Nobody of Birth

Part 10

In the morning everyone was allowed outside, even baby Annesley.

"Hey mom, did you hear something last night, right after we named Annesley?" Elise questioned her mother, away from everyone else,

"Yeah. We might have to move soon." Elise nodded. Ethis knows where we are. They'll be sending E.G.H.s soon. She turned back to the open camp, Aria was holding Annesley, and Eric was playing in the garden, Keith was making breakfast with Bryon, and Jessica was studying some plants.

"Hey there." Elise jumped, and slowly turned around. She saw a young man, about her age, standing slightly in the shadows,

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. I just need some help. I'm Matthew Haynes." He extended his hand, Elise took it,

"Oh, you didn't frighten me, just startled. I'm not used to guys walking randomly through the trees. My dad does it, but that's about it. I'm Elise Reyes." His black eyes widened, he withdrew his hand, having it reach up and run through his striking blue hair.

"Like the Reyes family? The one that's disappeared from Ethis?"

"Yep. That's us."

"Woah. I wanted to be exactly like you guys! I am now, but-" He trailed off, Elise switched the subject,

"You said you needed help?"

"Yeah, although I don't think you can. Unless you know a medic?" He smiled, Elise blushed,

"My mom might be able to help, what's wrong?" He stepped forward, and grimaced. Elise looked down, blood was trickling down his leg, the pant leg was mangled, and it looked infected.

"Oh my gosh! Mom! MOM!" Jessica and Keith both turned their heads, they saw Elise helping a young man across the clearing,

"Mom, he's hurt. Bad." Jessica went to investigate, while Keith turned back to breakfast.

"Bryon, something's off about him. I know it."

"Aww, come on Keith. He's hurt, and just got here. But yeah, I know what you mean."

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"So, what's your name?" Jessica asked as she wrapped a bandage around Matthew's newly clean wound,

"Matthew Haynes."

"Well, Matthew, I hope you don't mind me asking, but, what are you doing out here all alone?" Matthew drew in a breath,

"Ethis has changed, a lot. Teens are still getting matched together, but they choose your occupation. I was chosen to be an E.G.H. and, as you can see, I rejected the idea. I wanted to be free, but not married. So I ran. They managed to put the E.G.H.-in-training mark on me," He gestured to his right eye that had a red symbol over it,

"but I really didn't want anything to do with them. Ethis is a power-hungry nation now, with a murderous-psychopath running the whole thing." Keith, sitting in one of the chairs, asked,

"Murderous-psychopath? Who's in charge?"

"The lead E.G.H., but it doesn't look that way. Amalie Christensen is the "poster leader" while Nathaniel Haynes is influencing all major political happenings. While Natalie Haynes, his twin," Bryon interrupted,

"Wait, Haynes, like your last name?! Are you related?"

"Sadly, yes. They're my older siblings, see how great that turned out? Anyway, Natalie is the "safety-enforcer". Everyone's scared out of their minds when she's around. I'm on the run so they don't kill me and I want to kill them, or hurt them at least. Great family relationship. Anyway, they're both E.G.H.s, and wanted me to become one as well. I ran away before day 1 of training, and the two of them have been on my trail for the last month or so." Annesley started fussing, and Aria took her out, Matthew noticed that her eyes were glazed over, as if she might start crying soon. I fooled them! Yes, that'll show the (g)Nat twins, I told them that you don't have to be altered to be a good E.G.H. He smirked while everyone left the room. This is gonna be fun.