《Triplicity》


 Prologue

    Dry, stale air gently brushed her cheeks as Anne slowly walked down the dark concrete corridor. The dead silence was only disturbed by the soft crackle of dried blood beneath her feet.


    A small frail boy was closely following her trail.


    ¡°T¡­Tom?¡±


    The boy lifted his head. His dark brown eyes stared blankly from under his muddied fringe. The smallest of smiles flashed across his face.


    ¡°Where¡­ are we? It¡¯s all so dark.¡±


    Tom shrugged and took her hand as they looked around, unable to distinguish anything but the long and seemingly endless corridor.


    ¡°We have to get out of here.¡±


    With another small nod, Tom glanced back into the darkness behind them before they carefully made their way further down the passage. It was only after almost an hour of walking that doors and other paths could be seen branching off the sides and into the distance, devoid of any movement or signs of life. Blood that covered most of the floor and walls was the only evidence that anyone was there before. The now soppy mass of scarlet pushed out between their toes in big clots as they walked on. A thick lingering stench made the journey nauseating, and breathing became more difficult as they continued further down the corridor.


    An abrupt wave of dread swept through Anne¡¯s mind and gripped her senses when Tom looked up at the ceiling high above them. Deep gashes, like claw marks, were etched into the concrete.


    Anne reactively spun around and grabbed him by the shoulders.


    ¡°Look at me!¡± she squeaked.


    He lowered his gaze to meet her eyes, his face still strained with fear. She cupped his face and pressed her forehead against his.


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    ¡°It will be ok. We will be OK¡± she whispers with a trembling voice. ¡°I need you to be strong, ok? For both of us.¡±


    With a nod and soft sighs, they pressed on.


    After what seemed like an eternity of clamoring ahead into nothingness, they paused at one of the many doorways barely visible in the looming darkness.


    A slight breeze blew through Anne¡¯s hair, tugging a curly strand into her face. She tucked the stubborn lock back behind her ear.


    ¡°Over there!¡± she pointed inside and pulled Tom into a run. Hope was building up inside them as they neared a big hole in the wall from which the breeze seemed to originate.


    Tom slid in a puddle as they reached the hole, falling forward into the unknown and pulling Anne in with him. They hit the ground with a hard thud.


    ¡°That hurt,¡± was all Anne could mumble.


    Startled and slightly dazed, they jumped up and looked around them. Moonlight was casting a dim glow through the dead branches of a once-dense tree canopy, and cold dirt was now sticking to their blood-soaked feet.


    ¡°We... we made it out. Are you ok?¡± Anne breathed, brushing grime off the orange rags she wore. Tom replied by dropping down into a crouch and running his fingers through the ground, digging up small rocks in the process. A warm, simple, yet happy feeling flowed from him and Anne shivered at the sensation.


    They were in what looked like a forest, yet all the plants and trees were dead and stripped of all but a few lonesome dry leaves. The silence persisted even though they escaped their mysterious confines, and the landscape was bereft of any signs of life. Anne turned to the hole they fell through, where the moonlight now revealed the bent and ripped edges of steel plating and reinforcement protruding from the pale grey concrete wall. It was clear that someone, or something, also escaped this way.


    ¡°C¡¯mon Tom. We can¡¯t stay here. We need to find someplace safe and¡­ food. When was the last time we ate? I¡­ I can¡¯t remember.¡± Tom jumped up and held out a small round pebble, clearly hoping it would make her feel better.


    ¡°You keep it,¡± she said, ruffling Tom¡¯s dirty hair.


    She led them a few steps away from the hole and onto a small outcrop, where they could see over the dead forest that stretched out before them.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± Anne whispered.


    Tom stared down at his feet to fight the anxiety that had been building up again, but to no avail, because the next question on their minds sent tears running down his cheeks and onto the ground.


    ¡°¡­Who are we?¡±

 Chapter 1 - Ripples in the Moonlight

    ¡°Tom¡­ Tom, wake up. C¡¯mon Tom¡­ we¡­ we have to go.¡±


    Tom slowly opened his eyes and stared up at Anne. Long shadows were cast across his face as dead tree branches tried to hide the setting sun. Anne¡¯s bright green eyes were tearing up as she peered in the direction the sun was disappearing, hoping to see an end to this lifeless forest.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t see far past these trees. C¡¯mon, the sun is almost gone. We need to try and make it as far as we can. It will be better once the sun is down.¡±


    They reluctantly got up and shook off some dirt and leaves. Their joints and muscles were stiff from the walking.


    It had been three days since they escaped from the mysterious facility. The sun proved to be too hot during the peak of the day, so they would find a crack or crevice of the biggest tree trunk or stump to hide from the sun¡¯s scorching rays. Before long the full moon loomed over them. At night it gave enough light for them to see where they were going, and the cool air was a welcome change from the dry heat during the day. Even though they did most of the walking after dusk, they could not stop their feet from blistering.


    Tired and thirsty they continued their journey through the silent deadness. Hours had gone by and the moon had moved halfway across the sky.


    The depressing terrain around them seemed to be ever static and unending.


    Anne felt her thoughts getting increasingly heavy as Tom¡¯s pace slowed, making him fall behind.


    ¡°Hang in there, Tom.¡± She said while giving him the biggest smile her cracked lips could handle.


    ¡°You know how intense our feelings flow to each other, especially when we are this close. You can feel mine, can¡¯t you? I need you to stay hopeful.¡±


    Anne pulled Tom closer by his shirt and hugged him, holding him tightly.


    ¡°I bet there are lots of water right there over that small hill.¡± She gently whispered.


    ¡°Cool refreshing water. And food. More than we could eat.¡±


    She let go and looked intently at him.


    Tom turned his face curiously to look at the approaching hill that appeared to shrink smaller at Anne¡¯s words.


    He could feel it. The emotion that flowed from Anne made him feel warmer and hopeful indeed, even though they both knew that nothing was certain.


    With renewed hope, they pressed on.


    The long quiet walk in the pale glow of the moon gave Anne a lot of time to think.


    Why were we in that¡­ that place? Who are we? Anne thought as she looked at the strange markings she found just below her wrist. She only noticed it a day after they first set out from the facility.


    Tom¡¯s has the same mark. And¡­ these. She grasped her shoulder, then ran her hand down until she felt a small round metal socket, about an inch deep, embedded in the back of her arm and just below her shoulder. The socket was cold to the touch and wide enough for her fingertip to feel inside, with a slight protruding ridge around the outside edge.


    One, two¡­ three.


    Then she continued down her other arm.


    Four, five, six. Six more on my legs. She slipped her hand under her ragged shirt.


    Two more just above my chest, and two just below. One on each of my sides, above my hips. And¡­ behind¡­?


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    ¡°Tom, stop!¡±


    Tom froze, startled.


    ¡°Turn around.¡±


    Tom turned with his back to her, and she lifted his shirt.


    ¡°No!¡± she squealed, making Tom jump away.


    ¡°Sorry! Sorry, it''s ok, it''s ok.¡± She took a deep breath and lifted his shirt again. Higher. His whole back was exposed.


    Anne¡¯s heart dropped. She moved her shaking hand over two rows of sockets that ran down his back on either side of his spine, gleaming horribly in the moonlight. More startling were the last two sockets about a hand¡¯s width below his neck. They were much larger than the rest. Anne made her tiny fist and fit it in one of them.


    Thirty-one¡­ thirty-two.


    She dropped his shirt as a shiver ran down her back.


    No doubt mine are the same.


    Tom looked worried and curious, then turned in place a few times as he tried to look over his shoulder at his back.


    ¡°C¡¯mon Tom¡± She sighed and started walking again, pulling him by the shirt. The image of Tom¡¯s back burned in her mind. She tried her best not to let the worry overwhelm her now that Tom had calmed down.


    The scene around them was finally changing. The dead trees were now smaller and less dense, making room for smaller shrubs and bushes.


    Crunch.


    Anne yelped as she stepped on something too crisp to be withered. It was a small green fern.


    What is this rush?


    Happiness.


    Tom suddenly ran up to her, shaking her arm and pointing excitedly ahead.


    ¡°Leaves! Look at all the green, Tom. And flowers! The plants, they are alive!¡±


    The dead forest ended very abruptly as if a line can be drawn where death ends, and life begins. The faint moonlight was enough to see the rich foliage and diverse plant life that plastered the world before them. A few fireflies were hovering over a big orange flower just a few steps further.


    The change in scenery was overwhelming and almost uncomfortable.


    The ground is so soft. It is making my feet tingle.


    As if on shared impulse, they lunged forward and embraced the touch of the long grass and the soft leaves against their faces. Some of the vegetation still had dew droplets glistening around them, and soon Tom and Anne were wet and sticky.


    The landscape dropped to a steep decline, and at the bottom, a silver stream could be seen flowing into the distance. Anne pulled Tom closer as he started crying at the sight.


    His sobs were in stark contrast to the relief and gratitude beaming from him.


    Their muscles were weak and exhausted as they made their way down towards the water. The downward climb was slow and tedious as their small bodies struggled through the thickening vegetation, yet the past few days suddenly felt like a distant, hopeless memory.


    Anne also couldn¡¯t hold back her tears when they finally stood on the edge of the water, staring at their reflections on its pearly surface. It took a while before Anne finally managed to mumble something, her lips trembling.


    ¡°W-we should¡­ drink f-first. Then wash up¡±


    They drank their fill from the cool, clear stream. Thereafter, they discovered a few shallow pools just off the main flow of the stream, so they each picked one to wash up in. Tom jumped in without a second thought, letting out a giggle as he struggled out of his wet rags in the water.


    Anne neatly folded her scraps of clothes on a flat rock on the edge of the pool. A stray cloud moved in front of the moon, casting them in a patch of darkness. Anne tried her best to scrub all the dirt from her hair while she listened to Tom playing in the other pool next to her. She got out after properly washing up to stand in front of her reflection once more. The moon broke free from behind the cloud and its glow was thrown across the landscape again, giving her pale skin a slight shine as she stood exposed to the moonlight. She stared at her reflection and ran her hand over her chest, stopping on one of the cold metal sockets just below her left breast.


    Who did this to me?


    She turned around to look at her back in the water mirror.


    So, I do have all of them too¡­ Whatever these are. Why are we even here? Why can¡¯t I remember anything since we came out of that dark room? All I know is that Tom is my brother. Not just a brother. We shared a womb. I must protect him. Why do I feel so alone? It hurts so much.


    Her thoughts are interrupted when she noticed Tom staring at her from his pool. His face displayed the strain of her internal monologue.


    I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean¡­


    Tom got up halfway out of the water and turned around, gesturing to her to wash his back. She gave Tom a small grin and joined him, using his wet shirt that was drifting nearby as a cloth.


    ¡°You better wash my back too you know,¡± she said as she started.


    Tom gave an enthusiastic nod. They spent the rest of the night in silence and soon they were both dressed and looking for a place to sleep. They had washed their rags, which brought out the orange color even more.


    No markings could be discerned from the cloth. No writing.


    No badges or identification.


    The night air was not too cold and their clothes dried quickly, so they each made a big pile of leaves next to each other to form improvised beds.


    They both tried to capture and cherish this moment: they were happy. They were relatively clean, and the refreshing water was bringing back much-needed strength to their bodies and minds. They slept soundly within minutes. No dreams.

 Chapter 2 - Little Laughter

    Anne rose as a crushing and suffocating sensation woke her from her sleep. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she was drenched in sweat. Dazed and confused she tried looking around to let her eyes adjust and focus, but the darkness made it difficult.


    ¡°Tom?¡± she groaned through gritted teeth.


    There was no reply.


    Tom was on his back, staring into the sky above. His breathing was fast and irregular. It was only after the ringing in her ears subsided a few moments later that she could hear the sounds surrounding her.


    Loud rabid barks were echoing from all around them. The branches above them shook violently as large shadowy shapes rushed through them.


    Hide. Hide. Hide.  She repeated in her mind, trying to get her limbs to move. She squirmed and rolled her body, sliding into the pile of leaves she was sleeping on. Within seconds she had covered herself with a thin layer of crushed leaves.


    Tom, move! You must hide. Do something!


    Tom stayed frozen in shock.


    Two of the dark shapes overhead came falling from the hanging branches. They hit the ground next to them with a crash of twigs and dust. The entities were fighting, yet the fight was short-lived when one of them barked and cried in pain, darting off into the distance to join their passing hoard. The victor stood still. It lifted its head, sniffed the air, then snapped its glare toward Tom and Anne. Its movements were unnatural, and with arms and legs bending at irregular angles and limbs much longer than its body, it imitated the movement of a giant spider.


    The creature¡¯s hairy body was suspended two feet off the ground as it dangled from between its limbs, and in mere moments it was standing over Tom, teeth bared and bloodthirsty.


    Its body resembled that of a large baboon, but with three eyes on each side of its face that glared down at Tom. Large fangs protruded from its opened jaw and a smaller mouth appeared to sprout from the one side of its neck, with a dark black tongue dangling from it as it breathed. The baboon let out dangerous growls from both its mouths as it lowered its face right down to Tom¡¯s.


    Tom''s breathing stopped, and his eyes darkened into a pitch-black mass. The baboon creature drew back and opened its jaws wide. With one swift and deadly motion, it struck.


    Tom! No! No...


    A torrent of dread ripped through every corner of Anne¡¯s body, leaving her devoid of all thought. The assault of fear between herself and Tom overwhelmed her in an instant. Her fingers dug into the sand as her small body twisted and spasmed. Blood gushed from her nose and mouth, drenching her face.


    Her senses left her.


    Quiet darkness enveloped her mind.


    ***


    Daddy!


    Daddy! Look, daddy.


    I drew a picture for you. The doctor said we must draw a picture of our family for our nineth birthday. Look, it¡¯s us! That there is you daddy. And there, that is mommy, in the ground, and she is holding her favorite flower that we always take to her. Aaaaand this is me and there is Tom and over there...


    Anne slowly opened her eyes.


    ¡°Tom?¡±


    Tom innocently nodded as he tenderly washed Anne''s face with his shirt. His eyes were baggy, but his face was set with a slight smile. It was early morning and the sun was hanging low on the horizon.


    Marks in the sand lead from where they had slept.


    ¡°You dragged me all the way here?¡± she said looking up at him.


    ¡°What happened? I thought I lost you.¡±


    Tom just shrugged, wiping more blood from her face.


    ¡°Thank you¡± she whispered, still confused.


    What happened? I can still taste the blood in my mouth.


    Tom got up and helped Anne get on her feet. They stood there for a moment, both getting their thoughts together after all that happened.


    ¡°We can think about what happened here later. We need to get out of here.¡±


    Tom nodded and pointed off into the distance.


    ¡°Smoke?¡± Anne said as she looked where he is pointing.


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    Off in the distance, a thin pillar of smoke can be seen drifting sideways as it was taken by the wind.


    ¡°Tom, you genius! We have to go check it out.¡±


    Tom shouldered Anne as they started walking. Her legs were too numb to walk more than a few steps without him.


    Anne looked around at their sleeping spot as they passed it. The sand surrounding their makeshift beds was red with blood and dry to a crisp. Tom ignored the scene and pressed on while Anne looked over her shoulder, trying to make sense of what she is seeing.


    That can¡¯t be my blood. That is too much, even for both of us. Tom seems fine. His clothes aren¡¯t even dirty.


    They made their way toward the distant smoke.


    As they reached the top of a small hill, they could see over a big valley wherein a small farm was sitting on the bank of another glittering stream, surrounded by a few fields of crops. A big red and brown barn had a large bonfire in front of it, sending out big clouds of smoke.


    What happened last night? What happened to Tom¡­ his eyes? And me¡­ I can¡¯t remember. But I remember, screaming.


    ¡°Thank you, Tom, but I think my legs are ok now. I can walk.¡± Anne was about to ruffle his hair when he moved a curl out of her face instead, tucking it behind her ear.


    ¡°Stop looking so worried. I¡¯m ok,¡± she smiled and grabbed his hand before he could take it away. ¡°C¡¯mon, let¡¯s go see if we can find someone down there.¡±


    The sun was already high when they approached the farm. Anne unknowingly rubbed the small cracks on her lips as they now walked through knee-high grass. They climbed over a creaky wooden fence and slowly neared the side of the barn. They found a few bushes clustered against a second fence a few feet from the fire, and hid, looking for anyone or anything.


    ¡°We can do this. The people here should be nice, right?¡±


    She said, breathing faster.


    They waited and waited, but nothing happened.


    Anne grabbed Tom by the arm and without a word, they sneaked over to the barn door.


    Anne peered inside.


    ¡°It¡¯s empty.¡±


    Arf-arf, arf!


    Anne and Tom flinched, then dove inside the barn. The sounds were coming from outside.


    Arf! ¡­ Arf. The sound came closer, then from around the corner, a plump orange-brown dog came wobbling with a little girl in tow. She was small and had red ribbons in her hair with a fairly dirty pink dress. The dog had reached the middle of the clearing when the girl caught up, throwing her tiny arms around it. The dog, barely feeling the girl''s weight on him decided to concede his capture anyway, and promptly plopped down onto its belly and rolled onto its side.


    Giggles erupted from the little girl as she clutched the dog¡¯s fur.


    ¡°Brwoof woof woof.¡± The girl added as she imitated a dog¡¯s barking. It replied with a big ¡°Wrroooof!¡±, then dropped his head onto the grass.


    ¡°Pumpkin no, no you n-not tired now. We just started playing.¡± The girl cried as she tried to shake the big dog into action. The dog barely moved. It was clear it was half asleep already.


    ¡°Pumpkin you are fat!¡± the girl laughed as she poked his belly from the side.


    ¡°Wiggle wiggle wiggle¡± she mumbled; the dog¡¯s tummy wobbled with her persistent poking and shaking.


    ¡°Hiiihihihihi hahaha¡± She continued and rolled over onto her back next to the dog, kicking her bare feet and flailing her arms up into the air.


    Tom and Anne stared unblinking from inside the barn and peeked out through the half-open door. They leaned against the door too much and it budged, sending a loud creak echoing through the barn.


    Pumpkin leaped up at the noise and barked.


    The little girl also jumped up and was standing behind the dog, staring wide-eyed into the dark barn. Pumpkin paused and sniffed the air.


    ¡°Yaff!¡± the dog yelped. As if on instinct both Pumpkin and the girl swung around and darted straight for the house. Her pink dress fluttered as she ran and pointed one stiff hand up in the air. Before she reached the house, the door burst open and a big burly man stepped out with a large gun held across his chest. The girl only stopped to indicate at the barn, then disappeared inside.


    ¡°He is coming for us!¡± Anne squealed. They ran deeper into the barn, looking for a place to hide.


    ¡°I can¡¯t see! It¡¯s too dark.¡± Panicked, they dashed around a big tractor in the middle of the barn.


    ¡°Here!¡± Anne called Tom. She found a big wooden crate. The crate was only a quarter full, filled with some smelly dog pellets. They jumped in and closed the lid. Their heartbeats were almost audible inside the dark quiet crate. Moments later the sound of big boots passed them. Anne''s temples throbbed as she stayed as quiet as possible.


    A door at the back of the barn slammed shut.


    Is he gone? Did he leave?


    They stayed still. Minutes go by in silence.


    He must be gone. Ouch, my legs are cramping.


    She slowly lifted the lid so she could look outside, but it was too dark to see much.


    ¡°I think we are -¡± The lid swung open with a shatter. A big silhouette was standing over them. The barrel of a gun was inches from Tom¡¯s face. They both shut their eyes, shaking¡­ waiting.


    ¡°Well hello there¡± a deep gritty voice broke the silence.


    ¡°Where d¡¯you come from? Come now, don¡¯t be shy¡±


    They slowly opened their eyes. The darkness was gone. A few lights hanging from the roof were turned on, lighting up the barn in a yellowy hue.


    He was a broad-shouldered man with a big wild beard. His pale blue eyes poked out from under his bushy eyebrows.


    He rested his gun over his shoulder and then held out his hand. Neither Tom nor Anne moved a muscle.


    The man gestured with his head, and the little girl came running in, ducking behind the man¡¯s leg. Even when standing on her toes, the girl was too short to see into the crate.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok, we won¡¯t hurt you.¡± The man reassured them.


    Anne finally rose. She was staring intently at the man¡¯s outstretched hand. Mustering her courage, she grabbed onto his hand, barely grasping two of his large fingers.


    ¡°You ready?¡± the man asked. Before Anne could think, he lifted her out of the crate and down onto her feet. Shaken, she looked at the man, then at Tom, and then back to the man. Tom seemed content with the situation, holding out both his arms for his turn to be helped out.


    ¡°Why, aren¡¯t you an eager one?¡± The man grumbled with a grin and lifted Tom out the same way. The man quickly tried to break the unease.


    ¡°This here is Tiffany¡± the man gestured at the small person clutching his leg.


