by J. F. Johns
Ten and Rife marched into the room carrying something furry. Terra gasped in delight at the sight of the bunny and forgot about the mess she'd created on the ground a few seconds ago.
'Its name is Dots,' Ten said proudly. 'It's mine.' Her brother Rife kicked her, and she coughed, 'Ours.'
'Where did you find it?' Terra frowned. 'Does Camille know?'
'One of the X-Prototypes brought it with her.'
'What did you just say?' She stopped rubbing the bunny's head and pulled her worn shoes back on. 'What X-Prototypes?'
'Eric went to find Scarlet's brothers and sisters,' Ten explained, her eyes on the rabbit. 'Now they're back.'
Terra jumped up onto her feet and rushed out the room, ignoring Ten's complaints. She marched down the unsteady staircase all the way down into the basement and froze as soon as she made it into the kitchen where a group of people were congregated. They all looked the same; blonde hair, blue eyes and pale skin. They were incredibly beautiful. In the past Terra would've felt somewhat uncomfortable by their beauty, jealous even. Her eyes had always made her feel less than everyone else. Now, now they made her stronger.
'Terra.'
Morgana's voice brought her forward, but she froze at the sight of one of the Prototypes; a boy about eighteen with a shaved head and the biggest arms she'd ever seen. He was intimidating, especially because of his harsh features and angry expression.
'It's okay,' Morgana said from where she stood leaning against the kitchen counter, her arms crossed against her chest. 'He won't bite you.'
Terra refused to look frightened in front of them, so she squared her shoulders and marched inside, keeping her head held high. She couldn't help but notice the way they inspected her, from her worn shoes, big baggy clothes to her mismatched eyes and missing ear.
'Ten told me you'd come,' she said, unable to keep her attention off of the Prototypes. They were so magnetic it was difficult not to look at them. 'Is it true then? You're planning on rescuing Scarlet?'
Morgana's soft blue eyes hardened. 'We will try our best.'
'The twins and I should tag along,' Terra explained. 'We are connected to Scarlet and the Destroyer. We could help.'
Morgana shook her head. 'Only us.'
Terra focused on each one of them properly. There was a little girl with long hair covering her soft sweet face. A boy sat next to her with straight hair that needed a good trim because it kept covering his eyes from view. The big Prototype was watching her as if she were his next meal, which made Terra want to turn around and run.
'Morgana, you don't understand-'
'Terra.' Morgana's warning look was clearly not enough because she said, 'This might not work. We can't have anyone nearby in case Scarlet attacks. You'd be killed.'
'But if we don't try-'
'You only get one chance to succeed. The consequence of failure is death. We can't risk that.'
'But at least we would've tried!'
Terra's heart was pumping fast and hard. She needed them to understand that their way of doing things wouldn't work. The twins and her were connected to Scarlet, and if anyone could get through to Scarlet it would be them.
'I'm sorry, Terra.' Morgana shrugged. 'This is one fight you can't win.'
Terra bit the inside of her cheek as she nodded.
Watch me, she thought.
Chapter twenty
Kalem listened to the sirens alerting the citizens that curfew was taking place. He sat on the roof of his home, his attention moving from one area of the city to another.
He felt before he even heard someone climbing through the window onto the roof, making their way to his side. Relief washed over him at the sight of his father.
'You're not drinking, are you?'
Kalem snorted. 'No.'
'Damn.' Malcolm sat down, huffing. 'I was kinda hoping for a glass of something.'
The smell of fried chicken and lemon lingered under Kalem's nose as he inched closer, trying to figure out what neighbour was cooking something so delicious. Probably Miss Wang in the home across the street, who kept pointing her finger at him when she spotted him leaving the house. She was an old frail thing that kept telling him, as well as Camille and Malcolm, that their family wasn't 'normal.' He ignored her, dismissing the words that stung each time he heard them. His mother, however, kept getting into heated conversations with the old woman, swearing and cursing at her. One day Malcolm had gone to visit the old lady, returning five hours later with a belly full of ramen. She never bothered them again. Instead, she beckoned at them to come and taste her food.
