Page 86 of Wonder

“Not a bad job,” Kayden says quietly. “Considering. But it still hurts.”

“Then they took the twins to a new house. There was a couple there, and they stayed for a while. But then they were taken to another house. Lots of houses, one after the other after the other until they lost count.”

Kayden coughs. “A nice lady came to the final house. She sat the twins down and told them that they would have a new family. Both of them.”

“But not together.” My heart still ices over at the memory of that day. “They would be split up. New names. New families. And no longer together.”

Alyss twists to look up at me. She looks horrified. “That’s… barbaric.”

I shrug. “Happens more often than you might think.”

“The twins wouldn’t do it,” Kayden says quietly. “The oldest told the youngest to take the family, scared about what would happen, but he wouldn’t. So they climbed out of the window again, that night, and they ran away. They found a place to sleep, and streets where the shops would fill up the trash at the end of the day, and they… they survived.”

Barely. By the skin of our teeth, sometimes.

“They grew older, and they started trying to make enough money for an apartment. The youngest twin was very sweet, and he’d stand on corners and sing.” I hum a few bars, and Alyss half-smiles, watching me with lidded eyes. “One day, someonecame up to him, and they handed him a card. A job opportunity, they said. With lots of money.”

“We went together,” Kayden says quietly. “Always. And they let me in, even though I didn’t have a ticket.”

I follow his lead, switching out of story mode. “Red liked the idea of twins. She used me on the floor, entertaining people, keeping their eyes from drifting toward the door. And she used Kayden for the fighting ring. Both of us, each keeping the other in line.”

“But we were fed,” Kayden says shortly. “And warm. And together. So we stayed.”

Alyss sighs. “Did you ever find out what happened to your mom?”

I shake my head. “Don’t know.”

Kayden. “Don’t care.”

She nods. “I’m sorry you went through all that.”

“People go through worse.” I pick up her hair again, playing with it. “But now… we like the idea of being part of your group, Alyss.”

“Because you can stay together.” There’s understanding there. Understanding of the subconscious fear that drives our decisions, pushed along by a healthy dose of childhood trauma.

“Exactly.” I tap her nose lightly. “But we wouldn’t want to be part of justanyone’sgroup.”

“Absolutely not.” Kayden sounds vaguely disgusted at the thought of it. “Only yours.”

When I look down again, she’s smiling to herself. “I feel honored.”

I search for the words to explain. “During the first game – when I shouted for Kayden. You… you understood. You didn’t need an explanation, or an excuse. You just sawus.”

“Nobody has ever seen us before,” Kayden murmurs. “Not like that.”

Her eyes look suspiciously bright. I clear my throat. “You should get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow.”

When her eyes slide closed, I feel Kayden’s eyes on my face. “Don’t.”

We can’t change whatever will come tomorrow. We’ll meet it, whatever it is.

“We’ve survived worse, Kayd. We’ll survive this too. Whatever comes.”

He doesn’t say anything. But I listen to his breathing, listen to the way it mingles with Alyss’s as he eventually drifts into sleep and my own eyes start to close too, my fingers still curled around Alyss’s hair.

Whatever comes.

35 – Hatter