Unique

Chapter 3 - Half-bloods

After joking about it so many times, it was actually happening, I was hearing voices (it was only one male voice, but I couldn't help myself, saying voices is much more dramatic). It was a lovely Sunday morning and I was lazily enjoying the sun in my parents backyard when it started.

I've tried to pretend I wasn't hearing him, but he kept telling me to wake up. And ignoring his deep baritone voice wasn't an easy task at all, since it reminded me a little of Johnny Cash's voice (who happens to be on top of my "Favorite singers" list).

- You must wake up! - he repeated - Sophie, we didn't escape.

- Peter? - I've said, finally recognizing his voice.

The next moment, I've opened my eyes scared and found an unknown moldy and peeled paint ceiling above me. I've turned my head to the right side, as I've already known where he was, and saw Peter.

He was lying unconscious on his left shoulder over an old hospital bed with his hands handcuffed around the bed's rail. His face was bruised and I could see the deep cut in the top of his head dripping into a puddle on the floor, exactly as I've seen in my dreaming. But if we didn't escape, why weren't we dead?

- He'll be fine. - someone said from my left side.

I've moved my head quickly and came across an older version of Peter sit next to me. Looking more carefully, I've noticed his eyes were brown (so dark they looked almost black), his hair was longer and a little lighter and his nose must have been broken a couple times, but the resemblance was undeniable.

- He's bleeding. - I replied as I've realized my left wrist was handcuffed to my bed's rail.

- The anesthesia we gave him slows his heartbeat, so I assure you he won't die from blood loss.

- Who are you? - I asked sitting on the bed.

- You don't remember me?

I've crinkled my forehead in confusion, I've barely remembered Peter. It felt like I've known him for years, but I couldn't remind of seeing him before last night. If everything really had all happened last night, because I wasn't sure of anything anymore.

- You shouldn't be awake, you know? We gave both of you enough anesthesia to keep you unconscious for at least a day.

- Why? What do you want with us?

- I want your help. My brother is only here to make sure you'll cooperate.

- He is your brother and you'll leave him bleeding?

- Let's just say he's not on my favorites list. - he replied with a teasing smile.

Peter groaned and I've hopefully turned to see him, but he didn't show any signs of waking up. So I've sighed and stared back at his supposed brother.

- So, what do you want my help for?

- I guess I'll have to tell you the whole story, won't I? You really don't remember talking to me before?

- No, I don't.

- All right, then. It all began around a hundred years ago. A great civilization, like all great civilizations, had destroyed completely their natural resources and needed to do something to avoid their annihilation. After almost twenty years of research they've ended up discovering a way to travel between the parallel universes and built a machine to cross to the nearest universe.

Obviously, they didn't care if the other universe would be glad with their visit and it didn't take long till the war begin. To keep the war going or just to avoid both universes destruction, as they claim, the machine never was turned off and it created a between universes zone. This place, now called the between zone, allows anyone to cross between those two universes and made possible the existence of half-bloods, people whose parents are from different universes and because of that can freely cross to any parallel universe.

Anyway, the war was lasting years when one side, the invaded universe, got an amazing weapon, a unique, just like you. His origins remain totally unknown, but the important thing is his side won the war. But the unique wasn't satisfied, he wanted to rule upon the two universes. Some say that's a unique attribute: seek power, but I'm not sure that's true.

So, as long no one could stop the unique, he's got all the power he wanted and kept it for almost thirty years, until a new unique appeared. And they've started a new war that made the last one looks like child's play.

Both universes were pretty ruined when the new unique won the last battle. Afterwards, our new dictator helped some scientists creating a way to detect other uniques and those scientist used this to restrain his power. I mean, a unique is extremely powerful but not necessarily smart, and this particular one let his fear of losing his power to other unique blind him.

In the end, the council was created and so were the rules about uniques. No sides were pleased so a quiet war kept going on undeclared between the two universes. And in the middle of all that, the half-bloods were confined to the between zone. And the only way a half-blood can leave the between zone is volunteering as a keeper, which is a dangerous and miserable life.

- Dangerous and miserable life? - I repeated intrigued.

- No offense, but keeping you safe sucks. Both sides want you, so there's always a bunch of killer hybrids after you, and besides that, a keeper must stay with his unique for at least twenty years, which means he has no life of his own.

- The keeper stays with his unique all the time?

- Not exactly. The keeper and the unique are connected by their inner-brain devices, so every time a unique is on danger, the keeper knows it. That's why time to time you've felt something was about to happen, you could feel the threat upon you but not actually see it. Anyway, some insurgent half-bloods like me decided to fight against this slavery and we unoriginally named our group the resistance. And as everybody else, we need a unique on our side.

- If it really is a dangerous and miserable life why Peter don't support your group?

- Because of you.

I've stared at him confused for a while and he smirked at me, what made him look even more like Peter. Suddenly a loud alarm sounded and all lights started flashing. He raised from his chair with a concerned look in his face and rushed out the room without saying a word.

- Peter! - I called as soon as we were alone - Wake up! That's certainly a great time for you to keep me safe!

He didn't answered, so I've began trying unsuccessfully to free my wrist from the shackle. Outside the room, I could hear running steps and angry shouts and even without understanding what was going on, I was pretty sure things would end up badly.

My breath was already getting uneven when Peter moaned. I've tried reaching him but no matter how much I stretched my arms, my fingers couldn't touch him.

- Peter, I need your help! - I said with an upper toned voice.

- What? - grunted him as he opened his eyes slowly.

- I guess we're in trouble.

- We're always in trouble. - he replied while he looked around - We're at the resistance?

- Yes.

- So we're at the between zone and you must leave. They want to use you on their cause without understanding the consequences.

- How am I suppose to go?

- Just focus somewhere else, your home maybe. They must be blocking our monitoring system, but since you're back home the surveillance staff will be able to catch your sign and send you a new keeper.

- I can't go anywhere, Peter! And even if I could, I wouldn't leave you behind.

- I'll be fine, the resistance leader is my brother, after all. And you surely can go wherever you want to go.

- Your brother left you bleeding handcuffed to a bed.

- He's still mad at me because I haven't joined his cause, but I bet he won't kill me. Now, just think about your home and you'll be back there in no time. You're stronger here, the device in your head can't stop you from crossing from this side, all you need to do is concentrate.

I've furrowed my brow and sighed heavily. Peter smiled at me just like I was a cute little kid and that made me even more mad. So, out of the blue, I've got an idea and unwittingly narrowed my eyes.

- Sophie, don't! - said Peter.

But I didn't pay attention to him and focus on get rid of the handcuff. For a moment, I could see through my left arm and softly pulled it away from the shackle. The next moment, I've jumped out of the bed and grabbed Peter's right arm.

We landed heavily on my parents dark and quiet backyard. I've opened a proud smile to Peter who looked angry at me and I've noticed he started fading.

- What's going on? - I've asked feeling my head really heavy.

- You shouldn't have done that. - he said holding me by my shoulders and preventing me from hitting the ground with my face. - While you're wearing the device, if you do a little too much that will drain you.

- Great. But are we safe now?

Before he could answer me, three hybrids showed up behind him. I couldn't keep my eyes from closing anymore and the last thing I saw was a gray dead-looking hand grabbing Peter's neck.