Malcolm had a way of enchanting anyone, even old ladies.
'So, what's your master plan?' Malcolm asked. At Kalem's confused expression, he added, 'To get Terra back.'
'She doesn't remember me.'
'So?'
'So what do you expect me to do?'
Malcolm looked shocked. 'Well, for one, I didn't expect you to give up. You've never given up on anything before, why now?'
'This is different.'
'How so?'
'Because,' Kalem grunted, 'she doesn't remember me. There's nothing I can do about it.'
Malcolm nodded. 'That may be true, but she isn't dead. She's alive, Kalem. You get the chance to fight for her all over again. That's more than most people can say. If you really care for this girl, then I don't think something like this should stop you.'
Kalem shook his head as he glanced down at his robotic hands, opening and closing them. 'What if... What if this time she doesn't...' Kalem cursed, unsure of how to express himself. 'What if the first time was just luck? What if this time round she doesn't feel anything?'
Malcolm glanced up at the night sky thoughtfully. 'I'm sure that if she felt something for you the first time, she'll fall for you again. What do you think she liked about you?'
Kalem chuckled. 'Nation knows.'
'Okay, what did you like about her?'
Kalem swallowed, feeling suddenly awkward. He wanted to reply, but wasn't sure how to do so. Shutting his eyes, he thought of Terra and the way she made him feel. 'She's strong. She never gives up. When she believes in something she fights for that something until the end. But at the same time she's weak, and isn't afraid of it. It makes her grow.' Kalem opened his eyes, smiling. 'She hated her eyes, they made her feel imperfect and yet, she thought someone like me was beautiful. She saw beauty even in ugly things. Her eyes would shine at such ridiculous things like plants and books and-' Kalem abruptly shut up and stood, turning towards his father. 'I need to go.'
Malcolm nodded, his lips curling. Kalem ignored the need to say something about that cheeky smile on his father's face, but turned away and made his way back inside the house, down the staircase and through the different hallways. He needed to talk to Terra, to tell her everything he had just said.
He had no idea where she was, but he spotted the twins making their way towards him. 'Where's Terra?' he growled in their general direction.
'Why?' Ten asked.
He didn't reply, his silence winning over Ten's persistence of always having to know everything. She rolled those green robotic eyes and beckoned at him to follow them.
From all the places he had expected to find her, in his bedroom and on his bed was definitely not one of them. The shock must've been evident because Ten said, 'We just found her there, sleeping.' And with that, the twins rushed off. The bunny had vanished from Ten's arms and Kalem couldn't help but wonder whether the poor thing was already dead or forgotten somewhere in the house.
Hesitantly, he stepped into his bedroom, unsure of what he should do. He couldn't wake her up, but standing there while she slept seemed creepy. Had someone told her she could rest in there? He was pretty sure Camille had found her somewhere to sleep.
She looked so small and fragile among the disarray of sheets. Her face looked at peace even though it was plagued by cuts and bruises. His hands turned into fists at the thought of what Pet
ra had done to her. It made him sick.
He couldn't do this. He had felt brave five minutes ago, but now... It even hurt to look at her. Turning to leave, Kalem marched back out until her voice froze him to the spot.
'Kalem?'
She was sitting up, rubbing her tired eyes and then glancing around, confused. 'I'm sorry. I needed... I don't know why I came here. It just felt... right.' She moved hastily, but he lifted his hands up to stop her.
'You can sleep in my bed,' he said. 'I don't mind.'
'But where will you sleep?'
Shrugging, he said, 'I'll find someplace to crash.' As soon as he began to move, she stopped him again, her voice soft and yet desperate, fierce and yet broken.
'Please don't go,' she whispered, then cleared her throat and said a little more strongly, 'Could you maybe stay with me for a little while?'
Kalem's heart broke as he looked into those mismatched eyes. Eyes that had always shone upon seeing him. They didn't do that anymore, no recognition or love within them. But his father was right. He couldn't give up. He wouldn't. He'd find the way to make her remember him.