    ¡°Say hello Tiff.¡±


    Shy, the girl pressed her face against his jeans.


    ¡°Hewwloww,¡± she mumbled with her face still covered.


    ¡°Now now Tiff, greet them properly.¡±


    She slowly revealed her face, blushing. ¡°Hi. Mm-my name is Tiffany. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    Anne wanted to answer, but no sound came when she tried to speak.


    ¡°Harr harr harr¡± the man chuckled. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside you two. You look hungry if I ever saw.¡± To that, they had no defense. They were starving.


    They made their way to the farmhouse. Tiffany skipped after her father, and Tom and Anne held hands and followed at a distance.


    It¡¯s going to be ok. Ok? Ok. I¡¯m scared. I can¡¯t let Tom know. I¡¯m so scared. Why am I so worried? What if it¡¯s dangerous?


    What if¡­ they get hurt?

 Chapter 3 - Pink

    Anne constantly fiddled with the sheets as she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. The utter softness of the bedding was unfamiliar to her and she found it hard to get used to it. Tom slept in another bed against the opposite wall. After they entered the farmhouse the previous day, they were welcomed with open arms by the man. He gave them a meal and some spare pajamas to wear to bed. They couldn¡¯t experience the taste of the food when they ate, nor had they spoken a word since then, yet they were grateful. So much so that Tom had a hard time eating. He was so happy that he kept sobbing. The sun had already set by then and they were so worn out that they were put straight to bed. Tom was asleep within seconds.


    We made it.


    What happens now? We can¡¯t stay here, but where can we go? Maybe we can work here on the farm? I don¡¯t know what to do.


    A sudden flashback interrupted her thoughts. The image of the baboon-creature standing over Tom, ready to rip him apart.


    What would I have done¡­ if¡­ if anything would happen to him? I was so powerless. Our connection; I have never felt it so intense before. It felt like I would die with Tom, but not in the same way. That creature. What happened to that thing?


    She rested her hand on her chest to try and calm her heartbeat when she felt the cold touch of the socket that is embedded above her right breast. All her uncertainties now piled on her and pressed her deeper and deeper into the bed. She wept, curling up into a ball


    Purpose. Do we have any? Is there any reason for any of this? Who even are we?


    A soft creak could be heard as the door slowly opened. Startled, Anne wiped her face and listened.


    "Anney?" Tiffany¡¯s tiny voice called from the doorway. She came in and walked up to Anne''s bedside.


    "Anney?" She whispered again.


    "Yes, Tiff?" Anne sat up, pretending to have been sleeping.


    "Can I sleep here with you? I don¡¯t like the dark very much." Tiffany said as she played with a strand of her hair.


    "Where is your dad?"


    "Papa¡­ papa is not here. He will be back tomorrow. He stays outside some nights." She said while fidgeting even more.


    Anne tried to make sense of it but quickly decided that now is not the time. She moved up. Tiffany gave a small jump of joy, then clambered up the bed. Her pink pajamas matched what Anne was given to wear. Tiffany cuddled up against Anne, her eyes already closed.


    "Thank you, Anney." She mumbled through a yawn.


    "Now y-you don¡¯t have to cry anymore." She added.


    A little taken back, Anne held her as she fell asleep.


    This sensation. It feels so nice.


    With a small smile on her face, Anne closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep.


    ***


    Daddy, can we visit mommy today? I got her some flowers.


    No! I already saw the doctor yesterday! And the day before. Why can¡¯t I go see mommy? The flowers are going to wilt¡­ Daddy, why are you crying? Please no I¡¯m not sad! Please, no pills. I¡¯m feeling ok daddy, look.


    Please, I don¡¯t want the pills again. You know what happens.


    Daddy? Daddy!


    Anne woke and found herself staring at the still unfamiliar ceiling. She pushed herself up and looked around. Her head was a bit hazy.


    Where am I?


    Tiffany was still curled up next to her.


    Oh, right. I remember. How long have I been sleeping?


    The sun¡¯s rays were coming in low through the window. It was still early morning and an old crocked-eyed rooster was on the roof trying to wake them. It gurgled a few sounds and then fell over and rolled down the side of the roof. A low rumble echoed from above Anne as the rooster rolled its way down and ended with a thump as it hit the ground.


    "That¡¯s Goose" Tiffany groaned as she woke. She looked up at Anne and gave her a big toothy smile.


    "Morning!" Tiffany greeted. She sniffed the air and her face lit up.


    "Breakfast!" With a surge of energy she dropped off the bed and scurried out into the hall.


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    "Anney! Tommy! Hurry! Breakfast is ready." She called from somewhere in the house.


    Tom just woke up and was looking more confused than Anne was. His fringe spread out in all directions. They both stumbled out of bed and followed the sound of excited yapping down the hall. Tom and Anne were still wearing bright pink long sleeve pajamas. They entered the kitchen and were assaulted by the smell of food. Yesterday they couldn¡¯t taste or smell any food for what it was, but now their senses seemed to have recovered. Anne and Tom felt the rush of excitement, understanding Tiffany¡¯s enthusiasm. The big farmer was trying his best to establish himself in the kitchen. Everything from the spoons to the pots and pans seemed too small when he worked with it, and most were somewhat bent. The three of them sat down at the small wooden kitchen table. Pumpkin was basking in front of the open kitchen door that led outside.


    "Morning little ones." The farmer¡¯s voice rumbled as he finished some sunny-side-up eggs. The eggs flopped onto their plates as he dished them. He then added crispy bacon, which was crumbled into small bits.


    "Thank you, papa." Tiffany said and dug into her food.


    "Thank you." Anne followed. and she and Tom started eating.


    "Make sure you drink plenty of water." The farmer said as he placed three large full glasses in front of them.


    "Yes papa" Tiffany uttered stiffly and rushed for the water. Her eyes urged Tom and Anne to do the same. They did. The farmer softly sighed and he smiled.


    "You haven¡¯t told me your names yet little ones." He said calmly.


    "I¡¯m Anne. This is Tom. He¡­ doesn¡¯t talk." She said. Tom simply nodded as he chewed on some bacon.


    "Tommy! Anney!" Tiffany exclaimed with a know-it-all smile.


    "Oh, you knew, did you?" her father said acting overly surprised.


    "And when were you going to tell me?" He said as he reached over to tickle her. "Hihihihi! Noooo haha noo!" she giggled, trying to break free. He let off and returned his attention to Tom and Anne.


    "I¡¯m John." He added.


    "Papa Johnny!" Tiffany laughed.


    "Sorry for yesterday. We had some problems with chacma spiders attacking the cattle. Almost mistook you for one." He let out a husky laugh at the idea.


    "What is a chacma spider?" Anne asked, her mind anticipating the answer.


    "Bad news those creatures." John murmured. "They are¡­" He looked at Tiffany and decided to rethink his answer.


    "Spider. Baboon. About as big as pumpkin there, just not as puffy." He said with a pause as he tried to think of a better way to explain it.


    "Don¡¯t worry." Anne said, staring at her plate. "We understand."


    John lifted a bushy eyebrow. "Oh?" Apprehension flickered across his face, which quickly vanished as he took a sip of cold water.


    He is not entirely correct. They are much bigger than their pumpkin.  Anne thought with a shiver.


    Tom¡¯s eyes widened and he pointed to John, and then to his own arm, poking at the marking he and Anne had below their wrists.


    John''s gaze followed and then he looked down at his arm.


    "Oh, this?" John showed them his wrist, revealing a similar yet different mark than they had.


    "What about it?" John smiled.


    "What is it?" Anne asked quickly. "What does it mean?"


    "This here is just your date of birth." John laughed. "It shows when you were born, see? Counting the years from mine I¡¯m thirty-eight years old now."


    Tom eagerly held out his wrist for John to read.


    "Let¡¯s see now. Hmmm¡­ Strange. No. That can''t be right." John murmured. "And you¡­" He turns Anne¡¯s arm around.


    "The same."


    "Nine," Anne said abruptly.


    A metallic shine glistened from under Anne''s sleeve. John froze. His face was blank as he stared down at her arm. Anne and Tom looked at each other, confused. Tiffany was utterly carefree as she continued eating. Seconds later John sprang back to life as if nothing happened.


    "Both of you are nine then?"


    "Yes." Anne said as she pulled back her hand.


    Oh no. Did he notice one of those metallic... things? Was that why he froze?


    "He is my brother." Anne said without thinking.


    "I¡¯m six!" Tiffany exclaimed proudly while holding up five fingers.


    "That¡¯s my big girl." John said warmly. "Well, I have to get to work. Remember to drink all your water." He says getting up.


    "You all play nice now you hear? And please make yourself at home." He kissed Tiffany on the cheek.


    "Can we visit mamma?" Tiffany asked. After a slight pause, John gave a delighted nod, put a big hat on his head, and disappeared out the door and into the bright outdoors.


    Tiffany obediently downs her water and puts her glass down with a clang. She points to their glasses. "Drink up so we can go." Tom shrugged looking at Anne, then finished his glass. Anne finished her glass soon after.


    They followed Tiffany back to her room. Her room was pink except for the white walls and bedding. Her wardrobe door gave a faint squeak as she opened it, and she pulled out a cute pink and blue dress and some undies. She places them on her bed.


    She loves pink. Anne thought as she entered her room.


    And she never wears shoes.


    With a groan, Tiffany dropped to the floor and crawled under her bed. She popped out the other side, pushing out a big suitcase. She flipped it open, revealing more clothes.


    "Mommy made these for me for when I am older." Tiffany said smiling. "There are many. Come pick one!" Tiffany gave a slight sigh of relief when Anne picked the least pink dress. White ribbons dotted the dark blue dress she now held high.


    Tiffany handed Tom a pair of jeans and a plain shirt.


    "Sorry but I only have this that will fit you. This is for when I¡¯m old enough to work in the field with papa. I have too many, so you can have these."


    Tom felt his face warm up as he blushed.


    "Now go. We need to get dressed before we go see mamma." Tiffany said as she playfully pushed Tom out of her room. The door clicked to a close in Tom¡¯s face, so he scuttled around the corner into the spare room where they slept.


    Anne thought of hiding the metal bits dotting her body from Tiffany as they undressed.


    What if she sees these? I must hide them. Should I? Why am I even worried about it? Who cares?


    The worry dissolved. Anne carelessly got dressed and found herself looking in a big mirror next to Tiffany¡¯s bed.


    This dress is so pretty. I just love the little ribbons, and the colors are beautiful. Anne¡¯s hair was clean, giving it a very different look than before she cleaned it in the riverside pool. Tiffany walked up to her, looking into the mirror with her.


    "Your hair is so pretty and curly. I wish my hair was as curly as yours." Tiffany said looking at a straight lock of hair she pulled in front of her face. Tiffany¡¯s hair was a dark brown and long enough to just pass her chin. A contrast to Anne¡¯s long black locks that draped over her shoulders. Anne¡¯s skin was soft and pale, with one of her bright green eyes trying to hide behind a stubborn lock of hair. Tiffany was tan. Most probably because of her farm life.


    They left the room just as Tom came around the corner.


    "Wow, Tom that looks very good on you," Anne said, giggling with Tiffany.


    "Now let¡¯s go visit momma!" Tiffany jumped, unable to contain her excitement. "Oh, but first! We need to get her flower."

 Chapter 4 - The Scarlet Tree

    The cool breeze sent waves of color swimming across the landscape.


    Anne, Tom, and Tiffany had reached a meadow a few minutes'' walk from the farmhouse. Flowers of varying sizes and colors littered the terrain, giving the air a sweet smell. A small grassy trail wound through the flowers to a small tree in the middle. Tiffany led them down the path to the tree and Anne and Tom shared some quick ecstatic glances.


    Awe and wonder beamed between them through their link. The excitement was almost palpable and the three of them giggled and shouted as they ran towards the tree, stretching out their arms with the wind wafting from the side. Tiffany swirled around when they reached the tree, fanning her pink dress.


    ¡°This is momma¡¯s favorite tree. She planted it here when she was just a little girl like me.¡± Tiffany said as they looked up at the tree¡¯s scarlet leaves that rustled in the wind.


    ¡°And these are momma¡¯s favorite flowers.¡± She pointed to the base of the tree where some bright pink bell-shaped flowers were growing.


    ¡°Momma loves pink, just like I do!¡± Tiffany said as she hops in place.


    ¡°These flowers only grow in the shade of momma¡¯s tree. It is what makes them so special.¡±


    Tiffany dropped to her knees and closely examined the flowers as she considered which to pick. ¡°We can only pick one,¡± she whispered as she held one at the stem.


    ¡°This one!¡± She shouted, and carefully picked the flower.


    They decide to stay a while longer before heading back. Anne and Tom sat down back to back in the tree¡¯s shade to take in the peace and quiet. Tiffany sat between Anne¡¯s legs and rested against her chest smiling up at Anne with closed eyes.


    I could stay here all day. This place is truly magical. I¡¯m getting very excited to meet Tiffany¡¯s mom. What was my mom like? I don¡¯t remember, but everything here is so wonderful¡­ why would I need to?


    They sat in silence, enjoying the tranquility of the meadow as the sun slowly made its way across the sky. About an hour went by before Tiffany lazily got up. Yawning and stretching, they got up and followed Tiffany back down the path.


    When they reached the farmhouse and skirted around the right until they reached the back.


    A big gnarled tree was standing tall, casting a large shadow throughout the backyard. Thousands of small white blossoms decorated the huge tree and those that fell off covered the ground underneath. Against the trunk, a single gravestone stood.


    Tiffany let out a few giggles and ran ahead, holding the flower high in the air. Though the flower was picked almost two hours ago, it still looked pristine.


    ¡°Anney! Tommy! Come quick.¡± She hurried them over. Tiffany was on her knees when Anne and Tom reached her. Her little pink dress got dirtied by the damp ground, for the grass grew sparsely under the tree¡¯s enormous shadow.


    Tiffany gently picked up an old and dried flower from in front of the gravestone and put the new flower in its place.


    ¡°Hello, momma!¡± Tiffany beamed.


    ¡°Look, momma. I made some new friends.¡±


    Her mom. She is¡­ I feel so sorry for Tiff. Wait. Do I?


    I don¡¯t feel sorry. I don¡¯t feel sad. This is amazing. I¡¯m so happy to finally meet her.


    Anne and Tom knelt on either side of Tiffany. Tom was smiling wide. His excitement gently warmed him and Anne.


    ¡°Momma. This is Tommy. And this is Anney.¡± They both moved a bit closer as they were introduced.


    ¡°Say hi.¡± Tiffany urged them.


    ¡°Oh¡­ umm. Hi!¡±


    Anne said with a bit more enthusiasm than she realized. ¡°It¡¯s good to finally meet you. Tiffany can¡¯t stop talking about you.¡± Anne said.


    Tiffany laughed and playfully tried to push Anne over.


    ¡°Oh, thank you for the dress!¡± Anne gestured at the one she was wearing. ¡°You made it very pretty.¡±


    Tiffany grinned in agreement.


    They both looked at Tom who was on his knees, silent. His face flushed bright red and he hurriedly revealed a small posy from behind his back. It had five small flowers of varying colors that he had picked on their way back from the meadow, and he gently set them down next to momma¡¯s flower.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    It was then they heard heavy footsteps nearing.


    ¡°Hello, little ones,¡± John said from behind them.


    John got down on his knees with a low thud, right behind Tiffany. She dropped back against him as he pulled her in closer, relaxed.


    ¡°Today¡¯s flower is extra beautiful I see.¡± John¡¯s voice rumbled.


    ¡°How are you today mum?¡± He murmured.


    ¡°We are all doing great. I¡¯m managing with the farm and little one says my cooking has gotten better. We miss you though.¡± At these words, Tiffany looked up at him. Both smiled.


    ¡°Come little ones. Let¡¯s go get everything ready for dinner.¡±


    They got up after saying their goodbyes to Tiffany¡¯s mom and brushed the dirt from their clothes. Making their way back around the farmhouse, Tiffany ran ahead as usual.


    She disappeared into the house and came back out with two big straw baskets. Struggling not to let them scrape the ground, she wobbled up to her dad and handed him a basket. Tom held out his hand for the other basket and with a toothy grin, she handed it to him.


    ¡°We are having stew today. You know what to get Tiff?¡± John asked.


    ¡°Yes, papa.¡± She smiled and took Tom by the hand, and together with Anne, they set off towards the fields.


    ***


    A crackling fire waited for them outside when they returned to the farmhouse. The sun hung low and blanketed the sky in a peach haze. A long table was set outside where John was busy preparing their stew. They set the baskets next to him on the table. They were filled with tomatoes, peppers, carrots, potatoes, and one big butternut. Anne and Tom sat down on the soft grass, exhausted from the labor.


    ¡°Thank you, Tiff. You too little ones.¡±


    John motioned towards his throat.


    ¡°Oh! Yes.¡± Tiffany said and ran to the kitchen. A few moments later she emerged, carrying a stack of drinking glasses and a jug of water. John met her halfway and took the heavy jug from her, cupping her cheek to show thanks.


    Tiffany set the glasses in a row and John filled them as she went.


    ¡°They are late,¡± John said in a flat voice.


    ¡°They should have delivered today.¡±


    John took a glass and started sipping on it as he continued working on the stew. Tiffany grabbed a glass. Anne and Tom joined her and they enjoyed the cold drink after the hot day.


    Darkness fell as the sun was setting. They sat down at the table outside and John set their warm stew in front of them. The wonderful smell wafted through the air making their stomachs growl in anticipation.


    ¡°Eat up little ones.¡± John smiled.


    They enjoyed their warm meal in silence and John appeared deep in thought as he ate.


    What a day. Anne thought.


    The flower fields are so beautiful. And that tree.


    I got to meet Tiff¡¯s mother. I¡­ I wonder what happened to her.


    John seems to have taken us in, at least for now. It is a bit strange. He hasn¡¯t asked any questions about our past or where we came from.


    Not that I want him to. I¡¯m not sure what answer I could possibly give.


    Anne took a sip of water to wash down some stew and stared blankly in front of her as her mind wandered.


    I feel so happy. All the time. This must be normal. I like this.


    Anne¡¯s head abruptly got flooded with questions.


    ¡°Umm¡­ John?¡± Anne started.


    John lifted a brow and a smile crossed his face.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Like, what is beyond the farm? We don¡¯t really know the area at all.¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s see.¡± John started. He moved his bowl aside and put a spoon down on the table.


    ¡°This is Myrtle Valley, where we are now.¡±


    ¡°The river that runs past the farm is the Myrtle river.¡± He said with a raspy voice as he traced a line with his finger down one side of the spoon.


    ¡°Then we have the small town of Pebblebrook to the southwest.¡± He moved his bowl to where he is describing.


    ¡°And finally, to the north.¡± He pushed the water jug in place.


    ¡°To the north is the capital. A metropolis called San Vehema.¡±


    ¡°Wow, what are they like?¡± Anne muttered. Tom was also listening intently and looked at the spoon and bowl as if they were going to morph into the actual places at any moment.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± John paused to think.


    ¡°Pebblebrook is about a twenty-minute drive from here, so it¡¯s rather close. It¡¯s a small town situated near the end of the Myrtle river. The riverbed is packed with fist-sized pebbles, which the townspeople have used since its inception to pave the roads winding through it.¡±


    ¡°We take them fresh food! Sometimes.¡± Tiffany added in a squeaky voice.


    ¡°Harr harr harr!¡± John laughed heartily.


    ¡°Tiff is right. That is also where we get most of our supplies from.¡± John added.


    ¡°San Vehema, on the other hand, is big. Truly big. Not much else I can say about it. I¡¯ve only been there once or twice myself. Those tall buildings do not sit right with me. Especially since everything looks like it''s about to crumble. I¡¯m not sure what holds that place together.¡± John said while he moved his bowl back so he can eat.


    ¡°What is that way?¡± Anne asked and pointed in the general direction from where they came from when they found the farm.


    ¡°To the west?¡± John mumbled.


    ¡°Some old government area, maybe military. I¡¯m not entirely sure. There have been some bad rumors about that place. Some say the zone has been abandoned or even destroyed by an explosion of some sort, years ago. We just stay away from it altogether. Entry is off limits anyway.¡± John said casually and continued eating.


    Except for Tom and Tiffany making faces at each other resulting in chuckles all around, the rest of dinner was spent in relative silence.


    A military area? Off-limits to people? What could all this mean? Anne thought. A hint of fear rose through her, but then it dissipated.


    They all finished their last sips of water, taking in the sounds of nature around them. The birds that sounded throughout the day were now replaced with crickets and other nightly critters. After dinner, Anne helped Tiffany wash the dishes and Tom helped John put out the fire and pack up outside. It wasn¡¯t long until they sluggishly got into their pajamas as their eyelids got heavy.


    Tiffany was already in Anne¡¯s bed when she crawled in, and Tom was sleeping soundly.


