The hub slowly comes to a halt, effectively catching my attention due to the effect the inertia of the vehicle had on me. I glance out of the window, more than eager to know where exactly we are, though I doubt I’ll know the area anyway. The sky is dark without the view of neither the moon nor a single star in sight. Beyond the tracks, buildings of all sizes and heights stretch out for as far as the eye can see, past the horizon, resembling the view back at the twins’ house. From what I observe, I’m going to safely assume that we’re in another city, considering we can’t possibly be in the same one as Aristelle’s place is because we have been travelling in the same direction for the past half an hour or so.

I stand up, brushing the non-existent dust off my pants. I look up and realise that I am the last person on the train. The others must have left when I wasn’t paying attention, when I was lost in thought.

I step out of the vehicle and a strong blast of warm air hits me, burning my eyes. I squint my eyes and bring my hand up to eye level to shield it from the incoming gust of wind. I walk to the edge of the small balcony and onto the port’s platform, where my other travelling companions are waiting.

The two tracks cut right through the centre of the port. The gap between the two sections of the platform is connected by an overhead bridge, giving the passengers the option to exit the port itself from either the left or the right, depending on their desired destination, both leading to different sections of the city, I presume. After all, what else is there?

White round pillars that are positioned equidistant from each other throughout the whole port tower high above us, all the way to the ceiling to support it and prevent it from caving in on the passengers aboard the hub and in the station, swirls carved into the white stone, giving it a rather majestic look. The floor is dark, almost black, with occasional specks of white and light grey. Upon closer inspection, I realise that the ground beneath our feet is, in fact, black marble. Hardly surprising, considering the magnificence of the port. There are no walls at all in the station, just a roof high above our heads to shield us from whatever harsh weather may come our way. Bright lamps hang from the pillars at a height of slightly below two meters, illuminating our vision with white light.

This port is very grand, almost as if it is meant for a king of some sort, or, in the very least, a royal.

“Miri. Stop gaping and let’s go. Time won’t wait for us,” Wil says, a hint of playfulness in his voice.

I duck my head instantaneously, shuffling my feet awkwardly, my cheeks tinged slightly red from embarrassment. Wil chuckles at my reaction.

“Well, let’s go. Come on, Miri.”

I nod my head in reply. He heads towards the exit, where the rest are, his back facing me. I follow after him, all the while looking down, not wanting to make any sort of eye contact with anyone, especially not Wil. I hear him chuckle once more as we close the distance between us and the exit on this side of the station, a thick gold-plated sign that hangs just above it sways slightly to the soft breeze. As we descend the stairs that exits the port, I turn back to read the words that are carved on the sign. Firewire Port. I wonder what kind of place this is, though I do hope it’s safe. Or, in the very least, safe enough.

*

“Where are we?” I hear Wil ask.

For a split second, I thought the question was directed at me. How would I know? I think, not voicing my thoughts aloud for fear of someone judging me. It is only when key answers that I realise that the question was not meant for me. Well, at least it makes sense now. After all, I am as clueless about all of this as he is.

“Firewire.”

“I figured just as much,” he replies, annoyance thick in his voice. “The name of this place is merely another word to me. I want to know exactly where we are. I don’t want to venture into some place I do not know.”

Silence.

The sound of gravel crunching under the soles of our shoes drifts into my ears as we walk to our destination, wherever it may be in this unknown place.

“On the outskirts of town. It’s one town over from the one we left.”

To be honest, I do not know if that is a safe distance from whom we are running from. To me, one town over is a distance too close. If it only takes us half an hour to get here, they may actually be closer than we think.

Although I have thousands of questions running through my mind, I do not voice a single one. After all, I doubt any of them would know the answers anyway. These questions are not ones to be answered by people like Key, Aries and Aristelle. But then again, I guess some things are just better left unanswered.

I glance up at the elegant dark sky, feeling the wind blow against my face. It is at that moment that I realise I do not want time to come to a standstill. I just want to stop running away from everything. I just want time to freeze so that I can savour everything around me. So that I can make up for all the lost time spent in the labs. So that I can finally live my life I have always dreamed about, free of torture and suffering. So that I can be free at last.

But I know that that would not happen. Not now, not ever.

Wil and I. The both of us have no other choice. We were born – or more specifically, created – into a world of tremendous suffering. We either have to spend the rest of our lives cooped up in the facility, being subjects of an experiment we barely know anything about, or we escape, somehow, and be on the run for the rest of our lives, living in fear of being captured and brought back to the labs.

I don’t know which is worse.

Either way, both are equally as terrible.

I knock into the person walking in front of me. I step back, rubbing my nose, looking up to find that Aries is already looking at me, an amused expression eminent on his face, almost like he is trying not to laugh.

“Sorry. Sorry,” I mumble.

“It’s fine. No one’s hurt after all,” he replies, a huge smile plastered on his face.

I wait for him to move, but he doesn’t. Confused, I ask,” Why aren’t we moving?”

