Patience - By AMDelaney

08

What had happened? I can't remember. I look up the the lady once again and sigh. "I don't know." She shakes her head and frowns.
"I can't sit around here all day." She grunts. "You better report back to me soon, we need answers."

"We?" I ask, curious of what she was going to say.
"Yes we." She says, "Hourglass. Its an organization that deals with these kind of things." My eyes widen in confusion.
"So I'm not the only one?" She looks back at me, as though ready to pounce at any minute.
"What did I tell you when I first met you Emily?" She questions.
"Em... that I was one in a million?" I respond doubtfully, I can't remember a thing, it's all such a blur.
"Correct. And what is the population of Earth?" Geography, not my best subject. I pick my phone up from the table standing at my side, unable to answer the question. Aaliyah pulls it out of my grasp and places it back where it had been before.

"Seven million," she says, dissapointed in my stupidity. She can't blame me, my school is not the best. "Can you solve a math sum for me?" I smile, now realising what her next words would be. "Seven million people on this planet, and you are one in a million..."
"There are only seven of you?" I interrupt.
"Seven of, us." Aaliyah cuts back, "And that's the way it will stay. There has never been more."
"Well then how am I only part of the seven now?" Her eyes begin to tear up, before giving me an entire history lesson on Hourglass. "He was a great man." She sighed. "But I guess someone better has taken his place right?" I nod my head nervously, missing out on half the conversation. Did she even mention his name? Must have missed it.

I let my head fall back into the soft pillow and let my heavy eyes rest. I whisper softly. "If you don't mind I'm going to..."

***
My eyes are still heavy and I lay in the silence of the room. I hear the click of the door handle and stay still in the bed. I'm sick of that door at this point, opening and closing can it not just stay shut? The clicking of the door stops for a moment, before the sound returns, frustrated, accompanied by loud voices outide the room and banging against the door. I hear a key click into a lock, before hearing the same sound once again. Gentle footsteps echo in the room, with the whispers of people.
"She's asleep." I hear a voice, "That ruckus mustn't have helped. She's probably wrecked."

The room is filled with the creaking of the springs in the chair. I picture it, the dark kakhi green armchair sitting in the corner of the room beside the door, and the wooden stool along side it, wondering who was now sitting in it. I remain silent, listening into the conversation.
"Should we tell her yet?"
"No, don't say a word. Your sister has enough on her mind right now, okay?" I now realise who is in the room, and hope they leave soon. I can't pretend to be asleep for much longer.

They continue to chat so I take my chance. Welcomed back to reality I let out a yawn before rubbing my eyes and sit upright once again.
"Emily, how are you feeling?"
"Fine." I mumble, adjusting myself on the bed, "But hungry." I look out the small window, then turn away from the bright light.
"You were out cold. Been sleeping since yesterday."
"What about you? Did you go home?" Alexa frowns, tapping her hand against the arm of the green chair she is sitting in.
"Slept right here," she says, "Not the best, but mum had the stool, so I can't say much, food is amazing here though. I had three breakfasts this morning." That makes us all laugh. Mum then decides to interfere.
"How about I go find you something to eat huh? I'm not sure if they would still be giving out breakfast, but I know there is a vending machine downstairs at reception." I nod, my stomach rumbling like a whale's call, lightening the mood. Mum stands from her seat and head for the door.
"Stay quiet you two," she smiles before closing the door behind her. Alexa turns to smile at me.

"Wait so what day is today?" I question, everything too much of a blur to keep track of.
"Wednesday. Why?"
"Are you not supposed to be in school?" Her face brightens up.
"Mum said I can have the rest of the week off," she beams. I narrow my eyes, a muddled look on my face.
"How come?"
"To be here with you of course." This didn't add up. I have never seen Alexa happy to be missing school. I continued to interrogate her, answers getting stranger by the second.

"What is going to happen to me?" I demand. No answer. "Alexa, what are you keeping from me." My voice is slightly louder, and in a much more demanding tone. She shakes her head surprised.
"What do you mean? I'm keeping nothing from you. We already told you, when we know you know."
"You know something that I don't. All I know is that you're not a good actor, I can tell when you're lying. I heard you and mum talking about me. I wasn't asleep, and I'm not stupid. What is it? What did you want to tell me?" She points her stare to the ground and remains silent.
"I can't..."
"Listen to me. You can. I'm not a child anymore. I'm old enough to know things, I'm not four. I'm your sister, we tell each other everything. There are no secrets." Her head lifts up, face now red, especially her cheeks.
"You sure?"
"Yes," I reply calmly, unsure of what to expect, with my luck, probably something even worse to add to my problems.

Alexa walks towards me and places herself along side me. I feel her cold hand on my ear, sending a chill down my spine. She leans over and whispers softly, her voice shaking. I immeaditely turn to face her, my jaw almost hitting the floor, and receive nothing more than a nervous look in return. I now realise what her words from before meant. Inside I am screaming but remain motionless to the rest of the world. My luck couldn't get any worse. Aaliyah must really be a doctor, because she was right, my life really is about to change completely.