โ Sage โ
Coralโs laughter echoed through the arena as the clock buzzer rang out. My heart was heavy with sadness at the sound of her carefree notes. I finally caught sight of her when she ripped off the mask and her long blond hair fell over the all black suit.
She jumped on the back of a paint splattered boy about her age and ruffled the top of his head. โYou did good, Jake. Weโll get her next time.โ
Jake grunted, seemingly embarrassed, but brightened under Coralโs attention. The rest of the team stayed close to her, drawn in by her praise as she ran through a series of plans.
โAll of you did awesome today. We need to keep the same kind of energy this weekend. The tournament is going to have different props, but I think the layout will be mostly similar. Theyโll change out the maze in the middle to confuse us like they always do, but we should start in the left back corner for the best defense.โ Coral dropped down from Jakeโs back and turned to point at the distant wall.
โHow can you be sure?โ Mia sided up next to Coral. I smirked, already knowing the answer, and wondering why her best friend was suddenly having doubts.
โItโs right under the lounge and patrons pay for the view.โ Coral bumped her hip against the girlโs side. โTheyโll have the props spaced out there and itโll be the perfect place to draw Shawnaโs team into the open.โ
The rest of the group moved closer, joking and laughing as they surrounded my sister. I bit my lip and crossed my arms over my chest, focusing on ice water so I didnโt break down crying. Iโd always known she was charismatic and people flocked to her, but now I had to wonder if it was something in her DNA.
Mutant. Tainted.ย The words swirled in my mind, but I forcefully pushed them away. If Ethica said there was something wrong with my sister, then they were the ones who were damaged.
โSage?โ Coral whipped her head to the side, catching sight of me in the shadows of the doorway where I waited.
I stepped into the light and shrugged like it was no big deal so I wouldnโt embarrass her in front of her friends, but hoping she could see the urgency in my eyes. โYou seriously need to check your phone more often. Weโve got somewhere we need to go.โ
*
โI have to talk to Dr. Bradley and see if he can fix this.โ Coral paced the kitchen sucking in gulps of air as tears streaked down her red-blotched cheeks. Sheโd screamed so loud I was still on edge, waiting for the authorities to arrive, but this was better. At least she was forming coherent sentences again.
I leaned against the counter, wishing I had made cookies or something to help soften this blow. โHe said heโll help by getting you into one of the nicer research facilities and thatโs all he can do.โ
โDonโt make me go there.โ The fear in her voice weighed on my heart and strengthened my resolve.
โNever.โ I reached for her hand. โWeโre leaving. I packed you a bag, but if thereโs anything else you want to take, you need to grab it now.โ
โWhere are we going? When are we going?โ She hiccupped as she wiped her face with her shirt. โI need to call Mia. The tournament is in three days. I have finals next week.โ
โItโs going to be okay.โ I pulled her close to my chest, hating that I couldnโt take this pain away. Our lives were changing so fast and I was powerless to stop the spiral. But weโd been through hard times before. I knew I could do this. I would keep her safe. โDr. Bradley said heโd give us until the morning to submit the report so we need to leave tonight.โ
A fresh round of tears misted her brown eyes, the same color we both shared with our father. โI donโt understand why he is doing this. You didnโt get reported. Why me?โ
Ouch, kid.ย I kept my face neutral, drawing on years of experience and knowing she was lashing out in fear. โWhatever is different with me isnโt in my DNA. It was easier for Dad to cover up.โ
โBecause your aptitude tests arenโt a part of your chromosomes, you get a free pass?โ Anger simmered beneath her skin. โOr did Dad conveniently die before he could do anything for me?โ
Grief, anger, denial, blameโฆย Those were the steps, right?ย I needed this to hurry toward acceptance though. I really should have made some cinnamon peanut butter cookies. Itโs hard to stay angry with a mouthful of happiness.
