Coma (Paranormal Romance)

by Lilly Mance

  Mom and Dad's gift certificate covered the cost for building a lab, but supplies were another thing. That's where the money I had earned at Mario's came in quite handy. I second guessed quitting that job, but with all the preparations for Antarctica, and building cryoboxes, I had no room for extras.

  It was a sad day when I handed in my notice. I'll miss everyone. Even Jake. Antarctica was a perfect cover story for them, as well, so Mr. Thompson, the manager, congratulated me on that job, and wished me luck. He even said that I was welcome to come work for them if I ever needed some extra cash, then hid his watery eyes. I wanted to hug him, he was nothing but good to me, but it somehow might have not been appropriate, so I only went with the handshake.

  On the last day of my job, my new family, Ethan, Sophie, and Zack, were waiting for me at our usual table. They knew it would be hard to end that part of my life, so they came to support me. All this time, we managed to blend two worlds into one right there at Mario's, so it held a special place in all our hearts. Mine in particular. It meant so much to me. I spent my high school years there, it was my first job, my independence, I lost my best friends there, and I met my new ones.

  Tying loose ends at Mario's was actually saying goodbye to my former life forever, but no-one knew that, so I had to push down overwhelming emotions, or it would have been weird. That piled up, so when I sat down next to Zack, all that I've been holding in, now pushed to get out. Sophie and Ethan flashed compassionate smiles, but one look at me, and Zack knew I was on the verge of a breakdown. He took my hands and smoothed his palms over mine. Instantaneously, I felt his soothing emotions enter my body, mixing with my pain, taking the edge off. I closed my eyes, concentrating on nothing but his love. The pain in my chest subsided, calming my breathing. My eyes snapped back open, meeting Zack's refreshing smile.

  “Holy shit!” Ethan screamed, clasping both hands over his mouth.

  “What?” Sophie's head snapped toward Ethan, her curls following shortly after.

  “They're unbreakables,” he uttered, his mouth staying open, eyes protruding. Zack and I exchanged looks, and then smiled wide in confirmation. Indeed, we were.

  Sophie was the only one in the dark, saying, “Would anyone care to explain?”

  Ethan moved his gaze on her, “Remember the other day when I told you about our ability to share feelings?” Sophie nodded.

  “Oh, you did?” Zack jumped in, chuckling. I elbowed him to shut up. He mouthed a “what?”, shrugging. I narrowed my glance.

  Ethan just darted a glare, then looked back at Sophie, “There's this rare thing that can happen. If two people feel a certain way about each other, an unbreakable bond forms, tying them forever.”

  Sophie's sharp intake of air reverberated between us. She looked at Zack and me, then snorted, “And why are you surprised?” She returned her gaze to Ethan, twirling a curl around her finger, “It was obvious they were––” She paused for a moment, “––quantumly entangled from the start,” she giggled, winking at me.

  “I have to say that Soph always did know more than us,” I said, both Zack and I chuckling.

  “Does that mean you'll leave TGA?” Ethan looked at us expectantly.

  “No, why?” Zack frowned; Soph and I exchanged confused looks.

  Ethan snorted, “We don't have unbreakables. The opposing side does!”

  I narrowed my eyes, “I don't see the significance. Now TGA has the unbreakables, too. So what?”

  “Do you know something we don't?” Zack tilted his head, carefully inspecting Ethan.

  “No,” Ethan chuckled, “I just figured I'd be your best man when you marry. I'm offended!”

  Zack and I chuckled, lacing our fingers.

  “Say what?” Sophie's brows furrowed, “Are you guys getting married?” Her glance bounced between Zack and me.

  “The unbreakable bond is the marriage,” Ethan draped his arm over Sophie.

  “Motherfucker!” Sophie shrieked, kicking Ethan's arm off of her.

  “What?” Ethan raised his shoulders, confused.

  “You left that part out, and you knew it could happen to us,” she punched him in the shoulder.

  “Would it be so bad if it did?” Ethan chuckled, smoothing his palm over the shoulder to ease her blow.

  “Yeah! I'm too young to be married,” Sophie crossed her arms, glaring at him. “We’re not doing it!”

