CHOSEN: A Paranormal, Sci-Fi, Dystopian Novel

by A. Bernette

  The door to his room squeaked lightly as he opened it to look down the hall. He already knew she wouldn’t be there, but couldn’t resist checking again. The idea of Stella possibly arriving without him knowing was senseless. Why would she come back before she was supposed to? Especially her, and to the ARC. No one came or went without planning, preparation, and someone knowing.

  Without Stella the ARC felt more like a large sterile prison, where he was trapped and isolated. He’d spent every Summer of his life since he was five in this frozen tundra. It had always been no man’s land. No one wanted it but every year he was here just the same for six months most years.

  When they were young they only spent the few months that marked the Antarctic Summer on the ARC, but as they grew older Zura and Johan wanted them to spend more time there, on the ARC as a family. Now, just when it would start getting cold in Northern Allegiance, they would leave the mild winters of their home in New South City for what was arguably the coldest place in the world.

  But Stella, she wasn’t here with him and his heart literally ached. She hadn’t sent him a message yet today and it was already 10:04 a.m. by her time. He kept looking at the wall expectantly. She always messaged him by 10:00 a.m..

  “What’s wrong? Where is she?” he wondered again aloud, as he checked the time on his watch for the one hundredth time and began tapping his fingers together.

  Stephen passed the mirror and noticed his long grey jersey shirt not evenly tucked into his black cargo style pants. He fixed his clothing and smoothed his hair. He’d shot up over the past year and was finally taller than Stella. He was still thin and had not grown much muscle on his lean frame. He had hoped to add some weight and muscle while in Antarctica but not much had changed and their time on the ice was nearly up.

  By May they needed to head back to Northern Allegiance where they could continue their research, taking files and samples with them. They’d set up their data reporting systems and then prepare to come back when the temperatures began to rise again to barely tolerable in Spring. Most of the other staff on the ARC wouldn’t come until Summer had broken.

  Before he could begin wondering anymore, he heard the ding and felt the vibration on his arm. It was Stella. Finally. She wanted to do a video call. “Of course, it’s Wednesday,” Stephen thought to himself. She’d told him that on Wednesday she would call him during her morning break at camp which was in Southern Allegiance, once known as South America.

  Stephen rubbed his head and clicked the button on the wall which projected her image into the empty space above his desk. There she was, smiling at him.

  “Miss me much, little brother?” she asked. “I know you were pacing by the window and the wall. You need to relax, I think I was five minutes late,” she teased him. She could see he was upset.

  “Where were you? Why were you late? You promised you’d call right at your break? It’s 10:07 a.m.!” he huffed at her impatiently.

  Stella knew it bothered his sense of order and routine when things weren’t like they were supposed to be or if they didn’t go according to plan.

  “I’m sorry Stephen. I had some problems with this new interface. I didn’t mean for you to worry. How is it back there?”

  Stephen hung his head and rolled his shoulders. He then glanced down at the closed notebook he had on his desk. A pencil sat beside it, line to line, its point sharp to the touch. Sometimes he liked the feel of paper and a pencil, even if it made no sense when you could get away with not writing anything at all.

  Still upset but happy she was finally there, he tried to answer her question and thought to himself about the long three days since she left. He considered the fact that she only had to leave him because she refused to do her work when she was supposed to and was forced to go to camp.

  He avoided looking up and letting her see his eyes. “I’m okay, I guess. We’re very busy here. There’s a lot to do - more than usual,” he paused and the silence stretched on.

  Their mom and dad were busy with their research. Stephen had gotten to a point where he could help them and he actually enjoyed it. However, it could become too much. They would go on for twelve to fourteen hours on a regular day, barely breaking to allow themselves to eat a real meal. He was lonely and he was tired but, most of all, he was concerned about what was happening.

  “What’s got you so busy?” Stella finally asked.

