The Grey. *-(A SciFi Thriller)-*

Part XII: Ami

The screaming. Why won't she stop screaming?

Ami was holding a thrashing Sabrina from behind on the couch. Her arms were wrapped as tight as she could without hurting the small girl, and her boney elbows were digging into Ami's bruised ribs. Sabrina flung her head back again, and Ami caught a mouth full of her long hair as she continued to try and calm her.

"Please, it's okay now," Ami pleaded in her ear, "You're safe."

Sabrina was stuck though, in some sort of strange half-way world between the monster and herself, and Ami could feel Sabrina trying to escape with every pain-ridden scream that she was trying to claw her way out.

They stayed like this, in the cycle of screaming, thrashing, catching breath, then screaming again for what felt like forever. But just when Ami was about to give up, the girl in her arms stopped moving. Ami let go of her, fearing the worst, only to see Sabrina slowly turning to her, wide eyes staring at her curiously, a small hand reaching out and touching Ami's face.

"Who are you?" the girl spoke in a small voice, her voice raspy and raw from the screaming.

Ami lightly pulled her hand away from her face and moved off the couch, crouching next to it to meet Sabrina's level. She held the girl's small hand between hers and tried to steady herself as she looked into Sabrina's crystal-grey blue wide eyes.

Ami was back in the tank, staring into the same still expression reflected in the blue curve of glass. Looking at Sabrina was like a warped mirror, so close to her own features, only the tiny details betrayed. Sabrina's face was rounder, more youthful in appearance, but her eyes had the same sunken stare that came with decades without sleep. Her eyes were doe-like in appearance though, and matched with her rounded features, Ami was reminded of the tiny cherub figures that dotted her grandmother's house long ago. Even with all these differences though, she was still too close, too close to her own face, and Ami had to look away.

"My name is Ami," she began, "I would like to know what you remember, Sabrina... If you're okay with telling me."

Sabrina seemed distracted though, and was staring intently at Ami's stomach.

"What are those?" Sabrina asked, reaching forward.

Ami looked down to find the crumpled pack of old cigarettes, sticking halfway out of her inside coat pocket. It must have come loose in all the commotion. She plucked it out and opened the bent cardboard gently, trying not to tear it. One lone squashed cigarette remained.

Sabrina reached out her hands to take it, and Ami hesitated to let it go at first. It had become sacred to her these past couple of months. A lone anchor from the past, to keep her grounded. But when she looked back up into Sabrina's eyes, she knew she didn't need them anymore. There was a living, breathing anchor sitting right in front of her.

Ami let go of the pack and she watched as Sabrina brought it close to her face, examining the laminate packaging with thin and careful fingers. She traced the lines, whispering something to herself, and Ami watched as the girl began to cry. It wasn't the loud, screaming, painful tears like before though, and they fell quietly down her cheek, before hitting a hint of a smile on her chapped lips.

"You remember her too?" Ami asked softly.

Sabrina nodded, eyes still glued to the small pack.

"I try not to remember... But I liked her," Sabrina finally spoke, "She used to sing to me... In the beginning at least."

There was a stillness between Ami and Sabrina. A quiet understanding fell between them. A shared bond, a shared trauma that only they could understand. For the first time, in a very long time, Ami felt a sudden calm followed by a sudden release as she let the tears fall from her own eyes. She felt a single tear fall down her cheek and trace down her jaw and neck.