Separated By a Wall

I Am

*UNEDITED*

The mark didn't go away. The longer I stared at it, the more captivated I was by the swirling pattern. I kept brushing my fingers over it until I felt water on my face. Tears. I'm crying. I didn't brush the tears away. I just kept crying letting out a strangled sob before collapsing on the ground on my hands and knees. 

Too many sounds. Footsteps, doors opening, books falling in the library. I heard trees rustle outside. Enhanced hearing... humans thought the Anoch had super hearing. Ryker told me they didn't. Well, he didn't tell me directly. I assumed since he didn't hear me mutter under my breath that they didn't have it. That's why we had numbers instead of names. 

I stood up slowly. I saw Teresa grip my arm. I didn't feel anything. Why can't I feel anything? "What's happening to me?" I ask weakly, still crying. "You must be experiencing the shock we felt when we first landed. You-you're new... form hasn't experienced the shift from our atmosphere to Earth." I wanted to rip this world to shreds. I lived in this world. I grew up on the wrong side of the damn wall. 

"What the hell happened? Why am I like this? Why now?" I knew Teresa didn't have all the answers. I felt like I was walking on thin ice. One wrong step and the ground would crack underneath me. But at the same time, everything felt strangely normal. I felt comfortable...

I reached to grip the railing of the stairway and it crushed beneath my fingers. Enhanced strength. Any other powers Ryker and the others have been keeping from me? Teresa guided me to the couch and sat me down. "What am I?" I wasn't human. The railing and the marking on my stomach were enough proof. But I wasn't Anoch either. Not truly. I didn't grow up with them, experience their holidays, live on their side. It was as if a fresh new set of information had suddenly been downloaded in my brain like suppressed memories. 

But I felt so disconnected. I saw blurry fragments. I saw more than one sun in the sky. Was I celebrating Aubade? I saw myself getting on a ship. Was it so I could come here? I saw space from a window. I felt the rocky landing. I felt the bullet go through my shoulder. Only it wasn't a bullet. I couldn't see clearly but I was standing over someone. Was I? I couldn't see it clearly. 

Emotions were still foreign. I only knew what I was taught. I was still crying. Teresa sat next to me rubbing my arm in a gesture that can only be described as supportive. I still couldn't feel her. Caiden and Hayden must have heard all the commotion.

 And the higher ranks can breathe in anything. Water, fire, ice...a rock. Ryker said that to me. Does that mean I could be choked and still live? My shirt was still revealing part of the mark. Hayden and Caiden both switched a look from Teresa to my mark to each other and then to me. "What's going on?" I couldn't bring myself to answer. 

I heard a door slam shut. How far was it? I couldn't tell. All the sounds were still overwhelming. I couldn't tell where they were coming from. I clasped my hands over my ears letting out a scream. I finally felt something. It was numb. It was around my neck. Was someone touching my neck. I didn't know. I looked up to see Thomas, Ryker's father, with his hands around my throat. I suppose my previous question would be answered. I hear shouts coming from Hayden and Teresa. I don't hear Caiden. They're screaming is too loud. I hear the ticking of a clock. It overpowered all the other voices. It overpowered the meaningless conversations, shrieks for help, humans clicking at their computers. Humans, I hear humans. 

The numb feeling went away. How much time has passed? The clock is too loud. I felt the numb feeling again, this time on my back as it pushed me down. I let it. Maybe I'd be pushed so far into the ground that the sounds would stop. A deep voice in the distance was calling my name. It was repeating something to me like a mantra. Too many voices. I saw the memories again flashing behind my eyes quickly.