The Red Nights

Once they got back Carla let herself fall down on the carpet of the living room while Natasha headed straight to the kitchen. When she joined Carla in the living room a short while later she had two bottles of freshwater in one hand and a small plate filled with slices of mango on the other. She put the plate and one bottle of water on the coffee table and kept the other one.

Though she could feel the pain of her exhausted muscles, Carla, anyway, struggled to sit up and to have some of the refreshments Natasha kindly brought.

" Well ", Natasha released a sigh of satisfaction after she put the empty bottle on the table. She stood up and told Carla " I will go first take a shower ".

" How can you still have the energy to move around like that? " she asked lazily after she swallowed the last slice of mango, " did we really go through the same hell of training? " the tone weakened of her was enough to express how confused and impressed she was.

" We did but the difference is that I'm used to it " Natasha chuckled, " but I'm a little impressed, back in days when I started training with him I recall that after our session I was so tired that he had to carry me all the way to my room ".

The corner of Carla's lips extended to reveal a weak smile, " so you say that I should be proud to still standing on my feet after such a session? You sure you just don't want to make me feel less pathetic? "

Natasha laughed and picked the dishes and brought them back to the kitchen before she headed upstairs leaving Carla to rest on the living room.

She later found the energy to go upstairs to the room she was sharing with Natasha. There she found her dressed with a backpack hanging on her shoulder, she seemed ready to go out.

" Where are you going? " Carla asked her more curious than surprised.

" I have class now " Natasha responded without looking at her as she was distracted by her image on the mirror as she was checking herself.

" You're still going to school? " Carla exclaimed.

Looking at her surprised face Natasha figured out that it was clearly not the answer she was expecting.

" Mm-Hmm " Natasha nodded, knowing that she went through a different kind of circ.u.mstances during those past few years back her hometown, Mountclay, Natasha could understand her reaction so she took the time to explain to her.

" When we, somehow, overcame the crisis Lina insisted that the citizens should continue living their lives as usual so that we could maintain a civilized lifestyle, so we all worked together to revive the city, some of the business reopened, some went to their usual works while others like me, with no competences which could contribute in the reconstruction of the city, had to return to school ".

Natasha raised her sight a little as if she was remembering something she once heard " 'In fact, though we are lucky enough to live in an era where almost all the cities of the are self-sufficient we still need skilled people to make the city run like it's usual' has said Lina to all the youngsters you have seen in the dojo lately. At that time many of us were thinking that it was pointless to continue to go to school, including me " she confessed a little embarrassed, " all I wanted was to accompany Jamal to fight to defend the city then Lina said 'what is the point of defending a dead city?', she told us that we are still able to have something to eat because people are using their skills and knowledge to provide food that we are able to still get water and electricity because people are working to provide those resources to us but- "

" But those people working are not immortals " Carla completed as she guessed the end of her sentence, from there she could suppose what happened next but she still let Natasha finish.

" So she convinced us to continue studying so that one day we may replace those people in those essential jobs ", a smile appeared on Natasha's face " but the way we're studying is not what you could think ".

As Carla was looking at her with her curious eyes, she continued " in fact, we just say school because it's the best way we can say to refer to it but in reality, it's not exactly it. After a series of discussion and detailed analysis from Lina, the students could choose directly in which field they want to work after graduation so that they can already receive their formation on those different domains ".

" I see " Carla nodded, " that is quite smart because like that you can learn faster and more effectively as you can already practise what you could learn in theory ".

" Exactly, we are saving time " Natasha confirmed. " So in first, we go to the library to do self-study while we will be coordinated and watched by some few teachers since they are way too few of them to organize some real classes it's the best way we can find to learn and after an hour every one of us shall go join their mentors on the field where they are working to learn directly how to do the job ".

" Which domain did you choose? " Carla asked.

" Agriculture " she responded straightforwardly, as she expected Carla seemed a bit surprised, she grinned as she said " if you want to ask why that's because though it is the most important domain for our survival, on the list where the students were choosing the domain they wanted to work on it was the least popular, so I chose it. I didn't mind to do any jobs anyway, as long as I could help. Since I'm stronger than normal people I thought that it was somehow suited for me, I can do a lot of things better and quicker than anyone else not forgetting that I learn very fast, which explains why I have usually more free time than the other students ".

Carla kept quiet while fixing the ground as if she was wondering about something, then she suddenly raised her head with an expression of confidence and resolve when she said: " it's decided, I will join you to work in the farm " she paused and smirked, " and if you want to ask why that's because I'm used to working hard and since I'm stronger than normal people it's suited for me, I can do a lot of work better and quicker than the others, not forgetting that this domain seems to cruelly need some more manpower " she finished jokingly.

Natasha laughed, " say the truth, you just want to compete with me, don't you? "

" I won't deny that I also thought about it ", Carla put her fists on her h.i.p.s and sighed " well, what should I do to join the family farm? "

" First, you take a shower then you go to the city hall to tell Lina or Matteo that you have already chosen your domain of study, they will take care of rest and tomorrow we will go together " Natasha responded, pleased of her decision.

