Maybe

Chapter 44

~Nathan~

Hours have gone by since Marissa and Ben have arrived to the palace. I have stayed down here since the moment she arrived. Marissa's twin brother had showed up sometime. I got to know him better. They really are similar.

I have my head leaning against the wall, and sitting on a bench. Someone had come and lightly shook my shoulder. I open my eyes to see it was my father.

"Can I see her yet?" I ask him.

"Not yet. But they'll let us see Ben," he says quietly.

I nod, and stand. He leads me into a room. We walk in and find Ben laying on the bed. There were many wires and tubes hooked up to him, but he was awake.

"Ben?" my father asks.

He gives a small smile. "Papa," Ben's voice made out.

My father ran to his side, and carefully embraced him. I make my way to his side, and hug him as well. We stay like that for a long time.

Minutes later my father breaks it. He has tears running down his cheeks. "My son. I hate to bring this up now, but how long ago did your mother take you?" My father asks.

"I don't remember anymore. Maybe twelve. It's been too long father," Ben says.

"Twelve? That's worse than I thought."

Ben sat and thought for a minute. "I know I am older than twelve. That much is a given, but while she had me she never told me the days, never told me the weeks or years. Not even when my birthday was. After a while the days bled together. How old am I exactly?"

My father looked shocked. I wanted to cry. Why would our mother do this to him? Why did she try to kill our sister? Why did she try to kill Marissa? That is if she isn't already dead.

"Ben, you are eighteen. Yours and Nathan's birthdays are in a few months," my father told him.

"Where's Alisa? How is she? She would be how old now?"

"Alisa is fifteen. She's down here in the infirmary. Apparently one child wasn't enough for your mother."

"She's alright though, right?"

"Yes. She is alright now. If it wasn't for Nathan she would be a lot worse right now."

There was silence between us. Then Ben broke it. "So is it just us three now?" He asks.

"Not for very long. I met a girl, and I think that you will love her," I say taking his hand.

"I hope I do." I smile. "It's been so long since I've been home that I feel like I've forgotten about most of it. I feel as if I'm in someone else's skin now."

"You'll get back to getting used to it all. Don't worry, we won't announce anything until your ready," my father says.

"Thank you. Both of you."

We just sit in silence now. Enjoying one another. This isn't everybody, but for now it's enough. I have my younger brother back. I have my sister back, and soon I will have a wife. That is if she's still alive.

The droning of the heart monitor still rings in my ears. Her cries, and screams still echos in my head. She's dead. I'm going to have to except the fact that Marissa is dead. I can't marry the runner up since she had committed treason, so who would I pick? I would have to hold another Selection.

"We better leave you to rest Ben. We'll see you in the morning," my father says pulling me from my thoughts.

I give him one last smile before following my father out of the room. What we walk into is madness. Doctors are running in and out of the room Marissa is in. Panic runs through my body. Whatever is happening can't be good.

I hear shouts rising from the room. So many people are in there that I can't even see past the door. Then what has been haunting me happens. The drone of a heart monitor. It's loud and defining sound rings through my ears again, until that's all I hear.