** this is long LOL **
[ 2:44 AM ]
"noonie! wake up!" i can feel my body being disturbed. all i can see is darkness. "alex! WAKE UP!"
i gasp awake and sit up looking around.
a field of baby blue flowers surround me. i turn to my left catching eyes with a small, ocher completed little girl.
she offers me a small smile as her sweet, innocent eyes linger on mine.
a string of memories play across my mind of the child in front of me; like a movie.
"APOLLONIA!" i exclaim, pulling her into a tight hug. "oh my god, no way this is real!"
it damn sure feels like it though. down to her body heat and the sun beaming down on us. even the smell of her cocoa scented hair.
i pull her away and stare at her. my hands roam over her arms and face, not believing she's actually in front of me.
"i missed you!" she grins.
"how- how is this possible? where am i apple? where are we?"
"my happy place," she answers.
"your happy place?" i repeat, she nodding at my words. "wha- how?" i rub my face.
"dominic's in trouble," she says. "we need your help."
"dominic's in trouble?"
"keep up noonie!"
"i'm trying mamas. you need to break this down for me."
"i don't have enough time! we're going to be coming for you!"
"who's we? what's going on with dominic?"
"you didn't feel him fade away?" she questions.
"i don't know what that means."
she huffs, annoyed.
"soraya, grayson, matt, juniper and me will be on our way to save you. i can heal dominic! i can bring him back but we'll need your help. can i trust you?"
"we're family apollonia," i tell her, caressing her cheek, "we're all we have. of course you can trust me."
she smiles.
"good, because it's time to wake up."
"what?"
she lifts her arm and presses her index finger to the center of my forehead. upon her touch, an electric vibration transudes through my body.
my vision turns white.
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
"have you ever felt... different?" dominic questions, sitting in front of my mattress with a concerned face.
i frown, wondering what he could be referring to.
"what nigga?"
"like, i don't know bro! just... electricity wise?"
elec-
"yo, what are you on?"
i don't want to sound judgmental.
someone important to us just died a crazy ass way. he could be accepting shit weirdly.
"something happened bro! something insane!"
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
the sound of something shattering inside of the livingroom stops me in my tracks to my room.
dom!
i kick it into high gear, running through the hallway.
"dom?! you okay bro?!"
he stands slowly from the middle of the room, the shattered lightbulb falling off his body.
the only light illuminating the place is from the kitchen.
"yo... you're going to freak!"
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
"i've proved that i can control lights, why would i lie about being able to make a shield?" dom questions.
i place my hand on his shoulder.
"because you want your little brother to think you're cool! it's okay."
he chips his lips and shrugs my hand off his shoulder.
"i'm telling the truth."
"so even the girl with the bitchy mom has powers too?"
"yeah bro the whole thing was crazy as fuck! you have to believe me."
"i believe you. this shit is crazy!"
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
i rub my eye as i walk toward the livingroom hearing voices traveling from it.
i walk in seeing dominic and the girl who's supposed to have powers holding hands.
"dom?" i question, pulling the both of them away from each other at my sudden interruption.
they both look at me.
"what's up alex?" dom asks, looking uncomfortable.
"uh why is she here?"
"i'm ray," she speaks up, an annoyed atmosphere surrounding her.
"alex," i introduce back, "why is she here?" i repeat.
i don't mean to come off rude, but i'm curious about this power stuff.
maybe she knows something.
"you guys related?" she questions.
she's stand off-ish. i assume major trust issues, but with the mom she has and the newfound powers, it makes sense.
"yeah. my younger brother," dom answers.
"so i'm sure you've told him."
"about the lights? yeah, which i'm not sure i know exactly what that means, but he controls lights!" i grin.
my brother the superhero!
how the fuck?!
"i think it's more. i feel it when we touch," she says looking at dom.
it's a look i've never seen any girl give to him. i'm sure he's peepin' it too. she's got a weird energy.
