The Gemini

8. The Stars Remembered

Lena Matthews

I thought about sleeping. It was something I heavily considered when Jessica showed me to my room, complete with a large window overlooking the city and a sage green bedspread that had been picked out just for me.

I changed my mind as soon as I turned the lights off. The second the room went dark, I felt a familiar weight settle onto my chest, and I had to turn the lights on in order to breathe again.

Jessica had announced that I got a room to myself like it was an exciting privilege. Secretly, I knew that it was because no one wanted to be near me. Kiara and Taylor got to share a room, although I was told not to expect Kiara for a couple more days. Jane-Anne and Aaliyah were also meant to share a room, but Aaliyah was still missing.

Jessica swore that we would find Aaliyah as soon as we got settled, but it sounded like one of those empty promises you made when you felt guilty.

I really wanted to sleep.

I wanted nothing more than to crawl on top of my new mattress and float on clouds of newfound freedom. I wanted to be swept away to a utopian dream world, where every new scar I brandished never even existed. I wanted to shed all of my memories of Atalka like a coat, never to be thought of again.

I glanced down at the gold bracelet I was wearing, the thin ribbon of metal reminding me that I would never escape the place I'd left behind. With a sigh, I leaned back onto my bed and stared at the ceiling, trying to think about something else.

No matter how much I wanted to, I couldn't force myself to close my eyes; I was convinced that when I opened them, I'd be back.

When I had completely given up on the whole sleeping thing, I changed into the clothes that Jessica had discarded outside my room. Anything was better than whatever the Agency had given us. I was going to burn my gray jumpsuit the second I got the chance. I stared at my face in the mirror for an uncomfortable amount of time, trying to identify how I had changed. It was hard to do when I barely remembered what I looked like before.

Purple bruises were dotted across my back thanks to falling oni the stone floor earlier, and more cuts and scrapes littered my body than I could identify. I didn't remember where each scar was from, except for the red dots on my arms that signified needles, and the large patch of pink across my abdomen where they had taken a skin graft for something called the Gemini Experiments.

When I couldn't deal with my haunted reflection for a second longer, I left the room. Before I could even close the door, I caught Carter, who froze the second he saw me.

"Hi." I said quietly.

"Hey." said Carter, his words followed by an awkward silence.

"I really wanted to tell you-"

"You don't need to defend it." Carter interrupted. "I don't know what I would have done if I were you."

"So... are we okay?" I asked.

"I don't know." Carter responded. "I'm really trying to make myself get over it, but at the same time..." he sighed. "It feels like too much has happened."

"I know." I whispered. "I wish we could do it over."

Carter laughed to himself. "Maybe we can. My name's Carter. It's nice to meet you."

"Are we really doing this?" I asked.

"You're supposed to introduce yourself next,'' Carter explained matter-of-factly.

"Okay, then." I conceded. I took a breath, trying to force my voice to stop quivering with unwanted emotion. "My name is Lena Matthews. I like rescuing people from rivers, running away from alleged werewolves, and attempting to ice skate. It's nice to meet you, too."