  “C'mon Soph,” Zack interjected, “We didn't expect it to happen, either. It's so freakin' rare.”

  “Well, you're stupid!” She scowled, tilting her body away from Ethan's, “I could have told you it would happen to you.”

  “It's not a bad thing, Soph,” I stepped in, “You knew how much we cared for each other, right?” She nodded, her face angry. “What's the point in denying it then? Just because some bond confirms what we already knew, doesn't mean it's the end of the world.”

  Hearing me say that, Zack's eyes twinkled. He connected our hands, giving me the insight in how it felt for him. My entire body made a spasm, and I blushed.

  “That right there,” Sophie pointed her finger at us, “What was that?” Her mouth formed a perfect little letter o.

  Heavily blushing, I replied, “Zack showed me how he felt at this moment.”

  “Oh,” Soph giggled, anger leaving her face.

  Ethan grimaced, “Argh, they're gonna get all weird on us now.” Sophie's fist connected with Ethan's shoulder once again.

  “Jerk,” she snickered, edging closer to him. He wrapped his arm around her, and kissed the top of her head, grinning wide.

  “We've got a perfect place for your cryoboxes,” Ethan dropped the bomb as if it were picking up the groceries, not freezing our asses forever. Naturally, he meant Antarctica.

  ~*~

  Chapter #21

  “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,

  while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”

  –– Lao Tzu

  September came sooner than I wanted it to. Majority of people travel to Antarctica in late October when summer starts, and stay there till February. Only the bravest 200 stay during winter. Each year, about 1,200 people come to McMurdo Station at the same time, stepping over each other, so we scheduled our trip to an earlier time to avoid the crowd.

  Saying goodbye to Mom and Dad at the airport took the last ounce of self control I had left in me. I was leaving them forever, aware that they thought it was only temporary. Guilt and sorrow mixed together made it that much harder. When my flight was called, their faces showed sadness due to my departure, and happiness that my dreams were coming true. Guilt prompted me to tell them the truth right then and there. If anyone deserved to know, it was them. But reason told me to hold on, because they could never accept what was really going on. It was best to do it this way. They'll get used to my absence, and then it won't hurt as much when I fake my death.

  To take the edge off, Zack came up behind me, and pressed his palms against my loosely hanging hands, giving me the strength to wrap things up. I hugged my parents one more time, then started toward the plane with an aching heart. I let the tears run their course; there was no point in hiding them anymore.

  “Call us when you get there,” I heard Mom say behind my back. My throat clenched. I raised my hand to confirm that I heard her, and kept on walking.

  Sophie and Ethan were already on the plane when Zack and I boarded. It was a private jet sponsored by Zack's acquaintance—the self proclaimed philanthropist that sponsored my Antarctica endeavor—and he was comfortably reclined in a seat, talking to Ethan.

  “Michael,” Zack patted the man's back.

  “Hey,” Michael turned around, smiling. He was an older guy in his thirties, wearing slightly different garb than us, but the same type of booths. His auburn hair was neatly combed to one side, his face slightly chubby, and a set of almond shaped brown eyes.

  “This is Lyra,” Zack motioned toward me. Michael stood up to shake my hand. He wasn't hovering, so I guessed he de
frosted himself for this occasion.

  “Your cryoboxes are safely boarded,” Michael said, sitting back down. “Get your seat-belts on; we're ready to take off.”

  Zack and I made ourselves comfortable, and locked our seat-belts. A few moments later, the plane took off, sending pain straight to my gut. It was over. My old life ceased to exist. Zack squeezed my hand, gazing at my eyes, reading me like a book.

  “I'm okay,” I answered his unspoken question, struggling to keep my breathing at a steady rate.

  “Right,” Michael interrupted our moment. “Let's get you something to drink.” He motioned for the flight attendant. She took our orders, and then disappeared behind the curtain. “What did Zack tell you about me?” Michael asked, still looking at the moving curtain.

  “Not a goddamn thing,” Ethan narrowed his eyes, “He was quite secretive when I asked him about you,” he averted his gaze toward Zack showing resentment.