" Not today? " Carla asked a bit disappointed.

Natasha shrugged, " you're not the only one looking for a job or a formation, I'm sure right now the city hall is filled with people it will take time to get what you want ".

" But you're the best friend of the mayor you can pull some strings and make it faster, can't you? " Carla suggested.

Natasha laughed as she was walking out of the room, " we don't do that here you have to follow the rules and get in the line like everyone, don't worry Lina, too, is very quick in her job you won't have to wait for too long. And by the way, please bring Dana with her she also said that she wanted to go choose her domain of study. See you later ". She then waved her hand and left.

•••

As Carla had been warned a big crowd was there waiting when she arrived.

" We should better go and come back tomorrow, this won't get done by today " Dana snarled while glaring at the crowd.

" No, we have to be done with this today " Carla refused categorically. In fact, she was quite relieved to see that people had only filled the inside of the city hall since she was expecting the office to be so full that they would have had to wait outside.

She didn't take time to notice that ahead of the line people would leave and enter what seemed to be Lina's office quite quicker than it should normally be.

[ Seems like Natasha didn't exaggerate when she said that Lina was fast ] Carla thought a bit impressed.

" Hey, Brad! " Dana shouted while waving her hand as she saw the man passing by, interrupting the run of Carla's thoughts.

He seemed quite in a hurry but he yet didn't seem bothered to deviate from his way to come say hello.

" Hey, little kitty what are you doing here? " Brad said with a smile, " you are not with Natasha? " he turned his head right and left probably looking for the young woman.

"... hum... I-I came to register for school and also to choose a formation ", though she was the one who caught his attention and called him, Dana seemed uncomfortable. Observing her, Carla firstly thought that she was acting timidly maybe because she had a crush on him and that was making her feel nervous but then she remembered that she would sometimes act that way before Natasha and her when they are at home.

" Here is Carla who is accompanying me " Dana introduced her shyly while barely raising her head to look at Brad or her.

Brad narrowed his eyes and looked at Carla's face with attention before he asked: " I think I have met before ".

" Maybe yesterday during the carnival, I was with there with Natasha, Jamal and Lina " Carla replied hastily. In fact, she did remember having seen him after the battle against the undead but she didn't want to take the risk to mention that subject as there were too many people around who may hear. [ Lina said we should keep that confidential ] she remembered herself.

" Yes, that's right," Brad said after he finally remembered. He looked at the waiting line from the head to the tail, he leaned towards them and whispered to them " Lina sent me to go by some drinks for her and Matteo but I can maybe make you meet them faster before I go if you want, what do you think? "

Dana turned head seeming to look for Carla's opinion, she found her frowning and thinking with an indecisive expression then finally shook her head, " I think it's okay if we wait, it would unjust for the others who have been here since longer than us to skip and go directly just because we know the people working there ".

" You are right " Brad chuckled, " anyway, see you later " and then he went off.

Carla turned her head and saw Dana glaring at her seeming upset. " For really? We could have saved a lot of our time " she reproached Carla.

" Hey, don't make that face we have to follow the rules," she said with a smile as she remembered Natasha's words.

•••

" Next! " Matteo shouted, immediately the door opened and Carla and Dana entered the office.

" Oh well, what surprised " Lina exclaimed joyfully even though we could notice a sense of tiredness in her voice, " how are you doing my cute baby girls? "

" We're definitely better than you are " Dana sneered.

" Hmmm, seems like you learned how to use your tongue you little- " Matteo quickly interrupted before she could terminate her sentence which would have definitely made Dana very angry.

" Well, for what reason are you both here? " he asked.

" We came to register for school and also apply for the work formation " Carla responded.

" It seems like Natasha has already explained to you how things work here, then it will be quicker," Lina said, " Carla come here, Dana try your best to explain to Matteo what you want to do ".

In less than five minutes they were already done and the girls left the office.

" This was the last one for today " Brad came to announce them with a proud smile.

" Finally! " Lina shouted her two fists in the air.

" I almost thought it would never end " Matteo sighed while leaning his upper body on the backrest of the sofa.

" Good work everyone, now hurry and get off here we have to close the office, I can't wait anymore to see my man so you better not waste my time," she said with a so menacing tone that the two guys didn't even try to reply.

They hurryingly took their stuff and went off.

Arrived in his apartment Matteo was so tired that he automatically walked into his bedroom and threw himself in the bed.

In his dream as he was deep asleep he found himself standing in the middle of the dark, the light there was so weak that he couldn't even identify whether he was out or inside an establishment, in a big or a small room. Just when he started to think that he was alone there a mysterious person suddenly appeared in front of him. He was so shocked that he could feel his heart beating hard in his c.h.e.s.t.

In the darkness, Matteo could barely conceive the shape of that person though they were so close that it seemed like only two steps were separating them from each other. He, however, managed to distinguish the feature enough to conclude that that person was a girl. She seemed to wear a black hood which was hiding her eyes which made Matteo unable to completely and clearly imagine that girl's face.

The corners of her lips extended to reveal a malicious smile and she said: " here he is, the annoying and bothersome boy ".