Code Black [The Experiments Book 1]

Chapter 27: Meeting

Chapter 27: Meeting

            “Does anyone want coffee,” my mom asked the next morning.  Oreo barked as Rosabella ran into the kitchen.  She sat between me and Titus at the table.  Amber was sitting on the other side of me, she seemed just as depressed as I felt, and I couldn’t figure out why.

            “I’ll have one,” Titus said while chewing on a peace of bacon.

            “Same here thanks Mrs. Michaels,” Amber said, faking a crooked smile.

            “Can I have one,” Rosabella asked, swinging her legs back and forth as she sat there.  She was the most energetic out of all of us, she reminded me of myself at her age, well, what I remembered of it.

            “Sure,” my mom said, “how about you Karissa.”

            “Sure, thanks,” I said, not fully paying attention.  I was still thinking about yesterday, and couldn’t focus on anything.  Everything was blurry.

            “Okay guys, Anessa said she’d meet us on the road just outside of the forest, where the fire was.  She’s going to meet us there at nine, and she can’t stay long, she’s going to a party,” Amber said.  We all nodded in agreement, I just sulked.

            I watched my dad walk in from the living room.  A thought popped in my head, remembering what Vanessa said a few weeks ago.

            “Hey dad,” I asked, more lively than a few seconds ago.

            “Yeah, he replied, looking up from the book he read.  He pulled off his reading glasses to see me clearly.

            “How’s Quida doing,” I asked.

            “I don’t know,” he replied.  He sighed before continuing.  “The head zookeeper told me that she was moved to a different zoo, but no one knew where.  I personally think that the zookeeper was lying, but don’t tell him that.”

            “Oh, sorry to hear about that,” I said, peering over at Amber.  Her emotions were blank, and I knew she thought the same thing.  She won’t be coming back, not as a tiger at least.

            “It’s fine,” he replied.  “It’s not like she was doing well anyways, she could have died you know, considering she had an uncharted disease.”

            “Karissa,” my mom said, nervously placing her hands on the table.  “Can I talk to you for a second? Alone.”

            “Sure,” I replied, sliding out of the chair.  I walked into the living room, my mother following me.

            “Are you okay Karissa,” my mother asked, brushing my cheek with her thumb.

            “Yeah, I’m fine mom,” I replied, pushing my emotions to the back of my head.

            “It’s just that you seem so sad, and I don’t like seeing you this way.  I don’t want you to go through a bad time, leaving your family is hard, but it’s something you’ll have to do eventually.”

            I thought silently for a moment, taking it all in.  “Mom,” I asked, a lump rising in my throat.

            “Yes sweetie,” she said.

            “Did-did I have a sister,” I asked, pressing my fingers together until my knuckles turned white.  “You know…like a twin?”