The Last Experiment

[4] Miracle babies

Thoughts were running through her mind. She tried to fall asleep, she really did, but reality hit her like a slap in the face.

Images of her mom, her dad, her mom attacking her dad, were running like a movie in her head. The sight was horrifying, but it never stopped. She twisted and turned, quietly groaning when another horrible scene played itself in her mind, until she jolted awake. Sweat was forming on her forehead, and her intense breathing slowly slowed down.

"You can't sleep either?"

Alena turned to her right, her younger sister staring back at her.

"Bad dreams," Alena muttered, falling back on the mattress as she stared up at the ceiling.

"I don't get how all of this could happen, how our lives just changed in a matter of few minutes. It's like all of this is just some horrible nightmare, and I'll soon wake up in my bedroom," Madison spoke quietly.

"Me neither," Alena sighed. "But we can't let this get in our way. We have to continue, even though it's the last thing we both want," Alena answered, once again turning to look at her sister.

Madison nodded before turning around, attempting to fall asleep. Alena stayed awake, not sure how to attempt the task that she usually never struggled with. After a good 20 minutes of turning around on the bed, she gave up and decided to take a look around the house.

She cracked the door open, trying to make as little sound as possible. The house remained quiet, not a single soul, except for Alena, was up. She walked down the hallway, dragging her fingertips against the wall while she examined the pictures neatly hung up. All of them were of the family, happy ones, where they were all together. Alena's eyes wandered over them, pain striking her as she remembered when her family went on trips together. They always used to take pictures and hang them up on the walls for the people that came over to see.

She continued towards the stairs, taking small steps to avoid sound, yet the creaking was unstoppable. Once she were at the bottom, she walked throughout the first floor, examining little items she found interesting.

"Jesus, I could've shot you!"

Alena quickly turned around, noticing Rob with his shotgun in a tight grip.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't sleep," Alena spoke quietly, eyes looking around while avoiding his gaze.

"Yeah, me neither."

The two stood still in awkward silence, contemplating if one of them should start a conversation or not.

"Would you like some tea?"

"Tea? I thought you didn't have any electricity?" Alena asked surprised.

"We don't, but we have a gas oven; doesn't need electricity," he spoke as he carefully placed down his shotgun, tilting it towards the wall.

Alena followed Rob into the kitchen, sitting down by the table in silence. Rob took out a pot, poured a little water from one of the bottles, and lit the stove using matches. Once he was done, he got out two teabags and two mugs, filled them with hot water, and passed one over to Alena. He sat down in front of her, sipping his tea.

"So, how are you two holding up?" Rob asked.

"Well, barely, I guess. It's hard to see any light in this situation," Alena answered, tapping her fingers against the mug.

"What about your parents? Did they send you here?"

Alena continued staring down at the floor, tears slowly but surely forming in her eyes.

"They're... gone. Both of them," she spoke quietly while she wiped away the tears under her eyes.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Rob apologized.