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
knockknockknockknockknockknockknock
i rush to the door.
it's probably dom and ray. they did leave a while ago.
i open the door and two men dressed in black suits, hats, and sunglasses stand before me.
an uneasy feeling settles in my core and i step halfway out the door, cracking it.
"is dominic david fike home?" one speaks.
"who's asking?" i ask back, looking them up and down.
"is dominic david fike home?" they repeat.
i fold my arms across my chest.
"he's not."
"where is he?"
"hell if i know," i tell them.
who the fuck are they?
"alex, i suggest you let us know where dominic fike is."
how do they know our names?
"i don't know where he is. i don't see a warrant, therefore get the fuck out of my face."
the two share a look.
one of them produces something from their pocket.
before i'm able to even react, the cap is off and the needle is stuck in my neck.
everything goes black.
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
"on updates about this new virus- officials are still trying to understand the effects, how it's contracted, why it is insanely contagious. their only advice right now: stay indoors and hug and care for your loved-"
the tv goes black.
"enough of that! okay? we are going to be just fine. right sweetheart?" mama tells me, holding my cheeks in her hands as we sit on the couch together. "we have all we need in here. just you and me. i hope your brothers are okay."
"dommy and noonie are okay. they're going to come here to be with us. i know it."
"you're right baby! i know you are. let's get some sleep!" she smiles and gives me a kiss on my head.
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
i open my eyes, gasping for air.
i look around.
last thing i remember is being at the apartment, and according to me being strapped down- this is not the apartment.
a young woman with platinum blonde hair stands in a corner, in the dark.
"calm down mr. alex," she says stepping into the light, allowing me to see who she is and her sadistic grin.
she's maybe mid 30's, small features, an accent of some sort trailing behind some of her words.
"what the fuck is going on?!" i question.
why am i restricted?
"you just need to tell me all you know and this-," she says, gesturing at my state and the room, "-won't go any further."
"what?" i exasperate. "what are you talking about?"
she pinches the bridge of her nose.
"please don't play that game mr. alex. i'm giving you one chance to come clean about dominic and tell me where he is. what the hell is going on?"
"what the hell is going on?!" i question, trying to wriggle myself free somehow.
someone wearing a mask stands over me and forces something wooden in my mouth.
i look at the platinum blonde woman as she just watches with a sick smile.
a stabbing pain stabs into my spine and my entire body tenses up.
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
"mama?" i giggle pushing her room door open and enter. "mama! wake up! it's time for breakfast!"
she made everything, set the table, so why didn't she wake me?
i climb into her bed, her back to me.
she's probably joking around! she does this all the time!
i prepare myself for her to pop up and tickle me.
"mama," i drag out, letting her know i've caught on to her game. i shake her. "mama! c'mon! i'm up! let's go eat!" i laugh.
i shake her more and turn her over. i gasp and jump back at what's in front of me.
coming out of mommy's face everywhere is a red liquid. it covers her face. it's in her hair.
she doesn't even move.
"mama?" i whisper, vision blurring. my heart beats fast.
this is everything the news said would happen.
"mama!" i try again, tears rushing out of my eyes.
she's gone. the tv said that if this happens that it means that they're... gone.
i whimper to myself and look around mama's room.
it's just me.
i lay down next to mama.
"don't worry mama. dommy and noonie are going to come. noonie and him will know what to do."
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
"welcome back mr. alex! we almost lost you for a sec there," ann grins down on me.
my brain is unable to form any type of sentence.
from what i can remember, she's ann and i was taken from my apartment.
she's been torturing me.
"is family that important to you that you'd lose your life over them... again?" she chuckles. "next time i can leave you brain dead. can your pea-size brain understand that? you'll never have the opportunity to see your brother again. your mother, little sister."
tears brim my eyes.
theirs so many things i want to scream at her. tell her she's not the shit and never will be.
but with my mouth open, no sound comes out.
