chapter 21

THE MOMENT MY EYES fluttered open, I realized I was consumed by blackness. All my eyes could see was blackness. My heart raced as my mind struggled to comprehend my surroundings. "Mamori?" I called out, my voice quivering. "Bryce? Augustus? Miss Alice?" The silence that greeted me was absolute, and a knot formed in the pit of my stomach.

With trepidation, I rose to my feet and began stumbling through the darkness, my hands reaching out in a futile attempt to grasp something, anything, to anchor me in this void. But as I wandered, my steps became erratic, and I could feel the dampened cobblestones beneath my feet. After what felt like an eternity, my eyes began to adjust to the darkness, and a faint outline of a familiar structure emerged from the gloom. It was rundown, with trash on the side, peeled-off paint, and a worn-out post. My heart hammered in my chest as I approached the place I once called home. And no, not Miss Alice's, but the one I grew up in over the past couple of years.

In its current state, it was barely standing, but I recognized it instantly. My eyes widened in disbelief, feeling a mix of fear and curiosity welling up within me. Tentatively, I reached for the tarnished doorknob. But as I pushed the door open, it creaked loudly, revealing the dimly lit interior. For some reason, I was in utter disbelief when I saw the person standing in the kitchen.

"Elliot? "I called.

I stumbled back in shock, my mind reeling. How could he be alive? I had seen him choked to death by one of the men in black. This must be a hallucination!

Elliot seemed oblivious to my shock as he finished cooking scrambled eggs on the stove. He then turned to face me, a warm smile spreading across his face. "Oh, Prim, you're awake," he said casually. "I prepared your breakfast."

My legs felt like jelly. I stood there for what felt like minutes before Elliot gestured for me to come close. But somehow, I managed to make my way to the dining area, sitting down with a mixture of confusion and disbelief etched on my face. He then simply ushered me to eat, that same familiar smile plastered on his face, as if nothing had changed since those days when he was alive.

As he puffed on a lit cigarette, the smell of smoke filling the room, I couldn't shake the feeling that this couldn't be real. But there he was, standing before me, as if he had never left.

"So, Prim," he began, leaning against the counter, "tell me about your job."

I stared at him, my mouth dry and my thoughts racing. I couldn't bring myself to speak, to acknowledge the impossibility of the situation. I just sat there, my heart pounding, as the room seemed to close in around me. Elliot's smile never wavered as well, but his eyes seemed to bore into mine, as if searching for something. And in that moment, I knew I had to uncover the truth behind his strange presence, no matter how terrifying it might be.

My heart pounded in my chest as the words escaped my lips: "You're not real."

I stared at Elliot, who looked back at me with a gentle smile.

"I'm feeling much better, Prim," he replied, his voice warm and reassuring, as if I had inquired about his health rather than questioned his very existence. My brows knitted together in confusion, unable to comprehend the man standing before me. I had seen him die, hadn't I?

With practiced ease, Elliot moved to the kitchen counter, preparing two slices of bread. He spread peanut butter and jelly on them with a familiar, loving touch. "Your favorite," he said, handing me the sandwich.

My stomach churned, and I hesitated, my eyes darting back and forth between the sandwich and Elliot. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, and my body seemed to agree, refusing to accept the food. My confusion must have shown on my face because Elliot's smile faltered for a brief moment.

Before I could muster the courage to speak, a knock on the door echoed through our small, cramped living space. Elliot moved to answer it, pulling open the poor wooden door. As he did just that, someone obscured the doorway. He was tall, with an expressionless face that seemed to be carved from stone. In an instant, my heart leaped to my throat as the man reached out and wrapped his hand around Elliot's neck, lifting him off the ground. Elliot's face turned red, and he gasped for air, clawing at the man's hand. The scene before me mirrored the horrific memory of his death—the night when everything changed.

"No," I whispered, my voice barely audible. Tears welled up in my eyes as the painful memory threatened to resurface. "Stop!" I screamed, my hands flying to my head as if trying to block out the terrible scene before me. The pain in my head pulsed, and I fell to the ground, sobbing.

"Enough!"

And then silence. When I lifted my head, the room around me seemed to dissolve, the walls, floor, and furniture disappearing like sand in the wind. In their place, the familiar surroundings of Miss Alice's academy appeared, the creaking wooden floorboards and dusty old furniture a clear distinction from the home I had just seen. My breaths came in ragged gasps as I tried to process what had just happened. The memories and images of Elliot swirled in my mind, leaving me disoriented and questioning my own sanity. What had I just experienced? Was it a dream?

