of me.
‘Like what?’
‘Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed. Because I know you have. You’re not like everyone else. You’re different, Sera. Special. You have unique abilities that other
people don’t have. Does any of that sound familiar?’
It does. It sounds
way
too familiar.
But right now it’s the last thing I want to think about.
My brain feels as though it’s on fire. I close my eyes and rub my temples in small circles with the tips of my fingers. ‘I don’t want to be different,’ I whisper.
‘I just want to be normal. I just want to find my family.’
‘But you’re
not
normal,’ he maintains, his voice soothing once again. ‘I think you’ve figured that out by now. And as far as I know, you don’t
have
a family.’
I open my eyes and take two large steps back. ‘What are you talking about?’ I ask in a measured tone.
‘Sera,’ he begins, closing the gap between us. He places his hands on my shoulders. His touch is urgent. Heavy. ‘When I first met you, you were living in a
lab
.’
Lab: short for laboratory.
Laboratory: a building, part of a building or other place equipped to conduct scientific experiments, tests and investigations.
He keeps talking. ‘On a compound for a company called Diotech. They’re a massive technology conglomerate. You were involved in one of their research projects. They do everything from
aeronautics to experimental science to . . .’ He pauses and nods ambiguously in my direction. Then he seems to change his mind about continuing and instead says, ‘Listen. I’m
staying at 1952 Bradbury Drive, room 302. Meet me there and I will explain it all to you.’
I shake my head and cover my ears but it does nothing to block the sound of his voice. I look for something to count. Tiles on the floor. But there aren’t enough.
‘No,’ I resolve fervently. ‘You’re lying. This is all a lie!’
He reaches for my hand again but I pull it away so fast – so
unnaturally
fast – it blurs in front of my eyes.
‘Sera, please,’ he urges.
‘Don’t call me that!’ I roar. ‘That’s not my name! And you are not my . . . my . . .
soulmate
. You aren’t anything! I don’t
know
you!
And I don’t know why you keep telling me these awful things that aren’t true but I don’t want to hear any more. Please, just leave me alone!’
I whirl around and stomp towards the doorway, determined to find Heather and get out of here as fast as I can. I expect to hear footsteps behind me but all is silent. I fight the urge to turn
back and study his reaction.
Then, out of the stillness, comes his voice. Passionate and earnest. ‘“Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments.”’
And before I can process what he’s saying – before I can even fathom what is happening – I feel my lips start to move. I hear my own voice speak. Almost as though it’s
coming from someplace else. An entity distinct from my body.
Separate.
‘“Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove.”’
I skid to a halt, playing the words over and over in my mind. What do they mean? Where did they come from? How do I know them?
Did I recite that from . . .
memory
?
I turn and look at the boy again. The one who calls himself Zen. The one who calls himself my soulmate.
His eyes illuminate. His lips part. ‘Welcome back, Seraphina.’
18
FICTION
My instincts take over and I do the first thing that comes to mind.
I run.
I bolt through the doorway and zigzag frantically through the racks of clothing until I find Heather, standing at the cash register. ‘I need to go. Now.’
She peers at me in alarm. ‘Why? What happened? Is everything OK?’
No. It’s definitely not.
I nod. ‘Yes. I just want to go.’
Irina hands Heather three large bags and a receipt. Heather thanks her and then turns back to me. ‘OK. Let’s go.’
I follow close behind her as we head for the exit. I can see the boy watching me
‘Like what?’
‘Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed. Because I know you have. You’re not like everyone else. You’re different, Sera. Special. You have unique abilities that other
people don’t have. Does any of that sound familiar?’
It does. It sounds
way
too familiar.
But right now it’s the last thing I want to think about.
My brain feels as though it’s on fire. I close my eyes and rub my temples in small circles with the tips of my fingers. ‘I don’t want to be different,’ I whisper.
‘I just want to be normal. I just want to find my family.’
‘But you’re
not
normal,’ he maintains, his voice soothing once again. ‘I think you’ve figured that out by now. And as far as I know, you don’t
have
a family.’
I open my eyes and take two large steps back. ‘What are you talking about?’ I ask in a measured tone.
‘Sera,’ he begins, closing the gap between us. He places his hands on my shoulders. His touch is urgent. Heavy. ‘When I first met you, you were living in a
lab
.’
Lab: short for laboratory.
Laboratory: a building, part of a building or other place equipped to conduct scientific experiments, tests and investigations.
He keeps talking. ‘On a compound for a company called Diotech. They’re a massive technology conglomerate. You were involved in one of their research projects. They do everything from
aeronautics to experimental science to . . .’ He pauses and nods ambiguously in my direction. Then he seems to change his mind about continuing and instead says, ‘Listen. I’m
staying at 1952 Bradbury Drive, room 302. Meet me there and I will explain it all to you.’
I shake my head and cover my ears but it does nothing to block the sound of his voice. I look for something to count. Tiles on the floor. But there aren’t enough.
‘No,’ I resolve fervently. ‘You’re lying. This is all a lie!’
He reaches for my hand again but I pull it away so fast – so
unnaturally
fast – it blurs in front of my eyes.
‘Sera, please,’ he urges.
‘Don’t call me that!’ I roar. ‘That’s not my name! And you are not my . . . my . . .
soulmate
. You aren’t anything! I don’t
know
you!
And I don’t know why you keep telling me these awful things that aren’t true but I don’t want to hear any more. Please, just leave me alone!’
I whirl around and stomp towards the doorway, determined to find Heather and get out of here as fast as I can. I expect to hear footsteps behind me but all is silent. I fight the urge to turn
back and study his reaction.
Then, out of the stillness, comes his voice. Passionate and earnest. ‘“Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments.”’
And before I can process what he’s saying – before I can even fathom what is happening – I feel my lips start to move. I hear my own voice speak. Almost as though it’s
coming from someplace else. An entity distinct from my body.
Separate.
‘“Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove.”’
I skid to a halt, playing the words over and over in my mind. What do they mean? Where did they come from? How do I know them?
Did I recite that from . . .
memory
?
I turn and look at the boy again. The one who calls himself Zen. The one who calls himself my soulmate.
His eyes illuminate. His lips part. ‘Welcome back, Seraphina.’
18
FICTION
My instincts take over and I do the first thing that comes to mind.
I run.
I bolt through the doorway and zigzag frantically through the racks of clothing until I find Heather, standing at the cash register. ‘I need to go. Now.’
She peers at me in alarm. ‘Why? What happened? Is everything OK?’
No. It’s definitely not.
I nod. ‘Yes. I just want to go.’
Irina hands Heather three large bags and a receipt. Heather thanks her and then turns back to me. ‘OK. Let’s go.’
I follow close behind her as we head for the exit. I can see the boy watching me
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