Bloodshot.
Emery Parker focused on her reflection in the hotel mirror. A pool of grey stared back at her, the usual whites of her eyes replaced with intersecting red and white lines. Gripping the edge of the sink, she turned the faucet on, watching the smooth stream of water as it circled down the drain. Her hands dove under the steady flow, cool water splashing onto her face. She reached for a towel and dried her hands, then patted her face dry.
Her index finger grazed the screen of her phone. Holoicons hovered in the empty space before her. Messages, contacts, email. But there was only one thing she could seem to focus on. The date.
June 1, 2055.
Emery eyed the holoicons for a few more seconds before smacking the phone to the corner of the bathroom counter. It teetered on the edge, begging to be saved from its inevitable crash-landing.
Her gaze met the distraught figure in the mirror. Dirt and ash matted her once rich auburn hair, and the dark circles under her eyes had shifted from a faint purple to a deep violet.
How had she gotten here?
Emery sighed, breaking eye contact with the pitiful image before her. Her knees buckled as she collapsed onto the frigid tile, the towel falling to the floor.
How had she let this happen?
Her head fell into her hands, fingers drumming against her temples in rhythm with her accelerating heartbeat. She focused on slowing her breathing.
One Mississippi. Two Mississippi. Three.
With a deep inhale, Emery hoped that she could somehow overcome the feeling of dread that had followed her for weeks. All she wanted was to go home. To see her mom and her sister. To know that they were safe.
But she couldn't go back. Not anymore. Her home-her world-was gone. Nonexistent.
She'd made sure of that.
Emery clasped her right hand over her chest, eyes closing as her heart calmed, the thud low and deep.
That was the thing about shattered hearts. Even in the midst of tragedy, they begin to heal.
+ + +
One year earlier.
Emery heaved the final box out of her palisade-blue bedroom, mesmerized by the sunbeams dancing on the walls like tightly wound ballerinas. Leaning against the doorframe for support, she lugged the box right in front of her younger sister's room. She knocked on the door and poked her head inside, scanning the room for any sign of Alexis. The room was vacant, aside from the television's weak attempt to break the silence.
Emery wandered down the hall in search of her sister's whereabouts. The den was empty. So was the guest bedroom. Alexis always seemed to disappear at the most inconvenient of times-not all that surprising for a thirteen-year-old.
"Emery," her mother called from the kitchen, "are you almost ready? If you don't leave soon, you're going to run into traffic!"
The time had finally come. Emery Rae Parker was about to transfer to boarding school at the prestigious Darden Preparatory . . . if she ever left and made it in time.
Over the ironclad railing, her sister's brown ponytail swayed as she climbed up the steep staircase. Alexis looked strung out and tired, or perhaps it was just the Arizona heat that had flushed her freckled cheeks beyond recognition.
"Please tell me this is the last one," Alexis said, looking down at the misshapen box.
Emery nodded with a sheepish smile. "It should be. I'll check one more time, just to be sure."
She jogged back to her bedroom, scanning the surfaces for any miscellaneous items that may have been left behind. A crinkled up photograph caught her eye, wedged in a corner underneath her desk. Pushing her chair out of the way, Emery crawled underneath the wooden structure, extending her arm as far as it would go. As her finger made contact with the edge of the photo, she tightened her grip and snatched it from the carpet.
She sat back on her heels, smoothing the photograph in her palm. It was a picture of her father, decked out in army gear from head to toe. He'd been deployed when she was just an infant, so memories of him were scarce. When she was just six years old, they'd received news that her father's assignment would be permanent.
She hadn't heard from him since.
Emery wiped a tear from her eye as she folded up the photo and stuck it in her back pocket. She pressed herself up off the ground and took a deep breath, pushing the thoughts of her father to the back of her mind, then made her way into Alexis's room, checking for the fourth and final time for anything her sister may have "borrowed" in the past and "forgotten" to return.
Just as Emery was about to head downstairs, something on the television caught her eye. The headline at the bottom of the news channel read: Testing in Progress for New Biofuel. She plopped onto the bed, turning up the volume as the director of the program gave his report.
"We're in the third and final phase of testing . . ."
Emery sat back in disbelief as the director and the reporter bantered back and forth. Nothing had moved forward in the way of science or technology for years and years. Twenty-eight years to be exact.
No advancements. No breakthroughs.
At just twelve years old, Emery had asked her mother about it, to which she'd simply replied that the government had stopped funding any and all exploration related to science or technology for tax purposes. Which meant that for over two decades, they'd had the same cars, the same medicine, the same phones and televisions.
Of course, Emery attempted to research the topic further, only to find that the internet was full of conspiracy theories and a whole lot of junk. Why the government had stopped the funding was the one overarching question of her generation.
And no one seemed to know the answer.