"what's wrong? cat got your tongue?" she chuckles.
i want to get up and kill her.
she can't do this!
this is illegal!
who is she?
"you, your family, and the young woman you teamed up with are going down. we'll figure it all out alex. by then, you won't be able to remember your own name. i can make you into anyone i want. you can keep playing dumb, but no one can mess with the human mind the way i can."
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
i search through the tv channels, the news on every single channel.
where are the cartoons?
i sigh to myself and cut it off, setting the remote down on the couch next to me.
briiiing briiiing
sounds like mommy's phone!
i jump down off the couch and make my way into mama's room.
she's still in the same spot i left her. i expect her to move or do anything but she doesn't.
i follow the sound of her phone walking around the bed and pull it off the charger.
i read the name on the phone: dominic.
i quickly press the green button and press the phone to my ear.
"dommy?"
"apple?" he speaks, his voice making my body relax.
"dommy something happened to mommy!"
"how long ago?" he asks me.
"since... i'm not sure."
"you need to be specific apple okay? i really need to know!" he yells at me. "was it dark out? light? do you remember a time?"
"well the sun was out, so either this morning or something because it's been a long time since i've eaten something. mommy cooked breakfast so after that!" i explain.
"okay," he sighs, "apple, listen to me mama, i'm coming. i'm on my way. try to find something in the pantry or fridge but DO NOT touch the stove or oven, understand?"
"really?! will noonie be with you?"
"alex is dealing with some things right now but i promise that after we get you, we'll go to noonie okay?"
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
"who do you want to be mr. alex? you want to be someone that takes the fall for shit you didn't even know was happening? i mean, you thought you moved to houston because you guys were starting over. that's not your fault alex. you have a chance to save yourself," ann says, looking down on me.
my body is heavy as i'm laying on a cot. i can barely move or speak.
"is that all you do?" i strain out. my throat burns. my voice is nearly nonexistent. i wouldn't be surprised it's permanently damaged. "i'm tired... of hearing you speak. you don't know shi-" i cough. "you don't know shit about me. or my family."
"you could say the same about me. isn't that correct mr. alex?"
"you know? i know a girl stubborn just like you. you two wouldn't get along," i try to laugh and end up almost coughing out a lung. "FUCK!"
dominic would never betray me. i know he wouldn't. i don't know what plan he's got going on but i hope i'm included.
"E. 19-20. now."
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
dommy is here! dommy is here!
i can barely contain my excitement as i rock on the heels of my feet waiting for dommy's three knocks.
knock! knock! knock!
i rush to the front door and yank it open. dommy bends down to hug me and once i touch him, something shocks my entire body.
"ow!" i yell and jump back, a cold feeling washing over my body.
*️⃣ *️⃣ *️⃣
"have you ever felt... different?"
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
"do you feel that?" dommy asks me as a vibration runs through my body. it's like a low hum. subtle yet powerful.
i push him away from our hug a little to look at my arms.
"what is this? are you shocking me?"
"no," dom chuckles. "ray, i think apple's special."
*️⃣ *️⃣ *️⃣
"have you ever felt... different?"
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
"you are pretty stubborn. you show incredible mental strength," echoes around me.
i open my eyes staring into darkness. it surrounds me. i reach out into it, the temperature cold yet hot.
this place... feels unsafe.
"mr. alex fike," the echoing voice speaks. i realize now it's ann.
what's going on?
"i'm not the enemy here," she continues, "you have to understand that."
no way i'm believing that.
believing she's not the enemy would go against everything i stand for.
"you want to know what your brother did to this country- to this world?! ask soraya peters."
soraya peters?
who's-
so-ray-a...
ray?!
the bitchy mom chick?
what the hell does she have to do with anything?
"on top of destroying the world, she's the one who took dominic away from you. you want him to come and save you; she's keeping him from doing that."
dominic didn't know soraya.
we didn't know her.
i think?
we knew of her but she never spoke a word to any of us.
i would know that.
she would be familiar to me and she's not.
