Page 14

Ember

Luckily for us, we are left out of experiments and visits for a few months. They then start doing blood tests, and the doctor bursts out laughing when he runs my DNA, then gleefully tells me my biological family wants nothing to do with a broken thing like me. I wait for the hurt, but it doesn’t come, and I shrug, which seems to annoy him.

In August, something goes wrong, and the facility gets some new staff mixed with the old. When I say wrong, I mean for the doctors and orderlies, not us patients.

When THE CAGE is eventually shut down, we find out that some of the new staff were undercover SRU agents. We all end up at a temp group home, where we are stuffed with food, given three sets of new clothes each, some trainers, and a pair of winter boots, coat, sweater, hat, gloves, and scarves.

Proper doctors give check-ups, and no blood is taken unless necessary, but it is noted that I need to be added to the system and have my DNA run.

Surprisingly, Doctor Smyth wasn’t really a doctor. He bought his White coat on Zon. A few social workers turn up at the temp home in September. Thankfully, none I recognize. We arrived on September 3rd.

On the 15 th, a Social Worker in his early 20s pulls Trick and Bram aside to let them know they are being taken to an exchange with Giovanni Michaels, who will take them to their new home with Tricks brothers. Some orderlies turned up 3 days ago, and some I do recognize. Unfortunately, one of those leans towards me,

“Jameson will be picking you up at five. Be ready or else.” I nod and decide to go for a walk.

I take a last look at Jenson and Bram, the former excited and worried to see his brothers again, a smile covers my lips before I try to bury my emotions, I turn and walk away.

Through the Grove of trees behind the home is a rock pool, which is where I end up. I sit looking at the water, feeling helplessness wash over me. I reach forward and find a piece of slate; I know Trick and Bram will be safe with Ren and Xander. I take the slate and cut between my right wrist and elbow.

I don’t feel the pain like I should, I think after the Vampies pain is different now. I just watch as blood runs down my arm and drips from my fingers on to the mud under my knees, seeping into the pool of water before me, after a while my head feels fuzzy and I lay down and just watch the sky.