'Will you?' she asked. 'Will you stay with me?'
'Of course.' He tried clearing his throat so it wouldn't sound like a grunt. 'Of course I will, Terra. For as long as you want.'
She nodded, then moved to make room for him on the small bed. With his heart beating against his chest like a hammer ready to tear through flesh, Kalem pulled his shoes off and climbed on the bed next to the human girl, his face burning at being so close to her. His entire body had gone rigid with tension.
Terra smiled, covering herself up with the blankets. Kalem made sure to lie on top of them, so their bodies wouldn't touch.
'Goodnight, Kalem,' she whispered before closing her eyes and drifting off to sleep.
Unable to help himself, Kalem smiled. 'Goodnight, Terra.'
At some point during the night, their hands found each other and neither let go.
...
'I can find rooms,' Camille said, hovering like a mother hen.
'Camille, we don't sleep. Therefore, we don't require bedrooms.' Morgana couldn't help but feel sorry for the cyborg, whose face had sunken from lack of sleep and stress. 'Why don't you go and lie down?'
'I have stuff to do.'
'Go do that then.' Morgana nodded in dismissal, which made Camille's green eyes sharpen in irritation at being told to leave. 'We will be fine.'
It was late by then and the X-Prototypes had remained in the kitchen. Cyborgs had entered to eat, their faces twisting in surprise at the sight in front of them. They had all tried to mask such emotions, but failed. Morgana didn't mind. She was used to it.
'It won't work,' Tristan said, as soon as Camille turned to leave, giving them a hurt look for being chucked out of her own kitchen. Morgana was starting to worry over the cyborg and her lack of sleep, the way her hands were always shaking.
'What won't work?' Morgana hopped up on the kitchen counter.
'Getting Scarlet back.'
Morgana had had plenty of time in the last few hours to tell Tristan everything that had happened to Scarlet. His facial expression never altered; always heartless and impassive. But she couldn't blame him for it. They weren't real like everyone else. They were experiments plucked from head to toe to be perfect destroying machines.
'No need to be negative, Tristan,' she warned him, her tone cold.
'I am being truthful.'
Morgana sighed. 'Perhaps. But we won't lose anything for trying, will we? It's not like she can kill us. We might as well try.'
Vladimir and Persephone nodded from where they sat at the kitchen table.
'If we can't bring her back, she will need to be destroyed,' Tristan said, causing Persephone and Vladimir to look at Morgana with horrified expressions.
'Tristan.' She didn't want to have such an argument in front of Persephone and Vladimir, no matter how indestructible they were. They still had feelings. They still felt pain.
'That thing will destroy the entire Nation,' Tristan continued, not at all bothered by the glacial expression on Morgana's face.
'That thing is our sister.'
'Perhaps. Perhaps not.'
'Well, until we find out, let's refer to her as Scarlet, okay?' She eyed Tristan carefully, her teeth gritted together. She loved him so much, but he got on her nerves so very easily.
'Morgana.' His voice softened. 'I need to know that you're willing to do what's right.'
'Don't start with your soldier crap.'
'I won't. But we need to think-'
'I don't want to hear it.' She lifted her hand up to silence him. 'It's Scarlet. Not meat. Not a number. It's our sister.' She closed her eyes for a fraction of a second, trying to calm down. 'I need to know that you will fight until the very end for her. And then, only then, we will do what needs to be done.'
She knew Tristan found loving others difficult. They hadn't been made to feel such things, and yet, they did. It had taken Tristan time, but she knew he loved them all so much. He was just very bad at expressing himself sometimes.
'Very well, Morgana,' he said.
'Okay.' She jumped down from the counter, unable to suppress the sadness washing over her at the thought of having to stop Scarlet for what she had become. 'I'm going to check on...' She didn't know what to say and just nodded in their general direction before stepping out of the kitchen, rushing down the hallway and finding a dark quiet corner where to sit.
