Chapter 3

It was nearly dark when she made it back, knocking on the door in a special pattern.

Tap. Tap.

The door creaked open, and Soleil dragged the lynx inside.

Alyx's eyes grew wide as he looked at the once majestic beast.

Soleil looked at his forlorn expression, trying to gauge his thoughts.

"Are you sad?" Soleil asked. "It tried to eat me, but now we can eat it instead."

Al shook his head, "no! I trust my sister!"

Soleil grinned, patting his head. "Can you get some wood from the closet? I'm going to try and make a fire."

Al nodded enthusiastically, his stomach rumbling in anticipation.

Soleil made her way to the fireplace. It had long been blocked off due to them never having anything to cook, and wood was too tiresome to collect. Even so, it would be nice to have a good meal for once.

"Grandma?" Soleil called. The silence unnerved her. Her grandmother always welcomed her back. Perhaps she was sleeping, Soleil had thought.

'Or…did she…?' Soleil shook off the ominous thought and made her way into the bedroom.

To her relief, her grandmother was alive and well. Staring nostalgically at an old photo, she hadn't noticed Soleil's presence.

"Grandma," Soleil repeated. "Let's go eat?"

Her grandmother looked up, setting down the photo and smiling. "Yes. I heard you brought back quite the catch. Thank you Soleil, but I'm not feeling very hungry."

Soleil scrunched her forehead. "That's a lie. You can't fool me like Al. Are you trying to save food? There's no way you're going to die, so-so I wish you would stop speaking of it like you're so sure!!" Soleil ended with a shout, tears pilling up and threatening to spill out.

Her grandmother patted the bed, "come sit Soleil."

Soleil sniffled, obediently making her way over. "I don't want you to go. I wish there was a way you could stay forever."

"Soleil," her grandmother warned, "you know I don't like words like that. While I'm still here, it's my job to make sure you know that nothing is forever."

"The Anomalies are, and I am too, for all we know."

"Even the Anomalies will leave one day. You as well, though it will be a long time coming. Not because you share their genetic code, but because you are still young."

Soleil nodded, dejected. It wasn't often that her grandmother talked of her mutation. As she had always put it, the walls had ears, and people were always listening.

"I know, grandma. When you're g-gone, I need to take care of Al."

"And you'll go to the Southern Fortress," her grandmother patted her head. "What will you tell them?"

Soleil recited the words from memory. "My mother passed away. She got infected. I don't know where we came from. I followed the river."

"That should be enough to fool them. They will assume you two were lucky. It's behind even them to interrogate and traumatize children. Remember-"

"Yes, I know. We aren't Anomalies. We are normal. Never leave the fortress, never do anything that could give up our identity. Trust no one, rely on ourselves."

"Soso! I started the fire!" Alyx's cheery voice rang out.

"Don't let Al see my body, Soleil."

Soleil nodded, head hung low. Tears dripped onto the floor. "I won't ever forget you. Not even if I live for a thousand years. And I'll make sure Al doesn't either. It's the least we can do, after you saved and looked after us for so long."

"Go," Hazel gently pushed Soleil out the door. "And, it's more like you've been looking after all of us, hm?"

"Soso? Where's grandma?"

"She's tired. I think she's going to sleep, Al."

Discouraged, Al spoke, "…I know. I wanted to eat with her again, though. It's been so long."

Soleil felt her heart ache. She forced a bright smile, if she pretended she was okay, maybe everything would turn out okay too. "Al, you're almost 5, so you should eat five pieces."

"What?!?" Al blinked in disbelief, "but you said-you said I'll get sick if I eat too much!"

"Oh, is that so?" Soleil laughed, "then maybe just a little, and you can eat the rest tomorrow."

Smoke rose from the chimney of the little house, and the night swept the bloodied snow under a blanket of darkness.

It wouldn't be long, though, until the carpet was pulled back and exposed to the morning glow.