End of tomorrow

Chapter 11

A quiet groan was heard followed by shuffling. Alessa let out small gasps as her head popped from underneath a duvet. Her eyes burned as she groggily opened them, pulling herself out of her bed. She froze in her track to the toilet. With a quick intake of breath, she scanned the plain, white room the events from yesterday crashing down on her.

The agent. Needles.

Alessa twisted herself in the opposite direction, dashed to the door and yanked it open. She sucked in her breath and blinked at the brightness of the room. She made her way towards the table and stopped when she two figures, frozen. Alessa noticed the tall buy duck his head as she walked closer to what could possibly be the dining table and started eating with speed. She ignored his odd behaviour and smiled at the smaller boy as she pulled out a char to sit. It looked like those two were the only ones who'll be able to give her some ideas on what's going on and why she is here.

"Hi," she said. "I'm –"

The smaller boy shot up out of his hair and scowled at her. "I don't care and I hate you!" Alessa watched as he stormed to one of the rooms and slammed it behind him.

Alessa blinked in confusion and turned to the older boy, who hunched down, his messy hair covering his face. "Did I say something?"

Alessa was met by silence. An uncomfortable feeling settled in Alessa's stomach as she stared at the messy, black hair. She felt she recognised him but didn't know where. She scrunched her eyebrows and pulled her bottom lip between her teeth as she pressed her brain to place the image somewhere.

"Are you finished, Finn?" Alessa jumped at the voice and twisted her body in the chair the voice. She blinked in surprise at the familiar round face. She shook her head at her silliness and smiled as the woman that looked like Sarah walked passed her and straight towards the messy hair boy called Finn.

Finn lifted his head up slightly, enough to allow Alessa to see his eyes and a permanent scowl. Alessa gasped at the vivid image of his dream replayed in front of her eyes.

The woman turned to her, looking surprised as if she didn't notice Alessa was there.

Finn ignored her reaction, stood up and disappeared into the same room as the little boy. Soft voices were heard and soon Finn and the little boy appeared from the room, both supporting similar scowls directed at Alessa. Alessa visibly shrank at their hostility and turned to look at the woman as if questioning her what she did to gain this treatment from them. She smiled apologetically but offered no explanation. Alessa sighed – she had more important things to worry about than those two's hostility, she thought, as they walked away without a word.

"I'm sorry for their... hostility," the woman said softly as she seated herself next to Alessa. "The pair are really nice boys but they don't like changes."

"It's OK," she smiled reassuringly. She had a feeling the two boys' feelings towards her had nothing to do with stranger's hostility but was something else.

"I'm Samantha but you can call me Sam." The woman put her hand forward and smiled.

Alessa shook her hand firmly and returned her smile. "I'm Alessa."

"I know that," Sam replied, standing up.

Alessa got up and followed her through the same door as the two boys. "You do? How?" Alessa asked incredulously.

"It's not hard since we've been trying to find you because of the letters and –"

Alessa stopped in time not to bump into Sam, who froze after she realised she had let slip.

Alessa's eyes widened. "Letters? What letters?"

As if not hearing Alessa's question, Sam's pace increased. "I don't know why I said that but it doesn't matter. We need to go."