"you're lying!" i shout into the void, my own voice echoing.
she's lying!
"oh alex," she chuckles. "we'll see which one of us are lying."
i frown at her response.
how is she doing this?!
i rub my face in annoyance. she's going to try to break me.
i can't let her.
i can't forget me or where i'm from.
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
dommy holds my face in his hands.
we're going to show you something cool," he grins.
he stands and walks a few feet away.
he balls his hands into fists and a blue ball forms around him.
my jaw drops and i look at soraya who's not impressed by what dommy is doing.
how is he-?!
what's going on?
"you think that's cool?" soraya chuckles and walks to dom. "how would you like to go for a ride?"
"huh?"
she stares at me and the longer she does, the tingles in my body get more present, my body feeling light- like a feather!
i look down and see my feet are rising off the ground.
"how are you- what's go- WHAT?!"
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
"now."
a rag is placed over my head.
i brace myself as the water suffocates me, the rag making it worse. i choke, my body resenting the force the guards have on me to hold me down.
the water stops and i'm sat up. the rag is removed from my face.
i cough up water, nearly throwing up.
"come on fike! you know what i want," ann sighs, crouched across from me.
i try to breathe, just staring at her.
"this vow of silence isn't going to last long. i mean, the worst is yet to come! you can stop this though."
i don't say anything.
my family is all i have. i would never betray them.
ann sighs and stands.
"again."
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
in the darkness the tingle that dommy's hug shock caused, flutters in my stomach and throughout my body.
it feels...
i don't know how it feels!
what is this?!
"i'm scared," i whimper, looking around in the dark. i'm afraid to open my eyes.
from a distance i can feel the squeeze of my hand from the side soraya is on.
"you're special apple, just like dom and i," i hear her, "let the feeling take control and you'll find out just how special you are."
"i'm right here mamas," dommy says.
they're right here with me. i'm okay.
"you can do it."
i stop myself from panicking and try to steady my breath.
"relax," soraya whispers, "let everything go. nothing else matters baby girl, except you, and what you can do."
only what i can do.
i can do it.
i let the tingles take over.
"in-fucking-VISIBILITY!" i hear soraya shout. "your sister can turn invisible!"
i look down at my body.
it's gone!
"i'm invisible!" i yell, my body coming back.
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
i watch my hair fall down into my lap. the sound of the hair clippers being the only noise.
she's not going to strip me of my identity.
i won't let her.
"give it up mr. alex," ann speaks, her voice traveling to my ears from a speaker above. "really it's not that hard to form words and tell me how everything happened."
my hands are cuffed to the chair so there's no point in moving- not like i have the energy to move around anyway.
i stare at the speaker, wishing i could destroy it with my eyes.
"that's okay. i can find out alex. my ways are full proof."
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
"c'mon princess-"
"we honestly have no time to argue about this. we need to go," i hear.
i open my eyes, rubbing them to wipe the blurry away.
what's happening?
i see raya join me after standing in front of the open sliding door. she sits against the side of the van and i crawl to her.
i want to sleep on her chest and in her arms.
grayson, dominic, and someone who looks familiar step inside the van.
"ray, this is my friend matt. matt, this is ray, my power partner," dommy says.
oh yeah! matt!
"hi," he speaks up, "oh damn! apple you got huge!"
*️⃣ *️⃣ *️⃣
"have you ever felt... different?"
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
"moving to houston in two days," i speak, sitting next to dom as him and max pass a blunt back and forth.
"new scenery," max speaks.
"i've got business to handle out there," dom says.
"business?" i question.
that sentence seemed... forced.
"yeah. business," he states, inhaling the blunt.
"what business do you have in houston? we chose that place at random. especially after all the shit we just resolved," i tell him.
"it's cool. we won't- y'all don't have anything to do with it."
"bro. what?" max questions.
i look around our place.
something is off.