Burying her face in her hands, Morgana cursed the world, their sister Petra for putting them in such a situation and the damn Destroyer that was hurting them so very much.
She hoped that no matter what happened, they could get Scarlet back.
If not... Morgana didn't even want to think of the outcome.
Chapter twenty-one
Terra woke up from a nightmare involving claws and cold distant blue eyes. She was sweating, the sheets drenched. Gasping, she glanced around unsure of where she was. Her beating heart calmed down at the sight of the boy lying next to her. He looked so peaceful asleep, as if all his worries vanished as soon as he closed his eyes and drifted off. If only she could find such peace whilst sleeping.
Kalem's room didn't have a window, and for a moment, Terra wondered how she was able to see him in the darkness. Noticing the open door, light filtering through, she wondered who was up at such a late hour. A part of her wanted to lie back down and shut her eyes, but another felt the need to get up and walk away.
It was beyond awkward trying to climb over Kalem to get off the bed, and when he stirred, she paused. As soon as she managed to cross the room, tiptoeing as quietly as possible as to not awaken the sleeping boy, his voice bounced across the walls, freezing her to the spot.
'Terra?'
'I have to pee,' she mumbled so quickly it sounded more like, 'Ihavetopee.'
His silence made her turn, relief washing over her at the sight of him asleep again. He looked so very beautiful, his body so very relaxed on the bed, one robotic hand resting on his stomach. His white T-shirt had lifted and she could spot a few hairs under his bellybutton. Upon realising that she was staring too much her face burned with heat and she rushed out of the room, breathing hard. Why did he make her feel so warm all over?
Shaking her head, she made her way down the hallway. Curtis's room was either on the same floor or one up... or was it one down? The house was so confusing sometimes with its long narrow hallways that twisted in bizarre ways.
Terra had no idea how long it had been since she'd left the comfort of Kalem's bed, but suddenly she was standing in front of Curtis's bedroom door. It was obvious it was his because strange metallic noises were flittering through the cracks. She wondered if she should knock. Would he hear?
The door opened before she could decide, making her jump back.
Eric appeared, those yellow eyes narrowing at the sight of her. 'Oh, Terra.' They stared at each other for a
few minutes unsure of what to say. 'Did you need Curtis?' he finally asked.
'Yes. Well no. I just...'
'Come on in.' Eric opened the door wider and shoved her in, his lips curling at her shocked expression. He returned to what had probably been his seat -which was on a desk- and lit a cigarette. Eric Thorn was someone that made Terra's fingers twitch with the need to paint. He was mesmerising to look at, but not necessarily because he was handsome. He was, and yet he wasn't. There was something about him that made you want to look at him, to stare. His yellow eyes with flecks of brown were warm and taunting, the way his lips would curl with dimples could easily make any woman swoon.
'Do you like what you see?' he purred.
'Thorn.' Curtis's voice broke Terra's hypnotism and she cleared her throat, suddenly feeling shy for being caught staring. 'Don't bully the girl.'
'Wasn't bullying, Curtis.' Eric shrugged. 'I love it when someone admires my beauty.'
'You're being vain.'
'Aren't I always?'
Curtis made a low guttural sound and turned towards Terra from where he sat (the only chair in the small room). He didn't wear gloves and Terra couldn't help but look at his robotic hands. He must've noticed, because he grabbed the pair of gloves on the desk and pulled them on. Terra opened her mouth to apologise for making him feel uncomfortable.
'Did you need something?' Curtis asked. 'Did your stitches rip again?' He didn't sound annoyed, just curious. Terra's stitches had ripped when she'd gone to see Damien, and upon arriving at Kalem's home the cyborg had taken her directly to Curtis to get the stitches repaired.
'No, they're good,' she told him. 'But I needed to talk to you about...' She eyed Eric, wondering whether she could talk about such things with him there.
'Don't worry about me,' Eric said, noticing her doubtful expression. 'I can keep a secret.' Terra doubted that very much. She wanted to talk but her eyes landed on what Curtis had been working on, and curiosity got the better of her. 'What's that?' she asked.