โYou donโt want to live this kind of life anyway. Always looking over your shoulder sucks. Even if this could be swept under the rug, I wouldnโt wish this burden on you. We donโt belong here.โ
I left out the part where there was no way sheโd be able to hide her situation for life. Weโd been lucky so far, but she could never visit a medical facility again. Never have children. Even if she could continue to avoid a doctor for the rest of her life, once she reached old age and went into life extending treatment, theyโd send her to the research facility then.
The girl was smart. Sheโd figure it out. There was already enough bad news for one day.
โIs this about you? Do you want to leave because your boyfriend cheated on you and you hate yourself? Because I have friends here and theyโd never betray me.โ Coral snapped and I could almost imagine that she had claws.
Wait. Do mutants get claws?
I took a steadying breath and ignored the worst of the outburst. โI want to believe that for you, but we both know the risk is too great.
Sympathizers are punished. Youโd be putting your friends in jeopardy.โ
The memory of our father saying his goodbyes before being hauled off to the incinerator was clear in my mind, because thatโs what happens when you treat patients with mutations under the table. I wonder what the punishment would be for marrying one?
It couldnโt have been much worse than the one he got.
Coral lowered her face and took a few steadying breaths. โI shouldnโt have said that. Iโm sorry.โ The fight left her slowly. Sheโd always reacted strong and fought hard, but loved harder. It was something I wished I could do without drawing attention to myself.
And it also wasnโt in me to hold it against her.
โItโs going to be okay,โ I promised like Iโd done a thousand times before. I wasnโt about to start lying now.
โWhatโs the plan?โ Coral asked, wiping the tears from her face.
The plan.ย โI know itโs not ideal, but weโll head to the outskirts of the Fringes and lay low for a while until we can build a life out there. Iโll get another job. Thereโs always work for a good cook. Weโll find a place to live, but we need to go now before they put a block on our identification
cards.โ
โOn mine,โ she whispered.
โNo.โ I reached for her hand, hating the direction her gears were spinning as she began to pace again.
โItโll only be my card that gets revoked. You donโt have whatever
this is,โ she paused to motion to her body and looked back up with a fire in her eyes, โso Iโll go and you can stay here. Youโve already done enough for me.โ
โStop it.โ I pulled her to my chest. It wasnโt that long ago she fit snugly in my embrace, but now she was all legs and arms, standing a few inches taller than me.
Still, Iโd promised to always protect her and it didnโt matter how big she got. โYouโre my little sister. I donโt care what those DNA tests say. The same blood runs through us both. If you donโt belong here, neither do I. Whatever happens, we stick together.โ
We breathed in sync for a heartbeat or two until I felt her relax. โThe Fringes.โ She sniffed. โIs there nowhere else we could go?
Even with this newfound situation of mine, Iโm still not sure weโre cut out for that crowd.โ
I pressed my face against her shoulder and laughed at her attempt at
a joke.
Man, if this wasnโt the most messed up day.
โWell Dad seems to think we belong in the toxic wastelands.โ I
chuckled. โAt least in the Fringes weโll stand a chance.โ
โWait. What do you mean?โ She pulled away to look at me.
I sighed, instantly exhausted and we hadnโt even started yet. โHe left a note with this cryptic message and coordinates to an area in the blast
zones of no manโs land with your motherโs name on it.โ
โWe have to go there.โ Coralโs eyes were wide and her voice increased to an excited pitch.
Curse science.ย I hadnโt meant to get her hopes up. โCoral, itโs a joke. We canโt go out there. Everyone knows there is nothing left but
radioactive fallout and death.โ
โBut why would Dad tell us to go if we couldnโt go?โ She turned her palms in the air and stared at me.
โTechnically, he didnโt tell us to go. He left a paper with an
addressโฆโ My voice trailed off as Coral screeched, rushing out of the kitchen.
โWhere is it?โ she cried.
โThe note? Itโs in my purse.โ I followed after her as she spilled the contents of my bag over the floor. โAnd youโre going to pick that up.โ
โIn a minute.โ She waved her hand in the air, reading the three lines on the page with an intensity reserved for a placement test. When she glanced back up, her face was full of childlike hope.
