The Alium

Chapter III

    Kaden rushes to my side and gives me a big hug. I give a small, half-hearted smile in return.

       "Faye! Are you okay? What happened? They wouldn't let me see you, saying you were asleep? Are you okay?" I'm bombarded by questions, and raise my hands in surrender.

       "Slow down, bud. I'm fine." No I'm not; that's a lie. "I was asleep; they wouldn't let you see me because I needed rest," I state firmly.

    I look observe the room, and decide that it's nice. Two twin beds with dark grey comforters, beige walls, and harsh dark grey tile floors. There's a mirror above the nightstand, which is in the middle of the beds.

    When I stare at myself in the mirror, shock takes over me. My hair has copper highlights now. It's usually just an average coffee brown colour, but some of those brown strands have been replaced by dark copper ones. I am taken aback by the look, and hope no one notices the change in its colour. Or at least that no one points it out.

    Kaden hugs me, and he doesn't notice the difference at all.

    I guess that makes this Alium thing a little easier.

       "I saw mom and dad on the floor." Kaden speaks softly and grimly.

       "They were right by you. You had blood all over you. I thought you were..." Tears stream down his cheeks, and I embrace him.

    He's only ten years old, and he's being forced to open his eyes to a scene he's not ready for. I look in his teary eyes and see a little light has gone out.

    Kaden saw them dead, but didn't see them die. He still possesses some childish innocence, and I'm so thankful for that.

    I wrap my arms around my brother and stroke his hair softly. "Are mom and dad really dead?" His voice cracks at the same time my heart breaks.

    I'm silent.

    What do I say to that? How can I say anything to that?

       "I wish that they weren't." I recall the screams of my family, and Nova's taunting words.

       "You saw it, didn't you?" My brother has always been able to read my body language and tone and tell what I'm thinking.

       "Yeah." I don't say more than that.

        "We're going to be okay, though, right? We're going to keep living, and that blue girl is going down!" Kaden's grief and anger are turning him bitter, just as they have already done to me.

       "That's right." My voice is a sinister whisper.

    A knock on the door makes me jump, and I turn to see Maeve leaning against it.

       "Would you two like to get something to eat? It's not often we have kids eat with us, but Sarah won't turn down the two of you," she offers.

    I don't bother asking who Sarah is, seeing how I don't really care.

       "Sure." My voice is empty and void of emotion, and I almost prefer to sound like that at the moment.