As I sat there, trembling and alone, I blinked frantically, trying to make sense of the scene unfolding before me. It was as if I'd been plucked from my safe, familiar world and dropped into a nightmare. I could feel my heart pounding against my chest and the blood rushing into my ears. And then I spotted Miss Alice standing protectively in front of the sobbingly gifted orphans. Why? I have no idea.

Mamori, Noelle, Aria, Molly, Eli, Wallace, Lennox, and Suzie—they were all crying, their tears flowing freely as their bodies trembled with fear. Bryce also shed some tears but remained stoic. Billy, who was also there behind Miss Alice, seemed to be the only one not crying. Instead, a fierce anger burned in his eyes as he stared down at the men in black who were cornering them. In that moment, I tried to step forward, but my body wouldn't move. It was as if I were trapped in an invisible cage, forced to watch the events unfold without being able to intervene.

Miss Alice's voice was barely audible, but I could see the will in her eyes as she willingly offered herself to the men in black in exchange for the orphans' safety. My heart clenched in my chest, and I screamed "No!" at the top of my lungs, but it was as if my voice had been stolen from me—no one seemed to hear my desperate plea.

The room seemed to grow colder and darker as I saw the lifeless bodies of the two matrons, Sebastian and Augustus, on the ground. They had tried to defend the orphans, but it was clear that they were no match for these sinister beings. Now, Miss Alice was the only one left to protect the orphans, and I felt a wave of helplessness consume me.

As Miss Alice moved closer to the men in black, the orphans' cries grew louder, their heart-wrenching sobs echoing through the room. With a swift, almost mechanical movement, one of the men in black produced a syringe and injected Miss Alice with something. I watched in horror as the veins in her body began to turn black, her breaths becoming labored and strained. The children, seeing this, were apprehended by the men in black, their cries turning to screams of terror.

Through the chaos, I could see Miss Alice struggling, her body convulsing as she fought for each breath. But it was clear that she wouldn't last much longer. My vision blurred with tears, and I sobbed uncontrollably, my voice finally breaking through the silence. "I don't want to lose anyone ever again," I cried, repeating the words like a mantra, hoping that somehow they would make a difference. But the nightmare continued, and I was left to watch, unseen and unheard, as the people I loved were torn from my life, leaving me with nothing but a shattered heart and a desperate, burning desire for revenge.

As if on cue, the massive Victorian house in front of me, the men in black, the lifeless bodies of Miss Alice, Sebastian, Augustus, and the matrons, and the struggling gifted orphans dissolved into nothingness. I kneeled to the ground, my body heaving with guttural sobs as my heart was pierced with a different kind of pain. The weight of loss and grief had become unbearable; I had lost so much, and the dark cloud of depression that seemed to be my constant companion had grown thicker and more suffocating.

With every breath, I questioned my own existence, desperately seeking answers to the age-old question of why pain had to exist. It felt as if the universe itself was conspiring against me, mocking my every effort to find solace and happiness.

As I wept, a subtle shift in the air drew my attention, and I felt the familiar presence of the man who had mysteriously haunted my dreams for as long as I could remember. I looked up through tear-blurred eyes and saw him standing before me, his ethereal form shimmering like a mirage yet solid and real. Despite the chaos of emotions raging inside me, I continued to sob as the man reached out and wrapped his arms around me—an unexpected gesture of comfort that both surprised and confused me. His voice was a gentle whisper in my ear, tinged with a warmth I had never known.

"You are the salvation of all gifted beings," he said.

I couldn't hold back my anger any longer. The pain and the frustration surged through me like a tidal wave, and I found myself yelling at the man—this stranger who claimed to know me and my fate.

"I'm just a weak human! I can't do anything! Why would you say that to me?" My voice cracked as the words tumbled out, raw and unfiltered.

To my surprise, the man remained unfazed by my outburst. Instead, his smile widened, and he raised a hand to touch the necklace that hung around my neck. As his fingers grazed the smooth surface of the pendant, it began to glow with a soft, pulsating light. I ceased my sobbing, mesmerized by the growing radiance that seemed to emanate from deep within the pendant itself. The light continued to intensify, casting a warm, golden glow upon us both that slowly wrapped us like a blanket.

The mysterious man looked deep into my eyes, his own filled with an unwavering certainty that I couldn't quite comprehend. His smile was gentle and reassuring, and his voice carried a note of definiteness that left no room for doubt.

