Soulmates -- The Alter Ego... For Life

Chapter 1

Only I heard the scream.

The inconsistent, juddering shrieks were what wrecked my sweet dreams that night. The night I would never forget, I knew. It was a typical starry night, like any other, but the night air was different. I was a keen astrologist myself, and there was a falling star that night. Not that I believed it, though.

I was having a little snore, dreaming about living in my castle in the sky on Cloud 9, when an otherworldly yell from somewhere nearby but far nearly scared the living nightlights out of me. It took me only a little gasp and a joule of wake-up energy to open my eyes. It was clearer now: the screaming was somewhere close. For a moment, I wondered if the others were partially deaf or if they were a bunch of numpties and didn't have the guts to check out this nonsense. That's why I said only I heard the scream,

Till Angelyn slammed the door open.

Thank god I was already off the bed and getting changed into outdoor gear when she burst in. Anyway, she seemed worried in the half-dark. However, her voice was still as firm and decided as ever.

"Evelyn, we have to leave the house in 20 minutes. Throw anything you're able to in the luggage you're able to lug along quick enough with you. Mum and Dad said we gotta go. Make sure you've got protective gear and plenty of water with you." Her voice was heavy as well as firm, and I immediately knew something wasn't right. Then she whisked out of the doorway and towards the kitchen. I guessed she must have done her packing already.

It was a miracle that I had cleared the room the night before and it hadn't been ruined much till now, so it took me only a matter of minutes to fill my 70-litre mountain rucksack, my biggest PE bag (which I could secure round my neck) and my lightweight four-wheeler suitcase. I knew that clothes, food and water were a luxury in places of survival, so I stocked my entire suitcase with clothes, and I had a stash of water-bottles which I used to sneak to my room at night, so those filled about an eighth of the rucksack, with two nestled uncomfortably in the side-pockets. A sleeping-bag was strapped to the outside of my rucksack, and a pillow was snuggled up against the bottles of water. My satellite-ran-and-charged Chromebook went to the bottom of the rucksack, and my mobile, which was just like the Chromebook, was slipped into my pocket. Underwear and spare outdoor gear were loaded into the rucksack, in case the suitcase dropped to a watery death in any caves. I popped a towel, shampoos, shower gels, 8 packs of toothbrushes, and 15 extra-large tubes of toothpaste, into the rucksack, with my cordless headphones, flute and harmonica. I also stuffed packets of my guilty pleasure – golden raisins – into the rucksack's front pocket. 5 packs of POLO were loaded as well, in case my breath smelled. All my plushies went into the PE bag – I couldn't live without them – and my diary was put into a compartment in my rucksack, accompanied by plenty of pens and ink refills in their cases. I fitted a couple of my favourite books between the clothes in my suitcase, a torch with extra batteries in my PE bag, and a tent in the rucksack.

When I got downstairs, Angelyn and my parents were already there, talking agitatedly. They looked up when I announced my presence. Without the worry leaving their faces, they started stacking the baggage into the boot of the family 7-seater, then we filed in. They had obviously foreseen this event, and I have good grounds for saying so: for, when we got into the car, four gallon bottles of petrol took pride of place in the back seats, and when Dad loaded the stuff, I saw several more gallons of petrol consuming the space of one corner of the boot. We also had car-floor storages, and I had a hunch that the space would be occupied by more petrol. My hunch was confirmed: for when I lifted the lid of the storage under my feet, two cases of petrol were nestled snugly in the recess, with the petrol-cup.

I turned my head to see the grim faces of my three family members. The tension had definitely not died down yet. Hesitantly, and with a little fear, I asked them, "Look. Will somebody PLEASE tell me WHAT'S GOING ON?!"

The screaming felt nearer than ever, and an aura of silence subconsciously reigned supreme around it. I was itching on the inside, ready to explode at any moment. Just then, the screaming was cut short, and a shuddering BOOM settled my bubbling stomach. Mum handed out intriguing rough sacks full of something.

As I wondered what was inside and what could be so serious that my family had such straight faces, my mother said, "Girls, these are your ammo kits. They consist of a personalised pistol, folding shotgun, dagger, folding sword, bullets, gunpowder, and – most importantly – a piece of pure diamond, to sharpen your dagger and sword, and, in desperate cases, to defend yourself."

Nettled that my question had been dismissed, I turned to Angelyn for an answer, but she only shook her head and shrugged. Undaunted, I gazed at the speedometer.

35mph.

All our phones received a text message at the same time. My parents shared a worried look and my father said, "Don't check what it is, children." Evidently, his warning had been thrown away; for when I glanced at Angelyn, she was rebelliously checking her messages. Confused out of my soul, I turned my attention back to the speedometer.

45mph.

We were out of the city now. Another noise made us jump. This time, it was mother's phone ringing. She peeped at the name on the screen, then set it aside. I kept staring at the speedometer.

55mph.

I connected my headphones to the mobile and played my favourite song: 'Answer'. Yet, the energetic rhythm of the song could not drown out the malice of my troubled feelings.

65mph.

I had reached my favourite part of the song: the chorus. It played moodily in the background while we drove on.

'Geonbaehaja like a thunder,

Ne modeun geol chaewo,

Neomchyeoheureul deusi,

Modu janeul meori wiro,

Sesang eodieseodeun boil su itge...'

75mph.

My heart was racing like an Arabian horse. A fox suddenly ran in front of our vehicle, and for a split second my heart stopped, still as dead; and then the handsome creature darted beneath the bushes.

85mph.

At that moment, Angelyn turned to me, and spoke something I would never forget. She said, "This is it. This is the start of our new life. The life I've always wanted. On the run, and in the wilderness: no better place to be. Are you ready for this?"

I nodded tensely.

"Then let's go and let's get 'em!"

I smile at her and nodded. That was just like my sister. That spirit and pluck, all so familiar. Then I turned, took a deep breath, and braced myself for what lay ahead. We were driving at 95 miles per hour. In the eyes of Time, we stumbled closer.

Closer to the Unknown.