I took a step back. โDonโt even think about it.โ
Her bottom lip jutted out and began to tremble a bit. โSageโฆโ โAbsolutely not.โ I shook my head. โThe last time I checked, there
was only one adult alive in this family, and Iโm making the grown-up decision to keep us both in the land of the living.โ
โI hate to tell you this, but an hour ago I was just another normal girl and now Iโm apparently a mutant. Thereโs a good chance Dad is trying to tell us something. Like maybe more of what we thought was a lie.โ Coral shrugged.
She had a point.
โWhy donโt we shelve this thought for now and weโll do some more research when we get to the Fringes.โ I reached out to take the page back.
She held it over my head, dancing away.
โOh because there is a database and library out there. Sure.โ She rolled her eyes. โPlease, Sage. Letโs go check it out. Whatโs the worst that could happen? We can always come back to the Fringes if itโs really as bad as they say out there.โ
Frowning, I caught ahold of the paper. But how could I say no when for the first time since sheโd heard the news, there was real joy on her face again?
Iโd spent most of my life doing everything to make this silly girl smile. โFine.โ
Coral screamed as she crushed me in a hug. โThis is going to be so
crazy.โ
โHurry up and finish packing.โ I laughed as I shoved her down the
hall, hoping this wasnโt a horrible mistake.
Because the idea of going to the toxic wastelands sounded really, really stupid.
*
Something big was going to happen. I knew it in my gut. The only
time I didnโt trust my intuition was when I dated Jeremy and look how that turned out. A part of me wanted to stop driving and make Coral understand that we shouldnโt rush into this, but it seemed like the more I resisted the idea, the more everything felt wrong.
Coral sat on the passenger seat of the KIA with her face pressed against the window, lost in her own thoughts as we pulled out of the parking garage. The back row was packed with everything we could stuff inside and the trunk had the plants that couldnโt be left behind.
I gripped the wheel tight as we drove away from the apartment complex and toward the business district, thankful that the directions Iโd printed led through the northern gate because I didnโt want Coral anywhere near the research facilities down south.
The sun was just setting and the streets were lighting up as the crowds began moving onto the conveyer belt walkways. Entertainment in Ethica began after dark. While the city was coming alive, we were sneaking away in the shadows.
Surprisingly, I was calm and numb, drawing on an inner strength to keep the vehicle steady as we left it all behind.
Our lives behind.
Potentially life itself behind as we headed into the toxic wastelands.
Okay, maybe I wasnโt as calm as Iโd like to believe, but for Coralโs sake, Iโd fake it.
โHow are you doing?โ I bit my lip as we approached the gateโs guard tower. There were only two vehicles in front of us and the authorities were
taking their time as they talked.
โIโm fine.โ Coral pulled her knees to her chest and rested her chin on top of them, but she was picking at the hem of her pants near her ankles with an anxious fury.
My fingers drummed against the steering wheel.ย What is taking so long?ย Citizens were allowed outside the city walls even though most of them never set foot in the Fringes. It wasnโt illegal to leave even if the entertainment they went there for was. We werenโt prisoners; history has shown that isolated utopias breed doubt and suspicion. Plus, it was a good reminder that there were haves and have nots to show citizens all the things they could lose.
The city walls were only there for protection against the horrors of this world.
Monsters. Mutants.
I looked at Coral who was busy shoving earbuds into her ears as some cheesy pop song played through the speakers.
Finally, the vehicle in front of us passed through the well lit gate and into the darkness beyond. I powered down the window as the guard waved us forward.
โWhere are you two going tonight?โ His blue tinted LED flashlight swept over our faces as I dug out my identification card from my purse.
Itโs none of his business. Weโre still citizens until tomorrow.ย That thought kept my hand steady as I handed over the card and nudged Coral to get hers out. โIโm taking my sister to visit our distant cousin.โ
โHow distant?โ He arched an eyebrow as Coral reached past me, thrusting her card into his hand.