  “Just some testing, data collection and data analysis. The usual, but not quite. We have to wrap up in the next couple weeks and there’s just a lot. UniCorps and the World Consensus Science Branch will be coming sometime between next week and the following week. I’ll tell you when you get back.” Silence again stretched on as Stephen stared at her image and the fuchsia lipstick and matching hair band with fuchsia and other bright colors she wore.

  She finally chimed in again mockingly, “And Stella, how is it going there? Oh, it’s going great Stephen. Let me tell you! I’ve met some totally nine people here,” she said before being interrupted.

  “What’s a nine person?”

  Stella sighed dramatically, “You know nice. It’s what they say here at the University, well the camp. Anyway, people from every region in the world. I’m the only one here that’s ever been to Antarctica and the only person any of them know who was born in Antarctica. Of course, they wonder how that happened and I was happy to share the story of our crazy, persistent, stubborn parents. Oh, and there are all kinds of other people like me here Stephen.

  “I’m happy for you Stella,” he said in the second between her thoughts.

  “Sometimes I forget the world isn’t just scientists, engineers, and techies living with you, Mom, and Dad. Then add in Mave and Rupert and I’m surrounded. It’s so refreshing, and, oh, what was that? What was that you just said?” Stella paused and looked as if she were straining to hear something spoken at barely a whisper, her head cocked to one side.

  “I didn’t say anything.” Stephen said confused.

  “What was it you just said in your head? What is it that you are worried about? It wasn’t that there aren’t enough scientists, but that was close, wasn’t it?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Stephen insisted, his eye twitching a bit, as it did when he was nervous or lying.

  “Stephen, I know you and you know I know you like no one else knows you. What’s going on?” Stephen put his head down. He couldn’t let her see the worry on his face. She wouldn’t be home for a few more days and he couldn’t have her worried too.

  He looked at the red brick wall behind her. She was outside, enjoying the warmth. Her hair was around her head like a halo with the sun accenting her curls. The scarf didn’t even try to contain the hair, only accent it. He wasn’t sure he wanted to talk about it with her out there. He didn’t know who else might be around, listening and he understood that no one else could know, for now.

  “It’s nothing serious. I’ll tell you when you get back.” She didn’t know how she put up with him for nearly sixteen years. He was infuriating at times. She shook her head and bit her lip.

  “Stephen, you are frustrating the hell out of me…but I love you anyway. Can you tell mom that I need forty more lubles, please? I’m running low and I need my snacks and I want to get something from the gift shop. And remember, I want you to meet me at the hangar. It’d be nice if mom and dad or mom or dad also came but if they can’t you better be there. Of course, I know you will.” As she rubbed her sore forehead, she remembered the last thing she wanted to tell Stephen.

  “And one more thing, stop banging your head against the wall. I’ve been waking up with headaches for the past two days. I know something is wrong because, as you know, I feel you! Okay, I gotta run. My break’s almost over. Love you bro!”

  And then, Stella was gone again, vanished into the thin of the air, just like that. He stared at the wall for a few more moments before sitting on his bed. He felt almost lost without her and he knew he was overreacting but there was literall
y no one else to talk to. The ARC staff were the only ones for miles on that desolate continent.

  However, everyone else was constantly working as if their lives depended on it. Actually, all five of them were working like their lives depended on it. Sighing, he realized it was getting late and he needed to get to work too.

  Stephen walked out of his room and pulled the door shut before heading down the hall in their family unit, past the pale yellow walls. He passed the main living area where there was rarely any real living done. The furniture rarely felt the warmth of a body and it wouldn’t on that day either as he passed it, headed to the science center.

  The science center was his favorite place on the ARC. It included a general workroom, lab, small room with control panels, and the research, observation, and control room, which held the conference table. Zura had nicknamed it her ROC room when Johan had designed it. If she weren’t anywhere else, she’d be in there, working with her back to the door and her face towards the ocean.

