She took me to a place in the slums. The place was messy and maybe a little filthy but it felt more comfortable than the lab ever did. She lit the wood in the fireplace and I could finally get a good look at the place. It was a singular room with one bathroom with only a toilet and sink. The room had both a bedroom and a small kitchen. She walked towards the kitchen and put a fire on the stove. She put on a pot that had been used for many years. She poured in some water she got from the local stream. She turned to me with a smile.
"You lucked out tonight. I caught a rabbit and even got some nice vegetables from the town. This is my famous rabbit stew we are going to have."
Seeing her smile made me happy. I stared at her and smiled as brightly as I could muster.
"Thank you so much!"
She chuckled a bit.
"Of course. Feel free to look around while I fix us some dinner."
I nodded and scampered around like a child in a candy shop. My eyes became glued to an object in the bathroom. I saw a boy in it with white hair as pure as the first snow in winter and eyes the color of the winter's sky. I squinted at it.
I heard the lady break out in laughter.
"Kid, have you never seen a mirror before?"
I started blushing in embarrassment.
"B-Be quiet."
She walked over to me and gently took it from my hand and extended it out in front of us.
"A mirror reflects what it's pointed at. This is you and this is me."
She handed it to me, I grabbed it and excitedly stared at it.
"Wow!"
She looked at me.
"Come to think of it. I've never asked your name. What is it?"
The scientists said never to expose my code name.
"I don't have one."
She smiled.
"Should I give you one then?"
I nodded vigorously and she couldn't help but laugh again. She stared at me.
"My name is Dusk, let's do one that connects with mine. How about Dawn?"
I hugged her.
"I love it! Thank you so much!"
She hugged me back and then quickly rushed to the pot she finally noticed was boiling over. After she managed to save our food, we both laughed.
We sat on the floor near the fireplace with overused wooden bowls and spoons. She only had two of everything.
I found myself staring at a picture near the fireplace. She picked it up and gave it to me.
"My husband didn't want to take care of a child, so it was just me and my son. One day I took him into town and he disappeared. I searched for days and never even found his body."
She stroked the picture in my hand with a smile.
"That was two years ago, around the time District 2 declared war on us. Accusing us of stealing children when they are the kidnappers. Unfortunate right?"
I handed the picture to her and she set the picture back where it was. She smiled at me.
"Things like this happen to the people in the slums and no one even bats an eye. You don't even have a moment to breathe, especially not for the poor, life moves on."
I didn't even know how to respond. How could she even smile?
"How could you deal with it?"
She patted me on the head.
"The answer to that is simple. You find someone you need to smile for."
Confusion was spelled out on my face.
"Someone you need to smile for?"
She nodded.
"Yes. You will understand when you find someone you need to be strong for. For me, that's you."
She grabbed our bowls and walked to the kitchen.
"Why don't you get some shut eye?"
I didn't fully understand what she meant, but if I make her smile, it doesn't matter.
I laid on the cold floor. Dusk placed a blanket of clothes over me.
"Rest well."
As I closed my eyes that day, I swore that I'd end this war. That I'd kill the head of District 2.