"here bro."
i look at dominic, a creepy smirk on his face as he offers me the blunt.
i frown and back away standing up.
max and dominic contort and twist their bodies, turning into something inhuman.
what the hell is going on?!
this isn't real. this isn't real. this isn't real.
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
"dom's right. two days ago the death toll was two million, but yesterday, they predicted 10 million people to die. in only five days," matt says as i'm coloring my bluebonnet.
"10 million?!" raya exclaims. i look at her and a look of confusion sits on her face.
that must be a lot...
"two million deaths didn't really affect anyone. people were still going out and places were still open," dommy says, "but 10 million? that's going to shake the world."
"yeah, people are about to straight up lose morals," matt says, "'cause that's not even the worst part. today that number will hit 50 million."
what does 50 million look like?
i go back to coloring.
"50 million?! grayson yells.
"globally- 'cause this shit isn't just happening here- the death toll will reach a billion deaths," matt says.
"i can't even bother to imagine a billion fucking people. sorry apple," raya says and i look at her.
i watch as she stares ahead with a worried look on her face.
"a billion people?" dommy asks.
something feels wrong...
"and not stopping," matt says.
i watch raya as she starts breathing really hard.
"no, what actually is this virus?" grayson questions. "none of this is normal."
"us having powers isn't normal either."
tears start falling from raya's eyes.
"raya?" i question, drawing everyone's attention.
"ray..." dommy says.
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
"you want to find out the truth?" ann questions standing in front of a white board.
i look down and i'm sat at a desk. i try to get up but can't.
"here's the truth."
the sound of a projector starts up next to me. i turn and see one that wasn't there before.
i look back toward the white board and see ann disappeared.
this isn't real, i tell myself.
the projector continues to play on top of the white board.
it's dominic.
he's on the phone.
the scene looks hacked from somewhere.
"yeah, i'll be there in like 20 hours. i'll be able to hook everything up for you once i'm there."
soraya pops up on the screen as if it's a cut in a movie.
"perfect. this will all be perfect. i've been able to form a new DNA strand. i'll show you. you're going to be helping so many people!"
dominic comes back on the screen.
"aye bro, we're all loaded up. you ready?" i watch myself ask dominic, standing in the doorway of our florida apartment.
"yeah. i'm ready." i leave the doorway. "meet you in 20 hours," he says into the phone and hangs up.
he looks at the camera, walks over and as the scene in front of me changes and goes black; i see it's a laptop camera.
no.
i would remember that.
he wasn't on the phone the day we left for houston.
i think i would know that.
this isn't true.
we didn't know soraya before. i know we didn't!
i don't know what soraya did but my brother wasn't involved.
dominic isn't stupid.
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
"i don't want to... you know! anymore people!" grayson whines next to me.
"but honestly, why not?" raya asks.
"are you okay soraya?" gray asks.
"the world is already dying! what's-" raya clears her throat, "-going to amount to?"
do they not know i know what they're talking about? i told raya never again and she goes and says that?
"uhm, i don't know, them finding a cure and we go to jail for..." dom says not finishing his sentence.
i hope they know they sound dumb.
"cures take years to develop," matt speaks.
"and we sort of seem to be at an advantage when it comes to well, anyone! we just found out apple can superhear!" raya says about me.
maybe i shouldn't have said anything...
"it's still scary to be on the run," grayson finally says.
it is. it is scary. very scary.
"stop being a pussy!" raya yells, "everyone in this van has something to lose to a certain extent. it's us against anyone that dares to show us any type of disrespect! if you're with me, let me lead you to victory!"
someone bangs on something.
i smile at raya's words.
she's right.
we shouldn't be scared.
we're amazing.
better than anyone else.
"are you done?" dommy asks.
"yeah, i've always wanted to do a speech like that," raya laughs. "seriously though, we can't be pussies. sorry apple. we can't be scared anymore. we're scared and they become ahead of us."