    ¡°Goodnight Anney.¡± Tiffany snuggled up to Anne.


    ¡°Goodnight Tiff.¡±


    I hope this can last forever. I want to stay here forever. We can live here with Tiff and John, and there won¡¯t be any more worries.


    Ever again.


    John sat alone in the unlit kitchen.


    "That can''t be right, can it?"


    "Sixty-three years old."


    "Must be dated wrong."


    "Must be."

 Chapter 5 - Pullulating Awareness

    They started the day off with a hearty breakfast. Pumpkin basked in the warm rays that radiated through the open kitchen door. Tom stretched and yawned after he finished his last bite and Anne sat back in her chair, wondering what they are doing today. John was quiet. He didn¡¯t speak a word during breakfast and kept glancing out the kitchen window.


    ¡°Thank you, papa!¡± Tiffany squeaked as she hopped off her chair. John nearly knocked his plate off the table.


    ¡°Slow down Tiff. You¡¯ll give your old papa a heart attack.¡± John grumbled with a smile.


    ¡°Now you little ones can help me today. We need to harvest enough tomatoes, apricots, and some figs. I want to make some jam tomorrow.¡±


    Tiffany jumped in place with her hands in the air.


    ¡°Yes! Come we need to get dressed.¡± Tiffany said in her tiny high-pitched voice.


    Jam? What is jam? Going by Tiff¡¯s reaction it must be amazing. Anne thought as she tried to picture how those fruits John mentioned would be used.


    The three of them rushed off to the bedrooms. Anne caught a few mumbles from John just as they left the kitchen.


    What is late? John keeps muttering about something being late. Whatever it is, it seems to be troubling him. Is this the first time this happened?


    The image of John''s worried state does not hold up long as she reached Tiffany¡¯s room. A few minutes later they ran across the lawn in front of the house, all dressed and ready for the day.


    The day went by quickly as they helped around the farm. At around mid-afternoon, they entered the kitchen with two baskets of apricots, three baskets of tomatoes, and a basket of figs. Anne wiped the sweat from her forehead, appreciating the cool kitchen air. She could hear Tom¡¯s stomach grumble from where she stood, and by the looks of it, everyone else did too.


    ¡°Nothing gets you nice and hungry than a few hours out in the fields,¡± John said as he rubbed his stomach.


    ¡°I¡¯ll start making dinner. You can each have an apricot in the meantime.¡±


    They each carefully picked out a juicy apricot to nibble on and John took out a plate of marinated steaks from the fridge.


    ¡°Tom, want to come and help me stack the firewood?¡± John asked as he gestured toward the steaks.


    Tom nodded excitedly and darted out the door with John following close behind.


    ***


    They were all gathered around the table when the sun had set. A sizzling steak on each of their plates, together with chopped tomatoes and some greens. John poured them each a glass of milk and placed it in front of them, his face stone cold and his eyes covered in shadow.


    ¡°Pappa? Where is the water?¡± Tiffany asked as she looked at her glass of milk.


    ¡°They¡­ are late,¡± John said, clear confusion in his voice.


    ¡°They have never been late before. They should have delivered yesterday latest.¡±


    ¡°Well, drink up,¡± John said dully but then grinned as he continued to eat.


    Tiffany slowly sipped her milk as she stared into her glass and playfully swung her feet. Tom and Anne drank theirs slowly and with worried glances, but then returned to their steaks without care. They all ended up grinning wide as they enjoyed the meal.


    This is so delicious. I have never had steak before. Does this mean¡­ the water¡­ is finished?


    This is so delicious. I... I have never had steak before. The water is so cool and refreshing, especially after today.


    It was so hot outside.


    Anne''s thoughts felt murky and redundant as they ate, and could not help but join Tom and Tiffany as they giggled and played with their food.


    John was grinning too, as he stared off to the side and into the distance.


    The night went by quickly and soon Anne was in the bathroom, ready to clean up before bed. The bathroom had a big bathtub against the left wall and a shower hidden just around the corner. Anne closed the door behind her as Tom scrambled into the bath.


    Can¡¯t wait to get clean. I managed to keep my dress relatively clean, but my feet are all muddy and I¡¯m sweaty.


    Anne undressed and disappeared around the corner and into the shower.


    Her skin was sticky from sweat and small droplets lined the edges of the sockets that ran down her back. Laughter echoed inside the bathroom as Tom played in the bath, sending water splashing all over the floor.


    ¡°Tom, you are going to clean that up!¡± Anne yelled around the corner.


    A burst of frigid water struck Anne when she opened the shower taps and knocked the wind out of her. She ducked into the corner to avoid the icy drops, shivering, and waiting. It took a few seconds before the warm water reached the shower. Anne jumped at the warm water when steam emerged from inside the shower. She washed in silence, eyeing the sockets as she made sure they are clean, but ignoring them mostly.


    They jumped into their pajamas and made their way to bed, but not after a few groans from Tom as he first had to wring the water out of his pajamas. Tiffany was already waiting in Anne¡¯s bed.


    ¡°This is becoming a habit I see,¡± Anne muttered and jumped on Tiffany.


    ¡°Heee heeee no! hahaha nooo!¡± Tiffany laughed as Anne tickled her relentlessly for a few seconds. Tired and panting they both lay on their backs, staring at the ceiling.


    ¡°Goodnight Tiff¡±.


    ¡°Nighty night Anney,¡± Tiffany replied as they cuddled up to each other.


    The three of them quickly fell asleep.


    ***


    Daddy! Help!


    Please, daddy let me out of here.


    I was a good girl daddy; I even drank my pills. See dad?


    Please, dad! They are going to get me.


    Daddy, they are getting closer.


    Let me out!


    Don¡¯t let them take me. Daddy!


    Daddy!


    Anne woke with a start, sitting upright.


    My head. It hurts so much. Did someone punch me while I was sleeping? I can¡¯t think clearly.


    Anne looked down at her hands, they were shaking violently.


    Her head was pounding, and the only thing she could hear was the hammering of her heart. Tiffany clung to her. Her face was strained, and her eyes were shut tightly as she cried and screamed, but Anne could not hear a sound.


    ¡°Tiff, Tiff It¡¯s ok. It¡¯s ok, I¡¯m here.¡± Anne tried to calm her but, to no avail.


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    Tom was awake in his bed, holding his head and rolling around from side to side.


    He was clearly in pain and his intense fear and confusion drove into Anne¡¯s mind in stuttering and uneven waves that merged with her own. Anne grabbed onto Tiffany as the whole room appeared to shrink and expand. The shadows around them spilled over the room as it grew larger, a spread of pitch black with an almost liquid consistency.


    What is this? What is happening!? I need to calm down. I need to calm down. I need to¡­


    Why does this feel¡­ familiar?


    Anne¡¯s hearing gradually returned to her, and she could make out Tiffany¡¯s muffled screams as her face was pressed against Anne¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Tiff. I¡¯m right here.¡± Anne stammered, holding Tiffany¡¯s trembling body tighter.


    The shadows grew more, engulfing the entire room until the darkness seeped over them. A cacophony of whispers and wailing resonated from the darkness, drowning out all other sounds. Anne shut her eyes as she tried to fight the panic, but she could feel the warmth leave her body.


    A faint scream could be heard through the noise, as if from a great distance. Then everything was silent.


    Why didn¡¯t you save me, daddy?


    They came for me.


    They found me.


    You did nothing.


    Now I know them.


    You will too.


    Anne roused again as a low rumble echoed through the ceiling, followed by a thud outside. The sunlight flooded in through the windows.


    Goose?


    Anne pushed herself up. The cold floor had left her cheek stinging. She took some time to gather her thoughts.


    Tom! Tiff!


    Anne hurriedly pulled herself up against the bedpost, struggling to keep herself standing. Tiffany was motionless, curled up into a ball on the bed. A red puddle darkened the mattress around her tiny face. A cold rush flooded Anne¡¯s body at the sight.


    ¡°Tiff. Tiff!¡±


    Anne cried and shook Tiffany¡¯s small shoulder.


    ¡°Anney?¡± Tiffany whispered.


    Anne gasped and held her breath.


    ¡°Anney?¡±


    She is alive.


    Tom groaned and slid off his bed onto his feet.


    Tom is alive! We are okay!


    Tears rolled over Anne¡¯s cheeks as she picked Tiffany up from the bed.


    Anne rubbed some of the blood from her small face, then made their way to the bathroom to wash her face.


    They crossed the hall with Tiffany clutching Anne around the neck. Silence reigned but for the patter of their small feet on the tiled floor.


    Anne carefully put Tiffany down next to the sink and gently washed her face with a cloth soaked in warm water. She was quiet and clearly bewildered. Her big eyes looked up at Anne, yearning for answers. Tom sat with his back against the wall. Anne felt his concern. They thought they had escaped this feeling.


    ¡°Where is papa?¡± Tiffany finally said.


    Yes. Where is he? Anne also wondered. ¡°Maybe he is busy in the fields?¡± Anne said, trying to comfort her.


    They finished cleaning up and carefully made their way to the kitchen. It was quiet and deserted. No wonderful smells wafted in the air as usual. They went outside and found Pumpkin sitting under a tree and staring intently into the distance as if waiting for someone. He gave a quick bark when he saw them, then continued his stare into the far beyond.


    ¡°Papa is not here.¡± Tiffany cried. Tears rolled over her cheeks. She stopped mid-cry and wiped the tears away. Shocked, she gaped at her little wet hand.


    ¡°What is this?! Anney what is happening?¡± Tiffany asked and shook her hands; frantically trying to dry them on her pajama top.


    Anne knelt in front of her, cupping Tiffany¡¯s tiny fist between her hands.


    ¡°It¡¯s ok Tiff. They are only tears, see? I have them too.¡± Anne said. Her voice was soft and shaking.


    ¡°You have never had tears before?¡± Anne asked.


    Tiffany shook her head.


    ¡°I d-don¡¯t like this, Anney. I don¡¯t feel happy. Why, Anney? Please make it stop.¡±


    How is this possible? I don¡¯t understand.


    Tom was gawking in disbelief as he and Anne gave each other worried looks.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go inside and get something to eat. There should be some apricots and tomatoes left from yesterday. I¡¯m sure you will feel better then.¡± Anne said as she got up.


    Their breakfast was quiet, and the food did little to lift their spirits. Tiffany jumped at every sound. Her eyes were wild, and they constantly darted around the room as if the whole world had changed for her, and it was horrifying.


    They all held hands when they wandered back to their rooms to get dressed. Anne found herself in front of Tiffany¡¯s mirror again. She stared at her naked body dotted with cold metal sockets. A familiar rush of fear gripped her that she didn''t feel yesterday. Tiffany came into her mirror view and ran her fingers over the edge of the socket on her hip.


    ¡°Anny, what are these?¡± Tiffany asked softly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Tiff.¡±


    ¡°Do they hurt?¡± She asked, peeking around Anne¡¯s back.


    ¡°No,¡± Anne answered after a long pause.


    ¡°But it hurts, inside.¡±


    Tiffany wrapped her arms around Anne in a hug. They held each other for a brief moment, then they got dressed and joined up with Tom.


    The day crept on while they spent most of their time under a small tree next to the barn, for Tiffany was too scared to go any further from the house. She kept asking questions, trying to make sense of the feelings that she, for some reason, have never felt before. Anne only then realized how little she knew.


    Anne played with Tiffany¡¯s hair as she fell asleep on her lap late in the afternoon. It was the most peaceful Anne saw Tiffany today. The last few rays withdrew from the sky as the sun started to set beyond the horizon.


    ¡°Come Tiff. We need to get inside before you catch a cold.¡± Anne said as she reluctantly stirred Tiffany.


    They entered the kitchen, turned on the light, and jumped when another bright light flashed across the house. They swung around to see the headlights of a car that sped up to the farm. It skidded to a halt in a cloud of dust between the farmhouse and the barn. John stumbled out of the car. They could only see his silhouette as he neared them. He reached the kitchen door, squinting from the bright kitchen light.


    His face was red, and beads of sweat dripped from his forehead. His eyes were barely visible behind his bushy eyebrows as he grumbled and stomped around the kitchen. His beard was a mess.


    ¡°The bridge.¡± John barked as he pulled out a kitchen chair and dropped onto it.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s gone! Destroyed. That is why there was no delivery.¡± He said furiously and out of breath.


    He suddenly pulled Tiffany closer. He held her in front of him at arm¡¯s length, his eyes scanned her up and down.


    ¡°Are you ok Tiff?¡± His voice shook, paying no heed to Anne and Tom except for an angry glance that he threw in their direction.


    ¡°I think so, papa.¡± Tiffany squeaked.


    John pulled her into an embrace. Her small body was barely visible behind his large arms. A low grumble reverberated through the little kitchen as John started to weep. Tears ran down his cheeks and vanished in his beard. Seeing her father cry left Tiffany pale.


    Him too? What is going on here? How long has he been holding back? And¡­ how?


    Why?


    His cries grew louder, and the kitchen light flickered and dimmed.


    The shadows in the kitchen swelled and the air was hot and dry.


    ¡°Mum.¡± John suddenly muttered.


    He jumped up, gently pushed Tiffany aside, and vanished out of the kitchen and into the darkness outside.


    ¡°Pappa wait!¡± Tiffany cried and ran after him.


    Anne and Tom stood in the now still kitchen. The shadows receded back into their corners and the light hanging from the ceiling regained its brightness. They could not stop their bodies from trembling.


    No. No.


    Something is not right. Something is very wrong.


    Her thoughts were interrupted by John''s wails echoing through the farmhouse. It was coming from behind the house.


    ¡°I¡­ I think they are at Tiffany¡¯s mom,¡± Anne whispered to Tom.


    Tom pointed towards the door that led outside.


    ¡°No. I think it¡¯s best to leave them alone for now. I¡¯m not sure they ever had this chance before.¡±


    Anne was thinking about what she just said when an unnatural, terrible shriek pierced the air. The kitchen light went out with a pop, covering them in darkness. Then a second, high-pitched scream cut through the air. This one they recognized.


    Tiff!


    They both rushed out of the kitchen and ran as fast as their legs could carry them. They sped around the house and towards the giant tree at the back. The grave came into view as they rounded the second corner, but the moon was hidden behind clouds, making it impossible to see more than an outline.


    No more screams.


    They slowed down to a walk halfway to the grave, breathing hard and searching for John and Tiffany.


    ¡°Tiff. Tiff!¡± Anne called as loud as her trembling voice could.


    No answer.


    They neared the gravestone in the dark, trying to make out anything close or around it. Anne took a step and froze as she felt a soft crackle under her foot. The moon broke free from its cloudy prison and the landscape lit up in the moonlight. The giant gnarled tree provided little shadow as it stood stripped bare of its leaves and blossoms, leaving only a looming skeleton of the tree it was. The gravestone was painted scarlet, and the ground around it was red with dry blood.


    Anne screamed and dropped to her knees. The vivid scene in front of her burnt into her mind. The air was putrid.


    ¡°Why!¡± She screamed as she clawed at the ground, pulling up big lumps of blood and mud.


    ¡°Tiff! Tiffany!¡± Her screams continued to echo across the darkness. Her heart tearing at her insides. The culmination of dread and mourning was hard to handle as her head started to spin.


    She dropped down on her hands and her knees sank deeper into the red dirt, struggling to keep her balance. Her wailing was silenced as her voice grew hoarse and sore.


    A soft lump under her hand unnerved her.


    She carefully lifted her hand and brushed a thin layer of mud away until a small round shape rolled across the mushy surface.


    Anne¡¯s body faltered and her mind failed. Dread ripped at her senses and sent her writhing in the mud, tearing at the wet dirt and vomiting swaths of dark crimson.


    Tom crawled towards her and grabbed her by her trembling shoulders, dragged her onto his chest, and held her tight until her body calmed.


    He shut his eyes tight to hide what Anne saw from himself. He was barely able to reach her after her emotions knocked him off his feet.


    An hour later they both woke up from the cold muddy ground. They sat up slowly, both were unwilling to look towards the gravestone. After they stammered onto their feet, they made their way towards the front of the house, leaving behind the scarlet scene wherein the mass of blood lay a small hand, clutching a flower.


    ***


    They stood in the clearing in front of the farmhouse. Their minds were blank, and Anne was trying to grab onto passing thoughts. Finally, she turned to Tom, struggling to speak.


    ¡°Whatever did that¡­ might still be out there.¡± She gurgled. She turned her cheek and spat out some blood.


    ¡°I guess we need to hide.¡± She said in a clearer voice. Her actions did not reflect her words as she made for the front door. Tom grabbed her arm. His eyes wide, he pointed to his ear.


    Anne frowned and listened intently.


    A rumble could be heard in the distance.


    ¡°What? What is that?¡±


    Beams of light came as an answer as a convoy of vehicles barreled down the farm road towards them. Red lights flashed from the roof of each vehicle, and their big off-road wheels and armor-plated bodies made short work of the rough road.


    Anne yelled what her mind could muster.


    ¡°Run!¡±

 Chapter 6 - Clipped

    The trees around them grew taller as they ran deeper into the forest. The flat valley was quickly disappearing into the distance far behind them. Some lights could still be seen flashing near the farmhouse that was now barely a smudge on the horizon, ever fading as they pressed deeper into the underbrush.


    Their faces stung from low hanging branches that mercilessly whipped them as they battled through the darkness, like invisible leafy whips hidden under the shadow of the thickening tree canopy.


    Stumbling over giant roots, they forced themselves to a stop against a large tree, then circled it until they were on the opposite side.


    ¡°W-wait!¡± Anne called.


    She struggled to catch her breath and leaned with her back against the tree¡¯s coarse bark.


    ¡°I think- we are ok. Far. Enough,¡± Anne breathed loudly as she looked around the dark forest. Their temples pounded. Tom dropped down on a thick root running along the ground and began to vigorously rub his stinging legs. The forest was dead silent except for the wind rustling the branches above.


    ¡°Do you think someone followed us?¡± Anne whispered.


    Tom shook his head, gazing into the darkness around them.


    The farmhouse was now entirely out of sight. They embraced the quiet, gradually calming their wild heartbeats. Tired from the running, they tried to make sense of everything that happened at the farm these past few days. Yet the only thing that flooded their minds were the shudders of confusion that swept back and forth between them, mingled with the fear of being hunted.


    The flapping of wings made them look up, searching the canopy above them. Although it was dark, silver rays would shine through the thick canopy when the leaves and branches moved in the wind. A branch overhead shook as a large winged silhouette landed on it, stretching out its large wings before tucking them away.


    Is that a bird?


    Anne and Tom froze in place, not wanting to draw any attention, for the bird had an intimidating size.


    It¡¯s bigger than me! Anne realized with shock. The weight of the bird slumped the branch enough for a stream of moonlight to beam through, basking it in an eerie glow. It had a giant beak covering its entire face and no eyes could be seen.


    The beak snapped once, then moved around as if it was searching.


    Anne¡¯s foot slipped off a root when she shifted her weight, crunching some dry leaves, and the owl creature¡¯s beak snapped in the air in response. Her muscles tensed as she tried to stay perfectly still. They looked on in horror as the owl¡¯s chest tore open, revealing a giant yellow eye inside, staring straight at Anne. The eye was throbbing.


    The owl¡¯s pupil narrowed, sending a stinging pain shooting through Anne¡¯s body. Her limbs refused to move as she stood paralyzed, held firmly by an unseen force. Anne could feel the owl¡¯s mind tugging on her own, trying to breach it. The contact was brief and with a horrific screech, the owl¡¯s mind retracted, shutting its eye and spreading its wings. The owl fled with great haste, leaving them in silence yet again.


    Anne had regained control of her body, but the fear and confusion intensified as they left the large tree and continued deeper.


    They wandered the forest for hours. Their bodies and minds were weary.


    We are nowhere. Again. What do we do now? Anne tried her best to focus on their situation.


    Her thoughts turn to that scarlet scene, and her last few hours with Tiffany sleeping under the tree. She took a few steps toward a dead tree stump lying on its side with small white and purple mushrooms that had grown from between its cracks.


    Tiff. John. Was it our fault?


    Anne reached out to feel the mushroom when the muscles in her neck and back tighten in alarm.


    What!? Where?


    Anne looked around, searching the darkness.


    Tom!


    Tom was lying flat on his back, pinned to the ground by a hooded figure on top of him. Tom struggled, but he is firmly held in place. A loud buzz and a flash of blue light nearly blinded Anne. Tom clenched his jaw as his body contracted, and moments later the blue light was gone.


    Tom laid silent.


    ¡°No! Get off him!¡± Anne ran at the figure without a thought. The figure stood up and the blue light flared again, crackling loud as tendrils of lightning danced through the air. The light revealed a man, clothed in black. Lightning arced from his right hand and multiple red spheres lined his face, glowing faintly. Azure streaks painted the sky as he moved and before she could react, she felt her feet leave the ground. Her small body dangled in the air as the man held her by her throat.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    She squirmed and clawed at the man¡¯s arm as she tried to escape, but the man was too powerful. His big hand was holding her firmly, nearly crushing her neck.


