Free Violet Path by Olivia Lodise

did find out who I was. It would be the end of me, literally. I was glued to my seat, petrified. I had nowhere else to go, so I reassured myself that everything would be all right, although I knew everything was just a lie. At that moment though, I needed encouragement more than anything, and I somehow managed to keep my head held high and play my part.
    I was grateful that the soldiers went back to conversing and eating as if nothing had happened. I roamed around the table looking for an empty spot and ended up sitting between two middle-aged men.
    “Hi there, Alex. I’m Will,” said the man to my right.
    “And I’m Philip,” added the man to my left.
    I replied with a faint “hi.” I was served a full plate of food, and I devoured everything. The thick meat was tender and served with a sweet orange sauce. There were some green beans as well, which had been roasted, and the white sticky rice complemented the meal perfectly. I savored every bite. I hadn’t had such a meal in what felt like forever. I was served a glass of water but didn’t even finish it; I was too busy appreciating the food.
    I found out that Philip was the head cook and considered his recipes to be masterpieces. Will, on the other hand, had spent most of his time designing and creating weapons. I didn’t know about the weapons he spoke of because they were his inventions, but he talked a bit about bows, which I was familiar with.
    After I’d inhaled my food, I looked around. Everyone had bruises on their faces, but they were smiling and laughing. No one was violent, aggressive, or rude. Instead, they were enjoying each other’s company. I started to feel like I fit in. They didn’t seem to care about any of their differences. Some had dark skin, and others had light skin. I had studied a lot about different races at H.S.H.S. simply because Matthew wanted me to understand exactly what I would be up against. The soldiers affectionately conversed with each other, as if they all truly cared for their group. As I scanned the long table, I wanted to be a part of their family. I wanted to feel that same sensation they were all sharing, that of belonging. I didn’t understand The Shadows’s community, but it was the opposite of mine, and that was more than enough to please me.
    David was sitting at the end of the table. He wasn’t showing any hint of emotion. If I hadn’t known any better, I would have said that he had been brain damaged, not unlike Lyli.
    Andrew’s chair was empty. I saw him in the distance, walking into the forest. It intrigued me. As the leader of his community, I didn’t expect him to simply walk away from his soldiers. Matthew had always taught me that I was supposed to be last one to turn my back, that I wasn’t to trust anyone. I trusted Andrew because he trusted his people. I wanted to understand him. I excused myself and followed Andrew.
    “You shouldn’t follow me,” Andrew told me as the leaves cracked under my feet.
    I didn’t think twice before answering, “You shouldn’t be alone.”
    Andrew froze, shocked. I was being disrespectful and regretted what I had said, but the fact that I had spoken to him so frankly and hadn’t received a blow to the face for it comforted me.
    “You are the first person to talk to me like that. David doesn’t count,” he said.
    “I’m sorry.”
    “Don’t be. For once I felt like a real person.” Andrew turned around. “No one but you and David talk to me like you just did, like a friend, like a person, like someone other than the leader. It’s just annoying to always have to act as if I’m superior. Making big decisions and following old traditions gets boring and doesn’t add any meaning to anything. What’s the point of having power but being controlled by others? It doesn’t make any sense!” He started to raise his voice and throw his hands around in frustration. I hadn’t expected to get such a reaction, but he’d opened himself to me, and that made me feel