โDistant enough to live outside the city.โ I shrugged. Coral fell back against the seat with a laugh.
The guardโs flashlight swept over the back of the vehicle before he ran our IDs through the scanner. โYour sister is seventeen. Sheโll need parental authorization to leave the gate after sunset.โ
I clung to frustration instead of fear, letting the impatience roll from me in waves. There were few times in life that I let negative emotions show, but sometimes the situation called for it.ย Let us go.ย โI am her legal guardian and Iโd like to get to my cousinโs place before it gets much darker.โ
To prove it, I handed over the certificate.
โSorry for the hold up.โ He gave our documents back and the worry on his face wasnโt meant to scare me, but it did. โYou girls stay safe and donโt get too close to the outer edges. Thereโs been some issues with the
fence line lately. Set off the alert signal on your vehicle if you need any help and we can send a rescue pod.โ
โGood to know.โ The mask of calm Iโd worn my entire life slipped back into place. I put the car in drive and headed through the gate, leaving the safety of Ethica behind us.
*
โThereโs no way we can live here,โ Coral broke the tense silence as we drove through the sprawling mass of metal shacks that clung to the
outside of Ethicaโs walls.
Electric lights were glowing, illuminating the dirty faces peering from the crowded structures where laundry hung from balconies and painted ladies called out their prices to the bar fighters stumbling on the streets.
โItโs not so bad.โ I grimaced as I looked in the rearview mirror. I planned to settle down somewhere for the night on the outskirts once the
bustle of the nightlife was behind us, but the ghetto out here seemed a little more sinister now that it was shrouded in dark.
Then again, if we could find a spot to park, I should be able to lock the doors until the sun rose again. Everything would seem better in the light of the day.
โLetโs keep going.โ Coral shuddered, turning to stare out the front windshield with a sheen of tears reflecting the scant light in her eyes. โI want to get as far away as possible.โ
I chewed my lip as I watched the headlight beams sweep over the dusty roads. If there was any nature out here, it had long since been destroyed by the bombs.
Somehow, I could sense the fence line before the warning signs
came into view on an outcropping of rocks that sat to the side of the broken road. The low static hum of electricity that permeated everything in our
lives was stronger in this spot.
I eased to a stop and looked over to Coral. โWe could stay here for the night and then check it out in the morning.โ It was too dark to see anything past the rocks and if we were going to die from radiation poisoning right away, Iโd at least like to see the end of the world first.
โJust drive.โ Coral wiped the tears from her eyes and I felt the heartbreak in her voice.
Straight to possible death it is.ย I flipped on the overhead light and pulled out some pages Iโd printed, pressing them against the steering wheel.
โWhatโs that?โ she asked, leaning closer.
I couldnโt resist teasing her. โOh, you know, just some ancient piece of technology they call a map.โ
โA map to where?โ Coral pulled out her phone. โIโll plug it into the
GPS.โ
My smile faltered. โI hate to break it to you, but I donโt think there
will be service where we are going.โ
She froze, her eyes widening in shock, and then slowly shook her head. โIt doesnโt matter. I donโt have a life to connect to anymore.โ
And with that, I pressed on the gas and gave her an award-winning smile. โAre you ready for our next adventure?โ
Radiation poisoning isnโt instant.ย I held to that truth as we passed through the electric fence line and actually didnโt die. In fact, a weird feeling filled my chest as if this was what it meant to fully expand my lungs for the first time.
I turned to my sister. โWe madeโฆ โStop the car!โ she screamed.
โWhat is it?โ I slammed on the brakes while my heart slammed against my ribcage.
Coral yanked open the door and jumped from the car before I could put it in park.
I sprinted out after her, scanning the open area around us. Shadows lined the distant horizon but there was nothing out here.
Except the night sky.
I looked up, mesmerized by how clear it was. Like a holograph picture of the galaxy, stars twinkled and stretched around the world.
