Losing Eight Lives

25 | Stories

The fire popped and crackled as I admired my injured arm. Sean had wrapped it in bandage nicely and gave me some pain killer to help. I could finally let go of it and relax a bit.

We all sat in our seats once more as we listened to each other's stories.

Becka volunteered to go first, explaining the same story that Carter told us. They wanted me to go next but I said no.

Addison gave me a thoughtful look as I told them I wanted to be last. She looked at me like she knew something I didn't.

I tried to ignore it.

Cam was next. He told us about the school fire, how he was in gym when it happened. Coach Barry had gone in his office to get something and was gone when the announcement came on.

"We looked everywhere. Couldn't find him. So after a few seconds of panic, I told everyone to line up outside and I would run and tell the office about Coach Barry." Cam said, and twisted his mouth in thought. "So they actually listened, and did what I said . . ."

As I listened, I went back and forth about how to explain to them what was happening. And every time someone was mentioned, like Coach Barry, all I could think was: fake. Hologram. Gone.

Cam's story continued with him finding no one in the office, and then avoiding fires while trying to get out of the building.

"I finally got through the front door, to find the whole schoolyard empty. Except when I looked harder, I saw what kind of looked like . . ." Cam paused, as if he couldn't find the right word, "Like a student our age. He ran into the woods by the school and then disappeared."

"He?" I clarified.

"Yeah. At least they looked like a 'he,'" he answered.

I pursed my lips and looked at him. He must have noticed I was looking at him weirdly, because he didn't continue. "What?" he asked instead.

"I . . . I think I know who you saw."

"Who?"

"Carter," I answered, and waited for a reaction.

Recognition crossed Cam's face and he nodded, "That would make sense."

He finished his story with him meeting Sean on the side of the street and then making camp at the book store. Cam added that Addison joined them later, and she nodded as if confirming it.

Sean went next. He told us a story of him at a doctors appointment that day. He told us that it was later in the day and he stayed home from school because of it. He explained it as boring until the doctor asked his mom to step outside of the room so he could have a word with her.

"Never saw another human being again except when Cam showed up. Then Addison, and you guys of course." Sean played with his fingers and looked around at everyone.

I turned my attention to Addison expecting a story. But she was already looking at me.

"How much do you know about Area 9L?" Addison looked at me seriously.

My eyes widened and blinked a few times. The shock must have shown on my face because it looked like she was trying to hide a smile that surfaced.

"Area 9L?" I asked. How did she know that I knew about it?

"What?" Becka asked. When I glanced at the rest of the group I saw confusion plastered on everyone's face.

"Um . . ." I searched for words and turned my gaze back to Addison. "How much do you know?

"A lot more than you, I can assure you," she sat back in her chair. "You tell your story first."

So I did. I told them everything, starting with the study hall where it all began. When I finished everyone looked at me, astonished. Horrified. Upset.

Except Addison.

She simply nodded and raised her eyebrows. "Wow, you know a lot more than I thought you would."

Becka suddenly laughed and everyone's gaze turned to her. "So, I have like, nine lives?"

"Well, you probably lost one in the school fire. Then we also just survived a helicopter crash. So I'd say we are down to seven." I said it so casually, it scared me.

"So . . . my parents . . ." Sean bit his lip and looked up at me. All I could do was look at the floor. His eyes were filled with tears and he mumbled, "Holograms," under his breath.

Addison slightly smiled. "Well that was a lovely explanation of what has been happening. Convincing right? Well they did not give you the whole truth." she directed the last part to me and the smile was instantly wiped away.

"I helped them, with this experiment," she said shamefully, and looked at the ground. "I very quickly realized how awful this was, the moment Blake came out of the storage closet in the school."

Wide eyed, I closed my mouth that had involuntarily fell open. Anger suddenly bubbled inside of me and I gripped the arm rests.

"I pulled an escape and they never found me." she looked at me. "They told you I was testing physical pressure? So that's my cover story then." she laughed a little and looked at everyone. "They think I'm dead."

At that point I didn't know whether I wanted to be mad at her or not. You helped them? I wanted to ask angrily. But no words formed.

Addison turned her gaze to the fire and didn't look at any of us. "I'm gonna tell you what really happened."