  “I let that part to you,” Zack said to Michael, chuckling.

  “Fair,” Michael smiled. “It's obvious that I'm not with TGA,” he pointed out his outfit, grinning.

  “You're with the Elders, that much is obvious,” Ethan stated, “Our opponents,” he added for Sophie and me. I looked at Zack, confused, but he just smiled.

  The flight attendant returned with our drinks. When she went away, Michael continued, “My wife is from your time,” he motioned toward Ethan and Zack, “Well, sort of. She was born in 2120, but still within your reach. Zack helped me reconcile with her the last time we changed history,” Michael's eyes were shining full of tears. “She's no longer with us. Perished in the newest end time.”

  Zack patted Michel on the shoulder, “So sorry, man,” he turned to me and added, “She was only 36.”

  I gulped.

  Michael smiled briefly, and then continued, “If it weren't for Zack, we wouldn't have had two more wonderful years together.”

  “I wish it could have been different,” Zack replied, reaching for my hand, entangling our fingers tightly.

  “It was more than I could have hoped for,” Michael smiled, blinking away moisture in his eyes. “Considering—”

  “Why are you with the Elders?” I interrupted, making all heads turn toward me. “If it weren't for them, you'd still have your wife. I don't understand.”

  “It's a high price to pay, but we believe that one day all our loved ones will come back to us if we get it right. My wife knew it would be the end of her, but she supported our cause till the very end.”

  “That's blind faith!” Sophie jumped in, frowning. “You don't know if it'll work, and you sacrificed your wife.”

  “It's not faith, dear girl. It's science,” Michael chuckled, “Many Elders have paid the same price of losing their soul mates. I'm no different. You don't really think we would pay the ultimate price based on a hunch, do you?”

  “It sounds like you would,” Sophie snorted, folding her arms in front. Ethan smirked as if he shared her opinion.

  “Michael,” I interrupted again, so his eyes left Sophie and moved toward me, “You said soul mates. Does that mean you're all unbreakables?”

  “Not all,” his eyes sparkled, “But many of us are. That's why I said it was the ultimate price. Once you've felt that kind of love and connection, you know how much it hurts others that have lost it, so you do everything you can to help them get it back.”

  “Oh, you two are screwed,” Ethan chuckled. If stares could kill, Zack's would have ended Ethan on the spot.

  “You're unbreakables?” Michael's eyes widened.

  “We are,” Zack replied, casually. “I wish I had known how it felt back when I helped you.”

  “It wouldn't have changed a thing,” Michael snorted, then turned to me. “Congrats. It's the biggest reward, and the biggest punishment.”

  I swallowed a lump in my throat.

  ~*~

  Calling Antarctica a hostile place didn't even come near to what it was. We landed in McMurdo, nicknamed Mac-Town by local residents, immediately feeling incredulous cold biting into our bones. We were told that we were lucky to come at Condition 3 weather. If that was nice weather, I wondered how one and two looked like.

  Michael went to the office in one of the buildings to get us settled in while we waited for our luggage. He came back rather quick with three sets of keys and a woman. She explained how majority in McMurdo were settled in one of the brown three-story barracks called dorms, but first-timers, such as us, were housed in a blue barrack number 155.

  She took us to the main square, actually a big parking lot, showed us all those brown dorms, and then pointed out the blue one as our new home. She said it was the central point in Mac-Town that was also a galley, had a post office, ATMs, library, store, and many other things. After pointing out some other centers of interest such as the fire department, coffee shop, and medical center, we were free to go to our rooms.

  As Ethan and Zack were invisible, Michael had to bribe the lady to get us three rooms. It was impossible to get a room without a roommate in this hostile place, but as we came early, it was still doable until other scientists arrive in late October. To our surprise, freezing cold was replaced by rather pleasant temperature in the dorm. Walking upstairs and down the halls, the first thing we noticed were numerous recycling bins. Apparently, recycling was a must here.

  Zack unlocked the door to our room, allowing me to take the first glance of our new home. It was a confined space with two beds, a small desk in between, a sink, and a wardrobe. The only window in the room had aluminum foil plastered on it, and a black blanket instead of a curtain to keep the 24/7 sunlight out. Quite depressive.