    Gagging noiselessly, she choked and struggled.


    The surrounding trees were ablaze with light, like pillars of azure flame. The man moved his hand right up to her chest.


    ¡­Tom.


    ***


    Anne opened her eyes. The world was a stark orange. Her eyes refused to focus. Faint rattling and humming sounds were heard around her.


    A drop of blood rolled down the side of her arm, leaving a warm streak. Anne tilted her head to follow the line of blood back up her arm from where it flowed. Her wrists were bleeding as she was suspended in the air. Large steel cuffs were attached to her small wrists as she hung from them, arms spread apart, with two more cuffs that dug into her skin just above her feet.


    She could not make out much more of her surroundings, her blurry vision making the orange around her swim and melt together.


    ¡°Quite the runners these two.¡± An unknown voice laughed. The voice sounded inches from Anne¡¯s face, but she could not be sure.


    ¡°They should be awake soon.¡±


    ¡°Yeah well, they are in for a long ride since that bridge collapsed.¡±


    ¡°Cut the chatter back there. I¡¯m opening a comm line to the LC.¡±


    They went quiet. A high-pitched beep could be heard soon after.


    ¡°Darn it. No answer. Let me try again.¡±


    Another high-pitched beep resounded through the air.


    ¡°Lieutenant colonel Marcus? ¡­ This is Sergeant Gibbs reporting in about the sighting.¡±


    ¡°Good, what are your findings? Make it quick sergeant.¡± Marcus¡¯s voice boomed from the radio.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Gibbs answered, his voice a bit shaken.


    ¡°It appeared the sighting was on point, sir. We have captured two entities. One boy, one girl. They match the descriptions.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be damned. John came through,¡± Marcus mumbled.


    ¡°Did John say anything more about them when you were there?¡± Marcus continued.


    ¡°Sir.¡± Gibbs paused. ¡°He got V.D.¡±


    There was a long stretch of silence. Only the persistent humming and the sporadic rattle could be heard.


    ¡°What is your ETA?¡± Marcus said in a low, controlled voice.


    ¡°We need to take some back roads, but that will slow the convoy.


    ETA is 04:14,¡± Gibbs replied.


    ¡°Still about 2 hours away, huh? Just get here in one piece, sergeant. I¡¯ll have a containment team waiting. Just keep those two sedated until we are sure what we are dealing with. Marcus out.¡± The call ended.


    A few minutes passed before the conversation picked up again. ¡°S-sir?¡± Another man¡¯s voice could be heard.


    ¡°Sir. Permission to ask a question, sir.¡± The man said. He sounded younger than the others.


    ¡°Isn''t that a question already?" a woman asked.


    A few soldiers laughed.


    "Speak up there private. Ask away.¡± Another man answered.


    I can¡­ I can make out at least five voices. Are we in one of those¡­ armored vehicles? Anne observed.


    ¡°Sir, who are these children? I know this was a capture operation, but why? And why the restraints? Why all the security?¡±


    ¡°You did read the sitrep, didn¡¯t you?¡± The man replied.


    ¡°There was a sitrep?¡± The young man replied, and everyone burst out laughing again.


    ¡°Private. I¡¯ll fill you in, but only this once.¡± A serious voice came from within the laughter.


    ¡°Are you familiar with the ''The Incident''?¡± The stern man asked.


    ¡°Y-yes.¡± The young man answered softly.


    ¡°Well you see, after The Incident they started research into dealing with the aftermath. V.D. events were widespread. So, people that were suitable for testing were identified as ¡®entities¡¯ and were used to develop the cure as we know it today.¡±


    The laughter had quieted, and everyone was listening.


    ¡°The thing is,¡± he continued.


    ¡°That was over fifty years ago. These entities are the youngest I have ever heard of. Too young. The research ended after the cure was synthesized four years after The Incident, and even then, they were all adults.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t understand.¡± The young man murmured.


    ¡°These entities are not supposed to exist! The youngest entities were just over twenty years old when the project began, and would now be old enough to be your grandparents.¡± The response came bluntly.


    ¡°There is a facility a few hours from where we found these two, but it was abandoned years ago, taken back by the forest. That is why we are investigating this anomaly and taking these entities to the lab.


    Read the mission details next time!¡±


    The man grumbled, clearly irritated.


    The young man didn¡¯t have any more questions and the rest stayed silent. Anne could hear the humming of the vehicle around her again.


    A faint screech could be heard, and Anne and Tom swung from side to side with the movement of the vehicle.


    ¡°Why are we stopping?¡± One of the men asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    A familiar high-pitched beep sounded.


    ¡°Lead, this is Unit Three. Why are we stopping?¡±


    ¡°Lead?¡±


    A shockwave shook the vehicle and light burst through the front window, illuminating the inside for a moment. The armored car in front of them spun through the air as it was thrown by a huge explosion.


    Chaos ensued as the car behind them also disappeared in a flash of orange flames.


    Incoherent yells mingled with the sounds of gunfire sounded around them outside. Then the world tumbled.


    ***


    Anne¡¯s ears rang.


    She only saw a haze of orange fire as she hung limply from her shackles. Tom¡¯s chains had torn out from the floor when the vehicle rolled. It ended up on its roof, from which Anne was now dangling by her feet. Tom was still unconscious. Anne could feel herself turn pale as her battered and bruised body yearned to surrender.


    The flicker of flames around them revealed the bodies of the other passengers. They were all wearing the same jet-black gear that the man in the forest wore.


    Two figures appeared, crawling through the back of the vehicle where the door had been forced open. Anne felt the strangers free her feet from the cuffs. She saw Tom get picked up and carried out the back of the vehicle and a pair of strong arms then gently held her as she too was carried through to the outside.


    Anne¡¯s body loosened as her consciousness left her.


    The last image to leave her mind was that of the overturned armored car shrinking into the distance, with both her small arms still chained to the roof inside.

 Chapter 7 - Foe? Friend? Fiend?

    Daddy?


    Daddy, what did I do wrong?


    I¡¯ve been a good girl. I did everything you asked.


    I cleaned my cell.


    I took my medicine.


    Even when¡­ when the darkness came, I learned not to scream.


    You don¡¯t even let me play with Tom anymore.


    Don¡¯t you love me, daddy?


    Anne slowly opened her eyes. Her body was stiff and cold, and her eyes were puffy, making it a little harder to see.


    Another ceiling.


    She lay there in silence as she awoke. Her body felt warmer as some time passed. She wiggled her toes when she sensed a tingling sensation spread through her legs.


    She tried to push herself up but could not.


    Why won¡¯t my body listen to me?


    Why can¡¯t I move my¡­?


    She held up her hand to her face, yet there was nothing.


    Anne turned her head to inspect her arms, only to be met by white bandages ending where her tiny shoulders should be. The bandages were yellowish-white but relatively clean. She was in a small bed, tucked in under some plain sheets up to her middle. Several machines and equipment were softly beeping away beside her, running their little pipes and wires all over her and disappearing somewhere behind her body, into her sides, and under the sheets. The rest of the room was out of focus and the air was nippy, with only a few lights shining down from the ceiling somewhere above her. Anne suddenly remembered the overturned vehicle that she was pulled from, following the attack on the convoy that was transporting them.


    Oh yeah¡­ that wasn¡¯t a dream.


    She could feel a small sense of pity and dismay tugging at the back of her head, but her mind felt exceedingly drained, giving these feelings very little power to affect her.


    What is going on?


    Tom?


    She tried to revive her thoughts. The fatigue made it difficult to tap into her emotions, but she kept trying to focus and make sense of the jumble in her head. After struggling for a few minutes, she found that pushing her anxiety aside was somehow much easier than at the farm. It was as if waking herself from a deep slumber.


    This will work, I guess.  Anne thought as a small smile spread across her face. She readied herself as she focused on her consciousness.


    Tom?... Tom!


    She released her thoughts outwards like a wave, drifting and washing far into the unknown around her, feeling them reverberate out and fill her surroundings. A few moments later she could feel another consciousness react to hers off in the distance. The touch was familiar. It was from Tom.


    Wait. What did I just do?


    For a moment Anne could discern her subconscious, yet it felt alien.


    I didn¡¯t know I could do that¡­


    Her thoughts were interrupted by the soft pitter-patter of footsteps from the right side of her bed. A door clanked open and Tom came running in. He was smiling from ear to ear, almost crashing into Anne¡¯s bed when he reached her.


    ¡°Hey Tom,¡± Anne said weakly.


    Anne saw a figure cloaked in white approaching from behind Tom.


    Tom spun around and pointed at Anne, clearly showing his excitement to the person that entered.


    ¡°Hello there, young lady.¡± The woman¡¯s voice echoed as she came into view. She was a long, thin woman with graying brown hair and a thick pair of glasses. Her voice was soft and gentle, speaking slowly so Anne could keep up, yet her demeanor was stern and unyielding.


    ¡°How are you feeling dear? I¡¯m so happy you are finally awake.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I think I¡¯m ok,¡± Anne answered.


    ¡°Who, who are you? Where are we? How long have I been¡­ here?¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± The woman sat down on a small stool next to her bed.


    ¡°I am Doctor Elizabeth Harvey, but you can just call me Elly.¡±


    Tom excitedly held out his hands and Elly lifted him onto her lap.


    Tom trusts her. Can she be trusted? She is a doctor no less. I hate doctors.


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    ¡°You have been here for about 2 weeks now. We managed to stop the bleeding and stabilize you, but you went into a coma soon after.


    You had us very worried. I only arrived yesterday morning, but I¡¯m happy to see that my team has taken good care of you.¡±


    There was a slight pause as she looked them over. "It''s bizarre, but you two remind me of someone."


    ¡°The military seemed to think you two are very important for you to be moved in such a convoy. We just had to keep whoever they had seized away from them and their experiments.¡±


    She added slowly.


    ¡°And¡­ I am truly sorry,¡± Elly said as she stared at the bandages.


    ¡°Our intel was a bit off when we commenced the assault. Even now that we took you two in, we still have no idea who we have found or where you came from. Everyone has been expressly ordered to not do any physical examinations until I have arrived and you are awake, except for treating your wounds of course. Your friend here has been my shadow from the moment I arrived, so I could not help but notice these.¡±


    Elly softly prodded a socket on Tom''s arm.


    She looks sad. Doctors don¡¯t look sad. They can¡¯t be.


    Where are these feelings coming from?


    I can¡¯t remember ever meeting a doctor, yet I feel disgusted that she is here.


    ¡°But,¡± Elly continued.


    ¡°We are working tirelessly to make amends and to fix what we have done to you.¡±


    ¡°What are your names, dear?¡± Elly asked while Tom was playing with her hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m Anne, and this¡­¡± Anne replied.


    ¡°That- is such a pretty name.¡± Elly interrupted. She could not hide the confusion in her voice as she glanced at Tom on her lap. The room was silent as Elly looked discerningly at Anne, then she took Tom¡¯s arm to examine the birthdate imprinted on his wrist after she ran her finger across one of his sockets again.


    ¡°Tom?¡± Elly finally asked quietly.


    Tom replied with a big grin and an exaggerated nod.


    Elly¡¯s face went a harsh pale. Her eyes were wide.


    ¡°Impossible¡­¡± Elly mumbled.


    ¡°I-. It can¡¯t. I-,¡± She stuttered as she lifted Tom off her and jumped from her seat. She faced them as she slowly walked backward.


    ¡°I have to make a very urgent call.¡± She stammered and ran for the door.


    It was not long after when three other people wearing white coats came bursting in. All of them pale with shock or surprise.


    What is going on? Have these people gone mad?


    They ran up to the bed and saluted before moving closer.


    ¡°We are moving you to a better locale, ok ma¡¯am?¡± A woman asked.


    ¡°Ok?¡± Anne said, still confused.


    The woman nodded at the other two men with her and they removed the breaks from her bed and shut down the machines next to her. They then proceeded to carefully remove the wires and pipes that were attached to Anne, being almost overly careful. Anne eyed them as they worked.


    None of these things made use of my sockets. It is a good thing, I guess. Are they scared of me?


    ¡°You won¡¯t need most of these anymore, now that you are awake.¡± The woman pointed to the machines.


    ¡°Some monitoring units will still be needed a little longer though, they will be waiting for you.¡±


    They pushed her bed out of the room and down a long hallway with dozens of doors leading out of it and windows lining the walls. Tom was holding on to one of the bed rails, following closely. Looking through the windows revealed rooms filled with people and equipment, big screens, and flashing consoles that lined some of the walls. No more white coats were seen.


    The hallway was buzzing with people, yet everyone they passed stopped to gawk as everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to Anne and Tom. Some were frozen in place, some saluted, and some even bowed as they passed.


    They turned right around the first corner and soon after turned left. They passed a set of large doors guarded by six heavily armed men, all saluting as they passed.


    They finally entered a small, well-lit room. In each corner was a big pot filled with either lush ferns or beautiful flowers.


    They parked her bed, secured the wheels, and reconnected two small machines that were standing next to her bed to Anne. After a quick goodbye, the three doctors scurried out of the room.


    Tom was at Anne¡¯s side still holding the bedrails. His knuckles were white as he clung to the rail.


    They were soon joined by Elly who stopped in the doorway while talking furiously over a phone.


    ¡°Push the build for Anne up to the highest priority. Prototypes can¡¯t be prototypes forever. I want it done before the general arrives or all of our heads will be served on a plate!¡±


    Elly yelled as she ends the call.


    ¡°Oh! Sorry dears. I didn¡¯t know you were here already.¡± She apologized.


    ¡°You must be starving!¡± She exclaimed as she clapped her hands together.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have them bring you food right away. It has been weeks since you had a proper meal, Anne.¡±


    Elly started dialing her next call as she disappeared out the door.


    Tom climbed up onto her bed so he could sit beside her.


    ¡°Thank you, Tom,¡± Anne said.


    ¡°I have no idea what is going on, but I¡¯m glad you are here. Do you trust these people? Has it truly been 2 weeks?¡±


    Tom nodded as he wiped his teary eyes, looking at Anne¡¯s bandages. He puffed up and shifted Anne¡¯s pillows, then helped her up so she can sit upright next to him. The realization of not having arms was quickly filling Anne¡¯s mind.


    Tom also looked very concerned, as he could feel her apprehension growing.


    ¡°Tom. Who are we?¡± Anne suddenly asked.


    ¡°And¡­ what do you think Elly meant by fixing what was done to me?¡±


    Tom looked down at their feet and shrugged.


    Before they could give it more thought the door opened and a short lady came in. The lady was pushing a tray with two large plates of food and two large glasses of water. She left the tray next to Anne¡¯s bed and left the room quickly and without saying a word.


    Tom pulled the trolley closer and picked up a plate. It was warm chicken fillets with green beans and potato wedges. The smells drifted around them, which sent their bellies grumbling.


    Without a second thought, Tom started cutting the food into small bite-sized portions. Careful not to make a mess Tom held out a spoonful in front of Anne¡¯s face.


    Blushing slightly, she accepted, and Tom carried on feeding her. She was barely three bites in when the mixture of sadness, fear, and uncertainty that was held back by her mental fatigue broke free. Tears flowed down Anne¡¯s cheeks, but Tom pushed on, encouraging her as best he could.


    When they finished with her plate, Tom threw his arms around Anne¡¯s now even smaller body and held her until she calmed down.


    ¡°We need to be stronger,¡± Anne whispered through her tears.


    ¡°And we need to find a purpose.¡±


    To that Tom heartily agreed. He sat in silence as he turned to his plate while Anne closed her eyes, trying to make sense of all the questions that were plaguing her mind.


    The door slowly opened, and Elly walked in.


    ¡°I hope the food is amazing, yes?¡± Elly smiled as she sniffed the air.


    ¡°After dinner, you two should be off to bed, ok? Tomorrow is going to be a long day, especially for you Anne.¡± Elly said clearly.


    ¡°We need to get you ready, for in four days you two will meet with the general.


    I¡¯m sure you have a bunch of questions.


    They will all be answered in the days to come.¡±


    ¡°Anne, tomorrow after breakfast we will begin with your measurements. Tom, your room is now the one next door.¡±


    Tom gave a quick nod.


    ¡°And before you two go to bed, drink up please,¡± She pointed at the glasses of water.


    ¡°I cannot stress this enough. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Now, goodnight dearies.¡±


    At these words, Elly gave them a bow and left the room.

 Chapter 8 - Broken

    The next morning Anne woke with a start as a trolley laden with breakfast squeaked into her room. Tom was following closely, rubbing his sleepy eyes. It was a different lady than the day before. Anne ignored the obvious shock on the lady¡¯s face when she saw Anne¡¯s state. Tom climbed onto the bed next to his sister and shooed the lady away.


    ¡°Thank you, Tom,¡± Anne said wishing she could rub her eyes.


    Tom responded with a yawn and a smile, then helped Anne sit up straight and propped up her pillows behind her. He hooked the trolley with his foot and pulled it closer. Tom fed her gently, making sure the bites weren¡¯t too big. When Anne finished eating Tom wiped her small mouth with his shirt and, with a satisfied grin, grabbed his breakfast and started eating.


    Anne was eyeing two glasses of water that were sitting on the trolley, and when Tom finished eating, he grabbed a glass and held it up to Anne¡¯s mouth to drink.


    She hesitated, but Tom would not take no for an answer. After they both finished drinking their water they waited in silence.


    It was not long when the door opened, and a familiar face strode into the room. It was Elly, and she was wearing black trousers with a maroon button shirt and big black boots. Her posture was as stern and cold as always.


    ¡°Good morning dearies,¡± Elly said.


    ¡°I see you have finished your breakfast. Good. Tom, you will find your clothes in your room.¡± She gestured at him.


    ¡°Get dressed quickly. An officer will meet up with you thereafter,¡± Elly continued.


    ¡°As for you, Anne, we need to get you measured today.¡±


    ¡°Measured?¡± Anne asked.


    Elly moved up to Anne¡¯s bed, holding on to the bed rail.


    ¡°As I said before¡­ we did this to you. We are making every effort to help.¡± Elly said softly.


    Tom reluctantly left the room, giving Anne a small smile before closing the door behind him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Elly said and started switching off the machines that stood next to the bed. Anne felt a slight rush as she was pushed out into the hallway. She could now see much better in her upright position as when she was first transported on her back, yet she hated the stares from everyone they passed. They made their way out the door where the six guards were standing watch, and then down a series of corridors. Anne could not take any more of the people gazing, so she closed her eyes, ignoring everything around her. She could feel the tether between her and Tom strain as she was moved further away from him. Then the connection faded. Cold swept through her body as her mind felt empty. It was as if a piece of her consciousness was missing. Anne¡¯s stomach lurched at the horrible feeling, wishing she could be back with Tom.


    They entered a large room with a high ceiling. In the middle of the room stood a big machine with pipes and wires running all over it. Anne could not make out much as they passed it quickly, but the cold air made a shiver run down her spine. They entered a smaller, darker room where two people were waiting for them.


    ¡°We are ready to begin, General Harvey,¡± the one man said as Anne¡¯s bed was placed next to another in the middle of the room. They lifted her onto the other bed and removed her old bed.


    ¡°Good,¡± Elly replied.


    ¡°Now Anne, just lay perfectly still for a few seconds, ok? This will not be painful at all. They are going to take some x-rays and other measurements.¡±


    ¡°Are you ready, Anne?¡± Elly asked slowly and clearly.


    ¡°¡­ General?¡± Anne whispered.


    Anne tried to struggle but the anesthesia was already kicking in. Her vision blurred and numbness engulfed her.


    It¡¯s been a while.


    Ah, you don¡¯t remember.


    No matter.


    You will.


    Soon.


    Anne¡¯s head was spinning when she woke. She opened her eyes but could only see a faint jumble of grey swim around her. She closed her eyes again, waiting for her senses when the sound of not-so-distant voices reached her.


    ¡°What do you mean it won¡¯t work?¡±


    ¡°S¡­ She is too small. Her b¡­ body is frail. It was designed for a f¡­ full-grown adult soldier. And¡­¡±


    ¡°Then alter the design and get it to production, now. You know what will happen if you don¡¯t. I just might survive, though I¡¯d probably wish I won¡¯t. You will not see the next day.¡±


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    ¡°I¡­ I know, General. I tried that as well but¡­¡±


    ¡°But what?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ did D.N.A. and tissue testing to prep the arms for synchronization with her body and n... nervous system. I needed to see what changes w¡­was needed for it to be flawless before I altered the physical build.¡±


    There was a few moments¡¯ silence. Anne recognized the one voice as Elly¡¯s.


