An uncomfortable silence clung to Taylor and Randle as they pushed Nathaniel's broken body to his new room. The cool still air in the corridor rushed past Nathaniel's wounds giving him a cool sensation spread throughout his body. The chill air helped Nathaniel relax even as the stretcher seemingly hit every bump and crack on his journey. The loud squeaking of the unoiled wheels didn't help either, but to Nathaniel he honestly couldn't hear any of the unsettling noises around him because his consciousness was slipping away the entire time.
Sounds muffled, the bright lights overhead blurred, and the walls around him began to darken as they were consumed by shadows, or he was simply closing his eyes Nathaniel couldn't tell which at this point. Though the world muted itself from him Nathaniel could still hear the call of a distant memory.
***
03 /33/2157 - 40 Years ago
Did you know that there is a special place in Saxington called The Isles? Its a low rent district filled to the brim with multi apartment building that are so clustered together traversing the roof tops is as easy as walking across the street. The Isles is appropriately named because during the first light when rays from the sun flood the earth. The Towering brick buildings that extended past the horizon split the light creating streams that mixes with the morning fog creating a sea of light. This phenomenon is a wonder that helps makes that district as special as it is. The sea of light only happens in the morning and its a beauty to wake up to. With it the mess of the city disappears showing the boarders of different Islands that only the residents there know about.
People from all walks of life gather there ranging from immigrants, veterans, homeless, and more. Over the years these people became rich not in money but in a cultural aesthetic unique to their own. Living among these people by no wish of his own was a much younger Nathaniel Hawkens. Nathaniel lived on the forth floor of a five story building.
During this time Nathaniel was asleep on a sofa. A river of drool flowed down his cheek dampening the couch. Though Nathaniel was 11 this year he looked like a young teen. Puberty was kinder to him then most but its cruel effects were still apparent. Nathaniel's features were a bit soft but acne made parts of his face a bumpy road. His black hair was shorter now then it was in the future and currently he only stood 5' 5'' tall.
Nathaniel's nap while peaceful was brutally interrupted by an unwanted resident. This creepy crawly scurried on Nathaniel's chest and up his neck. This roach that found itself on Nathaniel would have went the hole mile and reached Nathaniel's face, but its many hairy appendages gave it away the moment they touched skin.
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Reflexively Nathaniel jolted awake throwing the roach off. The sudden surprise sent Nathaniel into a confused flurry in an attempt to search for the cause of his disturbance. Nathaniel's energetic search made a girl next to him smirk and laugh with much fervor. The girl by his side was a blonde slightly pale woman. She was 14 which means she was a young full grown adult by society standards. Freckle dotted her face and made her look cute rather then blemish her appearance. She stood 2 inches taller then Nathaniel and had rather beautiful bright golden eyes.
Nathaniel finding the source of his rued awakening tiredly slumped back into the couch and grumble with a cover over his head and said, "Rose just let me sleep I still got time".
Rose Lamaire the woman next to Nathaniel from the beginning not taking no for an answer ripped the cover off of Nathaniel and replied, "nope your getting to work early not on time. No lazy people stay in this house you know that, besides todays special its Adam's birthday so I hope you got him something good. Oh, and hurry up so we can snag some breakfast from the Minrows on our way out". Rose as she talked balled up the cover in her hand, threw it to the other side of the room, and opened up the curtains by Nathaniel. The sunlight blinded Nathaniel it was like salting a wound making staying on the couch to uncomfortable for Nathaniel to stay there.
Awake and alert Nathaniel stretched his muscles before trudging to the bathroom to freshen up. As Nathaniel moved through the small apartment he nearly tripped on scattered items on the floor. A sigh escaped Nathaniel's mouth as he pushed past the mess the place was like a mine field half the time. He thought that he would have awakened some kind of 6th sense for avoiding all of it by now after over a year living the where he was but the facts showed otherwise.
Though Nathaniel hated the mess it was hard to prevent it. Five people lived in this two bedroom apartment and all of them were two busy to stay there a minute more then they had to Rose made sure of that. Rose was like a slave driver and a sister mixed into one. She mimicked a roses nature all to well beautiful but prickly is what she came off as. She worked harder then anyone Nathaniel had seen in his life and forced everyone she took in to do the same.
Rose is the person who first found Nathaniel on the streets after he left the orphanage he was sent to after his father passsed away and she is who introduced him to the people he is now closer than blood to. The first meeting between the two were less then ideal for most, but the sight of a boy beating up a grown man twice his size was just the the kind of thing Rose wanted to see because it was the sight of someone who didn't kneel easily or buckle when confronted with adversity. She saw the flame that raged in Nathaniel's heart like the teachings of The Iron Ring told of and not the sight of some boy that needed to be coddle.
Rose's actions were more motivated by personal benefit from their living together and Nathaniel knew this but Nathaniel didn't much care for that fact because their living together was just as beneficial for him as her. Nathaniel often looks back at that moment in his life and is part of a deeper reason Nathaniel tries to never trouble Rose.
Like a speeding race horse Nathaniel finished preparing himself in less than 10 minute. Being a boy had its benefits looking good no matter how sloppy he dressed was one. Ready Nathaniel walked out the window where Rose was waiting for him on the fire escaped. Rose worked as a secretary and she dressed for the part well. Nathaniel worked at a steel mill not needing much to look like it Nathaniel dressed as casual as always. Together they set out for a wider world.