The Twins

Chapter 6: Training Day

Part 4: Pink

    The Twins had begun to get used to the darkness of the surface world. With their time in the government camp, their desperate dash for freedom, and then the long walk with the rebels, they had grown accustomed to waking up and living in darkness. The rebel base felt very different from all those places.

    Each different scar was a testimony to the hardships these people had faced and yet each one greeted the other with a smile. There was warmth and kindness all around and so the darkness was not as smothering as in the other places. It was like each smile brought forth a light of its own. There were no electric lights, only controlled fires. Some were open to the air and elements, with only stones to keep them in line, and others were trapped behind metal grates that had obviously been made in the camp.

    After meeting Carson, Amani brought Matthew and Marie to the sleeping tent he had suggested to them. Marie stepped inside immediatly and claimed an empty corner of the tent for herself. She then set herself to, what was for her, the incredably easy task of making friends. Matthew stayed with her for a while but when it became clear that she had gotten the respect of everyone in the tent he started to feel restless. It wasn't as easy for him to make friends and with everything going on he wasn't really in the mood. It took only about fifteen minutes for Matthew to decide this and slip out of the tent.

    There was a stale breeze flowing through the camp. He breathed it in and pondered the fact that it must have originated away from the city. He had never been past the city. On Edis every fifth grader went on a field trip to see the edge of the city. There were viewing stations with large telescopes so you could see far into the distance. There wasn't much to see though. Any foliage had died long ago, leaving the land dusty and dry. Underneath Edis it looked the same, but matthew had not expected it to be so full of like in other ways. The cave with the glowing mushrooms, the people, it was facinating.

    What if there are more hidden places away from Edis? What if there is more hidden life out there?  Matthew wondered. He thought he would very much like to look for this secret life. He found himself wandering the camp aimlessly, looking at the sights and getting lost in his thoughts. Suddenly a voice broke through his little world.

   "Hey Matthew! Not getting into trouble are you?" Amami asked teasingly. Matthew responded with a cross between a laugh, a snort, and an exhalation of air. The taller boy caught up and began walking with him. The nearby fires cast elegant shadows across his forehead and jawline, making him look almost older. Amani smiled at Mathew for a moment but it faded soon after,"so, I uh..." he fumbled,"I wanted to talk to you." Amani blurted out. Matthew shot back a sarcastic grin,"it seems like you already are." Which earned him a playful shove. "You know what I mean!" Amani protested. Again his smile faded. He fumbled with his words again, starting three different sentances before choosing one he liked,"are you mad at me for leaving?" Immediatly Amani seemed to regret the blunt words and he bit his lip awkwardly.

    The words took Matthew by surprise. Am I mad? He asked himself. The immeadiate answer was no. He couldn't blame Amani for the governments actions. None of it was his fault. Yet a deeper part of his was still hurt. It hurt that Amani couldn't trust him enough to tell him what was going on clearly. They had been talked for months after all. He thought that they had bonded. When he looked back at Amani he found him searching his face with an odd sadness.

     "I don't know." Matthew answered. The words surprised him. He wasn't used to being this honest. He knew that Amani wasn't eather, at least when it came to personal things. Amani nodded and continued to speak, "I couldn't tell you about any of this. It would have been dangerous for both of us. Even sending you the radio message was risky. I certainly didn't expect you to come down to the surface because of it." He explained then paused,"Or did you come to the surface because they knew about your powers?"

   Matthew shook his head,"they found out about Marie's powers not mine. I left with her without knowing I was a Saru Tokai as well." Amani glanced down at the ground. He didn't ask why he left. Suddenly matthew burst with words,"I don't blame you if that's what you were worried about. It just hurt. It hurt so much when you dissapeared. It takes a very long time for me to connect with people. I think the only person I always trusted was Marie, but with you it was different. It was just-" he stopped himself. Amani nodded. He understood. Of course he understood, the same thing had happened to him with his parents.

   Suddenly Amani's smile returned,"well have you thought about staying?" Matthew smiled back, but with hesitation,"I want to stay. I don't think we have anywhere else to go anyways. I have to ask Marie though." Amani chuckled, the spring was back in his step as he answered,"I think she feels the same way. When I left the tent she was having a philisophical conversation with a kid who can control sound. Something about how feminism's changed over the years I think." Matthew smiled. It was nice to be talking to Amani again.

     The next day they approached Carson. He didn't seem surprised at all when the twins told him that they wanted to stay. In fact he had everything prepared.

    "The first step is to find out your limits. When you know what you are capable of you have something to strive for." He explained as he started pouring a thick liquid into two cups. Marie eyed them suspiciously,"please tell me we don't have to drink that." Carson smirked as if he would have been very happy to tell them that they did but settled for the truth,"no you just have to smell it."

   Matthew took his cup and looked inside,"what is this?" Carson responded immediately,"drugs" causing both twins to look very concerned. Carson chuckled,"yeah drugs. These ones won't do anything bad to you if you only take it once though, and it'll feel like you're hallucinating, but you'll actually be seeing the truth. It has the same effects as cocaine on people who aren't Saru Tokai though, so don't go trying to steal any."

     The twins nodded. It was impossible to get hardcore or dangerous drugs on Edis but that didn't stop the schools from shoving the classic "don't do drugs kids" ideology down their throats. This had caused most kids to be wary but infinitely curious about drugs.

   "Ok on the count of three take a big sniff." Carson said with tons of extra irony on the side,"one  two  three...do drugs!"

    Matthew inhaled deeply and immediatly started falling.