” he says, fighting a smile. “We’ll wait here. Delalieu and I have a few things to discuss.”
I nod, untangling myself from the bedsheets and stumbling to my feet. I tug on the hem of my T-shirt, self-conscious all of a sudden, feeling rumpled and disheveled in front of these two military men.
I stare at them for a moment.
Warner gestures to the bathroom door.
I take the coffee with me as I go, wondering all the while who Delalieu is and why Warner seems to trust him. I thought he said all of his soldiers wanted him dead.
I wish I could listen in on their conversation, but they’re both careful to say nothing until the bathroom door shuts behind me.
I take a quick shower, careful not to let the water touch my hair. I already washed it last night, and the temperature feels brisk this morning; if we’re headed out, I don’t want to risk catching a cold. It’s difficult, though, to avoid the temptation of a long shower—and hot water—in Warner’s bathroom.
I dress quickly, grabbing the folded clothes Warner left on a shelf for me. Dark jeans and a soft, navy-blue sweater. Fresh socks and underwear. A brand-new pair of tennis shoes.
The sizes are perfect.
Of course they are.
I haven’t worn jeans in so many years that at first the material feels strange to me. The fit is so tight, so tapered; I have to bend my knees to stretch the denim a little. But by the time I tug the sweater over my head, I’m finally feeling comfortable. And even though I miss my suit, there’s something nice about wearing real clothes. No fancy dresses, no cargo pants, no spandex. Just jeans and a sweater, like a normal person. It’s an odd reality.
I take a quick look in the mirror, blinking at my reflection. I wish I had something to tie my hair back with; I got so used to being able to pull it out of my face while I was at Omega Point. I look away with a resigned sigh, hoping to get a start on this day as soon as possible. But the minute I crack open the bathroom door, I hear voices.
I freeze in place. Listening.
“—sure it’s safe, sir?”
Delalieu is talking.
“Forgive me,” the older man says quickly. “I don’t mean to seem impertinent, but I can’t help but be concerned—”
“It’ll be fine. Just make sure our troops aren’t patrolling that area. We should only be gone a few hours at the most.”
“Yes, sir.”
Silence.
Then
“Juliette,” Warner says, and I nearly fall into the toilet. “Come out here, love. It’s rude to eavesdrop.”
I step out of the bathroom slowly, face flushed with heat from the shower and the shame of being caught in such a juvenile act. I suddenly have no idea what to do with my hands.
Warner is enjoying my embarrassment. “Ready to go?”
No.
No, I’m not.
Suddenly hope and fear are strangling me and I have to remind myself to breathe. I’m not ready to face the death and destruction of all my friends. Of course I’m not.
But “Yes, of course” is what I say out loud.
I’m steeling myself for the truth, in whatever form it arrives.
Warner was right.
Being carted through Sector 45 was a lot easier than I expected. No one noticed us, and the empty space underneath the cart was actually spacious enough for me to sit comfortably.
It’s only when Delalieu flips open one of the cloth panels that I realize where we are. I glance around quickly, my eyes taking inventory of the military tanks parked in this vast space.
“Quickly,” Delalieu whispers. He motions toward the tank parked closest to us. I watch as the door is pushed open from the inside. “Hurry, miss. You cannot be seen.”
I scramble.
I jump out from underneath the cart and into the open door of the tank, clambering up and into the seat. The door shuts behind me, and I turn back to see Delalieu looking on, his watery eyes pinched together with worry. The tank starts moving.
I nearly fall forward.
“Stay low and buckle up, love. These tanks weren’t built for comfort.”
Warner is smiling as he stares straight ahead, his hands sheathed in black leather gloves, his body draped in a steel-gray overcoat. I duck down in my seat and fumble for the straps, buckling myself in as best I can.
“So you know how to get there?” I ask him.
“Of course.”
“But your father said you couldn’t remember anything about Omega Point.”
Warner glances over, his eyes laughing. “How convenient for us that I’ve regained my memory.”
“Hey—how did you even get out of there?” I ask him. “How did you get past the guards?”
He shrugs. “I told them I had permission to be out of my room.”
I gape at him. “You’re not serious.”
“Very.”
“But how did you find your way out?” I ask. “You got past the guards, fine. But that place is like a labyrinth—I couldn’t find my way around even after I’d been living