Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 

 

            The entire family was gathered at the living room upstairs, mother, Judas, Solius, Lilith, Dustin, Eve, and Adam. Mother had gathered them in admittance that they all deserved a proper explanation. For the first time, Adam cared about his identity, about who he really was. Up until now he’d always just believe mother’s stories and accepted that they were a family, but since they all heard the argument three hours ago, him along with all the other children didn’t know what to think.

            The other thing that had Adam on the edge was the baby that mother had been carrying since they saw her today. He’d only caught glances of it under the sheets it was wrapped under but he’d seen enough to know the baby wasn’t like the rest of them. It was like mother and Judas. It had the same similar black exoskeleton with neon lining. Mother had always told them babies were born through love, whatever that meant, but now he knew it was much more complicated than that. Perhaps Solius was right, because the clear distinction between him and Eve, with mother and Judas, and Solius, Lilith, and Dustin, was far too great. Maybe they all did have different mothers.

            Mother’s face was red from crying so much. Her face still hadn’t aged a day though in the nine years of Adam’s life. Another distinction between them. She struggled to find her words. “I’m so sorry you all had to find out like this. I planned to tell you all when I thought you were old enough,” she said. “The truth is, I’m none of your mothers.” She burst into tears along with Eve and Lilith after saying that. Adam felt his throat choking up but kept telling himself he should be mad not sad for lying to them for this long.

            She continued, “I work in a lab in Sector four, where we create homunculi. It’s Sector four’s duty to keep our population ever growing. If you’re wondering, a homunculi is what me, Judas, and…your new little sister Topaz, are.” Little sister? How can she still keep up the family act after all this? “Please love her. Even if we’re not related by blood, we are still a family.”

            She unwrapped the baby and held her up. It looked like it was maybe two years old. Half way up to her biceps from her hands and to her thighs from her tiny feet was a black exoskeleton with candescent lining. The exoskeleton also spread around the outer edges of her torso to her pubis area and had what looked like see-through plastic covering her stomach. Her eyes were blue but her hair was a whitish pink. She’s nothing like us! She’s no sister of mine.

            Eve stood up and asked to hold the baby. Adam’s eyes opened appalled as he watched his little sister take that thing into her hands and caress it. He looked at mother whose eyes were now raining tears of happiness. Adam snapped, “What about the rest of us! What are we?”

            Mother’s fragile smile disappeared. “Yes, I haven’t forgotten, Adam,” she said in a stern voice. “The rest of you are all human. Your parents all died in the lab, so I took you in.” Judas shot her a questioning glance. Mother continued, “Lilith and Solius are indeed, twins.”

            Solius boasted, “I told you!”

            “Solius!” Mother scolded. “That doesn’t make any of you any less of a family. We’re here for each other and that’s what matters. That’s what makes us a family.”

            Adam snapped again, “But what am I? What are Eve and me? You said the crystals blessed us but we’re probably just some lab experiment you stole!”

            “Adam, no! When I told you two you were blessed by the crystals I wasn’t lying. You’re both human like Lilith and Solius, but not the same. The crystals blessed you with the power of Faith. You two are, messiahs.”

            “If we’re blessed, then why do we have to hide all the time? How come you can go into the outside world but we can’t?” argued Adam.

            Judas stepped in. “It’s because your kind are not accepted in this world.” Mother shot him a threatening look but he ignored it. “Long before any of you were born there was a war between humans and homunculi, but before that, there was a war between messiahs and humans. When the messiahs ruled the world humans created homunculi to fight them. After the war, another war erupted between humans and homunculi to see who would take power. The homunculi won, which is why if anyone other than us ever caught any of you outside of this house, you’ll wish you were dead. Is that a good enough explanation for you Adam?”

            Adam was speechless. He didn’t know if he could trust anyone anymore. Part of him believed Judas but the other part remembered all the times Judas yelled at them. He was never nice to them. For all they knew this was just another plot to keep them locked inside. They’d already lied to them for all this time, what stopped them from continuing to do it. Replace one lie with another to calm them down. It made enough sense.

            Adam decided he was done listening to them, he ran downstairs to the basement. Mother called out his name but he didn’t care. Did she even deserve to be called mother anymore?

