CHAPTER VII

It was the stupidest idea that ever came to my mind. At first, I felt free, like an astronaut in outer space, and then, when landing on a hard floor, I experienced real suffering. The pain, pierced my body, paralyzed every cell, and made my heart stop. There were shouts, noise, and uproar from all sides, but I didn't care anymore. Even the scream that was born in my chest didn't seem so loud to me. I wanted only one thing… I quickly fell into the black abyss so that I would no longer feel this sharp, unbearable pain.

It's funny, but even in a dreamless dream, I continued to suffer. A space monster, a demon who could travel from world to world, appeared to me and did not want to let me go from his suffocating embrace. And then I saw a bright warm light that began to fill the void. The light drove the darkness away from me in different directions, allowing me to remember what I did this act for. Gathering the remnants of my will, I tried to wake up.

"Calm down! Everything is fine, you're in the hospital," an unknown voice began to calm me down.

I tried to get up, but something prevented me from doing it.

"Don't move! You have fractures of the lower extremities," my forehead felt the touch of a warm palm.

"I need to see Yushu!"

"You will see her, but first you need to lie down for a couple of days so that your body gets used to the titanium alloy."

"Titan?" I didn't understand what it was about.

A young woman in a white medical suit was hovering over me. Most likely, she was the nurse who took care of me. She gently stroked my head with her palm, and with her other hand pressed on my chest, not allowing me to rise.

"Your bones shattered, so they had to be replaced with artificial ones. Don't worry, they are worse than the real ones, but they will serve you long enough," the nurse gave me a smile.

"How much time has passed?" I asked and tried to move my legs, but they did not obey me at all. It felt like they were completely cut off.

"A few days… By the way, your parents were here recently and were very worried about you."

"They didn't say anything about me? That I'm bad and disappointed them?"

"No," she shook her head. "Your father blamed himself for what happened. He sat with you all night, talking and trying to get forgiveness from you. I don't know what you did there, but try not to do rash things next time. You are hurting yourself and your loved ones, they are worried about you."

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"The most important thing is that you were taken to the hospital on time, and the doctor was able to operate," the woman grinned. "Now rest and gain strength. Are you thirsty?"

"Yes," I nodded, as I felt dry mouth.

I had to lie bedridden for several days before I was allowed to get up and sit on the edge of the bed. Mom and Dad visited me every day and gave me their care. They even allowed me to become a biologist and fly to Flora, as long as I didn't hurt myself anymore. But my heart continued to suffer from impotence. Yusha was somewhere nearby, maybe in the next room, and I couldn't do anything with my legs. They didn't listen to me, they just ache and pains in the evenings, preventing me from sleeping. Why did I do that? I had to find another way to get to the hospital. But time cannot be turned back…

I spent whole days looking at the bare walls and ceiling of emerald colors. I drank bottled water and ate tasteless food. Sometimes the nurse forgot to close the door behind her, and through the crack, I could watch the people who wandered back and forth along the corridor. Time passed slowly, forcing me to think about the meaning of my life. How could a sister lie here for weeks on end several times a year? It seems that she had the willpower of the great colonists who arrived on our planet a long time ago and lived in extreme conditions.

One cold night, when I was tormenting myself with thoughts of hopelessness, someone came to my room. The unknown crept noiselessly and stood next to him. I heard his heavy and rapid breathing, and then someone sat down on the edge of my bed.

"Who's here?" I asked, startled.

"Guess who is here," I heard a familiar voice.

"Yusha!" I was delighted and tried to sit up.

"You can't get up! Your legs are broken!"

"It's all right. They have almost recovered," she assured her.

"It's good to hear," smiled Yusha.

A deathly silence reigned, which no one dared to break. I couldn't find the strength to take the first step toward my sister.

"Why did you do that?" Yusha beat me to it.

"And why did you put me on the blacklist?!" I said, displeased.

"You've never visited me anyway…"

I could only see its outline since there was very little light, and it came from the slightly open door of the corridor.

"I'm sorry," was all I could manage.

"I'm the one who should apologize and thank you for saving me… And why did you decide to become a biologist?"

"This will help you fly to Flora and get rid of the disease," I tried to touch her with my palms.

"Where are your naughty hands going?" the sister giggled and took them up.

"I just want to touch you," I said, embarrassed, "or can't I?"

"You can," she replied. "Did your parents tell you about the disease?"

"No. I had to get into the medical directory," I boasted.

"And for what? Why do you need all this?"

"I decided to find out more about you!"

"And just for that?" There was a hint of disappointment in her voice.

"Of course not!"