    ¡°Well¡­ you see¡­ her body rejected everything. Her whole system rejected any interfacing or syncing. Her body even actively defended itself on numerous attempts.¡±


    ¡°So, there is nothing we can do?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ General. Even if the arms were perfect and custom-built just for her, her body will not have it.¡±


    Anne pretended to still be unconscious, but a tear running down her cheek gave her away. She felt her bed shift slightly as someone sat down next to her on the bed.


    ¡°Hello, Anne.¡± Elly¡¯s voice rang softly through the silence.


    ¡°I know you are awake. How are you feeling?¡±


    Anne grumbled, refusing to open her eyes.


    ¡°Anne, I want you to know that my word still stands. We will keep trying until we succeed, I promise.¡±


    Anne ignored her. She could not get herself to care. A presence softly touched her mind then, and it was as familiar as her own.


    Tom.


    He was somewhere close enough for them to connect again. The reunion was warm and comforting and she sensed Tom felt the same, making Anne risk a small smile.


    ¡°Where is Tom?¡± Anne asked abruptly.


    ¡°He is with one of my officers. They are making sure he is fine and healthy, especially after the attack.¡± Elly said, her voice trailing softer as she ended her answer.


    ¡°You will see him soon. We are done here for today. He will be waiting for you back in your room.¡±


    Anne kept her eyes shut, focusing on the tether between her and Tom to distract her. She was startled when the bed gave a small jerk as it was pushed into action, starting her journey back to her room. They passed the cold room again, then entered the unknown maze of corridors. The connection between her and Tom grew stronger as she neared. She could almost feel Tom talk as gratitude and excitement flowed through to her, making it clear that he was awaiting her arrival. Their connection shook violently, and blotches of dimmed and distorted fear rippled through her. She opened her eyes in shock, looking around for anything amiss.


    Something is wrong.


    Before Anne could react, the thunderous noise of an alarm reverberated through the halls, and emergency lights could be seen flashing from the walls, bathing everything in bursts of bright red.


    ¡°We need to get you to safety,¡± the voice pushing the bed said, his voice barely audible through the sudden commotion. Anne recognized his voice as the other person that was talking to Elly when she awoke after the measuring. He was very pale and was pushing her bed as fast as he could. They turned the last corner before the guarded door that led to her room when the man let out a yelp. His face was strained with anxiety, but he seemed oddly in control. He made a hard turn with the bed as gunshots rose above the noise around them. The bed overturned with a crash, making Anne plunge to the floor face first. Her eyes burst into tears at the searing pain that enveloped her face. Dazed, she twisted and squirmed to try and make sense of her surroundings. Blood was spilling out of her broken nose. Using her feet, she pushed herself forward across the cold and slick floor, trying to get the guarded door leading to her room into view. She rounded the overturned bed when she locked eyes with the man who had been pushing her bed lying still and bleeding on the floor.


    Another surge of muffled dread ripped from both her and Tom, yet this time the feeling felt sharper. Just past the body, Anne could see five heavily geared guards, dead on the floor. The floor and walls were riddled with the remnants of a fresh firefight.


    No, Tom! Stay away from him!


    Anne struggled around the body. Her face left red streaks on the floor, making her feet slip as she pushed herself across the floor. She rolled onto her back and pulled herself into a sitting position, then struggled to her feet. She ran past the dead guards, careful not to slip or trip over anything. The banging and crunching of a door could be heard ahead, making Anne quicken her step.


    Anne froze as her room came into view and her mind shuddered, for the connection with Tom was gone. The door was ripped apart, and from within the room, a giant man pushed out through what was left of the door. With an expressionless and cold face, he turned towards Anne and started walking at a steady pace, dragging Tom by the hem of his shirt behind him. Tom''s arms were hanging limply as he was dragged across the floor.


    ¡°Tom. No!¡± Anne yelled as she ran towards him. Her mind was pulsing, and her heart was thrashing in her chest.


    ¡°Let him go! Let him g-¡± Unconcerned, the brute lifted his hand and, as if swotting a fly, flung her out of his way. Anne flew backward into the wall with a crash and dropped onto the floor.


    Powerless, she lay on the floor as Tom was dragged right past her. Tears were blurring her vision. Her tiny frame was shaking violently.


    Rise.


    Her whole body stiffened, and her muscles tensed.


    Rise.


    She shuddered again as the confusion in her head was ripped away. Her thoughts were now crystal clear.


    Rise.


    She sat up with her back against the wall and pushed herself up against it in one movement. Her legs were unyielding, and she was not shaking.


    She stood motionless, taking in all her surroundings. The red glow was flashing across the halls around her. The sound of a fire raging off in the distance. Yelling and gunfire were sounding from somewhere above her. Water was spraying the floor from a broken pipe someplace off and down the hall. The soft pat pat as the blood from her nose hit the ground between her feet. It was raining outside.


    Go.


    She moved swiftly. Her small body followed the grimy, oversized boot prints that pushed through the chaos around her. She turned two corners, then she followed one corridor to where a giant hole had been blasted through from the outside. She climbed out over the rubble, keeping her balance with little effort. Wet gusts blew through her hair as she stepped outside. The storm made it hard to see very far, but she did not need to.


    A large flat roof stretched out before her with a helicopter prepping for take-off. The giant man had reached it and flung Tom inside carelessly. The rain was soaking the bandages on her body where her arms once were, making them become undone from the added weight. The brute sluggishly looked over his shoulder at Anne as the helicopter started its ascent. His blank white eyes could be seen even through the downpour. The giant suddenly grabbed onto one of the helicopter¡¯s landing struts mid-takeoff, pulled it closer with ease, and ripped the strut off.


    The brute advanced on Anne slowly, brandishing the steel strut like a large thin club as the helicopter made a shaky escape. Its lifeless white gaze bored into Anne.


    Anne closed her eyes and took a deep breath.


    ¡°I¡¯m coming for you, brother.¡±

 Chapter 9 - Anger Reborn

    Anne¡¯s blood-stained hospital gown stuck to her body as she stood drenched and unmoving, facing the approaching monstrosity. Her body was freezing except for the warm, crimson streaks flowing down her sides and face. The bandages that had once covered her body where her arms were ripped off had slid down onto a small heap on the ground.


    ¡°Give me back my brother!¡± Anne yelled. A hot and unrelenting feeling was writhing inside of her.


    This feeling. This feels new, yet not. It''s hard to control. Hard to think. I want to make this monster bleed.


    A horrible grin was stretched across the brute¡¯s face, which was the first change from the blank and lifeless look it usually wore.


    ¡°Where ha ¡­?¡±


    The distance between them was gone. Anne dropped to one knee as the brute swung its weapon. The steel strut tore through the air letting out a low whistle, passing just over the top of Anne¡¯s head. She rolled sideways at once as the second swing came straight down, crashing hard against the concrete floor and sending splinters flying in every direction. They were dangerously close to the edge of the roof.


    Thrusting its head up into the air, it let out a rough laugh that sent bone-chilling waves rippling through Anne¡¯s body.


    Now.


    Anne ran forward and jumped, throwing herself at the hulking man¡¯s face. Her eyes were flaring from behind her waving hair.


    ¡°I will not let you have him!¡± Anne screamed.


    It looked back down just as Anne was inches from him. It tried to dodge. It was too slow. She managed to reach its big right ear as he tried to evade her, and bit into it as hard as she could. She could feel her teeth sink into its leathery skin, and then the warm rush of blood that drenched her mouth. She struggled not to choke as a pungent metallic taste flooded her.


    This is¡­ good. No! This is not good. No! Why?


    The grunt gave an angry growl and flailed his arms, trying to grab onto her, but it could not lift its oversized and twisted shoulders high enough to reach her. It jerked its head, flinging Anne hard to the ground and knocking the air out of her lungs. Her head was throbbing and everything around her was melting into one big ocean of nothing.


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    Why? Why do I want more? Why does this feel so invigorating? I am¡­ enjoying this.


    She spat out a chunk of ear and struggled to her feet, coughing and gasping for breath when pain erupted from her side. It had swung again, but this time it hit its mark, breaking a few ribs and sending Anne flying. Anne landed several feet away, rolled through a few shallow puddles, and skid to a stop.


    She struggled back onto her feet with the little stamina she has left. Her body was writhing furiously as anger filled her every corner.


    ¡°You!¡± Anne growled through her gritted teeth.


    Abandoning all reason, she ran at the giant man again and leaped high into the air. Lightning cracked through the sky, bathing the world in a blanket of light; every feature of the man¡¯s cruel face looking up at her was etched into her mind. With bared teeth, she descended the short distance to her foe with every fiber of her being lusting to rip its throat out.


    Then everything stopped.


    The brute gave a triumphant grunt as Anne dangled from its weapon; the steel beam had pierced straight through her left chest.


    Anne choked and stared at the strut. Her blood flowed down it and darkened the cold steel.


    Remember.


    She felt no pain. Her body was freezing.


    The giant man lifted his prize, making Anne¡¯s limp body slide gently down the length of the weapon until they were face to face.


    Anne¡¯s felt her consciousness fade. She could only see the dead white eyes staring through her, and warm breathing blowing against her face. The end of the roof was getting closer as the man carried her to the edge.


    Kill.


    Anne screamed as strength surged through her. Her mind and body were breaking under immense pain. She felt encased in a raging inferno, and black smoke was seeping from her skin. She grabbed the giant¡¯s head in front of her and dug her nails into its skull.


    Crack!


    The giant monstrosity dropped dead with a loud crash and Anne collapsed beside him. It lay twitching with its crushed skull bleeding out on the ground. She grabbed the piece of steel protruding out of her chest and pulled it out in large and gory stretches, then threw it aside, sending the metal beam whirling off into the distance.


    The storm had stopped, and the setting sun peeked out behind the clouds on the horizon that basked her in sunlight. The dark smoke dissipated. Her anger was gone, replaced by dreadful awareness.


    Tom¡­ what am I?


    She swayed on her knees on the very edge of the roof. The thick scarlet red scales on her arms were shining brightly in the sunlight with blood from the grunt¡¯s head dripping down her black claws.


    All her energy disappeared as quickly as it came. She fell forward, down the side of the building, and into the thick mist below.

 Chapter 10 - The Concrete Forest

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 Chapter 11 - Deadly Tranquility

At least I can walk around without hiding now. I hope. I¡¯m so¡­ so hungry. At least those metal sockets on my arm are gone. The birth thingy on my wrist is still there though.


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 Chapter 12 - The Silence of Lies

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 Chapter 13 - Secret Sins

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 Chapter 14 - Exodus

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 Chapter 15 - Flickering Shadows

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 Chapter 16 - Prey

    Daddy.


    Where are you sending me now?


    You left me in that room.


    Tore us away from each other.


    Tom cried the most.


    Now I am alone.


    Yet not.


    Never.


    Kate woke up, curled up in her sleeping bag that was only a few steps from their firepit. The fire was now no more than a smoldering heap of ash. This was the third camp they made as they followed the train tracks, making progress during the day in the shadows of the many trees on their path.


    She yawned loudly as she pushed herself out of her sleeping bag. Darius''s was already empty as he was out of camp early to scout ahead. It was still dark, yet the birds were already chirping to signal the start of the new morning.


    "Wake up sleepy head. Darius is not here. We need to give the crystals another try."


    Kate poked Anne''s sleeping bag.


    "We need to keep at it so one of them starts to like you. No lazy days allowed!" She kept poking.


    Anne did not move.


    "Anne?"


    Kate rolled her over on her back. All color drained from Kate''s face, making her just as pale as Anne. ¡°Anne!¡± Kate yelled and immediately pulled her onto her lap. Anne stared blankly into the tree canopy above and breathed hoarsely.


    ¡°No no no this is too soon! We should have more time. Weeks more! Think Kate, think!¡± Kate grunted between her gritted teeth, then started rummaging in her bag next to her. She pulled out a handful of small crystals and rolled them around in her hands until she picked one out of the bunch. She threw the rest back into her bag and then pulled Anne¡¯s shirt up to expose her stomach. Kate held the crystal up to her lips and whispered to it. The crystal burst forth a harsh yellow glow.


    ¡°Anne, Anne just hold on. This might feel strange, but don¡¯t fight it. This is going to burn.¡± Kate told Anne, who could only manage to blink her eyes. She hastily rested the crystal on Anne¡¯s navel and pressed it down with her palm. The light from the crystal under Kate''s hand doubled in intensity, forcing Kate to keep her eyes shut. Anne¡¯s body began to shake violently as she dug her hands into the ground, letting out a horrific scream.


    ¡°Stop! Stop! It¡¯s cold!¡± Anne yelled.


    ¡°It¡¯s too cold. It burns! Leave me alone! Stop please, please!¡± She pleaded.


    Black smoke violently bubbled out all over Anne¡¯s skin, bellowing more around her navel where Kate¡¯s hand was pressing the crystal.


    Stop.


    Anne¡¯s screaming ceased, then a loud rush of force blew outward from her, blasting everything around her away. An unusual quiet surrounded the camp as the dust and leaves settled. Kate pulled herself to her feet where she had been flung several feet away. She winced as she straightened her back and limped back to Anne, who was breathing steadily when Kate dropped onto her knees next to her. Anne¡¯s breath was a visible white plume that peacefully drifted away as she exhaled into the frigid air around them. The sudden cold sent goosebumps across Kate¡¯s body.


    ¡°I- I don¡¯t understand,¡± Kate whispered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t understand what?¡±


    Kate inhaled sharply in surprise. She was met with a confused look from Anne, who then nonchalantly sat up, let out a long yawn, and looked back at Kate.


    ¡°You are up early,¡± Anne said and ran her fingers through her hair to try and tame it. ¡°What happened to you? You are supposed to sleep inside your sleeping bag, stupid¡± Anne giggled as she pulled a few crushed dry leaves out of Kate¡¯s hair. ¡°Wait, are you crying?¡±


    Kate pulled Anne into a tight embrace, struggling back the tears. ¡°You scared me,¡± she whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t do that to me.¡±


    Anne pulled away from the embrace and looked around intently. "Kate, what happened?"


    You were hardly breathing-" Kate stopped mid-sentence. ¡°Calm down Kate, calm down. Calm down. Take it easy.¡± She repeated to herself.


    The crystal around her neck was shaking violently, its light dimming and brightening at random intervals. ¡°Hang in there¡­ hang in there,¡± Kate mouthed softly.


    The trembling of Kate¡¯s body subsided slowly and her crystal also calmed down. Anne looked on, finally breaking the silence.


    ¡°It¡¯s that burning inside you, isn¡¯t it?"


    Kate did not answer.


    ¡°Wait, I¡¯m still confused. Who trashed the camp? Kate¡­ Kate?¡± But Kate was fixed on picking up the small crystal from the ground that she had pressed against Anne. She rolled the crystal around between her fingertips. The crystal was roughly the same size and shape as the one Kate is wearing, but pitch black with numerous cracks running through it.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ dead,¡± Kate whispered. ¡°How is this even possible?¡±


    ¡°Ok. What is going on?!¡± Anne squeaked with a mix of uncertainty and fear and jumped to her feet.


    ¡°Why were you crying? Why did you just have an attack?¡± Anne paused. ¡°And why is there blood in my mouth?¡±


    ¡°Pack up, now!¡± Darius¡¯s voice boomed from the other side of camp. He was out of breath and drops of sweat glistened on his face as the first rays of the morning sun broke through spaces in the tree canopy. He glanced around the camp, frowned, then went straight for his rucksack.


    Kate threw the black crystal into her backpack, then she and Anne both started rolling up their sleeping bags and packing up as fast as they can. Anne mouthed a silent ¡°Are you ok?¡± to Kate, to which she gave a small smile.


    They were walking briskly with the train tracks off to the right of them. Anne kept looking back to try and see if anyone was following.


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    ¡°They are looking for us,¡± Darius said.


    ¡°I saw a scouting party only a few minutes away from the camp. We need to get as far away as possible before they find it. I think I saw-¡±


    A sharp howl cut through the air. ¡°-trackers¡± Darius rasped. They burst into a run. Their baggage swung wildly from their backs. Anne¡¯s small body was nimble, but she was struggling to keep up with Kate. Even Darius kept up a fast pace with his robe fluttering behind him. The tracks made a slight right turn, turning away from them. Soon the tracks were out of sight. Another howl came from behind them, this one sounded much closer.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop, and don¡¯t look back,¡± Darius said between heavy breaths. Anne¡¯s legs were burning, yet she managed to keep up.


    Hunted again. This feels just like the time we ran from the farm. Why are these people so eager to get me. What do they want from me?


    ¡°Anne!¡± Kate yelled. She felt a hard tug on her arm as Kate pulled her out of her run. They stood on the edge of a roaring river.


    ¡°You almost ran straight into it,¡± Kate said over the rush of the river that filled the area with a loud rumble. The riverbank on both sides was about 2 feet above the water level.


    ¡°We need to cross this,¡± Darius said. They looked around for any means to cross. ¡°Where are the train tracks?¡± Kate asked him.


    ¡°That way I think¡±, he pointed downstream to the right.


    ¡°But we won¡¯t make it. We need to get over now.¡±


    ¡°There!¡± Anne yelped.


    Far to their left, a large dead tree had fallen over. Its gnarled roots were broken and upturned as the river had dug out the ground that had held it in place before. It had lodged itself into the riverbank on the other side.


    ¡°Go!¡± Yelled Darius, and they hastily followed the river upstream towards the big fallen log. The fallen tree was so large at the base that Darius could barely see over it. The roots that stuck out like hundreds of crooked knotted fingers proved to be an easy climb, and they were all on the log within seconds. Darius went first, moving briskly across and fighting to keep his balance. The bark was soggy and slippery, but Kate soon made it to the other side as well, with Anne a few steps behind her. A loud wet crash suddenly shook the tree, throwing Anne off the side and ripping the log partly out of the riverbank. She caught one of a few dead branches that stuck out of the side of the tree.


    ¡°Anne, hold on!¡± she heard Kate yell, but then a deep growl vibrated through the air. Her heart was hammering in her chest. A giant three-eyed wolf had jumped on and was clawing its way toward Anne. Its giant claws ripped chunks out of the wood as it tried to stay on the log. It stood a few feet taller than Darius with a large bottom jaw that split into two halves when it opened its mouth, bearing rows of razor-sharp yellow teeth.


    Anne held on. She was hanging waist-deep in the river, being pulled by the rapid flow rushing past from underneath their improvised bridge. The wolf was right on top of Anne. It held out its huge right claw. It stuck. The tree gave way. It ripped out of the riverbed and swung violently downstream as it smashed into the water. The wolf let out a loud yelp and crashed into the water with it, flailing and struggling against the current. The creature and the giant log grew smaller as it was swept away.


    ¡°Anne!¡± Kate yelled with her eyes frantically searching.


    ¡°Here¡­ I¡¯m here,¡± Anne said weakly. She was clinging to the riverbank. Her arms were dug elbow-deep into the soft soil of the riverbank wall, her legs dangling weakly in the fast-flowing river.


    Kate and Darius rushed to pull her up and with a struggle, they lay panting on the other side. Anne was on her back, still.


    ¡°Anne! Anne, wake up,¡± Kate pleaded.


    ¡°She is breathing,¡± Darius said. He looked up and down Anne¡¯s body, then rolled her over.


    Blood was streaming from numerous deep cuts and scratches on her side. Anne¡¯s backpack drooped loosely over her back in two halves. ¡°Kate, help me lift her a little,¡± Darius asked. He moved the ruined backpack aside and pulled up her shirt as Kate lifted her a few inches by the shoulders. Kate yelped and let go, dropping her back on the ground with a wet thud.


    A large gash was carved from her right shoulder to her left hip and was belching blood. The sockets in her back that intersected the large cut were unscathed.


    ¡°Anne no! No!¡± Kate cried. The crystal around her neck was visibly reacting and started to glow.


    ¡°Kate!¡± Darius yelled and grabbed her arm. She froze and looked quietly at him.


    ¡°Pull yourself together! She needs you.¡± Darius¡¯s voice was clear and serious. Kate¡¯s crystal calmed. ¡°I know we can¡¯t mend this, but I know you can stop the bleeding.¡± He said. Kate looked confused for a moment, but then her face lit up. ¡°Yes, I can! But¡­¡±


    ¡°Anne will die. What I think is of no importance,¡± Darius whispered. With that, he got up and walked away. Kate braced herself and hurriedly rubbed her hands together.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Anne. I will try and be as gentle as I can.¡±


    She made a fist, then extended her index and middle fingers. She gave a few shuddering breaths, then focussed on her fingers. Her fingers glowed dark red, then orange, and finally bright yellow. The hot glow was visible in the shade that was given by a few nearby trees, with the sun already halfway to its peak.


    Kate lowered her fingers to the bleeding cut that had now drenched Anne¡¯s entire back in deep scarlet. She dug her fingers into the folds of the cloven flesh and skin. Anne¡¯s body sizzled at the touch, sending wisps of smoke wafting from the wound. She showed no reaction. Kate rigorously slid her blood-crusted fingers all across the wound and under the skin. The taste and smell of burnt flesh pushed Kate to the edge as she fought the urge to throw up. She quickly finished with the large gash and proceeded with the range of smaller yet also deep cuts on Anne¡¯s side, pulling large splinters out of Anne in the process.