            Adam ran to his box of toys and started looking through his things. He heard a lot of yelling coming from upstairs and then the door to the basement open. He glanced up and saw Dustin urging the other kids to go down the stairs. Lilith and Eve were both in tears and Solius had the same irritating certified expression he always had. Adam went back to looking through his things.

            At the bottom of his pile of things he finally found it. A small green crystal that fit in his palm. Mother had given it to him on his eighth birthday and told him it was their secret. After today it would be his only reminder from home. He put it in his pocket and sat near the stairs and listened. The yelling was still going on upstairs. Judas and mother were fighting again.

            Dustin warned, “Adam, stay away from the stairs. You already saw what happened last time you eavesdropped.”

            “So what? Unless there’s still more lies they haven’t told us about,” Adam shot back.

            “Why do you always have to be so difficult?”

            “Don’t worry about me. I’m not bothering anyone.”

            Dustin sighed and went to tend to Eve who was showering her face in tears with Lilith doing the same by her side. Solius was keeping a watchful eye on his sister. I bet you’re happy. You actually have a sister.

            Adam closed his eyes and started thinking about what the outside world might be like. He thought about all the other messiahs he might see, people he might meet, or places he might see. No longer in the dark basement doing the same thing day after day with people watching his every step. He could be free. No. He would be free.

            Adam waited until he heard a slam upstairs of probably either mother or Judas or both, leaving. As soon as he heard it he stood up and started heading for the stairs.

            Dustin yelled, “Adam! Where do you think you’re going?”

            “I’m leaving,” Adam said in an empty tone.

            “No you’re not. I don’t know what’s going through your head right now but what Judas said is the truth. I’ve been out there. It’s not a beautiful world. It’s evil and cruel and it will break you.”

            Adam turned to Dustin raging. “Then I guess I’ll just have to find out for myself! I’m tired of people just telling me everything! From now on I’ll find my own answers!”

            Dustin stepped up to him menacingly, standing at least three inches taller. “I won’t let you put the rest of us in danger or yourself because of your stupidity.”

            Adam pushed Dustin, staggering him. Dustin regained his balance and punched Adam in the face dropping him to the floor. Adam launched himself at Dustin but Dustin picked him up and slammed him on the floor.

            Adam wiped some blood off his lip and yelled, “I’m tired of being a prisoner! Get out of my way!”

            Adam felt the crystal in his pocket resonate with his rage. His blue eyes and hair started to glow and he launched himself at Dustin once more. Dustin tried to defend himself but Adam punched him so hard in the stomach that it sent Dustin flying against the wall out of breath. Dustin held his stomach in pain trying to catch his breath but he couldn’t. Adam stood victorious.

            Eve shouted, “Stop fighting!”

            Adam started heading for the stairs without glancing back. “Please don’t go!” begged Lilith.

            Adam hesitated and turned towards her. “Come with me Lilith,” He urged.

            “What?” She replied with clear fear in her voice.

            “Come with me! Let’s see the world together. Like we always said we would.”

            “But…I’m scared. Mother said the world outside is dangerous. Dustin and Judas too.”

            Adam approached her and grabbed her hand. “I’ll protect you. You saw how powerful I can be just now.” He had no idea where the power even came from, but the truth was he was scared to leave alone, and he would do and say anything to not have to go alone.

            “You promise…?” Lilith mumbled.

            “I promise.”

            Solius tackled him to the ground. “You’re not taking her anywhere!” he shouted.

 Adam started to glow again and flipped him over. “It’s her choice! Not yours!”

He punched Solius once. Then twice. Then three times. Lilith cried, “Stop it! Stop fighting you too!” Adam stopped and stood up. Lilith looked at Solius’s swollen face and started to cry. “Solius, I’m going with Adam. I’m sorry. I love him.”

Solius eyes got teary for the first time any of them had ever seen in the past couple years. “Don’t you love me too?”

Lilith couldn’t look him in the eye and started to cry hysterically on Adam’s back. Adam gave Solius a condescending glare and started heading for the stairs with Lilith following behind him looking at the floor.

As Adam and Lilith walked up the stairs Dustin yelled, “Adam! You don’t know what you’re doing! Please come back!”

Adam opened the door and stepped out with Lilith at his side.