Cultured for the Humans » Places

         

"I often try to avoid questions, but it seems they find me anyway."

Emma responded with a hesitant half-smile back despite herself. Her head warned her not get lax and to remain weary, however the rest of her just wanted to slip out of the constant pretense of disinterest. Abruptly the mood changed. Adam's teasing smile suddenly changed to a serious frown. His eyes became distant and blank. Emma cocked her head to one side, on one hand she was frightened. These sudden mood changes had apparently become common according to the gossip and yet she'd never seen anything like it. On the other hand something warned her that this was not something to be afraid of, rather someone that needed help. She pushed both thoughts away forcing herself to remain neutral as he began to absently scratch his chin. She got a strange feeling that he was no longer here, but instead in some world of his own.

"It's tiring, answering questions that you don't have real answers too." 

This time Emma frowned. What was that supposed to mean? From her perspective most of the questions had been reasonable, only asking for facts. Why couldn't he just tell them the truth? She started to ask him, and then apologised. That was not a question she should ask, no matter how simple it sounded, Emma was sure the Carers would deem it rude.

"If you have questions ask. I may be tired, but I'm not a Carer. I'm not going to chastise you,"

His tone dropped, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end in sudden alarm. From the way his eyes were darting around, he was about to say something that perhaps he shouldn't. She considered carefully backing away when he suddenly looked straight at her.

"Never stop asking questions, Emma." 

Her mouth opened in shock, before she quickly jammed it shut. Now it was her turn to gaze around fearfully. Feeling slightly sick, and knowing she looked pale Emma was sure now was the time to leave…but for once she was tempted to go against what she was supposed to do.

"How can you say something like that?" she whispered hoarsely. "Surely you wouldn't risk being demoted again?"

From his state of mind, Emma could tell whatever he had gone through in the other Dome had had a negative effect on him. She had been frightened by it only seconds earlier. Even so, she couldn't understand why he would say something as foolish as that. Even in his current frame of mind he would know that was sure to be condemned by the Carers. She stared at him intently. It seemed the full realisation of what he had said had just occurred to him. He was fortunate that she wasn't interested in sharing such information with the Carers. She had no wish to be bought to their attention, even if it was not her transgressing.

Her hands were shaking slightly, but the next question suddenly just fell out of her mouth.

"What did you actually do in the first place?"

Immediately a blush crept over her cheeks, her embarrassment plain. Of all the rude question she could ask, that was perhaps the worst. So blunt and uncaring. Immediately she started trying to think of ways she could take it back.