  I sat on one of the beds, looking at the old phone on the desk. Zack dropped our bag on the floor, and sat next to me, squeezing me tight.

  “You are so brave,” he said, kissing my temple.

  “Or foolish,” I snorted.

  “Why foolish?” He searched my face for clues.

  “Seriously, what was I thinking? How long can I keep this charade going? I'll have to be dead for them eventually.”

  “That's why I said you were brave, my love. This will at least give you time to come to terms with it, and for them to get used to your absence,” he tried to smile, but it came out crooked. Loving him gave me the courage to make a decision, but keeping the charade going wasn’t brave or courageous. It was merely a delay of the inevitable. It was lying to myself, and I hated it.

  My parents were left under the impression I was going to stay at McMurdo the entire time. They would be getting an email before we left McMurdo informing them that my research had led me to another place. A place without any communication, out in the field, sleeping in a tent—that's what many other scientists did, anyway. Zack and Ethan had said it would be a perfect cryobox place, because no-one would accidentally discover our hideout in permafrost. Even thought that was true, I felt uneasy about being buried there. If something malfunctions, I'm screwed.

  I made my first phone call to my parents. They were happy to hear from me, and for their sake, I pretended everything was roses, and that it was just as I imagined it. That couldn't have been further from the truth. Hearing their voices invoked the pain I had left behind on the plane. Fighting to keep my voice steady, and to prevent tears from bursting, I pressed my nails into my palm as hard as I could. After my phone call ended, I stared numbly at the damage, smoothing my palm over four deep nail imprints that drew some blood.

  Zack took my hand in his and placed a kiss on the injury. “Do you want to connect?” He offered his hands. I shook my head.

  “No,” I sighed, “I'm thinking this wasn't such a brilliant idea. I'm just prolonging the pain. The inevitable.”

  “Maybe,” he squeezed my shoulders, “But it would hurt even more if you knew they were mourning you right now. You’re not ready for that.”

  I swear, my heart must have stopped upon hearing the word mourning. A knock on the door jump-started my heart again.

  “
May I come in?” Michael asked from the door.

  Zack looked at me for permission, and I nodded, “Sure,” Zack said.

  “Cryoboxes are unloaded. We have to get them in,” Michael said, sitting down on the opposite bed.

  “Okay, let's go,” Zack eagerly stood up, reaching for his jacket.

  “Actually,” Michael scratched his chin, “I thought you and Ethan could do it while I walk Lyra through her busy schedule for tomorrow,” he watched Zack expectantly, holding his breath. Something was wrong with that picture, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

  Zack hesitated for a moment, glancing at me and Michael, then said, “No problem,” and went for the door. As soon as the door had closed behind him, Michael stood up and started nervously pacing through that confined space between two beds. A long minute had passed without him uttering a word, and then, faster than I could grasp what had taken place, he had a knife under my neck. My insides twisted into a tight knot, fear sending my already weakened heart into cardiac arrest.

  “Get up,” he growled, jerking my arm. Those almond eyes were flaring with hate—something he managed to hide from us for over 24 hours. My chest wanted to explode from fear and confusion. I swallowed carefully, feeling a sharp, cold blade wrinkling my skin as I did, digging deeper into my larynx. “NOW!” He jerked me off the bed, ushering me toward the door. “We’re going for a walk. If you so much as make a sound, I’ll kill you on spot. Understood?!”

  “Yes,” I whispered, praying to God that my legs would move. The fear was paralyzing.

  “Open the door,” he ordered, nudging me toward it.

  With the knife already piercing my skin, I couldn’t lower my gaze to find the knob, so I patted the door with trembling hand in pursuit of it. That must have irritated him, so he let go of my arm for a second, and swung the door open in one forceful move. Zack’s petrified gaze met mine. I didn’t even manage to blink, and Zack’s hand had already grabbed Michael’s knife, slamming his hand against the frame. The knife fell down. Zack’s other hand pulled me out in the hall, and I came crashing down on my knees, my head banging against the wall.