The Missing Few

Stolen Tomorrows

The sun had just begun to rise above the horizon and the warm orange glow spilled in through the window, the mechanical churn of the cars filled the bustling street where children were wandering to school. The café began to fill as workers poured in to get their morning coffee and snatching churro doughnuts from the freshly stocked shelves. Delphine noticed an influx of people as the clock struck eight, turning to Cosima and smirking – she knew they had to be up early to get a seat in the towns best café.

As they tucked into their Mexican breakfast, it began to quieten slightly, the workforce rushing to catch their delayed buses. Cosima shifted to face Delphine, pulling out the worn booklet of clones flipping to the marked page. Delphine averted her gaze from market opposite as Cosima spoke,

"So, the next clone is Rosa in Palo Alto, Aguascalientes."

"Yes, it's not too far. You know she works with animals at the aquarium here so its lucky we didn't run into her yesterday" Delphine replied

"Would've been a shock seeing herself staring into the tank. The other staff probably thought she was having a life crisis and changed her hair as a statement" Cosima grinned. They finished their breakfast and as the waitress came to clear the table Cosima handed her a tip "gracias" she said. The waitress stared in bafflement, holding the bill and tip in her hands she narrowed her eyes at Cosima before speaking.

"¿Rosa, qué carajo estás usando?" The waitress exclaimed, her mouth gawping. Cosima was speechless, how could she have let herself show her face whilst looking for her genetic identical? Delphine's eyes widened and she started frantically shaking her head, her blonde curls bouncing.

"No! No Rosa!" Delphine assured the waitress, Cosima packed up their things hesitantly and put her little sombrero on. They grabbed their belongings and quickly left the café, Cosima taking great care in hiding her familiar face from the crowd.

***

It was quieter here and the dilapidated corners of the streets felt empty with stray dogs sleeping on top of the rubbish piles and residents sitting drearily outside in the dry heat. The voices of their radio's drifted through the houses and mingled in the breeze dulling the harshness of the silence as Cosima and Delphine walked along the path. There was something unnerving about the observant hoard of eyes following them down the street that stopped them from holding each other's hands. Yet they still walked side by side clamouring to the little comfort that they could have with one another. The distinct sound of a motor roared in the distance growing louder by the second. Delphine shifted herself so she was nearer to the road than Cosima and put an arm round her protectively. The approaching vehicle came hastily round the corner and stopped at the end of the road. Cosima's body became ridged in fear as multiple people got out the back of the van and then entered the house.

"That's Rosa's house" she whispered, hardly any time passed before the men came marching out again Rosa thrashing in their grip screaming rapidly for help. The street stood still and the residents were subdued the only move made was to turn the volume up on the radio and light another cigarette. Delphine swiftly spun Cosima around and held her tightly to her chest as the doors were slammed shut. The van suddenly screeched off up the road, dust springing up off the ground like striking snakes leaving a simmering haze over the street. Everyone was unfazed by the event that had played out, it had happened so quickly Cosima considered that it may not have happened at all. She stood in shock looking up to Delphine her lip trembling

"Who were they?" She inquired her voice so quiet it was barely audible

"I don't know." She replied kissing her head briefly " we need to leave now" Her voice stricken with panic as she grabbed Cosima's soft hand and pulled her back down the street.