"we still don't even know who's exactly after us," dommy tells her.
"doesn't fucking matter. they took alex. delaware is a warning. we're not going to get comfortable. we can't get comfortable. we're gonna do this shit right."
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
i open my eyes, the infinite cold yet warm darkness back.
"alex... aleeeex," ann's voice drags out echoing around me. "let me in. this method never takes this long. you must really care about your family!"
"i'd do anything for them! you understand me?! can you hear me?! i will die for them! and you'll have nothing!" i shout, not caring about my vow of silence anymore. "FUCK YOU!"
"ah! did you just slip there?" she asks.
"i really don't know shit!"
"we'll see mr. alex. we'll see."
*️⃣ *️⃣ *️⃣
"have you ever felt... different?"
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
"wait, you two have to switch," raya says to grayson, pointing to me.
gray and i switch my vacuum thing for his tiny remote.
i kind of feel sad that i have the smallest thing to break, but it's okay! i'm still going to smash something!
dommy holds up three fingers.
then two.
then one.
"DIE!" i scream and begin beating the remote into as many pieces as i can with my stick.
i laugh, looking around at everyone else hitting their things.
this is so much fun!
*️⃣ *️⃣ *️⃣
"have you ever felt... different?"
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
"do you believe now mr. alex about your brother and his affiliation with ms. peters?" ann speaks sitting in front of me.
a silver rectangular table sits in between us.
"i will never believe a thing you say," i spit at her.
darkness surrounds us. an endless void that feels familiar.
i hate it.
"you do realize we're ruthless? we're going to break you. and we'll be grinning ear to ear when we do."
"FUCK YOU!"
i try to move. to jump over the table and attack her, but i'm stuck in place. i can't do anything except look her in her stupid face.
"if you don't believe me, then ask your brother."
she disappears and so does the table.
the darkness transforms itself into the apartment complex in houston. i look down and there's a taped up box in my arms.
max is walking into the apartment with two.
"you gonna keep standing there or you gonna move?" i hear behind me.
i turn around seeing dom holding his guitar case and a small box in the other hand.
"oh! uh, sorry bro," i tell him and continue walking into the apartment.
i set my box down in my room and go back out to grab more. i catch dom in the hallway.
"wait! bro!" i call after him.
"what's up?" he asks turning around to me.
"uhm... why are we in houston?"
"what?"
i clear my throat.
"i mean, do you have business here? i thought it was a random place we picked to move to."
"it was bro. you okay?"
"yeah," i sigh, my body relaxing. "yeah, it's just... do you know a soraya?"
"soraya? who's that?"
"uhm, anyone call you about materials?" i ask him.
he frowns.
"what are you talking about? you gettin' in my business now?" he questions.
"what? no i'm-"
"stop listening too hard. don't worry about me little bro. i'm good."
he turns around to go back out to the truck.
what just happened?!
no way this shit is real.
no fucking way.
the darkness, the table, and ann reappear.
"do you believe now?" she asks with a sigh.
"i know this trick ann. you can't break me. i know my brother. and i know, wherever he is, he's coming for. you won't stand a chance!" i scream, the physics restrain on my body back again.
i want to throw the table. i want to lay punches on her and i would never hit a woman.
"do your worst malecot. i'm fucking ready for you," i smirk.
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
i push my wet hair out of my face. i get out of bed and go to open the door, tears falling down my face.
i take the stairs, two by two.
"dommy!" i call out again, almost falling down a step but catching myself on the hand rail.
"apple?" i hear dom.
i finally get off the stairs and follow his voice.
"dommy!" i cry and find him in the kitchen with raya.
"apple what's wrong?" he asks walking up and crouching down in front of me.
"i-i had a b-bad d-dream!" i cry, throwing myself into him. he wraps his arms around me and squeezes tight.
"i'm right here," he whispers to me. "you're okay."
i hug him back, trying to calm myself down.
it seemed so real.