  Their house wasn’t really a house. It was just one part of a large well-resourced science and research complex funded by grants from the World Consensus and private money from UniCorps. With that arrangement, there was always a delicate balance meeting everyone’s needs while doing what was necessary scientifically.

  The ARC was perched dangerously close to the icy waters with tunnels that led beneath the ice to the underwater lab and research center. Mave was at her crescent shaped glass desk sipping on an extra tall cup of coffee with real cream and turbinado sugar while underlining numbers on various reports.

  When she’d agreed to come to the ARC she asked for the desk as the one thing she wanted for herself. She’d accepted nearly everything else that was provided standard, though she sometimes wished she’d asked for more. All those years ago, she hadn’t considered just how much time she’d wind up spending there.

  When the twins were around nine, the glass had to be replaced after an incident of them running into the lab. Stella had rolled one of the heavier chairs and slammed it into the desk causing it to crack across the top.

  The crack had started small, but over time had grown to where Mave couldn’t put pressure on it or even focus with it always staring back at her. The replacement took them nearly two months and during the wait they laid a piece of metal sheeting over the desk, which was more of an abomination to her senses than the broken glass.

  Stephen stopped at the door. “Good morning, Aunt M.” He never came into the work room if someone was there without some kind of announcement or greeting, as if in need of permission.

  Mave turned around, saw Stephen, and smiled her big smile. “Well, good morning to my favorite boy in the world. Come on in.”

  Stephen didn’t move for a moment, his face seemingly blank. He loved Mave. She always made him feel special, wanted, and needed. He couldn’t remember a time when Mave wasn’t around.

  Stephen walked casually over to where Mave stood near the coffee machine, fumbling with a pouch of coffee and a large container sitting underneath the machine.

  Despite the fact that they were not of the same blood, Mave was closer than any other family, outside of those on the ARC, and she had no children, nieces, or nephews. She found a quiet satisfaction in being called Aunt M.

  “I spoke to Stella today. She’s enjoying herself. She’s met more people like her. She is the only person she’s met there who has been to Antarctica.” Stephen paused as he glanced around the room. “Where are mom and dad?”

  “They are in the lab doing some testing. Do you need them?” she asked.

  “Yes, I have to pass on messages from Stella and I need to help them today.” he added.

  “Oh, that’s too bad. I was hoping you’d work with me today. I’m waiting on some test results but they’ll be finished soon, and then there will be plenty of work to do.” Mave stopped to check the time on the wall behind her and walked back to her desk. “Tell them I made more coffee.”

  “Okay. I will help you later if I finish up with them in time.”

  Stephen walked through a door, down winding steps to the small room with control panels measuring the temperatures, pressures, and oxygen levels. He slipped off his shoes, put little booties on, and then he went into the small white decontamination chamber.

  The fluorescent bulbs were engineered to kill bacteria that might be harmful in the lab. The small chamber had a second luminescent bacterial disinfectant that scanned the entire person and any objects being carried.

  Once both doors were closed Stephen stretched his arms out and he waited for the three beeps that would tell him the scanning was about to begin. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and held it, counting to ten in his head. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten.

  Everyone told him he didn’t need to hold his breath, but he couldn’t help it. Three more beeps signaled that the scan was complete. Stephen exhaled and then pressed the button for the door leading into the sterile lab. This was Rupert’s main domain when he wasn’t in the larger science workroom with Mave. Windows at the top of the lab let light in from the ROC room.

  Going through the lab he found his way to the door that opened into the ROC room. It was covered with windows on the outward facing side that started at two feet from the ground and rose to the ceiling. From here they had a full view of the ocean.

  Along the bottom of the walls were three tunnels leading into the ocean for further observation and sample collection. His father had designed it that way to ensure they could continuously collect and monitor water samples, measure water vibrations, ocean floor vibrations, water levels, and monitor ocean life.

  When it wasn’t being used for work it was where Stephen and Stella had spent countless hours when they were young. The twins would sit and lay in the tunnels that led out into the ocean and watch the ocean life.