"You are our hope, Prim."

And with those final words, the light from the pendant became blinding, enveloping us both in a dazzling chrysalis of warmth and luminescence. As the world around me dissolved into pure, radiant energy, I clung to the man's words, desperately hoping that they would guide me through the darkness and into the light that awaited me on the other side.

Then, I woke up from my slumber with a start, gasping for air.

My panic stirred up Ophelia, who had been sleeping beside me. She stretched and relocated to my lap, purring softly as if to comfort me. My hand instinctively went to the necklace I was wearing, gripping it tightly as sweat dripped from my forehead. I stared at it, my heart still pounding from the vivid dream.

The room around me was dimly lit as the first rays of morning light filtered through the curtains. I sat up slowly, my chest heaving as I tried to make sense of the dream that felt so real. My thoughts raced, trying to piece together the significance of the man's words and the glowing necklace. As I sat there in the quiet of my room, holding the necklace and stroking Ophelia's soft fur, I couldn't help but wonder if there was more to my dreams than just a vivid imagination. Am I really one of them? Am I a normal human being?

The mysterious man had called me the salvation of all gifted beings, but what did that mean? How could I be the hope for anyone?

My heart ached with the weight of these questions, and I felt this weird sensation in my chest. I glanced at Ophelia, who looked up at me with her luminous green eyes. She seemed to understand my turmoil and gave me a reassuring nudge with her head. With a deep breath, I closed my eyes and hugged Ophelia. I just can't see myself doing anything to stop the men in black from hunting gifted beings

***

Later that day, I was sitting on a chair, my thoughts flying elsewhere. The dream I had at dawn still bothered me, though. It was the worst one so far. It felt so real and so vivid that I could almost touch the pain. Miss Alice, Augustus, Sebastian, and two of the matrons lay lifeless before me, Elliot. It was a trauma I thought I had buried deep inside, but it kept resurfacing, haunting me over and over again.

I took a deep breath, trying to regain control of my racing thoughts. The cold air of the room filled my lungs, gradually calming me down. But I know I couldn't stay here any longer.

My trembling legs somehow found the strength to carry me to the bathroom. I stared into the mirror, my reflection staring back with hollow eyes. I turned the tap on, letting the cold water run over my hands before splashing it on my face. The icy droplets shocked my senses, making me wince, but they seemed to help ground me back into reality. As I wiped my face with a towel, I couldn't help but wonder if there was an underlying meaning to that dream. The weight of their expectations felt crushing, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I was just a frail human incapable of fulfilling their hopes.

"No," I whispered to myself, my voice barely audible. "I can't dwell on this right now. I need to focus on what's happening in front of me."

I shook off the lingering dread and began to fix myself, straightening my rumpled pajamas and running a brush through my tangled hair. I stood in front of my closet, my fingers brushing against the soft fabric of my dresses, contemplating what to wear. It was going to be a long day, and I wanted to feel comfortable yet presentable. With a sigh, I reached for my white dress, the one with the delicate embroidery around the neckline. It always made me feel confident, and I needed that today.

I had barely taken a step towards the vanity when a sudden wave of weakness washed over me. My legs buckled, and I crashed to the floor, my knees hitting the plush carpet with a dull thud. Panic coursed through me as I tried to move, but it was as if my body had run out of energy. I lay there, my limbs heavy and unresponsive, the sensation of strain overwhelming me.

"M-Mamori!" I called out, my voice barely above a whisper. "Help!"

I heard a flurry of footsteps, and Mamori burst into the room, her eyes wide with concern. She knelt down beside me, her hand reaching out to steady me as I attempted to sit up.

"W-What happened? ," she asked, her voice trembling with worry.

"I don't know," I replied, my voice weak. "I just...collapsed."

Without hesitation, Mamori cupped her palm, and a warm, gentle light emanated from it. She placed her glowing hand on my legs, and the light seemed to seep into my skin. The sensation was comforting, and I could feel the energy slowly returning to my limbs. As the light dissipated, my legs felt stronger, and I was able to stand up with Mamori's assistance.

"What caused you to collapse like that?" Mamori asked.

"I don't know," I admitted, biting my lip. "It's like my body just...gave out."

Mamori frowned, concern etched on her face. I paused, trying to comprehend what happened. But my mind was blank, as if the memories had been erased. "What's that?" I heard Mamori ask.