"we can talk about it later," dominic says.
"what's going on?" i ask, pulling away from him and wiping my eyes.
"your brother wants to be an idiot!"
"apple, i have a plan to get alex."
*️⃣ *️⃣ *️⃣
"have you ever felt... different?"
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
i pace my "cell".
it's a grey four wall with one wall holding a mirror and another a sliding door.
i hit my head with my hand.
think alex. think.
how do i make it stop?
how do i get ahead?
i can't seem to remember anything of when we were moving to houston much any more.
i'm sure ann's got a reason to do with that.
i stop in front of the mirror. i stare at myself.
i hope she's there. i hope she can see the determination on my face.
i'll have the strength of a million men. i'll fight until the end.
the speaker above my head to the right cracks to life.
"mr. alex," ann says, "maybe simple torture will work."
it's quiet.
i brace myself for guards to burst through the door. for a needle to knock me unconscious.
"alex. it's me. it's dom," plays from the black box. i frown. "what are you doing bro?"
they caught him? they have him?
"i missed you. i missed you so much bro, but these are big people. you can't outsmart them."
i have nothing to outsmart!
he knows that...
"i'm not coming for you."
it's his voice. down to the octave. it hurts though. it stings. to think that he would give up on me... no man. i could never think like that.
but i know it's not real.
dominic wouldn't leave me.
i have that much hope in him.
in my family.
they would never leave me.
"you have to tell ann everything. you're my brother right?"
now i know it's fake.
i'll give ann her credit though.
"alex. it's me. it's dom," his voice repeats. "what are you doing bro?"
his monologue repeats, and when finished repeats again.
and again.
and again.
and again.
and again.
even though it's not real, 'i'm not coming for you' stabs deep into my core each time he says it.
it's not dominic.
it's his voice.
but it's not him.
it torments me, as if he was standing in front of me saying it to my face.
"i missed you. i missed you so much bro, but these are big people. you can't outsmart them."
outsmart...
i need to figure out how...
"i'm not coming for you."
i roll my eyes.
if she's going to use dominic against me she should try to make it more realistic.
dom's my blood.
he'd never betray me.
i look back toward the mirror, staring in to my dead eyes.
i ball my fist and punch the glass. my hand bounces off, a stinging sensation replacing what once was perfectly fine.
i clench my fist tighter and hit it again, the thumping of the interaction sounding like a knock on the door.
i look at the door.
i open my mouth and let out all of my frustration, confusion and rage at it.
i scream and i scream.
i want to leave.
"i missed you. i missed you so much, but these are big people. you can't outsmart them."
"shut up! shut up!"
my body begins to vibrate. something tremors inside of me coming from my core.
"i'm not coming for you."
"FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU!"
my nails dig into the palm of my hands. the vibrational hum grows louder and it makes itself more present.
"you have to tell ann everything. you're my brother right?"
no.
i'm not.
"you're not my brother," i mutter to myself.
a pulse of energy emerges from my body and seconds later the black speaker box falls to the ground in pieces.
i fall to my knees and hands, drained of all my energy.
i don't even care.
it's over.
it's destroyed.
i smile to myself.
my vision blurs and i feel woozy.
my body collapses and everything goes black.
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
i open my eyes, looking around the room for dommy. i see him sitting up staring at the bathroom door.
"is it morning?" i ask him, my voice coming out low and cracked.
dommy looks at me and nods.
"yeah, it's morning. good morning mamas."
today's the day!
"you're leaving?"
he nods again.
i sit up and stretch.
"i know you want to come but-"
"dommy, you're going to get noonie! we'll be a family again!" i grin.
a true family!
the bathroom door opens and raya stands frozen looking at me and dom.
with raya there, we'll be even more of a family!
*️⃣ *️⃣ *️⃣
"have you ever felt... different?"