  Both of his parents were in the room, focused, and barely noticed him enter. Johan leaned over his desk, looking at several reports spread out on paper, on tablets and even projected on the desk. His fingers kept tapping on the projection, going to different parts of the data he was studying. The data contained information on the changes within the past few months. His mom was intensely studying two reports while she paced nervously back and forth in front of the large windows.

  “Mom?” Stephen said, getting her attention. Zura stopped looking at the paper in one hand and tablet in the other.

  “Stephen? When you gave me that data yesterday what date did it come from?” she jumped right in.

  “One week ago today, just like you asked. Did I do something wrong?” he asked with a look of self-doubt coming over his face.

  “No. No. That’s what I asked for. It just doesn’t make much sense. The change between last week and the prior two months doesn’t seem to be right. It’s too big of a change.” She put the reports down and nodded to Johan curiously. “What are you seeing over there Johan?”

  His dad stood up slowly. He shook his head and wiped his thick brow. “Zura, I don’t know what I’m seeing. Actually, I know what I’m seeing but I don’t know if I believe it. I think we need to get Rupert and Mave in here.”

  “Wait, Mom. I spoke to Stella this morning and,” he was cut off mid-sentence.

  “What? You spoke to Stella and didn’t come get us?” Zura shook her head as if to say, “teenagers”.

  “Yes, I spoke to Stella and she’s doing fine. She needs forty lubles for snacks and a gift. Her aircraft arrives on Saturday morning at 9:16 a.m. sharp. I’ll remind you again but she asked me to remind you now. She wants both of you to meet her at the hangar with me. If not both of you, then at least one of you.”

  “Forty lubles? After all we spent to send her to this camp; she needs forty more lubles for snacks and a gift! That girl.” Zura took a few moments to open her banking application on her watch and entered her password to transfer money to her daughter. “Done. She can ask for money, but she can’t pick up her hand and call me.”

 
“Stephen, I’ll go with you to meet her when she gets back. Your mom will have her hands completely full.” Johan said cautiously glancing at his wife.

  “Thanks Johan. You know you’ll still be busy too but it’d be good if you could go with Stephen.” Zura said turning back to the reports.

  “I’ll go get Rupert and Mave. Oh and Mave made some more coffee.” Stephen quietly left the room.

  He walked back through the decontamination chamber, the control room, and into the workroom where Mave was standing closely to Rupert talking in a hushed voice. Rupert stood with a smile on his face and the last of the coffee in his black mug that read Solution Exists.

  “Hello Rupert,” Stephen said. He always tried to be courteous and greet them when he saw them.

  “Good morning, my man.” Rupert responded with a nod, graciously sharing his smile with Stephen.

  “They need both of you to look at some data. It seems to be bothering mom. I’ll make another pot of coffee.”

  Rupert was the smartest man he knew when it came to looking at data and noticing details others missed. He was full of brains, having graduated second in his class to the woman he now stood beside. Even as smart as he was he managed to hold on to his relaxed and easy nature. His long locks were filled with salt and his beard was long. He would let it grow for weeks without trimming, especially during the cold months they spent here.

  Rupert walked with a slight limp due to his right leg being a prosthetic. He’d lost it in an accident during a beach trip while in University soon after he turned eighteen. He’d been swimming out in the ocean, pushing past where the lifeguards said it was safe. A shark was swimming closer in than usual, searching for food and he’d gotten within striking distance. As his legs moved beneath the waves they must have looked like swimming fish to the hungry shark.

  It had taken months for him to heal and walk again and that caused him to fall a year behind in school. Looking back, he realized that losing part of his leg and then that year eventually allowed him to meet Mave and led him to the ARC. He didn’t forget to tease Mave that they would’ve both been number one in their classes if he hadn’t had to make up that year. He would also joke that he’d given his right leg to meet her. The prosthetic barely seemed to slow him down.