The Overhumans

8. Winona

Three years ago humanity experienced something so traumatic that it led to an immediate memory loss of every person on the island Atlantis. In the rehabilitation centers, where we learned how to live again, they named it "restart". And the lost history came to be known as "the black hole".

The government claims they don't know what caused the restart. People created many theories – some say solar flares affected our brains, others blame aliens, and from time to time appear those who ask the government to return back our memories. I have already seen some of them getting executed for they cast doubt on the government.

Maybe we witnessed something terrible happening and our brains decided to block it out. Maybe it was the moment when the ocean poured into the Drowned Country. What it felt like? The neighboring Sklovians living behind The Great Metallic Wall must have heard the screams of the dying.

Was it similar to seeing a friend getting betrayed and shot by another friend?

In the moment Gabrie fires a gun, my heart stops. Everything stops. And I feel like being born into a different reality. In that moment I experience my own kind of restart.

I want to jump out of the chair but Fran overpowers me and ties me to it. I can hear someone cry out of desperation and it takes me a while to realize that it is me who is crying.

"NO! NO! NO! WHY?" I scream again and again while Fran and Gabrie argue.

"Why have you killed her? What about the interrogation? When uncle sees it, he will-"

"Don't be stupid, cousin. She knew nothing. And she wouldn't let us do anything to her," Gabrie says and she points her finger at me.

"How could you do that, Gabrielle?" I shout at her but my voice is breaking. "We three were like sisters! Don't tell me it was nothing but lies. It's bullshit! We laughed together. We cried together. You helped us so many times. You were so dear to us. We believed you. How could you do that? Why? What has she ever done to you? What have we ever done to you? I will never forgive you..."

I can't talk anymore. I sob tied to a chair, looking through tears at Sejla's body. My broken heart is about to kill me at any moment.

Never in my worst nightmares would I expect their betrayal. I keep asking why. The question repeats itself in my head again and again. The blood spilled on the floor touches my boots. How is this possible? I have a strange sensation that this isn't real.

We have known each other for three years. It was always the five of us against the world. Gabrie was the only one who had a real family. Her parents treated us as if we were their own children. We could come to their home anytime. This last year when Mael became sick they helped us so much to hold on. They were giving us water and painkillers. Gabrie folded me in her arms when I was crying my heart out over the destiny of my brother. Fran made me smile even when I thought it wasn't possible. And when Gabrie's mom died I was there for her. We shared the pain just as we shared the happiness.

How could they? How could that lovely always cheerful girl turn into a coldblooded monster? Was she prepared to kill us that whole time?

Us...

Suddenly it hits me. There is someone else I should be worried about. I get back to reality and open my mouth at that sudden realization.

"Where is my brother, you monsters?" I shout and I try to free myself from the chair.

"He is fine. For now. But he won't be fine much longer if you don't cooperate," Fran says and he steps in front of me, next to Gabrie. "If you refuse to cooperate, he will die. And not as fast as Sejla."