The Pairing

[2] Without a Pair

-Suong Walsh-

My sister stares at me for a long time as if she were trying to engrain her message into my mind. I shift my gaze away from my sisters dark eyes. 

"I've got to go now," I say giving her an apologetic look as I rise from her bed and head of to the door. She nods and watches me walk out of her room. I can imagine her straining her ears as she listens to my feet hop down the rickety old stairs. The second to last stair creeks more than it usually does. I'll have to tell mom about that later. 

Upon leaving the house I walk my way down to Snow's house where she's waiting. Her hands hold tightly a beautiful hand knitted scarf that Snow had made about a month ago. 

"Ready?" I ask looking at her from the bottom of the steps to her house. She nods a little shakily and slowly makes her way down the steps. Despite the brightness that lingers in her eyes and her obvious youthful look. Snow always looks like she's glass. As if one tap would send her flying into the unknown world. In a way, she is about to throw herself into that unknown world. A world of academies that I so long to be a part of. A world where everyone wants the same thing. Survival. Snow gave me a short nod and the two of us began to walk down the road headed to the graveyard. 

Upon entered the graveyard I stare blanket in front of me walking slightly behind Snow, allowing her to guide me to her brothers grave. He wasn't yet twenty and yet died without any warning. Nothing was wrong with him at all. He just collapsed and when Snow checked on him she found his pulse gone. Despite the memory not being my own I feel it etched into my mind like a warning. The sudden death made me consider something horrible. 

What if your pair dies. 

Do you also die?

"Here we are," Snow whispers to me gesturing to the gravestone. If not pointed out to me the stone would've looked just like any of the other stones that stood in the large curved field. I read the name on the board not wanting to look at the year of death. Julian Haines. My eyes blur over, not from tears but sleep deprivation and the letters morph into another name. Binh Walsh. I shake my head and close my eyes opening them to see Snow kneeling by her brothers grave and setting the scarf around the gravestone as if tucking a scarf around someone's neck. A gust of cold wind blew strands of my hair into my face. I stand there watching Snow whisper barely audible words to her brother.

"I'm leaving to find my pair. I hope that you won't get too lonely here by yourself. I brought you the scarf I made a little whiles ago. I thought you'd enjoy wearing it. Especially when the weather turns around and the snow hits town." Snow said her head bowed as if to hide tears. 

Minutes passed with silence, finally Snow stood back up and wiped her eyes turning to me with a pitiful but brave look on her face. It was hard to believe that the two expressions could mix. 

"I'm ready to go now," she said in a soft voice. I nod and walk over to her linking arms with my friend. The two of us slowly make our way back to our respective houses. Something about the emptiness in the town that we live in makes it seem as though we are the only two people left. It's not true. Our town is just small with few children. All the children have been sent away to academies where they will find their pair. At least each of those children hope to discover who their pair is. Do all of them find them? No. 

-Elena Rossi-

"What are you doing Elena?" Maeve asked her academy books piled in her arms so high that they covered half of the short girls face. I turn around and shrug. 

"I was just wondering," my mind hesitates for a moment before continuing my thought. 

"Weather or not living here actually helps us. Lot's of people have been dying even once they've found their pair. I don't understand why being away from home, in this place is helping us in anyway." I say walking over to my bunk bed and reaching for my book bag. Maeve lowers her books a little so I can see her light green eyes. 

"Elena, you know more than I do. I have only been here a year. You know more than I know about this pairing system. If I had to say one thing about the academies. I'd be asking why we are still in the same room with the same boys and girls even though we all know that none of us are each other's pair." Maeve muttered. I sling my bag over my shoulder and head to the door opening it for the shorter girl. She walks out and down the hallway with me rushing to keep up. 

What does someone do once they've found their pair? Why do these people still die. Why are their random deaths all over the world. No cause, just death. Why haven't I found my pair if I was born in this academy? Why don't humans operate without pairs anymore? 

What are pairs?