A deafening clatter sounded throughout the house. Emery clicked the television off and darted out of the room. From the landing, she could see her jewelry box and all its remnants splayed out on the tile. Alexis stood at the foot of the stairs, corners of a damaged box in hand. She looked as though she were about to burst.
Before her sister could make a scene, Emery rushed down the stairs to gather the array of earrings, necklaces, and bracelets that had spilled onto the floor. They each scooped up a pile and then headed toward the front door, their mother hot on their heels, surveying the house to make sure nothing had been left behind.
Alexis unlocked the doors of her sister's black Volkswagen Jetta and slid into the passenger's seat. Emery opened the driver's side door and dropped the remainder of the jewelry into the center console, then turned around to face her mom.
"Make us proud," Sandra fussed as she opened her arms for a hug.
Emery met her mother's warm embrace. "Do I really have a choice, being a Darden legacy and all?"
A wry smile crossed Sandra's face. "Ah, yes. Above all, I'll miss your sarcasm the most." She winked. "I can only hope that your experience at Darden will be longer lived than mine was." She paused, as if suddenly remembering something important. "Wait here just a second."
Emery watched as her mother scurried back inside the house. Through the window, she could see her rummaging through the drawers of the coffee table. A minute later, she returned, holding a small tin box with a yellow bow plopped on top.
"What's this?" Emery asked as she turned the box over in her hands. She didn't mean to sound ungrateful, but her family wasn't exactly the gift-giving type.
"Open it," her mother urged. She glanced over her daughter's shoulder, almost as if she were expecting someone.
Emery narrowed her eyes. "Are you alright?"
A wave of calm washed over her mother's face as she shifted her gaze from the street. "Yes, dear. I'm fine. Go on and open it."
Emery shook her head, trying not to read too much into her mother's behavior. She had her quirks, that was for sure, but Emery hadn't seen her this frazzled in a long time. She slid the bow off the box and lifted the lid to reveal a silver ring, an outline in the shape of a fish staring back at her.
"I've held onto that for quite some time, but I want you to have it now. It represents new beginnings." Sandra's lips curled upwards, but the smile didn't reach her eyes. "I want you to take good care of it."
Emery stared at her mother, trying to hide her confusion. "I will," she said as she slipped the ring over her right index finger, admiring the tiny diamonds embedded throughout. "It's beautiful."
A familiar look crossed her mother's face, one Emery hadn't seen since they'd received news of her father's permanent assignment. It was a look of uncertainty, confusion even, but there was something else laced in her expression.
Fear, maybe?
Sandra cocked her head to the side and stepped in for another hug. The embrace was longer this time, but Emery didn't mind. She wanted to soak up the moment for all it was worth.
"Go on now. I don't want you to be late for check-in."
Emery squeezed her mom's arm one last time before walking to the car. She lowered herself into the driver's seat and positioned herself in front of the steering wheel. Even though she'd had her driver's license for a month already, the freedom she felt when putting her hands on the wheel never got old. Emery reversed out of the driveway, then shifted the car into drive. Her eyes locked on the rearview mirror as her mother waved goodbye, the comfort and security of her home slowly disappearing behind her.
Alexis chatted away as she messed with the playlist, jumping from one song to the next, but Emery's focus was elsewhere as her mother's expression drifted across her mind. The furrow along her brow. The doubt lining her eyes. Why had she looked so frightened? The question plagued her as she drove along the freeway, the music humming softly in the background.
Alexis turned in her seat with a whimsical expression on her face. "You look nervous," she teased as she playfully poked Emery's arm.
"You caught me," Emery admitted with a smile, even though her nerves felt like ticking time bombs. As a transfer student, she had absolutely no idea what to expect. After hearing so many conflicting things about boarding school, it was hard to choose what to believe.
During her two years at public school, Emery had joined the track team and chemistry club-the latter due to her mother's influence-but finding a group she fit in with had been almost impossible. Seeing as her mother was a single parent, it was no surprise that Sandra had taken a "mother hen" approach when it came to raising both of her daughters. And so, both Emery and Alexis's lives revolved around academics.
Social outings were limited to gatherings after track meets and homecoming dances. From what Emery had heard, boarding school was a sort of punishment-a place where the bad eggs went, yet she wasn't one of them. She was as good as they came, and yet, she was still being sent there. All because of her legacy status at Darden.
"Hellooo," her sister cooed as she waved one hand across her face. "You just faded out there for a good five minutes. Is something wrong?"
"No, not really. I was just thinking about you and mom and how much I'm going to miss you guys."
Alexis laughed. "It's just boarding school. You're only going to be three hours away. We'll still be here when you come back to visit. Nothing is going to change."
"Speaking of which," Emery started as she dug through the center console, "have you seen my phone?"
Alexis turned around and lifted her sister's purse from the backseat, then pulled her phone out. "Got it."
"I forgot to text Riley and Anthony. I said I'd let them know once we left the house."
