Copyright 2021 by aqua Sian

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Hope

“Girls, hurry! Get in the car, now!” Mom’s urgent voice pierced through the house, as we hurtled down the stairs, the sound of our frantic footsteps echoing through the empty halls like a death knell. I had no idea where we were headed, but I knew we were running again. A sense of dread crept over me, its icy fingers wrapping around my heart and squeezing tight. My stomach twisted into knots, as if a heavy weight had dropped anchor inside me. The familiar feeling of fear and uncertainty settled in, like a dark cloud that had been lurking just out of sight, waiting to descend. This has been our reality ever since we turned sixteen, our lives had been a never-ending cycle of hiding and running. It has been two years of living on edge, never knowing when our pursuers would close in, had taken its toll on all of us. I remembered the night we’d abandoned our old home, leaving behind the only life we’d ever known. We’d packed hastily, our hearts racing with every creak of the floorboards, every snap of a twig outside. As we’d driven away, I’d caught a glimpse of our house in the rear-view mirror, its windows dark and empty, like a mask that had been ripped away. That was the night our lives became a never-ending cycle of hiding and running.

Our lives had been a whirlwind of secrecy and fear. Coming into our powers had changed everything. Before our sixteenth birthday, we’d been a typical family – school, friends, sleepovers. But after that day, everything shifted. We stopped attending school, fearing our powers would manifest in public, move from place to place . We lost touch with our friends, unable to explain our sudden disappearance. Our home became a fortress, with security cameras and alarm systems installed to protect us from those who sought after us, their motives and identities remained a mystery” for better clarity. But when of us ever gets to angry nervous, our power intensifies and they fund us. Even our relationships with each other changed, as we struggled to navigate our new roles as siblings with superhuman powers.

As triplets with abilities we couldn’t control, we’d learned to rely on each other – and our parents – to survive. They didn’t have powers like us, but they never judged us or made us feel like freaks. Mom would say ‘'Your powers are a gift, but they're also a responsibility.'’ Her guidance gave me the strength to keep going. We practiced controlling emotions so we can control our powers in the basement, careful not to hurt anyone or ourselves. Our basement, our secret sanctuary, was a cozy, dimly lit space with cream-colored walls and a low ceiling. The air was thick with the scent of dampness and old books. A single window high up on one wall allowed a sliver of sunlight to peek in, casting a faint glow on the concrete floor. The room felt warm and inviting, a cozy retreat from the world above. Dad’s rule was clear: our powers were a secret. We’d been cautious for months, but now it seemed our pursuers had found us again. My heart was racing as I clung to the seat, my knuckles white with tension. The fog swirled around us, making it feel like we were driving through a thick, grey mist. I couldn’t see anything beyond the windshield, and the speed at which we were moving made my stomach twist with anxiety. Dad’s face was set in a grim expression, his eyes fixed intently on the road ahead. Mom sat beside him, her hands clasped tightly together in her lap. Cynthia and I exchanged a nervous glance, our eyes wide with fear. The car hurtled through the fog, the tires screeching as Dad took a sharp turn. I felt a jolt of fear as the car fishtailed, but Dad’s expert hands steadied the wheel, and we continued on, our speed barely slowing. I closed my eyes, praying that we’d make it through this ordeal unscathed. The fog seemed to press in around us, making it feel like we were trapped in a never-ending nightmare. As the car rolled, I felt a sense of weightlessness, as if I was floating in mid-air. Time seemed to slow down, and I was aware of every detail, every sound, every sensation. I heard the crunch of metal, the shattering of glass, and the screams of my family.

The screams stopped, replaced by an eerie silence that was even more unsettling. The world around me seemed to slow down, and I felt like I was trapped in a nightmare from which I couldn’t wake up. I looked around, trying to take in everything that was happening. The car was a twisted wreck, metal and glass scattered everywhere. My family was scattered around me, some of them moving, others lying still. Dad’s voice was the last thing I remembered, his panicked yell still echoing in my mind. I tried to call out to him, but my voice was frozen in my throat. And then, I saw it. A figure, tall and imposing, standing just beyond the wreckage. He was watching me, his eyes fixed intently on mine. I felt a chill run down my spine as I realized that he was the one who had caused the accident.

But as I looked into his eyes, I saw something there that made my blood run cold. It was a look of recognition, of familiarity. And in that moment, I knew that this was no ordinary accident. This was something much more sinister. With a blink of an eye he was gone. Mom’s side of the car slammed into something, the impact throwing me forward like a ragdoll. The world went silent, except for the ringing in my ears and the sound of crunching metal. I struggled to breathe, my heart racing, A thousand knives stabbed at my chest, hand, and leg, each one twisting with sadistic precision. My head throbbed with a dull ache, and I could feel a warm trickle of blood seeping from my forehead. But I had to push through the agony; I needed to know my family was safe.

Through the shattered windshield, I gazed upon a nightmarish tableau of crumpled steel and shattered glass, illuminated only by the faint moonlight. I thought I saw movement outside my window – a shadowy figure lurking just out of sight. But my focus was shattered, and I couldn’t grasp anything solid. Mom’s faint whimper sent a shiver down my spine. A terrified sob tore from my throat, my voice hoarse with desperation. I couldn’t hear my sisters or Dad. I fought through the pain, desperate to see anything around me. I gritted my teeth, determination coursing through my veins like adrenaline. I longed to call out their names, but consciousness was slipping away. If I gave in, I knew I’d pass out, leaving my family to fate. Than I wouldn’t know how my family is, My heart racing, I struggled to breathe. I had to save my family. Why is this happening to us? The thought echoed in my mind like a mantra. …… With every last ounce of strength, I managed to pry open my eyes. As I came to, I realized I was dangling halfway out of the open car door, my leg twisted at an unnatural angle.

Oh shit …I tried to move, but searing pain shot through my leg, which was caught by something in the car. The feeling of warm blood seeping from my leg made my stomach churn. Fear gripped me like a vice, threatening to consume me. I tried to call out for my sisters and dad, but my voice was hoarse and barely audible. I needed a distraction from my own apparent demise, so I turned to my mom. A thick tree branch protruded from her belly, my heart sank, Panic clawed at my chest like a wild animal . Oh God. No. My vision blurred as tears streamed down my face, adrenaline pulsed through my body as panic flooded my system. My mom was going to die, and I couldn’t see any sign of my sisters or dad. We’d all perish if we didn’t get help soon. I tried to call out for them, but consciousness slipped through my fingers like sand. Time lost all meaning as I hung there, slipping in and out of consciousness. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth, and the sound of my mom’s laboured breathing was like a knife to my heart. Footsteps echoed through the darkness, and I looked up to see someone approaching. Oh, thank God…help had arrived. My vision blurred, but as the footsteps drew nearer, I saw that it was a man. I don’t remember much, but when his hands touched me, they grabbed onto my arm first. The shot of intense pain that followed dragged me down into the blissful darkness of unconsciousness.