I looked at where she was pointing and saw the faint light from my necklace escaping from the fabric of my dress. I tried to focus, but it was as if answers had never existed. The harder I tried, the more frustrated I became.

"Maybe we should head downstairs," Mamori suggested, her voice gentle. "Perhaps Miss Alice can help."

I nodded. "Yeah."

As we made our way downstairs, the creaking wooden stairs seemed to groan as I descended, Mamori's light footsteps barely audible beside me. I couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation, like a knot twisting in my stomach. Then, as Mamori and I reached the bottom of the stairs, I could hear Billy's sharp and crisp Southern accent, though the words were indistinct. Suzie would no doubt be hanging on every word. I glanced over at Mamori, her eyes crinkling up in that way that seemed so uniquely hers.

We were about to go and ask Augustus about my necklace, but we were interrupted when Miss Alice had gathered everyone in the sitting room. The well-worn furniture and faded wallpaper appeared almost elegant in this light. Then, I paused in the doorway, taking in the scene before me. Miss Alice stood tall and regal in a fancy black dress that hugged her slender frame, with a matching clip-on hat perched atop her black hair. Her lips were painted a bold red as usual, a daring difference from her monochromatic dress that accentuated her ageless beauty. The younger orphans, Molly and Wallace, were fidgeting with their clothes, clearly uncomfortable in their Sunday best. Suzie and Billy stood off to the side, their chemistry almost palpable as they whispered to one another.

Because of the gathering, my mind had forgotten about my necklace, just like Mamori.

As Miss Alice's eyes landed on Mamori and me, her stern expression transformed into a warm smile. "Ah, there you are. Come, meet our newest family member," she beckoned as she gestured to the boy standing beside her.

He was perhaps four to six years younger than me, with shiny hair and brown eyes that seemed to stare right into my soul. His posture was stiff, and he looked rather uncomfortable in his neatly pressed clothes.

"Andreus Schapiro." Miss Alice introduced him, her voice filled with affection. It was spelled a-n-d-r-e-u-s, but the s was silent.

Mamori then waved enthusiastically and plastered on her friendliest face at him, her eyes almost closing in delight. I simply offered a small smile, nodding in greeting. I couldn't shake the memory of what I'd overheard during one of my late-night eavesdropping sessions: Andreus had been cast out by his own family for being gay.

As the introductions continued, I studied Andreus more closely. He seemed to be putting on a brave face, but I could see the hurt lurking behind his eyes.

"Prim, Mamori," Miss Alice said, gesturing towards the boy, "I'd like to introduce you to our newest family member, Andreus."

Mamori inched forward and offered her hand to the young boy. "I'm Mamori. It's so nice to meet you," she said, smiling.

I offered a small nod, acknowledging his presence, but remained quiet. It wasn't that I had anything against him; I just found it difficult to interact with new people. "Primrose," I muttered, barely looking up from the thread I'd been playing with.

Miss Alice continued, "Andreus, these are Primrose and Mamori. They've been with us for a while now."

Andreus hesitated for a moment, then shyly extended his hand towards Mamori, who shook it with a smile. His eyes flicked at me, but he seemed to understand my reticence and didn't attempt any further interaction. Instead, he offered me a small, tentative smile.

Mamori then hunched over as she began telling Andreus all about our home. "You're going to love it here," she assured him, her voice a comforting little lilt. "We've met some really amazing people, and there are even other gifted beings like us."

I couldn't help but feel a flicker of warmth in my chest as Mamori spoke. She had been through so much, yet she always managed to find the silver lining. Her optimism and positivity were a beacon in our often-difficult lives, and I was grateful for her presence.

As Mamori spoke, Andreus visibly relaxed, the tension in his shoulders easing. He even chuckled softly at one of her anecdotes, and I could see a bond beginning to form between the two. I knew that Mamori's kindness would help Andreus feel welcome and at ease in his new home.

Slowly, the others came as they introduced themselves. I even recalled Eli telling one of his jokes that made Andreus chuckle. Was it something about gummy bears? Was it? Or, if I'm not mistaken, he punned as he asked Andreus what candy had no teeth, to which he answered gummy bears.

"Good, right?" Eli said.

"Anyway," Mamori interrupted, her voice gentle stopping Eli's laighter, "we're all a family here. It might be tough at first, but we'll always have each other's backs."

Her words resonated with me, and I felt a rare smile tug at the corner of my lips. Despite my typical aloofness, I knew that she was right. in a way.

But then again, I looked down at my necklace and watched as it softly pulsed a faint light once again.