โCan you feel it?โ Coral cried, shaking as she stood on the remains of an old road with her hands outstretched.
I sucked in a deep breath and nodded before realizing her back was turned to me. โIt feels cleaner out here, like I can finally breathe.โ
โNo.โ She spun around and caught my arm, dragging me over the broken chunks of asphalt. โTouch it.โ
I wiggled my fingers in the air, watching her from the corner of my eye. โI canโt physically feel it but I know we passed through.โ
โI messed up.โ Coral ran her fingers through her hair as she started to pace while the moon played peekaboo with the clouds and the stars continued to shine above.
โWhat are you feeling?โ I sucked in another deep breath, trying to focus on her instead of marveling at the sky. It never looked like this in the
city. A deep sense of loss hit me when I realized how much we had missed.
Are they lying about the radiation?
Coral thrust her hand into the invisible electric line hovering above the ground and sparks shot up her wrist. She yanked her arm back, cradling it to her chest as she fell to her knees with a cry of pain.
I stood frozen watching as if this was some type of horror movie, not able to process what just happened.
She turned to me with eyes full of fear. โI canโt go back.โ
โOh shit.โ I rushed to her side and scooped her up, guiding her back to the car before she collapsed on the road as she started to sob.
This is my fault.ย I hadnโt been thinking clearly because Iโd let
emotions override my senses. Panic raced through me as I forced myself to breathe.
โShh.โ I soothed, tucking her hair behind her ears and pressing my forehead against her forehead, trying to absorb her pain. โItโs okay.โ
But this was not okay.
The fence line was there to protect citizens and the Fringes from feral beasts.
I should have known that the science behind these borders was advanced enough to keep anyone with impure blood out.
But my sister isnโt a threat!
Coral took in little gulps of air, quieting herself as shame and hurt twisted the features of her face. My heart ached for her and the life sheโd lost.
I tilted her chin up to stare into her eyes. โScrew them. We donโt need their city anyway.โ
She gave a broken little smile and nodded. โYouโre right. Letโs get out of here.โ
I hurried around the side of the car, berating myself for not thinking this through. There had to be a way to get someone to turn off the fence or something and Iโd damn sure find out how.
I slid behind the wheel with a wink. โAdventure time, part two?โ
Coral laughed and the sound soothed my soul. โDo we have anything to eat?โ
My head whipped to the side so fast that I was surprised I didnโt
dislocate my neck. โItโs like you donโt even know who I am. When have I ever forgotten the snacks?โ
*
Solar powered vehicles need sun. Ask me how I know.
We ran out of juice sometime in the middle of the night and coasted to the side of a dirt road.
The battery charging ball of fire in the sky warmed my closed eyelids, waking me from my restless dreams. But we were still alive and hadnโt succumbed to radiation sickness yet, so I was calling that a win.
I inhaled deeply, still clutching the butcherโs knife to my chest, and let the crisp morning air into my lungs. That toxic air was tasting pretty sweet.
Moving quietly so I didnโt wake my sister, I opened my eyes and stretched out my back.
It took me a second of sheer panic to register she wasnโt in her seat anymore.
โCoral!โ I cried out, jumping from the car and scanning the empty field while holding the knife in my shaking hands.
There was nothing out here for miles besides the rock formation weโd left in the distance, but up ahead was a hill with what looked like real freaking trees.
I shouldnโt have gone to sleep.
The adrenaline from last night was fading, leaving me jumpy and ready to fight.
Iโd kill whoever took my sister.
โIโm right here.โ Coral was leaning against the side of the car with her arms folded over her chest as she watched the rising sun.
โAre you alright?โ I looked to the large knife awkwardly, unsure of where to put it. If I slid it in the waistband of my jeans, the sharpened blade was sure to slice my skin.
Coral turned away from the sun with a heavy sigh. A hint of golden light reflected in her brown eyes. โThereโs something I need to tell you.โ