    Darius stopped next to Kate. ¡°You did well, my child. I see no more bleeding.¡±


    Kate nodded slightly and sat curled up quietly next to Anne, holding her knees and staring blankly at Anne¡¯s wounds.


    Movement from across the river caught their attention. Three men were standing on the other side, staring at them. Two of the men were geared for reconnaissance, each with two wolf creatures sitting idly next to them. These were much smaller than the previous giant wolf, reaching only about hip-hight when seated.


    The man in the middle had a painful looking hunched back and was fully masked from his nose upwards. Large green spheres sat in his mask where his eyes would be, and the rest of the mask was black and devoid of any other detail. A third man with a wolf came running from the side, giving the masked man a quick message and pointing downstream. The masked man did not take his eyes off his prey but with a swift flick of his hand all three recon men and their wolves darted off in the direction the other had pointed.


    ¡°The tracks. They must have found the bridge where the train crosses. We need to move,¡± Darius said, pulling Kate up to her feet. ¡°Give me your backpack. I need you to carry her.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Anything,¡± Kate replied.


    Darius carefully lifted Anne onto Kate¡¯s back with her arms over her shoulders. Without a word, they both started running.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± She asked.


    ¡°We need to get to where the train turns south over the ocean, but that¡¯s still a day¡¯s walk from here,¡± Darius said between breaths as they ran. ¡°There are some hills just north of there. If we can make it there before nightfall¡­ and not get caught before then, we might be ok. They need to cross the river hours south of here which will buy us time.¡±


    They managed to keep a decent pace till late that afternoon. They had no signs of anyone following them. At last, they could see a small formation of hills not far ahead, which stretch north along the coastline. The sun stung them from behind as it hung low, for the trees that provided the shade for most of their journey were now but shrubs and bushes. The train tracks were now visible again far off to the south, yet still no sign of the men and their wolves.


    Clumps of trees lined the base of the hills and they found a spot that is well hidden from sight to anyone passing by to the south. Kate¡¯s muscles cramped and burned. Darius helped Anne off her shoulders and laid her down on her side against a small incline. Kate let out a cry in pain as she struggled to bend her knees. She dropped down hard on her side during her third attempt to lie down. Anne was still breathing, but otherwise was not responding at all. Darius pulled a bottle of water from his rucksack and gave it to Kate who gratefully accepted it, taking large gulps. Darius¡¯s movements were also sluggish and stiff, and he groaned with any large movement he made. He poured a little bit of his water over a cloth and placed it on Anne¡¯s forehead to cool her.


    Darius finally rested with his back against a large boulder, taking long sips of water and dabbing his forehead with a cloth. The last rays of light streaked across the sky as the sun slowly passed down into the depths of the horizon.


    ¡°So you think they will be back?¡± Kate asked, having calmed down a bit but still unable to move around normally.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sure they will. They left us alone for some reason. They could have easily caught up, yet they didn¡¯t. I honestly do not understand.¡± Darius replied. ¡°What were they waiting for?¡± he added as he wondered out loud.


    ¡°For this moment, naturally,¡± said the masked man as he sat calmly on the incline, pushing a stubborn lock of hair out of Anne¡¯s face.

 Chapter 17 - Supersedence of the bloodless

    The soft crunch of dirt and dry leaves were the only sounds, magnified in the stark silence. At least thirty soldiers clad in black were slowly approaching them from all sides, shakily carrying their automatic rifles. Darkness was descending fast.


    ¡°Finding you were much easier than I had anticipated,¡± the masked man said with a creepy and satisfied grin. ¡°Though you made it a lot harder for us since our last attempted capture.¡± The masked man paused for a moment. ¡°Well, captures. Plural. Even took down my lovely Brutus in the process,¡± he continued as his grin turned more sinister, with a hint of loathing.


    ¡°How did you do that?¡± he asked the unconscious Anne, almost expecting an answer. ¡°So frail, yet dangerous. I''m glad Brutus failed in killing you. I can make a much better Brutus with some of your insides.¡± he caressed the side of her face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch her!¡± Kate yelled.


    The masked man slowly turned his gaze to her and then to Darius. The green glowing glass spheres he had for eyes pierced them with his gaze.


    ¡°Well now, friends. I forgot you were here. I believe some thanks are in order. Of course, it was you two who made our job much easier. Thank you.¡± The man laughed as he slowly got up, his hunched back making him a little shorter than the surrounding soldiers, who had now formed a solid perimeter around them.


    ¡°Awww did that hurt?¡± The man said sarcastically as he looked back at Kate. ¡°Careful now. As much as I love torturing you thirsty lot, I¡¯m not in the mood for explosive mood swings. You should really consider that tasty cure. Much longer life expectancy.¡± the masked man said sneeringly and let out another manic laugh.


    ¡°Naturally, it won¡¯t help you now,¡± he said.


    As if on instinct, the surrounding men descended on them.


    ¡°You know your orders, and take the other two with us as well. I like new toys.¡± His grin returned more prominent than ever.


    Two soldiers loaded Anne onto a stretcher, while others forced Kate and Darius onto their feet. Darius followed silently, his face strained and his eyes constantly darting around. Kate gave up as much of a fight as she could muster with her spent body, kicking and swearing at the soldiers that tried to capture her. She was silenced with a hard hit with a rifle stock to the head, knocking her out cold.


    They were taken just over the ridge back towards the tracks, where a large armored train was waiting for them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I made sure you will have a more comfortable trip this time.¡± The masked man said to the still-unconscious Anne.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t know why those idiots burned the entire convoy last time,¡± he kept mumbling. The train¡¯s metal-plated bulk was all the more intimidating up close. Inside, Anne and Kate were carried down the aisle of the train to the holding car which had two large cells on either side. The cells were brightly lit by lights that ran along the roof. Thick bars spanned the length of the train car and faced the aisle, with the rest of the hold being solid walls. Each cell had a simple bed in the corner.


    ¡°We had to improvise with repurposed holding cages,¡± the masked man snickered, ¡°But I¡¯m sure this is luxury to you animals.¡±


    Anne was put on the bed of one cell, while Kate was carelessly shoved onto the other cell floor. The doors locked with a loud clang. ¡°Put him in the next one over, and get out of my face!¡± All the soldiers scurried out of the car as the masked man shooed them away, taking the silent Darius with them.


    ¡°Goodnight sweeties. I will see you tomorrow,¡± he said as he licked his lips and left, leaving them in their torpid silence.


    The train roared into action, slowly setting off.


    ***


    Around an hour passed when Anne began to stir. She fumbled against the coarse mattress, trying to push herself up when the pain from her wounds crashed down onto her like a tidal wave. Anne let out a silent scream as she struggled, trying to shake off the searing pain that rippled from her back and overloaded her senses.


    ¡°Tom! Kate! Kate! Help me,¡± Anne yelled. She pushed herself up, shaking violently and fumbling with the torn rags she was wearing. Her surroundings slowly came into focus.


    ¡°Anne?¡± Kate grumbled from across the aisle. Anne jumped in surprise and felt a small twinge of relief.


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    ¡°Kate?¡± Anne cried softly, tears running down her face. ¡°What happened? There was water. That thing. Where are we?¡± She asked Kate, almost pleading. ¡°It hurts,¡± Anne added in a soft whimper. Kate stared at her from her cell. Anne¡¯s tiny nine-year-old figure made her cell look even larger. With her head pounding from the hit, Kate struggled to think clearly. ¡°We¡­ They got us.¡± She mumbled. ¡°But you are ok. You had us worried. You got beat up pretty bad. Can you¡­ show me your back? I want to make sure your wounds are not bleeding too much.¡±


    Anne¡¯s tear-soaked eyes widened in shock. She nodded and winced as she slowly slid off the bed, letting out a soft yelp from the almost unbearable pain. She sobbed loudly and turned her back to Kate. Color left Kate''s face as she mouthed something silently.


    ¡°What? What is it? What''s wrong?¡± Anne cried. ¡°Kate, you are scaring me.¡± Anne strained her neck to try and to look over her shoulder. ¡°How?¡± Kate muttered. ¡°Show me your left side, now.¡±


    Anne hurried and pulled up her ragged shirt to show Kate. Except for being dirty and bloodied, Anne¡¯s skin was flawless.


    ¡°How?¡± Kate said as she got up and shifted to the front of the cage. ¡°They are gone...¡±


    ¡°What is gone?¡± Anne sobbed. ¡°And why does everything hurt so much?¡±


    ¡°Anne¡­ there was so much blood. And the large gash across your back. I had to¡­¡± she stopped mid-sentence, her face pale.


    ¡°Well, it''s only half the size now.¡±


    Kate leaned against the bars. Blotches of dried blood were still stuck to her hands and dark red clots lined her fingernails.


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel very good,¡± Kate said as she leaned even more against the cold cell bars. ¡°I¡¯m going to lie down. We need to stay calm.¡± Kate whispered and dragged herself to her bed. They both fell silent.


    Who are these people? How did they find us again? What is going to happen to us now? Tom¡­ I miss you.


    Kate closed her eyes in the struggle to calm herself, while Anne had stopped crying and was worriedly pacing her cell, looking around at every detail hoping for a way to escape.


    ¡°I don¡¯t do well in cages,¡± Kate said softly. The fear in her voice was palpable. ¡°Can¡¯t you try to burn through these?¡± Anne asked as she grabbed and pulled on one of the bars. The steel bar was too thick to wrap her hand around it and it did not bend or move even a little.


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I haven¡¯t been able to melt steel yet. Even if I could do it, it would turn these cells into an oven.¡± Kate let out a shaky sigh.


    ¡°Calm down Kate, relax,¡± she started to whisper and reached for her crystal.


    ¡°Wait. Don''t tell me. No! Those morons!¡± Kate yelled.


    ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong? ¡° Anne yelped.


    ¡°They took it!¡±


    ¡°Took what?¡±


    ¡°My Kua crystal, it¡¯s gone! Without it I''m defenseless.¡±


    Please no. Not now.


    Kate panicked and repeatedly ran her hands around her neck, hoping that she had simply missed the crystal, but it was gone.


    ¡°Kate, look at me!¡± Anne yelled from across the room.


    ¡°Listen to my voice. Kate!¡± Anne pleaded, but she did not listen. ¡°Kate!¡±


    Getting more distraught, she slid down onto her knees and looked right at Anne. Tears flooded Kate¡¯s eyes and she grabbed her stomach.


    ¡°Anne, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Kate said. The bars that cast long shadows across the cells were drained of their metallic shine. The dry air was heavy and depressing. Every shadow seemed to darken and grow until all merged into a shadowy mass.


    Kate gurgled as a stream of scarlet spewed out of her mouth and down her face. She began convulsing, spraying more blood across the floor as she fell over onto her back.


    ¡°Kate no! You have to fight it!¡± Anne yelled at her.


    ¡°Please no. Please!¡± She cried as she helplessly clung to her cell bars until her knuckles were stark white.


    The few moments of seeing Kate¡¯s dying squirms were enough to send an explosion of heat rippling through Anne. That destructive force that would burst out from inside her, tearing her apart, was all too ready and hungry.


    No! We had a plan. Everything was going fine.


    Why now. Why Kate?


    I must save her. I need to.


    An otherworldly screech filled the room, and out of Kate¡¯s writhing body, a dark form was seeping out. A mass of shadowy claws and fangs.


    I will not lose her. I need her.


    I don''t want to be alone again.


    The rhythmic hammering of dread was breaking Anne from the inside. Her tiny body writhed. Her eyes never left Kate.


    She is nothing. Let her die.


    No.


    ***


    Anne''s eyes struggled to adapt to the bright light of the cell. Kate¡¯s red hair was strewn across her face as she rested in Anne¡¯s caring embrace. The cold touch of the bedpost pressed against her back. She brushed away a red lock to reveal Kate¡¯s closed eyes. Color had returned to her face and she was breathing softly.


    She looks so calm.


    Caressing Kate¡¯s cheek, she looked around, only now coming to her full senses. She was in Kate¡¯s cell, holding her as she lay across the bloodied floor with her head resting on Anne¡¯s chest. Anne could clearly see her bed on the other side of a path that was carved through both cells. Bent and broken steel peeled outwards, like the petals of metal flowers.


    What happened here. I thought it was the end for both of us.


    Kate let out a soft moan. ¡°Kate, are you ok?¡± Anne whispered.


    ¡°Wha- ugh, what happened?¡± she said as she peered around through her swollen eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t kn-¡±


    Burning. Pain.


    A rush of confusion washed over Anne. Then alarm, followed by disarray.


    The screaming. Am I dead? Spinning. Anne? Calm. Captured! So much pain.


    Anne gave Kate a shake, snapping her fully awake. She looked around in shock, pushing herself up and away from Anne. She looked wildly around the cell, then locked eyes with Anne. Both of them were shaking and dumbstruck.


    What is going on?


    They both shuddered. Shock and anxiety swirled through them, echoing back and forth between them like the ebb and flow of an ocean of emotion. Anne was Anne, but Anne was also strange and unfamiliar. It was incredibly comforting yet intense. Kate grabbed Anne by her shoulders and pulled her hard against her, wrapping her arms around her tightly. Kate trembled violently, yet an eruption of happiness ran through them both that overpowered everything else. Her tears ran down her face as she softly spoke.


    ¡°Eight y-years.¡±


    ¡°It has been eight years since I last f-felt this.¡±


    ¡°Eight years since my sister died, and took half of me with her.¡±

 Chapter 18 - Soulbound

    The soft creaks of the train were the only sounds around them. Anne and Kate sat face to face on the cold floor, not speaking a word, yet marveling.


    How? I can hear you. You are in my head! I feel how you feel. How is this possible? It¡¯s like before. But Tom never. Sofia, we were so young. Could never stop chatting like this. Only felt him, never heard him like this?


    The excitement from both of them made their exchange a mess of words and emotions. They both cracked a smile and collectively calmed themselves. Kate was versed in what was happening so she guided Anne, though for them both it felt as natural as talking within minutes.


    This is incredible! Anne thought.


    This is intended. Kate replied.


    Though this is reserved for people who shared a womb. Twins.


    Your¡­ sister?


    Yes. Sofia.


    A strong flow of sadness gently flowed over Anne but was soon lifted by a warmer feeling.


    But now, I am whole again.


    I thought you were going to die. It was horrible. And there was this¡­  thing.


    Thing?


    It had claws¡­ and there was screaming.


    A moment of silence passed.


    Well¡­ we will figure it out. There are more important things we need to do now.


    ¡°Hey, Anne!¡± Kate grinned.


    Let¡¯s get out of here. I haven''t felt this good in years. Like I can do anything.


    They got up quickly and stretched their stiff and sore bodies. Red stains covered Kate from her mouth and down her neck.


    Kate, you look scary.


    Kate gestured to the giant holes ripped through the cells.


    Anne, you ARE scary. How-?


    I don''t know, and it is terrifying me. Let''s just go.


    They moved to the door that led forward into the train.


    We need to find Darius, then get off this train.


    Anne nodded. They slowly opened the first door that led to a small covered space where the cars joined, with a second door leading to the next car. The space was noisy and it looked like they were in a short round plastic tunnel. The second door had no window or any means to peer through, so they both pressed their ears against the door to listen.


    I hear nothing. Neither do I. Is it locked?


    Kate slowly pulled on the handle, and the door slid aside. They entered a small partitioned space that was filled with crates, with the end having several round black containers.


    Hey! It¡¯s our stuff. They just stuffed it into this open crate.


    I hope all of your things are still in there.


    It¡¯s a bit heavy, so it looks like it''s all here. Well... mostly.


    Mostly?


    Yeah... your backpack was shredded when... you know. I''m sorry.


    Kate quietly put on her backpack, tightened the straps, and moved through to the next door.


    Not much security. Even though they looked scared of us.


    They listened for sounds again.


    Never mind, there they are.


    A few voices could be heard through the door.


    ¡°Can¡¯t this train go any faster? I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    ¡°Really? You are possibly on the most important mission of your life, and you are complaining that you are hungry?¡±


    ¡°So? We got them, didn¡¯t we? The bald oaf was no help anyway. I don¡¯t understand the sudden seriousness.¡±


    ¡°Who does?¡± A third man joined.


    ¡°Though it''s obvious we were after one of the other two.¡±


    ¡°That guy did have a funny scream though.¡± A bunch of laughter followed.


    ¡°Tough nut though. Wouldn¡¯t say a thing. That scream was the only thing we got out of him when the boss got angry and threw him off the train. All an accident too. The boss looked so sad that he couldn¡¯t torture him to death.¡±


    ¡°You think he survived?¡±


    ¡°Who cares. If he did, then something out there will probably eat him.¡±


    ¡°The boss creeps me out though.¡±


    ¡°You think!?¡±


    ¡°Same, I don¡¯t envy his friends. Especially not his enemies.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    Anne and Kate moved away from the door. Both their faces flushed with anger.


    Father...


    They threw him off the train?!


    I hope he is ok. It sounded like he could be alive.


    We need to get out of here.


    I have a plan. Follow me.


    They doubled back to where the train cars connected.


    We need to get out somewhere. And jump?


    Not so fast. We need to get to the front of the train.


    Kate poked the plastic-like sides as she searched for a weakness. Anne saw a dirty orange handle sticking out next to the door, and without much thought, pulled it. A loud clunk was heard beneath them, making Kate jump.


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    ¡°What did you do?¡± Kate muttered.


    I don''t know.


    The space between the doors slowly grew as the now detached train car behind them slowed down. The plastic enclosure strained and then ripped. A gust of wind rushed through the tears until the enclosure tore away completely.


    Hold on!


    They were now greeted by the dark outside, standing on a small platform and holding on to the train for fear of falling. Some dark masses passed by in the distance that looked like hills and trees.


    Well, that could work.


    A small service ladder further out beside the door could now be reached, and before they knew it they were crawling along the roof, Kate leading the way. The cold night air that blew fiercely from ahead made their eyes water.


    Can you see how far it goes?


    It looks like we have about five rail cars till we get to the front.


    They got up to their feet and slowly made their way across the roofs. The armor plating of the train made for good handrails, making it manageable to keep their balance. The first two cars were easy, yet the third one was different. The roof was largely open and instead covered by a thick steel mesh and beams. Kate took one step onto it and froze.


    Be very quiet. This one is full of those wolf things they used. It¡¯s going to be a problem if they wake up.


    Wow, this place stinks.


    The space below them was divided into several cages, each housing a wolf. Two soldiers sat near the end, dozing off in their chairs to some music that played from a small radio on the floor next to them. Slow and steady they made their way to the end. Anne couldn¡¯t help but notice a much larger empty cage in the corner, but then some movement caught her attention. One of the wolves had lazily lifted its head and sniffed the air.


    Hurry, Go!


    They climbed over to the next roof and picked up the pace as fierce growls and barks suddenly boomed from behind them. Soon all the wolves were frantically barking and growling, sending soldiers running around trying to calm them.


    ¡°I told you it''s a bad idea to bring this bitch on this mission, she is probably still in heat!¡± One soldier was yelling at another.


    Anne and Kate clamored over to the last car.


    Almost there. The engine will be in the next one. I hope we are past that creepy guy. Creepy guy? I''ll tell you later.


    The locomotive in front was bulky, with a big spear-shaped nose and a walking deck that surrounded the back and sides of the engine room, with stairs on both sides leading to the control room on top. Despite its size, it had very little smoke billowing out above. Movement could be seen through the large windows around the control room, then the door opened up. A crusty-looking man with a big ash-ridden beard came down the stairs, puffing on his pipe.


    ¡°Those crazy mutts,¡± he murmured, then walked to the left side of the train. Anne and Kate could just see his back around the corner.


    Let''s go. I¡¯ll climb down first.


    Kate threw herself over the edge onto the service ladder and slid down quietly, Anne following quickly. The last ladder step broke off and landed on the ground with a loud clang.


    Did he hear us?


    Another clang rang out through the night.


    What are you doing? It''s not me.


    Then another. The sounds continued from somewhere ahead of them. They got off the ladder, walked to the engine room door, and peered around the corner. The man was fiercely tapping his pipe against the guard rails that sent glowing soot and ash blowing down the side of the tracks. He gave his pipe a good inspection, put the tip back into his mouth to free his hands, then prepared to relieve himself down the side of the train.


    This is our chance.


    Kate quickly sneaked up to him, took a deep breath, and pushed him over the guard rails. The man tumbled overboard with a groan but managed to grab onto the rail with one hand. Furious grunts came from his clenched teeth and his pipe threatened to fall as his boots dragged violently over the gravel that surrounded the tracks below. With the broken-off step from the ladder in hand, Anne ran up and swung at the man¡¯s arm. There was an audible crack and a yell. His leg got caught on one of the train wheels and he quickly disappeared underneath the train.


