Cloned

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Emma POV

The next few weeks seemed to pass in a blur of horses, dust and a new friend. James had quickly picked up on all the stuff that had taken me years to learn. He was still rusty on the more complicated things but could see how it all seemed to fit together into a machine. He got used to the early wake ups to go and let the horses out – something his mother was shocked at. Apparently an early rising James was a whole different side of him. He had developed a close bond with one of the horses and they seemed to have reached an understanding after their first disastrous encounter. Billie (the horse) had not taken too kindly to a new rider and had thrown him off on his first day resulting in a cracked rib that he moaned about incessantly for ages, often using it as an excuse to get out of the more physical labouring tasks. Dad had seen right through it and each pitiful moan was rewarded with another sack of grain to deliver to the most remote part of the farm. Maddie thought that this was hilarious and took every opportunity thrown at her to take the piss. She would do elaborate dying acts every time she saw him equipped with moans and gagging. Hilarious to all onlookers except James.

“Can you put it over there?” I called across to James as he walked into the barn hauling a bag of grain with him.

“Yes Captain,” he replied sarcastically, dumping the grain on the indicated spot.

“why the long face?” I asked him in my rare state of sympathy.

“Just tired, I guess” he replied.

“Get used to it, mate.” I told him. What did he think I had spent my life doing? Sitting around?

“Yeah” he muttered and turned away from me, grabbing some horse tack and setting it down. I passed him a brush and we just sat there cleaning it. It was getting beyond awkward as neither of us really knew what to day. I was just settling into thinking about school in the Autumn. I sneaked a look at James each time and he had a pensive expression on his face. I carried on scrubbing. In the polish, wipe, polish the reins, wipe of the worst of it, back into the polish, wipe, polish the saddle-

“So you know, I really like you” James started, jolting me from my thoughts.

“What?”I asked not really having been listening.

“Um... well.. er... I really...um like you.” James stuttered.

“Well... Thanks... I like you to” I replied a little unsure of what he was getting at.

“Not just in a friends way. But more of a um...” He carried on.

“Yes, I know what you mean” I trailed off. We sat now in a more awkward silence than we had been in before. He stared at me, waiting for an answer. For the first time, I had absolutely no idea of what to say at all.

James POV

I stared at her. Come on, Emma. Say something. I have just confessed something that just a few months ago I would never have confessed to anyone let alone the girl I liked. Now she just sat there staring. I could feel my face burning up. Why did you have to day something, James? I cursed myself. There was a reason that guys don't do this. I looked down and realised that I had finished the polishing. Time to leave with as much haste as I could muster. The awkwardness was stifling. I practically threw the tack back onto the rack and tried to make a break for it.

“James, I like you to” Emma called just as I was about to go out the door. “And more than just friends.” she added. What do I do now? I spun round to face her. Now what? She looked just as clueless as I was and her face was burning up. This never seemed to happen in the movies. She looked across at me with a clueless expression. Time to go for it James. I said a silent Hail Mary, plucked up all the courage I could muster, walked across the room, willing myself not to chicken out and kissed her.

Liv POV

I had stopped at a petrol station to grab a few things. Trying not to look too guilty, I managed to buy some groceries and petrol without attracting any attention. The bored looking cashier looked at me but barely exchanged a nod before going back to his texting and looking around for his boss. Him focusing on his girlfriend troubles were better than him focusing too much attention to me. I glanced up at the TV on the wall with a permanent display of BBC News, mostly to inform the drivers of the weather I presumed. Then a Breaking News flash came up on the scream.

“And we have just had a report from our correspondant at Scotland Yard. We have been issued an arrest warrant for a Dr Olivia Longbridge. The story itself is very interesting as this is the scientist who has changed the future in science as she has managed to successfully clone a fully developed human being which up to now has only ever come up in science fiction films. Despite this breakthrough, it is strictly illegal in all countries across the world for fear of what these clones may cause. If you see her, we believe her to be unarmed however please call the police. Back to you Bob in the studio” The rest of the news faded off with a report on a new political electricity bill that was to be discussed in court later that week. A particularly unflattering picture of my drivers license flashed up on the screen. It was taken about 10 years ago but it was still obviously me. I kept my head down and hoped that nobody had noticed that it was me. Not very many people were looking at me until...

“Mummy, that lady looks like the one on the TV”, piped up a small girl. The little girl was pointing directly at me. I looked away as the mother chastised her daughter.

“Don't be silly, Lizzie.” She looked at me and my guilty expression, then back at the screen. No please. I silently begged. If there was a God up there, then let him be listening. I can't go to prison. I couldn't run away either because then I would definitely look guilty as hell. The mother glanced at me and her daughter. She came over to me and whispered at me.

“Run, now, I can't condemn you. My daughter was IVF.”she said all this under her breath. I thanked her as quietly as I could and made a hasty exit to the station. That was too close. I thought breathlessly. Way to close. She could have condemned me to a life behind the bars. I thanked God with all my heart and my restored faith in humanity and climbed back into my car before I could be seen again. I had a quick look in my bag. Horror washed all over me like a tsunami wave. I had left my laptop behind. It held all my research for the past few years. It was the piece of condemning evidence the police would need. They would also have all the copied emails telling them where Emily, James and Maddie were. Not only had I let them down by making them move again, I had inadvertently led them to their hiding place. I pulled into a lay by on the side of the road. I couldn't sink any lower. I had already put my friend into police custody, put her entire family in danger then made them move to the other side of the world only to lead the police to their hiding place. I started to sob as self pity made its way in and made itself a home in my shaking body. Hacking sobs escaped my throat before I could stop them.