“Because we’re here.”

I open my mouth to ask where exactly ‘here’ is, though I decided against it. Instead, I observe my surroundings. The gravel path that we have been travelling on breaks off into two different paths. There is a signboard in the fork in the road several feet ahead of us. On the top of the signboard is a wooden arrow pointing to the right that reads ‘Central’. Just below that is a nearly exact replica of the wooden arrow that points in the opposite direction with the words ‘Firewire Inn’ carved on it. Located at specific places along the path are black, metal lampposts. The bulbs are held inside a transparent case, probably to protect it from whatever harsh weather that may come this way.

“Come on. Let’s go,” Aries tells me.

I follow him into the inn. A bell chimes as we enter, informing the innkeeper – or innkeepers, I don’t know – that one or more guests have arrived. I join the rest at the long, wooden counter. The conversation between Key and the innkeeper is hushed, perhaps to keep away from any prying ears, though I do not know why. After all, the only people that are in the lobby are us and the innkeeper. It’s almost as if they have some sort of secret alliance or agreement.

“Thank you,” she says in her normal volume, nodding her head as either a sign of agreement or compliance.

He returns the nod and hands her two sets of keys.

Key returns to address us. “Let us go.” She walks up the flight of stairs to the right of the lobby. The rest of us hurry after her, not wanting to lose sight of her.

We enter a narrow hallway with a whole row of doors on both sides. This vaguely reminds me of Key’s place, whatever it is. Perhaps it is an inn as well, just like this one. Perhaps Key and the innkeeper own different branches of the same inn.

We stop just outside the entrance of a door labelled ‘Room 472’. A shiver goes down my spine and I shudder. 472. That number is just one away from 426, Experiment 426, or in other words, what they called Wil back in the labs. The number is too close to be a coincidence.

I push the thoughts aside. It is impossible. I am overthinking this. It is merely a coincidence and nothing more. Coincidences happen all the time, right? Why should this be any different?

But then, why do I still feel like something unpleasant is going to happen? My instincts are trying to tell me something, though I can’t tell what.

“Here,” Key says, bringing me out of my daze. “The keys to your room. We’re staying just next door if you need anything. Room 428.” She drops one set of keys into Wil’s open palm before walking to her room and disappearing inside, along with the twins.

Wil thrust the key into the keyhole and twists it, unlocking the door. He pushes it open, leaning his weight on the door to hold it open. “After you,” he says, with a wide, genuine grin on his face that he reserves only for when he is teasing me.

I laugh. “Why thank you, kind sir,” I reply, faking a dramatic curtsey before walking in, unable to contain my smile and only barely holding in my laugh.

My heartbeat accelerates as I take in the layout of the room. It is the exact replica of the one Key allowed us to stay in back at her place. The bed, the table, the window. Everything. The resemblance is uncanny.

I am starting to wonder if the owner of the inn and Key are really associates to a certain extent or not. I would not be surprised if they are.

“Miri. Are you alright?” Wil asks softly, standing beside me.

I hadn’t even realise that the door is already closed.

“You sure? You seem very agitated.”

“Yeah. I am sure,” I say, turning away to look out the window.

“Miri, I—“

Wil is cut off by a series of rapid knocks on the door. It bursts open before either of us even had the chance to answer or open the door for our unexpected visitor.

Three men dressed in white rushes into the room. A look of bewilderment flashes across Wil’s face and I believe that a similar expression is on mine. I shrug and shake my head, silently telling him that I do not know what is happening either.

“Experiments 426 and 782. We are here to collect you. Kindly give us your cooperation. Should you show any signs of struggle or rebellion, we will not hesitate to injure you. I think it would be in both our best interests if you simply comply with our commands.”

The way he talks to us makes me think that they treat us as mere objects. But then again, I think they do.

My heart skips a bead and my knees grow weak. It gives way and I collapse to the floor with a loud thud.

“Stand up, Experiment 782.”

I force myself up, not wanting to disobey any of them for fear of what they might do to me, and follow the men, stealing a quick glance at Wil. He returns my gaze with a defeated look of his own. And as much as I want to fight back, I know that he is right this time around and that it is no use to argue.

I know that it’s useless to attempt any form of escape.

I sigh as we exit the room with one thought in my mind.

When are we ever going to be truly free?


Hey guys! Another chapter is up! I hope you enjoyed this. :) I don't have much to say this time except that I have a whole bunch of tests coming up real soon and I might not be able to update too frequently. But then again, I entered this book in Camp NaNoWriMo in hopes to finish it off so maybe, just maybe, you'll get lucky. :) Also, I think I might actually just enter this book in the Wattys this year so please show your support by voting and commenting on not only this chapter, but all the other chapters of this book. I would really love to hear your opinions about my story. If you do not enjoy reading it or have any criticism, please be polite. I can understand criticism, but will not tolerate any form of rudeness. Until next time guys!

xoxo, Angie