    Oops.


    Ouch.


    Anne dropped the step. Her hands were shaking with adrenaline.


    Anne, find that lever again. It looks like he was the only one here.


    Anne scrambled to the door that led back to the rest of the train. No lever could be seen.


    I can¡¯t find it. There is nothing here!


    Oh wait, come in here.


    Anne hurried up into the control room where Kate already had her hands on a large striped lever. A large black and yellow sign below it read ¡°Mechanical Decouple¡±. One pull and the rest of the train started inching away. Soon it was just a dark smudge on the tracks behind them.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Kate yelled.


    ¡°That was awesome!¡± Anne cheered, yet she still felt shaken.


    I¡¯m sure they are scrambling already.


    ¡°What do we do now? We can¡¯t stay on this. It¡¯s going straight for their base.¡± Anne asked.


    ¡°Well¡­ let¡¯s first find out where we are. Look for anything, like maybe a map.¡±


    They rummaged around for clues. The room was rather small, but one can see through windows all around. All the controls and a big chair were at the front of the room, while hip-high cabinets and lockers lined the rest.


    Anything?


    No¡­ oh, wait.


    There was a large map stuck to the side of a cabinet.


    Got it!


    ¡°Now we need to find out where we are.¡±


    They peered out of the windows to try and place their surroundings. It was too dark to make out much of the areas around them, though some lights of towns could be seen passing in the distance. They decided to keep a lookout for any other tracks or signs along their route. Anne sat on Kate¡¯s lap as they rested on the chair and stared down the tracks ahead.


    You know life was pretty boring till you came along. I barely have time to process everything.


    Sorry?


    No don¡¯t be, I needed it¡­ maybe not all of it.


    Though how do you cope? It has only been a day or two and my head is already spinning. Though I did almost die.


    I don¡¯t know either. I guess at first I just wanted to make sense of everything. Make sense to me. Now I just want to find my brother.


    You two went through a lot together huh?


    Yeah, today almost feels normal. It seems like forever, but it has not even been two weeks since I woke up in that place.


    Are you serious? Only two weeks?


    That''s why I need to go back. I need answers. Anything.


    Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m sure we will.


    Then we will save my brother.


    Yeah, then we save your brother.


    Anne relaxed against Kate¡¯s chest.


    Thank you.


    A slight glow can be seen in the distance.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Anne asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it is coming closer, and fast.¡±


    They both got up to make out what it is.


    ¡°It¡¯s shiny,¡± Anne said.


    ¡°That''s it! It''s a signpost. It should have a name or a code on it.¡±


    ¡°Kate, can¡¯t we slow this thing down?¡±


    ¡°Too late, here it comes.¡±


    The sign blurred past.


    ¡°I got it! I think,¡± said Anne.


    ¡°Why have these signs if it''s so hard to read them?¡± Kate asked irritably.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure normal trains are pushed to go this fast,¡± Kate mumbled to herself in response. ¡°What did you see?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ I only saw part of it. ¡®LLANS¡¯ -something. And there was a ¡®P¡¯ in there too.¡±


    It¡¯s something at least. Weird name.


    More than what you saw.


    Yeah yeah, rub it in.


    They checked the map, going over anything near train tracks.


    ¡°I got it! Is it this one?¡± Kate yelled.


    Ouch, my ears.


    Sorry.


    Kate pointed to a small town labeled: Llansanperdita.


    ¡°Yes, that is it!¡±


    ¡°Some lights are coming up ahead. Do you think that''s it?¡± Anne asked.


    ¡°I bet it is. Which means-¡± Kate turned back to the map.


    ¡°We have to get off the train after it''s near a place called Pebblebrook. That''s the closest the train can take us to our destination.¡± Kate explained.


    ¡°Oh yeah. I¡¯ve heard of it.¡± Anne whispered.


    What''s wrong? That was a horrible feeling.


    I don¡¯t want to talk about it now.


    That¡¯s ok. I¡¯m here for you.


    Thanks. I¡¯m sure you will know soon enough.


    Kate struggled but decided not to push the subject.


    ¡°How long till we are there?¡± Anne asked.


    ¡°Well I''m going to see if I can set the speed on this thing, then I can figure that out.¡±


    An hour later, they are nearing the small town of Pebblebrook. The wait was more than enough time for Anne to have all the recent unanswered events rush through her mind. She had been sitting quietly, fighting with the image in her head of Kate nearly dying and the unknown mass of darkness that was present.


    Was that thing going into Kate, or coming out?


    Really? Can you please stop thinking about that for a second? You are terrorizing me.


    Sorry. I just can¡¯t shake the feeling,


    It¡¯s ok. Just think of something else, please. We are jumping soon.


    Pebblebrook¡¯s lights were starting to pass by the side of the train as they neared the edge of the town. Kate had slowed the locomotive enough for them to comfortably jump off.


    ¡°There is no station here so we need to jump soon. Time to give those guys a present.¡± Kate winked and moved to the controls. The crescent moon had crawled out behind the clouds and was casting the landscape in a dim glow. Anne could make out a river in the distance, and the ground next to the tracks that bent away into a steep decline.


    ¡°This looks like a good spot to jump. It looks mostly grassy with a few bushes. Are you ready?¡± Kate asked.


    ¡°Yeah! I think.¡± Anne said.


    Go!


    Anne hesitated for a second, then jumped out and into the darkness. Kate soon followed. They patted themselves off after rolling down the small hill, pulling twigs and grass from their hair and clothes. The locomotive sped away along the tracks.


    Wow, it''s going faster. What did you do?


    Let¡¯s just say that they will have their train back as soon and fast as possible.


    Anne gave a sly smile and they started for the town.

 Chapter 19 - Pebblebrook

    The small town of Pebblebrook was a collection of lights on the horizon. Anne and Kate quietly walked over the grassy stretch where only a few trees dotted the landscape, with dense clumps of trees lining the river to their right. They neared the town within ten minutes.


    We need to find a spot for you to get into fresh clothes. You are going to catch a cold with that ripped shirt.


    Yeah... I guess. It still hurts a bit. I didn''t notice.


    Kate flashed a worried smile and pressed on.


    They neared the edge of town where a small but long storehouse edged a town square. The moon was struggling behind a thick cloud that cast everything in temporary darkness. A cobblestone street led from the square into town, where the first of many streetlights cast their glow.


    I can''t see a thing. Me neither. It''s too quiet. I guess everyone is in bed.


    They rounded the building''s corner and started across the empty square toward the light. Dry crunches broke the silence, as crisp as walking on brittle autumn leaves.


    Please, no. Not this.


    A breeze sailed through the streets before them that carried a putrid smell that was as familiar to Anne as it was dry. Kate gave a wet choke and grabbed Anne''s shoulder, who pushed forward without hesitation, each crackling step forming part of a melody of death.


    This is like my first memory of this life. This is what Tom and I found when we came to. What the hell, Anne. That is horrible. This is disgusting. What is-?


    The crescent broke free from behind the clouds, and its dim moonlight returned to blanket the scene. The small cobble square was an ocean of scarlet that glistened under the moon. Blood clung against all the lampposts that framed the quad, where the stone met the grass. Every lightbulb had given its last light some night before.


    Anne was slightly dazed by the fear that crashed from Kate, who was frozen in place, but she pulled her by the hand and they persisted once more.


    Kate winced from the grip of her small hand.


    "Anne, what is going on? You are scaring me."


    "Look behind you."


    Kate swung around. The building they had passed could now be seen more clearly in the moon''s shine. It was an open storehouse filled with large glass canisters and metal jugs. Many had been smashed or tipped over. Everything was empty. Rows of bloodied taps pointed toward the center of the courtyard.


    "Oh no. This was the town''s water reservoir."


    "So that is what it is. I hate it." Anne replied shortly.


    None of this whole VD absurdity makes sense. The parts of this that almost makes sense nobody seems to agree on.


    Anne''s silent outburst seemed to have distracted Kate from her own worries, and they both focussed on calming their nerves.


    Can we please go? Yes. Please.


    They squinted from the light as they passed below the first working street lamp, making no effort to keep themselves hidden.


    "Are you thinking what I''m thinking?" Kate asked.


    "I... don''t know if I should answer that," Anne retorted.


    Oh, you know what I mean.


    Kate looked at the empty streets and alleyways around them.


    "What I meant was, you know, this place. Do you think anyone is still alive?" Kate asked.


    Anne shook her head.


    They passed house after house. No sounds nor any signs of life. Kate flinched at the sight of house windows darkened red from the inside where its residents had their lives taken.


    Kate gasped and covered her mouth with her trembling hands.


    "I''m sorry," Kate said.


    I only now realize you almost saw... saw me. It must have been terrible. You even mentioned... claws? But my mind kept wandering away, ignoring it.


    "I saw you die."


    "But I didn''t. You saved me."


    Anne led them up the stairs of a house and threw the door open. Cracks shot across the inlaid glass as it swung into the wall.


    "Did I?"


    Anne flicked the lights on, passed the living room, then looked around the kitchen for food.


    "You''re confusing me. You broke through the cages and saved me, right?"


    The fridge door creaked as Anne''s hand tightened around its edge. "I can''t remember."


    "What-"


    Glass and fluids rained as the fridge door crashed into the floor, ripped from its hinges.


    "I don''t know, ok!"


    "I wish I did!" Anne said. Tears blanketed her face.


    "If only I knew. If only I understood."


    Anne''s words were heavy and her breaths a shuddering mess.


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    "I could have saved Tiff."


    "I could have saved John."


    "Every time I see a bloody mess like this, I think of them. I''m so tired of seeing blood, including my own, and being forced to be happy with not knowing anything."


    "Even now... I am angry and scared... so scared."


    Anne held her arms wide, her gaze sweeping over herself in confusion.


    "Nothing is happening to me! Why am I fine when only days ago I was bleeding and nearly dying alone?"


    She slowly sunk to the floor, where Kate had already moved in to catch her. She held her as she wept, with their legs wet from the water and juice that swirled across the tiled floor.


    I could have saved Tom.


    But you saved me. That means you can save Tom.


    Kate pulls her closer. "And you are not alone... and not dying. Focus on that"


    "Thank you," Anne said after a long pause.


    "I don''t want my clothes to smell like old fruit punch tomorrow. Let''s get some clothes and something to eat, ok? Then I will tell you what I have come to understand about all this. Maybe I''ll make sense."


    Anne could not help but smile.


    "Poor fridge."


    Oh, shut up. Anne weakly tried to push Kate away, but she pulled her closer and wiped the tears from her face.


    "I''ll go look for some clothes," Anne said as Kate helped her up. She gave another soft smile to Kate and disappeared around the corner.


    The door to the main bedroom at the end of the corridor was open a notch. Anne approached the door, eyed the red stains that peeked out from beneath, then closed it with a loud click.


    Don''t go into the main bedroom. The... family is there. Oh. Thank you.


    She entered another room, pulled off her shredded shirt, and slid into a fresh pink and purple striped shirt that hung from a bedpost. A young girl lived here, and while some of her clothes were a bit too big, Anne found an old charcoal-colored jacket that fit her like a glove.


    She grabbed a few more clothing items that looked like they would fit her and stuffed them into a pink backpack she found in a cupboard. She gave the room one more quick glance then dashed back to the kitchen.


    Kate had swept the broken glass into a corner and piled all the food she could find on the kitchen counter. Her feet made soft splashes as she moved around.


    "That was quick," Kate said as she sorted through the food.


    "Yeah, I could not stand to be in there too long."


    "Oh. Did she? In there?"


    "No." Anne''s voice trailed off.


    Anne gazed down at the floor, looking for words.


    "The girl here, she... loves pink."


    Before Kate could ask, she shot her a hard and teary stare. Kate almost dropped what she was holding but forced a hopeful smile, yet could not stop herself from shivering at the sensation.


    "Well, there''s a lot of food here, and very little has spoiled. We can stock up for days, especially with some canned food."


    Kate tossed a small can at Anne.


    Tuna? Yep! Is it good? Oh yes, you will see.


    "You take those, and I''ll pack these," Kate gestured.


    With their backpacks heavy from their loot, they each picked a couch in the living room. They lay in silence until Anne sat up, pulling her locks out of her face and taking a few deep breaths.


    "Please tell me what you believe."


    Kate slowly sat up straight and then placed an orange-white crystal on the tea table. Anne frowned at the Kua crystal.


    What does that have to do with this?


    Relax. Let me explain.


    "First, tell me what explanations you''ve heard."


    Anne crossed her arms as she slouched back, blowing a stubborn lock around her face.


    "That stupid water shop girl said something about it being a disease. It definitely does not feel like just being sick."


    Kate rolled her eyes and nodded in agreement.


    "Then there is what Darius said. You know exactly what I''m talking about. Voice of God, punishment, and all that."


    To this, Kate barely moved.


    "That''s all I know. None make any sense. No offense."


    The sharp sensation from Kate shook Anne, and she sat up straight again.


    "Sorry."


    "No, no. It''s just Darius," Kate said.


    "I really hope he is ok. He is the closest thing I have to a real father. I don''t want to think what would have happened to me if not for him."


    Kare shook her head. "Let''s not think of that now. I have a lot to tell you."


    There was a moment of absolute silence.


    "Oh, where the hell do I begin?" Kate burst out.


    "Why are we not exploding?" Anne asked bluntly.


    "Good start. Well, I think it is because we are both twins."


    "What?"


    "Yes! From what I''ve read from old news articles and from people I have met, it looks like twins are more resistant to VD events."


    I hate what they call it. VD events. Yeah, me too, but I''m not going to give it a better yet worse description.


    "It also turns out that if one of the twins dies or gets moved far away... they become hyper-sensitive to VD." Kate ended in a whisper.


    Anne could feel her heart beat faster.


    "So, I think that twins share a hollow. Or each of their hollows has a part of the other inside them."


    "What is this hollow? I remember it mentioned when you first brought me to the chapel." Anne asked.


    "Think of it as like... your core. Your being. Your soul. Or rather, your hollow is where your being is found."


    "Wait! So you are saying that part of Tom is, or was, inside me?"


    "Was... but yes."


    "That is why I could feel his emotions, and he could feel mine?" Anne asked. Her heart pounded in her chest.


    Yes. Wait, you are inside my hollow! Yes! Darius was right. You do catch on fast.


    Kate could not help but laugh. Then leans forward and picks up the crystal on the table.


    "Come smarty-pants, take a guess." Kate rolled the crystal between her fingers and pointed it at Anne.


    "You said that a twin without the other becomes more sensitive. Does that mean it leaves a gap... like a hole, inside your hollow thingy?"


    "Ok, I am impressed. That''s what I also think. That space in your hollow for your twin is left open, which is very bad."


    Kate held the crystal up and stared at it intently.


    "This is how I stayed alive. I came across these long ago while I was hiding in a cave. These crystals somehow filled that gap."


    "The crystal is alive?" Anne asked, now eying the crystal wide-eyed.


    "Well, to a degree. I could always feel a presence, but there was never any thought or emotions I could feel from them."


    "Them?" Anne asked.


    "Well, yes?" Kate smiled.


    Though now that my lovely Anne is part of me, I can''t feel anything from them anymore.


    Anne held out her hand and gestured to the crystal. Kate twirled it once more and then threw it at Anne. She caught it, held it for a moment, then shrieked. The crystal landed on the glass coffee table with a clatter.


    "What happened? Are you ok?" Kate jumped up.


    "Yes, I''m fine. That thing was freezing!"


    Kate picked up the crystal and sat down again to study it. "Not cold at all for me."


    Yeah, this is weird. I have no clue.


    Another eerie silence.


    "Kate?"


    "Oh! Yes?" She tucked the crystal in her pocket.


    "You haven''t talked about VD events. Like, what they are."


    "I actually have no idea. I know that everyone is susceptible, twins less so. That''s it." Kate shrugged.


    "And as you know, VD events are triggered by a state of heightened emotion." She continued.


    Anne sat back with her eyes closed and mulled everything over.


    What am I missing? These pieces must fit somehow.


    You know I can hear you. Yeah yeah.


    Wait!


    "Kate... if these crystals things can fill the hole in your hollow, can something else out there not do the same?"


    That scream on the farm. Tiff and John. That thing that came out of Kate on the train.


    Kate sat quietly.


    "What I saw. On the train."


    "Are you saying some shadowy thing with claws killed my sister!"


    I''m so sorry. I should keep my mouth shut. No! I think you are right, but that is the problem. If that is true.


    Kate pulled on her hair, looking bewildered.


    "I need some air," She said and rushed out the front door.


    Anne followed. Kate had dropped onto her knees and was vomiting on the grass. Anne knelt behind her and rubbed her back with both hands as Kate sobbed. She wiped her mouth with a shaking hand.


    Thank you.


    We need to move, get out of here, and clear our heads.


    Good idea. We have a long way to go anyway, and the silence here is creeping me out.


    Something in the corner of her eye caught Anne''s attention.


    "Kate. I think we will be there much quicker than we thought."


    "What? Why?"


    Anne helped her up. A naughty smile stretched across her face.


    "Ever ridden a motorbike before?"

 Chapter 20 - Searching for death

    Kate pushed the pastel blue dirt bike onto the driveway. The discovery of the bike and the fiddling that followed had lifted Kate''s spirits considerably. Anne came struggling out the front door with their backpacks. Her own was slung over her shoulder while pulling along Kate''s larger one.


    "This thing is heavy! I think you overpacked by a lot." Anne said as she dropped both next to the bike.


    "It''s not that heavy. You are just tiny. You should eat more, especially before you start growling again."


    "Very funny," Anne scoffed. Her wet locks had taken over her face, which she had to fight to see where she walked.


    "The shower was amazing. You should hurry and go shower before I leave without you." Anne said.


    "I''d love to see you try."


    Kate ruffed Anne''s hair as she passed, giving her hair a clear victory.


    Why thank you! A pleasure my dear Anne. I''ll shower quickly. I can''t wait to wash off the grime from this past day.


    Anne fiddled with her hair until it looked somewhat proper.


    The nippy night air will not be drying my hair soon. Don''t you catch a cold now, ok? Just hurry up. I''m already in the shower. I didn''t think we would have this chance to shower so soon. I think I''ll rather wait on the sofa.


    Soon they both stood staring at the bike.


    "So, you really know how to ride this thing?"


    Kate laughed, flicked Anne on the nose, and hopped onto the bike.


    "Jump on! Remember to hold on tight."


    "Wait. How is your hair already dry? I thought you said you washed." Anne said, pointing.


    Kate laughed and gave her an exaggerated wink.


    "Come a bit closer, and I''ll show you."


    With a hop and a skip, she neared her as Kate rubbed her hands together. Satisfied, Kate stuck her glowing hands into Anne''s hair and started on a gentle massage. She shivered at the touch.


    "Don''t tell me it still feels cold for you?" Kate asked.


    "Well... no. It feels almost burning hot."


    "But. What? I still don''t understand it. Last time you freaked out because it was too cold."


    Anne closed her eyes as Kate worked her fingers through her hair.


    "It feels amazing now. Thank you."


    "It''s my pleasure my dear Anne, but I''m afraid I''m already done."


    "So fast?" Anne pulled on a few perfectly dry locks.


    Kate ruffed Anne''s hair before she could ask for more.


    "Now let''s go! I''m itching to test this baby out."


    Kate had strapped her backpack to her chest. This left her back open for Anne, who struggled to clamber onto the seat behind her. The thunder of the engine tore through the silent night.


    "We have just over half a tank, which is more than enough."


    That is so loud! I know, but it''s not that bad. You will get used to it soon.


    Ready?


    The bike lurched forward and Anne flung her arms around Kate. She pressed her eyes shut as they raced through the streets. The streetlights rhythmically flashed over them so that she could glimpse them even through her eyelids.


    "This is nuts! I love it!" Kate yelled into the night.


    You are nuts. What if I am? I hope you are not sitting there with your eyes shut. N-No! Of course not.


    Anne slowly forced her eyes open. The roaring of the bike and the rushing of the wind were all she could hear. She peered around Kate. The cold air blew all her hair backward, leaving the watery-eyed Anne holding on for dear life.


    An instant later they were plunged into darkness. The last streetlamp gleamed behind them, forcing them to quickly get used to the dim moonlight and the single headlight pointing forward.


    The clean pebble road was also replaced with a rough dirt road, worn by frequent travel.


    This is wild!


    Anne''s heart pounded in her chest when she started laughing.


    This is amazing!


    Hah! I knew you would come around.


    This rush... it''s like I want more.


    Finding out you are a junky, aren''t you?


    Oh shut up.


    The Myrtle river twisted its way to their right.


    So we just follow the river for a while?


    Yep. Until we get to a valley.


    It did not take them long to see the valley unfurled around them. They could faintly see some small farms pass by in the distance.