Alexis swiped her finger across the phone to unlock it. "I'll text them for you." She began to key in a message, then stopped. "Hey, why didn't they come to the house to see you off? You'd think your best friend and your boyfriend would want to say bye before you left."
Emery sighed. "Anthony's at summer camp for football and Riley's on vacation with her family."
"That's cutting it kind of close, isn't it?"
Emery shook her head. "Public school starts two weeks later than Darden does, so they don't have to be back as early." A bout of sadness rose in her throat, but she quickly shoved it back down. "I do wish I could have seen them before I left though. Would have been nice."
"It'll be fine. I'm sure they'll come visit you as soon as they get back."
Emery smiled at the thought.
"Oh and before I forget, make sure you take the west exit and not the east one."
Emery gave Alexis a playful nudge, even though she was right. It was no secret that she had a tendency to get lost, sometimes even circling the same cul-de-sac multiple times in the same neighborhood. In her opinion, cardinal directions were a thing of the past. Wasn't that what technology was for? Luckily, she had a living, breathing GPS sitting in the passenger's seat.
Emery turned toward her sister, who was now rummaging through her own purse. "Hey, you have your plane ticket, right?"
Alexis rolled her eyes as she pulled the ticket out of her bag and waved it in the air. "Got it right here, mom."
Emery made a pouty face. "As your big sister, it's my job to check these things. I'm sure you wouldn't want to be stranded on campus after helping me unpack."
Alexis shrugged her shoulders. "It wouldn't be so bad. I'm sure I'll end up there anyway, just like you. Once a Dardenian, always a Dardenian."
"I'm pretty sure that's not what the students call themselves . . ."
"Well, I do," Alexis giggled. "And someday, I'll be a Dardenian just like you!" She clicked the next song on the playlist and turned up the volume, lowering her window even though it was a blistering one hundred and five degrees outside.
Emery briefly took her hands off the wheel to fasten her deep crimson hair into a bun, the strands whipping wildly back and forth. She was tempted to tell her sister to roll the window up, but one glance at her changed her mind. Alexis had her feet propped up on the dash with one arm behind her head, the other halfway out the window. She looked so . . . happy.
Alexis belted out the next few songs, her voice overpowering the vocals on the track. Emery couldn't help but laugh and join in, bopping her head to the beat. Her nerves began to subside as they continued to sing, laughing and poking fun at each other after each song ended.
The interstate stretched on for miles. The vast canvas of mountains highlighted the vibrant blue sky. Seeing as it was summer, there wasn't much greenery-mostly desert sand and tumbleweeds-except for the cacti dotting the edges of the mountains. Having grown up in Illinois, Emery was partial to forests, flowers, and shrubbery. Anything green, really.
But there was something to be said about the serenity of a still desert night. She'd done her best thinking in the wee hours of the morning out on her family's patio, gazing up at all the stars twinkling in the clear night sky. At least home wasn't too far away.
Out of nowhere, Alexis lowered the volume. Her expression turned serious. "Hey, Em? Do you think we'll ever see dad again?"
A knot formed in Emery's chest. She thought back to the crinkled photograph she'd found earlier that afternoon. "I don't know, Lex. It's kind of hard to say. I mean, I hope so." She glanced over at her sister, hoping her response didn't sound too indifferent. "You were only three years old when we found out he'd been permanently deployed." Her throat caught. "Do you, uh,
remember him at all?"
Alexis sighed. "Not really. But from the stories mom's told us, I think I'd like him."
"Yeah . . . me too." Emery reached over the center console and squeezed her sister's hand. The only thing she remembered about her father was that he loved riddles.
"Maybe one day." Alexis yawned and leaned her head against the window. In seconds, she was fast asleep, leaving Emery to finish the drive in silence with her thoughts.
Three hours later, they finally arrived at Darden Preparatory. Traffic guards directed the flow of cars into the main parking lot near the sports arena, where maroon and gold banners lined the streetlamps and intersections. The line of cars was backed up for miles, all the way to the main street. After ten minutes of what Emery considered "patiently waiting", she rolled down her window and asked the nearest traffic guard where she could find her dorm, Rosemary Hall. The man opened his mouth to respond, then abruptly turned away from her and started pushing buttons on his headset. After a few moments, he turned back toward her with an apologetic expression on his face.
"Rosemary Hall will be straight down this road. Make a right, then make your first left into the parking lot," the guard instructed. Her eyes followed the direction of his arm, and she couldn't help but gawk at the dilapidated brick building he was pointing at.
"Lucky me," she muttered.
"You have a nice day now, Ms. Parker," he said as he turned on his heel to walk toward the next car in line.
"How did you know-?" she stopped, realizing he was too far out of earshot.
How had he known her name?
She sighed and took her foot off the brake, lettingthe car roll along the street. Emeryeyed her rearview mirror, watching as the traffic guard spun the dial on hisradio. Maybe her eyes were playingtricks on her, but she could have sworn she saw him mouth the words, "She'shere," into his headset.