There are certain things the mind cannot comprehend. People fall into the same routines of thinking day after day; toss an apple and it falls to the ground. Pick a flower and it withers. Fall asleep in your bed and wake there the next morning.
But this. This was like dropping an apple and having it fall toward the sun.
Cora Mason dug her hand into her temples as she awoke. Her head was foggy and dazed. The ceiling no longer had the space themed stars and moon. The walls; plain of her paintings and posters. Her bedroom windows, now filled with a red dusty material. There was no door to her room, just an endless desert with dunes.
Wherever she was, it definitely wasn't Virginia.
She rubbed her temples as a sharp throbbing pain went through her head. She must've been out for hours---or maybe days--- there was no clock to tell the time. Nor an alarm clock to wake her.
Her clothes; she was wearing this long silky white dress. With spaghetti straps and a few ribbons. Her hair looked as if it had been brushed.
She felt the soft sand against her feet; walking out of what she thought was her room. This wasn't her room at all. It was a small cottage house type thing. It was old looking, with a riggidy roof.
She awoke in a city, she didn't quite recognize. There was a diner, other houses, a huge wall? What was a huge wall doing in the middle of a desert? Black windows? Cora leaned against the wall along with her head throbbing. She rubbed against her temples and fell to the ground.
She sat up quickly when she head waves hitting the shore. She rushed to the ocean, waves hitting the shore. Cora didn't see a rock laying still in the sand; and tripped over it. "Ow!" She yelled. Thinking no one would hear her.
"I saw that from a while away, that was a bad fall." She jumped when she heard a boys voice from above her. He had black hair and a scar over his right eye. Cora freaked out and quickly ran---or tried too--- into one of the houses.
She ended out on the floor in the sand. She pressed her temples against her throbbing head. Her vision was blurry; but she could still see his body coming closer.
"Hey, you okay?" He put his hand on her shoulder softly. "Here"
He held his hand out in front of her. She was hesitant at first but reached to grab it. Cora looked around at the sight. "Where am I? Where did you take me?" She raised her voice and crossed her arms. "Funny, you think I took you." He continued. "If I took you, would I be wearing this?"
He's right. He was wearing a similar outfit. Long pants and one of those shirts that look like bandages. His hair glimmered in the sun when her's flew in the wind.
"Follow me, I found something along the shore." Cora looked at him like he was crazy. How was she supposed to trust him when she doesn't even know who he is?
"Follow you?! I don't even know you!" He looked at Cora desperately. "The names Lucky. And Cora, it's a girl against the shore! Just come on!"
"How do you know my name?!" She yelled following him. "Don't worry about that. Look!"
A girl; a girl's washed against the shore!
Cora felt the throbbing in her head again, but she quickly rushed to the girls side. She had long brown hair, she couldn't see her eyes since they were closed.
She tried to shake her awake, but nothing happened. Then she felt her pulse. Nothing. Cora sat at her side, feeling tears rise in her pupils.
"Hey, you okay?" She jumped up and hugged him, crying. "Oh my god, she's dead! Lucky, she's dead!" Cora said, sobbing.
"Cora, are you sure she's dead? She could be asleep." He walked closer to the girl and checked her pulse.
"Yes. I believe she is dead."
They both froze at the voice. "Did you say something Cora?"
Cora shook her head to the question. "No--- I didn't---"
"She is correct. My name is Sarassi." Cora turned and looked up slowly to see a tall woman standing behind them. She was wearing a black robe with fifteen knots? Why so many knots?
"Her name was Yasmine. She swam into the ocean before we adjusted the water level."
"Was?" Lucky was curious. When Cora knew exactly what she meant.
"She died, I'd say about a minute ago. Boy two and girl two please head back into your houses. I will send my cohorts to take care of her."
Boy two? Girl two? Cora thought. It must've been their code names for wherever they were.
"Now." This time Sarassi raised her voice at them. Lucky quickly tried to pull Cora with him. "Cora"
Cora quickly fell to the ground, face in her hands. Lucky got down with her and picked her up. "Get her to the diner now. There's an upstair room. Your caretaker should be here soon."
Sarassi was holding Yasmine in her sleeved arms. Cora still sobbing in Lucky's chest.
With a blink, Sarassi was gone. She just disappeared with nothing left but a smite of dust.
Lucky brought Cora to the diner and up to the room. He laid her on the bed and sat next to her. "Cora---" she pushed his hand away; he was trying to comfort her. Lucky hated seeing her upset, he definitely wouldn't tell her about their shared past.
"Please. Leave this room boy two. Let me talk to girl two." Lucky slowed turned around to a man standing at the end of the bed. He was standing in front of a big black window. His eyes darker than ones soul.
"No, I'm not letting you hurt Cora!" Lucky was just yelling now. "I would never wish to hurt one of you."
"One of us? Who else is here?"
"Four others. Sprawled across the habitats."
"Habitats?! We're not animals!"
"Boy two, please settle down. I just wish to talk to her."
"Lucky please, Sarassi said something about a caretaker. I believe that's him." Cora stood up and put her hand on Lucky's shoulder.
"Girl two is correct."
Lucky took a step outside of the diner, shutting the door behind him. "Who are you." Cora was fustrated. The caretaker could tell from her voice; and face. "My name is Cassian. The caretaker for the six of you."
She looked into the black window. Wondering why it didn't show the outside. "You seem confused."
Cora looked at him like he was crazy. "Of course I'm confused! I fell asleep in my bed and woke up in a desert!" He raised an eyebrow. "I understand, but I also understand that you can live under captivity."
"How the hell do you know what I can live under?!" He turned his dark black eyes away to the window.
"I've been watching you Cora."
"Oh so you do know my name."
"Of course I do. Why wouldn't I?"
"Oh I don't know. Maybe because you've been watching me." He looked at the window again and continued. "I haven't just been watching you. But also your mind captivity." She raised an eyebrow and walked towards the door. What a jerk. She thought inside her aching head.
"You seem to be in pain. Also I am not a "jerk." He paused for a minute. "I'm simply here to take care of the six of you."
"Wait, how did you know I called you a jerk?" He sighed but continued. "I can read minds Cora."
"Yeah right, news flash. Humans can read minds." He looked at her with what looked like a bit of pity for her. "Cora, I'm not human." She rolled her eyes and looked into his eyes. She was surprised when she saw a glimmer of light shine in the dark eye. "What are you then?"
"Kindred."
Kindred? She thought, looking at him curiously.
"Yes, the kindred. There is a paper with rules in that drawer. Read them, then call me if you have questions."
He pointed to a drawer in the side desk. It was tilt open just enough to see inside. Then he was gone. He disappeared. Just like Sarassi had.
Cora held up the piece of paper that had three rules listed. Rule one was good hygiene. Why would they lock us here if they want us to take care of ourselves.
She was already annoyed at the rules. Even if she had no choice but to follow. Rule two was to not fight between the others.
Why would I want to fight the others? Who are the others? Where are they? She stopped and stared at the third rule, like time had froze. They want us to reproduce?!