No clans. No symbols. No one checking your wrists for marks you were born with and had no say in. Just trees and the smell of wet soil and somewhere far behind her,
Naomi.
Wait for me—
Eve kept running.
WAIT FOR ME.
She didn't look back.
Naomi was falling behind. She always fell behind. Eve had longer legs and significantly less interest in slowing down and Naomi knew this, had always known this, and yet every single time acted surprised by it.
When nothing else worked Naomi reached for what she knew best.
What type of sister will you be.
Eve's voice drifted back from somewhere ahead in the trees.
One that believes in you.
Naomi stopped. Let her breathing slow. The forest had gone quiet in the way forests do when something is paying attention and she stood very still, eyes moving through the dark between the trunks.
Something rustled.
She held her breath.
A flash of green. Red. The blank unbothered stare of a parrot that had absolutely no business being this deep in the forest.
She exhaled. Picked it up. It didn't resist.
You're coming with me, she told it.
It said nothing. Already an improvement on most company.
She found Eve waiting at the market's edge, not breathing hard, not looking sorry.
I am out of breath, Naomi announced. I won't follow you next time. I'm more of an eating type than a finding the food type.
Eve looked at the parrot.
What are you doing with that.
It's a better listener than you.
Shhh. Eve's voice dropped. Something had shifted in the air and she felt it before she could name it. Be quiet. We make no noise here. A pause. Can you hear that.
Naomi listened. Nodded. They kept moving.
The walk back took forty five minutes. The forest pressed close on both sides, damp and dark, the kind of quiet that sits on your shoulders. Naomi complained for most of it. The parrot rode on her arm and said nothing which she found deeply comforting.
Their home was not much. A hollow dug into the earth and reinforced with whatever a month of searching had turned up. Small. Smelled like wood and rain that had come through the wrong places. Theirs.
Eve stopped at the entrance.
Can you feel that.
Feel what, Naomi said.
Someone was here.
I don't know what you're talking about. Naomi pushed past her. Stop being paranoid.
Inside she set the food on the table. Three pieces of bread. Vegetables that had seen significantly better days. She looked at them for a long moment.
So what are we going to do with a few pieces of bread and some spoilt vegetables. There's no way to make magic out of this.
Eve said nothing.
You're not mom. Naomi sat. I miss mom, Eve. I'm tired of this. We've been out here about a month and I think I might fall sick.
Lucky you can't fall sick, Eve said.
Does that mean we have to hunt for food in the river. Because if we try stealing again we might get caught and I just like being at home.
Will you stay here while I go, Eve said.
Obviously not. Who will protect you. I'm your shining armor.
Yeah. I know. You have no one like me.
No. Naomi looked at her. You have no one but me.
The pond was cold and still the next morning. Eve could feel the chill through her shoes standing at the edge of it. She didn't mention it.
Why can't we just go home, Naomi said. Her line sat in the water doing nothing. Or leave this place entirely. It's so annoying. I might actually fall sick.
You won't fall sick.
Why can't we go back, Eve.
You know we can't. Eve kept her eyes on the water. I know it's hard here but we can't go back to how it was. We hate them.
I know. I know. Naomi was quiet for a moment. Do you think dad regrets it. Or does he think we're dead.
He probably doesn't care enough, Eve said. Simply. Like weather. We aren't his precious boys. He sees us as a curse. Something he's embarrassed by.
Even mom, Naomi said quietly. I guess he didn't love her like he said.
Neither of them spoke after that. The water didn't move. Nothing bit.
We aren't going to catch anything like this, Eve said eventually. Help me or it's getting too late.
She glanced around the tree line.
Hide your rift before someone sees.
They packed up without another word and walked home through the trees, muttering things at each other that didn't need to be full sentences.
Back inside Naomi dropped onto the nearest surface.
Okay chef. Cook for me. I'm going to bed.
Who's your chef. We aren't eating today. Is that what you're saying or will you help.
Naomi muttered something about eating it raw. Then quietly, almost to herself —
Do you think mom would still love us. Even now. With how we are.
I think she would, Eve said. But you're lazy.
She always loved us anyway. Naomi stared at the ceiling. Still feels like yesterday. Our life just changed.
Eve looked at the parrot sitting on its beam watching them both.
It did feel like yesterday.
They were eleven and twelve. Kev had broken his leg climbing a tree they'd been told not to climb and the sound of him screaming had done something to Naomi before her brain could stop her.
Kev broke his leg Eve, Naomi had said, grabbing her arm. We can't let dad know. Let's just do what we've been learning.
You're healing me, you're healing me, thank you, thank you— Kev had kept saying it like it was exciting. Like it was wonderful.
None of them had understood yet what they'd just shown the world about themselves.
They still didn't know exactly how it reached the clan elders. These things always found a way.
Your daughters are Unhuman. You know the rules. They were set for a reason, the elder had said.
Their father had stood very still.
I know what I have to do. But it isn't easy. A pause. What if instead of killing them we use them. As tools. To strengthen the clan. See the extent of their power.
If you say so. But if it comes out I won't stand with you in it. The elder's voice hadn't shifted at all. Their mother must be killed for harboring curses. Before you ask there is no way around it. And refusing the penalty will make the other clans ask questions.
Their mother had been calm when they came for her. That was the part Eve could never let go of. How calm she had been.
Miss. You have been sent to execution by sword. From your other half.
And he had done it. And they had been made to watch.
Sometimes I forget why we even— Naomi started.
Because they call us Unhuman, Eve said. That's why.
We were slaves in our own home. Slaves live better than that.
The food used to come through a slot in the door. The chains had been cold and heavy against their wrists. The voice from outside always the same.
Get energy. You have revivals to perform. Healings. You don't waste time. You know you're not supposed to be alive. Be useful. Do the only thing curses can do.
Six years.
Six years on chains like animals someone could replace whenever they needed to.
We didn't do anything, Eve had thought. Every single day for six years. We didn't hurt anyone.
It had been Naomi's idea. Of course it had.
You see that mountain, she'd said one night, voice low. If we jump there's a river below. Dad told me once. And if we just—
How do we get out of the chains eve said confused
The liquid food. If we keep pouring it on the chains they should rust eventually. It won't be long.
It took six months.
Today is the day Eve, Naomi had said the morning it finally gave. All we have to do is run. Hit the rock. Jump.
The water had been colder than anything Eve had ever felt. She'd gone under and not come back up and then she had and Naomi was there and—
Yeah, Eve had said, coughing river from her lungs. That was dangerous.
Because of me you're alive and we escaped.
Don't make it weird eve replied.
The smell hit them both at the same time.
Oh no the food—
Too late.
Eve we cannot keep wasting food like this, Naomi said, staring at what remained.
Eve looked at the burnt remains. At the parrot on its beam watching them with what appeared to be judgment. At her sister's face.
Let's go to bed. We'll fix it tomorrow.
She was still asleep when Eve shook her shoulder.
Wake up.
Naomi it's morning—
I have an idea for how we get food.
Naomi opened one eye.
Oh my god. Really. Right now.