    I think it''s around here, on the left.


    Kate took the first farm road. Shortly after, the big red barn''s silhouette neared them. Anne avoided the farm, opting to stare blankly in the opposite direction.


    Should we stop for a bit? No! Please no. Just get away from here. The place we need is west from here, past the barn.


    Oh. So this is? Yes... Tiff. John. I''m sorry.


    Hold on.


    The shaking intensified as they went off-road. Kate did her best to avoid the shrubs and bushes along the way.


    So what are we looking for? Like... what does this place look like?


    I didn''t get a good look at it when we got out, but we will soon get to where everything is dead.


    Seriously? Dead plants and stuff. Don''t worry. No blood.


    After scaling some small hills, they found what remained of an old gravel road, largely overgrown.


    Do you think this will take us there? It''s worth a try. John suggested that this place was the only thing of note this way.


    Loud barks echoed from somewhere before them.


    What was that?


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Another blaring bark, this time closer.


    Not these things again. What things?!


    Two large shadows dashed above them, high in the tree canopy.


    Go, go, go!


    The barking intensified, followed by wahoos of incredible volume.


    A dark form jumped from the side, barely missing Anne. She swung around to see two hairy creatures chasing them. Their fangs hungering to strike.


    What is that? What do you see? Chacma spiders! Spider what?!


    Just go!


    Kate shrieked when she saw both side mirrors reflecting the chaos behind them


    More wahoos answered from their right. The trees around them violently shook as the beasts moved through them. Their numerous shadows dominate those of the trees.


    Anne, hold on!


    The bike roared as Kate sped up, reaching dangerous speeds. The world around them seemed to twist as hundreds of Chacma spiders drowned out everything else. One beast jumped from above and sank its teeth into the back of the bike, ripping out a chunk of the seat together with the rear license plate.


    Are you ok? Yes, just go! How are they so fast? I don''t know. Eight legs? How does that even work? Just drive!


    The rush of water could be heard, and soon a rusted and mossy metal bridge stretched out before them that jumped over the river below.


    The crescent moon bathed them in light as they broke free from under the trees. The horde of fur and teeth converged on the bridge like a dark haze.


    How long are they going to chase us? Maybe they are hungry. Much better, thanks. Hold on!


    Kate pulled hard on the brakes to brace for a sharp turn, but as they rounded it, one of the beasts slammed into the side of the bike, throwing them off and crashing into the underbrush.


    The engine cut out after the bike dove into a dense bush, making the beast''s barks, growls, and sneers overpower everything else.


    "Kate?" Anne yelled. She got up quickly after the fall and almost tripped over her backpack.


    "Kate!"


    Kate slowly pushed herself up, groaning and wincing as she moved.


    Get up! We have to move!


    The world shook as the creatures descended on them. Pain seared through Anne''s arm as teeth pierced through her arm and shoulder. More fangs impaled her right leg.


    Anne screamed as she was dragged around, dangled in a tug of war while a third hungry mouth closed in to steal the prize.


    The pain overwhelmed her, yet her senses sharpened with every heartbeat. She counted the numerous footfalls around her. The wet scrape as the closest Chacma spider blinked its many eyes. Smelt the rotting breath. Blood gushed past fangs and teeth.


    What a surprise.


    It was worth keeping her alive, after all.


    The pain was gone. Anne silently observed the scene around her as they shook and tore at her flesh. The third creature had its jaws open around her neck, biting down.


    Her tiny hand grabbed onto its large canine as her body dangled. The creature''s jaws stopped in place. Black smoke seeped from her skin.


    Kill.


    A sharp scream left her lips as her hand glowed orange-white around the beast''s fang. It tried to pull free when her hand burst into flames. A torrent of fire spewed into its gaping mouth and burst out of its back. Eight legs squirmed momentarily, then sagged as the baboon dropped dead.


    The one chewing on her leg scurried away and left Anne to dangle from the remaining, much larger spider, whose teeth got stuck in her shoulder. It shook its head to release Anne but failed.


    "Stop that," Anne said calmly as she dug her claw into its skull. She landed on her feet and pulled its head free from both her shoulder and its body. Its headless body sank backward in a mess of writhing legs.


    Anne stared at the beasts around her. The flames from her claws licked the sky, and the light danced across the scarlet scales that covered her arms.


    The Chacma spiders barked and snapped their jaws in anger, but did not dare move closer. All but one, who crawled out between the rest, approaching Anne at a steady pace. This encouraged more of them to close in.


    "Oh, the folly of the young."


    Anne pointed her claw at the ground before her, and a continuous beam of blazing flame blasted into the earth. She lifted her claw and the beam surged across the ground. The fiery ray ripped the creature in half and clove through the masses behind it, which left burning figures fleeing.


    "Anne?" Kate whispered as she struggled onto her knees a mere few arm''s lengths from her.


    "Kate!"


    Anne turned around towards her. Awareness and dread crashed into Anne, who shook her tiny hands to get the flames off her.


    "Kate, what is happening? I''m burning!"


    "Kate!"


    "Does it hurt?" Kate asked as she weakly walked to her side.


    "N-no. It doesn''t. Get it off me."


    "Just relax. Imagine a soft wind blowing it out." Kate whispered. Kate swayed in place, and blood stained the side of her head and down her neck.


    The flames engulfing her tiny hands slowly shrunk until the darkness around them returned. Only the glowing scar in the earth and a few burning carcasses lit the distance.


    "Where are those things that were chasing us?" Anne asked.


    "And how did you know?"


    Anne looked at her hands in the dim light for any marks or burns.


    "Anne, I know how... wait. You used my power?"


    How? Ah, my head.


    Kate rubbed her temple. Her eyes darted around the mess surrounding them while still recovering from the fall.


    "You don''t remember any of this?"


    "No"


    She knelt next to Anne, pulled her hands closer, and held them tenderly.


    "You can use my fire? Through our bond?"


    "Kate, you are hurt."


    "I''m fine. It''s just-." Kate felt for the wound just above her ear.


    "It''s... gone. Healed"


    Kate stood up and looked at the surrounding fire damage again.


    "Wow. You can use my power, but it seems you could teach me a thing or two. I wish I could have seen this," Kate said and grinned down at Anne.


    "And I have your power as well."


    "My power?" Anne asked.


    "Let''s see if the bike still works."


    What power?


    "Wait a minute," Kate said and ran her hand through Anne''s hair.


    "Your hair looks different, but I can''t see properly in this darkness. Maybe I''m just imagining things."


    "Kate, what power?!"


    Kate shook her head, picked up her rucksack nearby, and pulled the bike out of the bushes. She checked the front wheel for damage. Satisfied, she hopped on, and the bike roared to life.


    "I can heal!" Anne squeaked.


    "There you go!" Kate mumbled while looking for any signs of the creatures that chased them.


    Yes, you can. Very fast. Now get your healing behind on this thing so we can go. It feels like something can jump us at any moment.


    Anne grabbed her backpack and scrambled up behind her.


    Thanks for saving me. But I don''t remember. I don''t care. Thank you.


    They got back on the patchy road. Nothing chased them. It was not long until they reached the end of life. The dead surroundings replaced the lush greenery in an instant.


    What happened here? Is this the right way? Yes, we are definitely on the right track.


    The shadows from the dead trees crawled across the terrain like dark claws. Anne held tightly onto Kate as sudden exhaustion pulled on her eyelids.


    "Anne? Wake up, sleepy. You are snoring louder than the bike."


    "I don''t snore."


    Anne scowled at the rude awakening.


    "Oh," Anne whispered.


    They stopped before a giant hole, ripped from the side of a metal-clad building. The rasp of a dead leaf falling was the only sound.


    "How long was I asleep?"


    "Just over an hour, I''d say, though it''s hard to tell," Kate said.


    "An hour? ''Tom and I took at least three days."


    "That is nuts. No wonder you are so skinny." Kate poked Anne in the ribs.


    "Hey! No. Stop!" Anne tried to fight back.


    "Yeah, ok, ok."


    Kate helped Anne off the bike. Nearing the giant hole, Anne lowered her gaze when something caught her eye.


    Her eyes glistened as her eyes moistened. Kate held her by her small shoulder. Two sets of tiny footprints were scattered across the ground, moving away from the building.


    These... these are you and your brothers?


    Anne gave a shaky nod.


    Well, we made it. Your feet are so tiny. I sometimes forget how young you are.


    "Shut up."


    Kate chuckled and walked towards the hole.


    "You are right, I don''t forget. I''m constantly reminded." Kate said and stuck out her tongue.


    I am not talking to you. Don''t worry, this works fine too. Stop. You know I''m just playing. I hate seeing you cry. Let''s go. Tom needs you.


    Anne wiped her tears and forced a smile.


    Kate climbed through the hole, whereafter the steel curved upwards into a room. She felt her way in the darkness for an edge and pulled herself up.


    Anne followed, and Kate pulled her up.


    "Wow, it''s dark in here. I almost hit my head on that table." Kate said.


    "Table?"


    "Exactly."


    Kate rubbed her hands, and her glowing hands lit up the room.


    "Oh yeah!" Anne said.


    "Now you. I''m waiting," Kate said, smiling broadly.


    "Me? How?"


    Anne rubbed her little hands together, but nothing happened.


    "Imagine you are... trying to melt a block of ice in your hands."


    Imagine melting some ice?


    Anne''s hands burst to light with a soft crackle.


    "Calm down there tiger. That''s a tad bright, yeah?"


    Her hands dimmed slightly until they matched the brightness of Kate''s.


    "You are good at this," Kate said.


    "Hold up!"


    Kate held her glowing hand over Anne''s head.


    "I wasn''t losing it! Your hair is different." Kate said as she softly pulled on her locks.


    "What? How? Your hand is in the way. I can''t see!"


    Your hair color now matches mine perfectly. Your hair is red!


    Shut up!


    Anne hurriedly pulled a few locks into her face and pulled on Kate''s hand to adjust where she is shining from.


    Anne froze as she gazed at her red curls. Kate looked on in amazement.


    "You look so darn good in this."


    What... does it mean? I don''t know. Has this happened before? Of course not. As long as you are not sick... I love it.


    "Let''s just keep going before my head starts spinning," Anne said weakly.


    They moved out of the room into a long corridor. Kate covered her mouth with a glowing hand.


    This smells disgusting. We need to find out where to go. Look for some sights or writing on the walls. Anything.


    They searched opposite walls, their shoes crunched through dried blood.


    "Kate? I found something."


    Kate hurried to her side. Work yellow labels ran down the wall with arrows pointing to their destinations.


    Let''s see... administration, mess hall, security, records, medical, blah blah blah. Records sound juicy.


    Wait, there are more on that corner.


    They walked a few steps to a corner of an intersection, where bright blue labels lined the wall.


    What the hell? Stasis chambers? Entity holding cells, genetics, fear manifestation, capture and control, emotion testing, memory revision. This is messed up.


    "Are you ready?"


    Anne stared down the corridor with her balled fists glowing brightly.


    Yes.

 Chapter 21 - ER

    The records department was a mess. Two dead computers stood perched on a high-standing wall unit, and the rest of the dusty room was a labyrinth of corroded steel cabinets. The rust had fused most of the cabinet drawers shut, which they had to force open using a broken-off door handle that they picked up near the entrance. Some drawers were nearly empty, while others broke free from the cabinet''s sliding rails from the weight.


    "How did people work in this?" Kate groaned as she flipped through documents. For fear of burning the paper, they took turns working the files and providing light.


    "You are not so tidy yourself. Maybe pack a working flashlight next time?" Anne taunted her.


    "I didn''t pack a broken flashlight, and you know it. It must have broken when we fell or something."


    "Now stop teasing me and up the light a bit. I can''t make out the text."


    And don''t think of overdoing it on purpose. I would never.


    They both chuckled and hunched over the open folder yet again.


    "Aha! I think this is what we need." Kate said.


    "What is it?"


    "It''s a catalog. I''m not going to go through everything in here. It will take years."


    Kate squinted as she read the small typed font.


    "Anne sweety, check if you can see any numbers or markings on these cabinets. They all look the same, so there must be something."


    Anne ran her bright hands over the crusty cabinets, rubbing off bits of rust and paint crumbs.


    "Careful. The numbers might be painted." Kate warned.


    "Found it!"


    Anne pointed to a metal plaque in one cabinet''s right corner. A serial number was engraved onto it.


    "Hmmm... FM-09," Kate mumbled, then looked for it on the list.


    "Here it is. It says, ''Fear Manifestation Logs - Specimens'', whatever that means. It looks like ''FM'' refers to that fear lab thing we read. Want to check it out?" Kate asked.


    Why not?


    Kate pulled on the handle, and the drawer slid out with a screech. Anne and Kate choked as moldy dust bellowed out from the lined-up files.


    Gross.


    The labels sticking out the top of the files were surprisingly legible.


    "Want to switch? My hands are getting numb." Anne asked.


    Kate gave her a wink, then lit her hands just as Anne''s tiny hands dimmed until their light was gone.


    Thanks. Now let''s see.


    Anne mouthed the names as her little fingers flicked through the labels.


    Blah blah blah, mosquito something, bishop owl, baboon spider.


    No.


    She grabbed the folder labeled ''Baboon Spider'' and flicked it open.


    <table style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 60.3574%" border="1">


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td style="width: 100%">


    Specimen 11 - Baboon Spider (aka Chacma Spider)


    Description


    The Baboon Spider is a large baboon with the legs and joints of an arachnid. It has an adult weight of around 180 pounds, and its body is suspended up to 4 feet from the ground. Adulthood is reached within 4-5 years. The Baboon Spider is covered by dark fur, usually black or brown. It has a Pisauridae eye structure along with a long muzzle and teeth similar to that of the Cachma baboon. Some specimens were observed to have one or two additional underdeveloped mouths protruding from the neck.


    Behavior


    Baboon spiders prefer to move in groups of up to 30 adults or more, with aggressive behavior intensifying based on the group''s size. When alone, it will shy away from most confrontations but will attack when aggravated.


    Specimen 11 reproductions are all male, though it has developed the ability to reproduce by egg clusters. Fortunately, the fertilization rate of these clusters is around 0.32%.


    Parent subject and manifestation test


    Specimen 11 was grown from the fears extracted from entity [redacted], who showed an intense fear of spiders and baboons. These fears were cultivated together and combined rather well. The subsequent exposure of Specimen 11 to entity [redacted] proved highly successful, with a 63% physical manifestation lasting 5.1 seconds. See FM-02 for a detailed test report.


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Containment notes


    For safety, only three instances of Specimen 11 should be held in lab captivity at any time. See FM-03 for containment procedures.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    "Kate... am I understanding this correctly?" Anne''s voice quivered as she whispered.


    "They made those creatures. They were... grown? Right here! So much of that sounds so wrong." Kate said.


    I''ve had enough of these baboons for a lifetime. We are here for Tom.  Let''s keep looking.


    "What else do you see on that catalog?" Anne asked.


    "Kate?"


    Kate looked up at Anne with a wavering smile, then glanced around at the cabinets around them.


    "See if you can find anything marked ER." Kate finally said.


    "ER?"


    "Entity Records."


    "Oh," Anne mumbled and started rubbing clear every plaque in order. Kate shivered and looked at her as she worked through the cabinets.


    Kate placed her hands on Anne''s shoulders and pulled her into a hug from behind.


    "Everything will be fine. Are you that worried about what you may find?" Kate whispered.


    "I have so many questions, but I''m not sure if I want answers to all of them. So yes, I''m very scared."


    Anne brushed off chunky bits of rust from a plaque to reveal the index ER-01 set deep within the metal.


    "That was quick," Kate said with a grin.


    "A bit too quick." Anne took a deep breath and grabbed onto the cabinet handle.


    "Something is not right."


    Before Kate could ask what she meant, Anne softly pulled on the drawer. While still a bit noisy and rusted, the drawer opened effortlessly. Kate lit the inside to reveal its contents... or lack thereof.


    No.


    Anne hastily pulled open the bottom drawer, which slid open just as effortlessly. Full of nothingness.


    "How can there not be any records?" Anne scowled.


    Kate pulled on the next cabinet''s doors, which both slid open freely, but just as empty.


    "Do you think someone took it?" Kate asked as she easily closed the drawers.


    "It really looks like it," Kate continued.


    Who would be scavenging around in this place?


    And whoever did, left the rest just as it were.


    Anne slowly opened the drawer again, hopelessly peered into it, then closed it one last time.


    This got me all worked up for nothing.


    I''m sure there is something of value in some of these other files.


    Anne ran her fingers through her red hair, pulled on a few locks, and released them making them bounce back.


    "Maybe we should-"


    The creak of a metal door opening from somewhere within the facility echoed down the corridors.


    What was that? Someone is here.


    Anne and Kate jumped to their feet and ran to the door, stopping abruptly to listen for any other sounds. Silence.


    We need to go. Where do we go? Where did the sound come from? It sounded like it came from where we came in. Just follow me.


    Kate slipped out the door with Anne right behind her, hands now glowing.


    She turned the first corner away from their entrance and briskly walked as quietly as possible, skipping a few passages and then taking a left turn.


    Do you think it was maybe the wind or something? No idea, but we have to be careful. We will be spotted from a mile away with this light.


    Take a right here. Why? I don''t know. It just feels like we should.


    Anne, that''s a bit weird, but ok.


    Moments later the corridor unexpectedly ends as a makeshift barricade blocks their past.


    A dead end? Look, the one side is collapsed, maybe we can get through there.


    They made it to the other side with little effort, only to be met with the passage ending with a solid wall.


    Why would you barricade a dead end?


    This feels... familiar.


    A single slit ran down the middle of the wall, which otherwise has no imperfections whatsoever.


    It''s a door. I feel like I have seen this before.


    Anne reached out with a glowing hand, running it along the groove in the wall. Absorbed by every detail.


    The cold touch, or was it warm? Smooth and flawless. Unyielding, yet inviting. The perfect symmetry of the halves. But most importantly...


    Anne! Kate finally managed to snap her out of her trance.


    Finally, you are back. Turn off your hands!


    Anne quickly extinguished her hands, dropping them in utter darkness. She only now noticed the thumping of many boots on the concrete floor.


    Stay quiet. I don''t know if they even know we are here.


    "Spread out! They have to be close. Find them!" A woman''s voice echoed seemingly from every direction.


    They know! Anne, prepare to fight. I don''t think there will be any running.


    Anne nodded, even though Kate would never see it in this darkness. Her tiny hands shook as she tried to focus. Kate''s hands flashed into action as she readied for what was to come. Hundreds of boots seem to thump all around them. Kate wildly eyed the break in the barricade which now swam in the light from her glowing hands.


    "Hello there young lady."


    Anne yelped as a woman calmly strolled into sight. Her headlamp cast the area in a warm light, colliding and mixing with the light from Kate.


    "Elly!" Anne cried in disbelief.


    A friend? Yes. Kind of, I think.


    Kate quickly put out her hands and slowly lowered them, confused and agitated.


    "Don''t you worry dear, I mean you no harm," Elly spoke in her soft and gentle voice. A troop of soldiers filed past her to fill the space beside her. Kate scoffed and moved backward to hide Anne behind her.


    "I see you made a friend. I like her," Elly smiled.


    "What are you doing here?" Anne''s voice shook from behind Kate.


    "How did you even find us?"


    "I was looking for you of course. We need to protect you. I''m sure you know how dangerous the outside world is."


    Protect me!?


    "Protect me? Like you protected Tom?" Anne yelled.


    Kate shuddered at the rush of raw emotion and moved even closer to Anne. Elly''s calm expression seemed to freeze for an instant.


    "What happened to Tom is... inexcusable," Elly said, her voice trailing off and laden with what sounded like true sorrow.


    "We need you to come with us. We need to keep you safe. We need to save your-"


    "There is no ''We''," Anne yelled, but the sound came out soft and labored. "They took him..."


    "There is a ''we'' my dear. We want to save Tom too." Elly''s long, thin frame looked even slimmer from the many shadows cast by the flashlights of every soldier''s rifle. Her glasses shone brightly. The emotional banter did not soften her unyielding demeanor.


    "The general has personally stepped in to get your brother back."


    As Elly spoke those words, a woman emerged from behind her. Every soldier stiffened and soluted in unison. The solute sent all the rifle lights pointing down, plunging anything below their knees in bright light, but covering everything else in shifting shadows that danced across her face as she stopped next to Elly. Even Elly seemed to struggle to keep her composure.


    "Anne, dear. This is the general." Elly''s voice quivered.


    "Why should we trust you, oh great general? Look what happened when we trusted you the first time." Anne said with the little strength she could muster.


    Elly''s eyes widened at the retort but remained silent.


    The general stared at Anne with bright green eyes that would pierce her very soul. Even the shadows that obscured most of her face were unable to mask the pure intensity.


    When the general spoke, it was as if all other sounds ceased to exist.


    "Is that any way to talk to your mother?"