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
i try to open my eyes and can't. i stare at nothing. i try to move but my body is deadweight.
in the distance i hear a clicking sound. it draws closer until it stops by my ear.
"what are you?" echoes in my head. the feminine voice swirls around in my mind before i'm able to identify the voice. "you've opened up a brand new set of questions. one way or another you'll join my side; see my point of view. we're going to be a good team mr. alex. just you wait."
the click of what i presume are her heels drifts away from my ears.
what am i?!
her side?
her point of view?
she's told me nothing since i've been here. only demands me to tell her information that doesn't exist. to turn against my blood.
which i'll never do!
she knows that!
she knows that.
she knows that...
she knows that i'm never going to betray my family.
it's her main reason she's doing all of this.
so...
maybe i have to show her that she got her wish. maybe i have to be the guy she wants me to be.
maybe then i'll figure out what the hell is happening with anything.
maybe then i could find a way out of here.
maybe...
*️⃣ *️⃣ *️⃣
"have you ever felt... different?"
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
my shakes are lessening from ann's latest E.19-20.
that's what she calls them.
i fucking hate them.
there's a beep and the door slides open.
ann's men stand over me.
"GET UP! LET'S GO!" they shout, grabbing my arms and lifting my body up off the cot.
i can't feel my body or control myself. i let them drag me wherever.
i don't have the energy to fight back.
just no more!
i'm over it.
i just want to lay in my cot all day.
we go through a multitude of hallways until finally entering a new room.
the guard grabs my face and forces me to look at someone.
once my vision focuses, i can see the person standing a few feet away.
dominic?
*️⃣ *️⃣ *️⃣
"have you ever felt... different?"
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
"alex. it's me. it's dom," he whispers to me, taking a seat on the ground.
how long has she had my brother?
when did he get here?
in a way that doesn't matter.
he's here! he came for me. like i knew he would!
he's going to save me.
but ann can't know.
"dom? i have... i have a brother named dom," i smile, closing my eyes.
ann needs to believe that i don't know him. that i hate him.
"alex, look at me."
i turn my head towards him. i do everything to show that i don't remember him.
i can't react to him.
ann must be watching. wondering what the both of us will do.
"you remind me of someone," i tell him.
"alex... it's me. it's dominic!"
"dom-i-nic," i sound out, playing my role. i try to seem weary of everything, but the longer i'm
laying still, the woozy feeling fades. "... sounds familiar."
"what did they do to you?" he questions, eyes watering.
"bro! you're crying! the rooms kinda spinning but once it stops i can help," i tell him and look up at the ceiling.
"it's me alex," he stresses, "it's dominic. your brother. our mom is jessica. we have a little sister," he whispers to me.
i remember them.
they're the only thing that's kept me alive this long.
i think about mom and apollonia. i wonder if they're okay.
to keep from breaking down and ruining the facade, i burst out laughing.
"that's a nice joke man, you do not want to be dominic fike. the bastard left me and ran off with some bitch."
*️⃣ *️⃣ *️⃣
"have you ever felt... different?"
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
i walk up to him, laying a hand on his cheek.
a pulse of electricity courses through my hand from him- us.
what's this?
dom frowns at me.
i can visually see him register the answer to my question.
"you-"
i cock my arm back, punching him in the cheek.
"you're not my brother!"
*️⃣ *️⃣ *️⃣
"have you ever felt... different?"
⏪ ⏪ ⏪
the lights above us begin to flicker.
dominic looks up at them, then to me.
a vibration builds inside of me.
whatever it is, i fall into it, letting the feeling take over.
"you are not my brother," i grit through my clenched teeth.
"wait! ale-"
a force pulls from me and dom flies back.
i fall to my knees.
someone enters behind me.
"team four; another E.19-20."
*️⃣ *️⃣ *️⃣
apple stands in front of me.
"have you ever felt different?" she asks.
she touches the center of my forehead.
i gasp awake, tears streaming down my face.
i look around my cell.
"oh my god."