I decided to turn on the lamp to see Yusha. Her face with pointed features was pale as always, but her sunken cheeks did not please me at all. Her body, like mine, was covered with a thin long shirt made of synthetic fiber, which was given to all "residents" of the hospital for temporary use.

"It looks like you're not eating enough," I couldn't help but say this phrase.

"Don't worry, soon you will be like this. There's no Mom's food here."

"I..." it was inconvenient to talk about the sad. "I read your diary."

Yusha turned her gaze away:

"I was hoping you wouldn't get to my diary. How ashamed I feel now..."

"Yusha, don't you dare die! Because..." I began to look for a suitable reason.

"And why shouldn't I do it?" she prepared to listen to me.

"We will fly to the Flora, you will stop coughing and choking. I will help you find the knowledge to terraform our planet. Well, I will protect you from poisonous creatures and carnivorous plants," I rattled. "And if you are gone, then I will be very sad and lonely…"

My sister sighed heavily:

"Don't worry, they won't let me die here. I tried not to eat or take medication, but they started making droppers and forcibly pouring nutritional mixtures into me. But you still didn't understand anything."

"It's not true!" I frowned. "If you want, then I will be this soulmate for you. I just have no idea what to do with them."

Yusha laughed:

"Maya, you talk about it like it's some kind of job."

"Do you know yourself?"

"To be honest, no," she was embarrassed. "But I know they love each other."

"Then where did you learn to make that cool kiss?" I bit my lip because I blurted out too much.

"Cool kiss?" Yusha smiled slyly. "So you liked it?"

"Yes," I admitted to my shame.

"I read it in a novel, and then I learned from Martha Ironstone. She gave me a textbook on sex education."

"Sex what?"

"This is..." the sister's face was completely flushed. "A picture book that is given to read after graduation."

"It's not fair!" I was indignant. "I also want to see it, because we are twins."

"You'll find out everything yourself in the specialization," she showed me her red tongue.

"Then how to love you?"

"How to Love? I would be very happy about this. But i'm stupid and naive. I got it into my head that we could be together on our planet, where everyone thinks soulmates are sick people," she put one hand on my stomach. "By the way, where's your ring?"

"The doctor took it away because it could cause allergies from medications," I said. "Wait…"

And Yusha didn't have a ring on her hand.

"Strange, because we were supposed to be hit by a spark?" the sister was surprised.

We realized that we could touch each other without rings. Sparks no longer appeared, but the tips of the finger with prolonged contact began to feel faint, but at the same time pleasant tingling.

"I wonder what it will feel like now," I accidentally thought out loud.

"Maya, you're scaring me! What happened to you?" Yusha immediately caught my thought.

"Nothing," now it's my turn to blush. "I can't forget your kiss. I'm even sorry that I was rude to you then…"

"I think we can try again," she whispered conspiratorially.

Yusha closed the door so that no one could see us from the corridor, and then turned off the lamp. The ward was plunged into pitch darkness, allowing us to somehow protect ourselves from prying eyes. Yusha remembered where I was, so she found me easily and hugged me with her arms. Clinging to me, she gave vent to her innermost desire.

Her soft, slightly cold lips pressed against mine. These touches were light and uncertain, but as we were captured by tender feelings, they became more and more aggressive. Our tongue tips touched each other, allowing us to feel the sweet taste of love, seasoned with a tingling current. For some reason, I compared these touches to a battery that stung my tongue in the same way when I tried to taste it.

This time I had no desire to resist, I completely submitted to my sister. She passionately bit into my mouth and sucked the life-giving moisture out of me. And I enjoyed new and incomprehensible feelings for me, which made my heart beat faster, more joyfully. I no longer cared about the laws and rules of decency invented by the long-dead commander-in-chief. I completely gave myself up on the boundless pleasures that I received from Yusha.

Soon our lips parted, but feelings continued to seethe inside each of us. I felt a real flame in my lower abdomen, which continued to flare up and demand more from me. But, alas, I didn't know how to appease it. All I have to do is breathe fast and swallow sticky saliva.

"Maya, I... want... to love you," Yusha said in a trembling voice.

"Me too," was my reply. "With all my heart."

"But what should we do?"

"To live and enjoy life," I whispered, trying to calm down.

"All right," she agreed, "but I have a request."

"Which one?" I was ready to agree to everything because I could no longer imagine my life without my sister.

"Will you let me love you at least at night when the darkness will hide us from the law?" Yusha said uncertainly.

"Of course, because I wish it myself..." my voice disappeared from excitement.

That night, the two halves joined into one whole heart of red dust. It will move forward, overcome difficulties and bring light, making this world a better and warmer place.…