Chapter 4
She didn't mention the cards she'd seen to C-5. C-13 didn't think of the matter as relevant, despite the feeling it had given her. Time slid by, slowly, at first. Outside the barred window, a white mist was falling outside. The twins ran about the large room, playing tag and climbing up the curtains only to have C-7 pull them off, scolding them. C-10 stayed close to the window, with a book in her hands and a world only she could see reflected in her eyes. C-5 relaxed some of her restraints when C-13 showed she was a quick learner. Her body began filling out, her bones less visible. She didn't have much to do. Now that she had completed her lessons in reading and writing, she read as much as C-10. However, her eyes were drawn to the window, watching the white flakes fall to the ground and rooftops. C-10 glanced up, a small smile on her lips and set her book down.
"I'll bet," She teased, flipping the tip of C-13's nose, "you've never seen snow before."
"Is that what that is?" C-13 wondered, crawling up onto the windowsill and pressing her face to the glass.
"Get your face off that glass!" C-7 snapped, pulling the smaller girl away by her hair. C-13 yelped in pain, tears sprouting into her eyes. C-10 rose, anger coloring her cheeks red. She slapped C-7's hand away, catching C-13 before she fell.
"Layoff, 7," she scowled. "She was just looking at the snow."
"Then she cleans the glass until I'm satisfied," C-7 retorted. C-5 made a series of clicks, signaling she wanted everyone's attention. Eyes turned to her bed but she wasn't there. Sitting on the floor, C-5 had laid out her cards in a strange lay out. The pattern seemed fairly simple. The first set of six card were laid out in a cross. Two cards sat in the center of the design, one overlapping the other. Four cards surrounded this to form a t. To the right of the cross were four cards in a straight line. The twins darted to her side, jumping up and down for joy and excitement.
"A card reading! A card reading!" They chanted in unison, dancing together. C-13 looked reluctantly back at the window, wanting to watch the snow fall from the sky. A soft hand slipped into her own, causing her to tear her eyes away. C-10 smiled at her and pointed toward where the twins were jumping about.
"Come on," she grinned, "She won't start the reading until we are all over there to hear her. Besides, I have to translate for her." C-13 felt a smile spread across her face. C-10 lightly pulled her toward the twins. Closer to the cards, C-13 could see the artwork of them and read the words. The bottom of the two crossing cards was mostly hidden but she could clearly see the skeletal mount with glowing, crimson eyes. The rider was mostly hidden except for his bony hand clutching a bloodied broadsword. The title of the card was simply "Death." C-13 shivered a little, glad most of the artwork was hidden. The card atop it was not much better. The dark cloud background showed lightning skittering across the sky. A stone tower sat alone on a cliff face, attempting to brave the horrendous storm. However, a bolt of lightning tore into the side of it, ripping away massive chunks of rock and mortar. It was titled "The Tower". Her eyes were drawn to the Tower, the clouds actually moving. She watched in wonder as the lightning flashed. Shielding her eyes, she no longer stood in the room with her friends. Instead, she stood alone on top of a massive building like none she had ever seen. Frightened, she looked for an escape only to see four people covered in grime and filth holding weapons running toward the edge.
"C-13? You okay?" A reassuring hand on her shoulder snapped her back into the present. C-10 looked at her with a worried expression. Even the twins were looking at her with concern. Shaking her head, she smiled and nodded.
"I'm alright."
"You looked terrified there for a second," C-10 said, worry thick in her voice. C-13 managed a smile and C-10 nodded slowly, not completely convinced. C-5 began clicking at them, trying to get their attention. Even C-7 had stopped what she had been doing to sit on the floor to listen.C-5 looked at the cards for a moment, her head shaking slowly from side to side. C-10 moved to the other side of her, looking at the cards and listening to C-5. After what seemed like hours, C-10 looked up at the gathered girls, her expression grim.
"This is a very sad reading."
"Oh! These are always-" C-1 grinned, her face lighting up with excitement.
"The very best ones!" C-2 finished, her eyes glittering. C-13 looked at them for a moment, wondering what was going on. The images on the cards were gruesome and terrifying but they were just pictures. They hardly meant anything of great importance. C-5 began clicking at them very quickly in her peculiar language. C-10 looked at the other girls before translating what she was being told.
"Beware, for those whom this reading is for, thy future is bleak and riddled with danger. Foreseen hath been misfortune, ill fate and unspeakable loss. The cards lay a path of self-destruction and misery. Death is clear on thy horizons, waiting for the chance to finally sweep thee from thy feet and carry you into the fiery gate of hell. Beware of thy future, whomever thou mayest be, for thy future is the grimmest tale to be told. Within the cards, there are five readings, all clear and all dark.
"One of fire and hatred, your fears are true but you do not know whom to turn to. Your time comes to a quickening end. By next sun, you will vanish and all your hate erased. All that will remain is loss, pain and deepest despair. There is no hope for you and, in the last moments, may you come to forgive those who you have unjustly despised.
"Pair knit so close together, the times are coming of great divide. Through this comes great revelation. Cruelty and destructive change lay before you. There is no escape, no matter how you long for it. You of two will separate and destroy what little you now hold dear. You of one, will there be no solace as you take upon yourself payment from the world.
"You from the outside, your fate is far crueler. Strong you will become but your largest strength will cause you undo suffering and be your ultimate weakness. Shallow and jealous is true to your nature but you will regret one of the largest mistakes. Redemption is still possible for you.
"Silver-eyed savior, you must make the hardest choice of all. Live or die." C-10 fell silent looking to C-5 for more to say. The blond-haired girl only shook her head, signaling that there was nothing left for her to say. The twins exchanged glances, both of confusion and giddiness. They had enjoyed the reading and had thoroughly loved it. C-7 remained silent, her eyes on the cards. C-13 looked between the cards, C-5 and C-10, not knowing what to do. Guessing that the reading was over, she turned back to the window and was delighted to see that snow was still falling. Darting back toward it, she clambered up onto the windowsill, pressing her face close to the glass.
"Hey! What did I tell you about the glass? Keep your filthy face off of it!" Stars danced in her vision as a strong blow to her head slammed her face into the transparent surface. She slid weakly down it onto the windowsill seat. Something grabbed her hair, yanking her painfully to her feet. A small whimper of pain escaped her lips.
"Stop, please! I just want to watch the snow!"
"Make sure you clean the glass five times to get all of your fingerprints off of it," C-7 snarled, her face inches from C-13's own. C-13 nodded profusely, wanting to be released. Instead, C-7 dragged her to the cleaning cabinet in the bathroom and dropped the proper chemicals onto the floor for her.
"Well? What are you waiting for?" C-7 demanded. "Pick them up! You haven't learned the rules here so I have to teach you by force. Pathetic girl." C-13 could only whimper as she stooped to collect them. She felt her hair bouncing rhythmically but didn't pay it much attention. She could hear the twin's voices but they sounded muffled compared to the pain.
"Let go of her, C-7! You're just-"
"Going to hurt her and then what?"
"I'll tell you what," C-7 grumbled, her tone losing a good portion of its edge. "She'll clean the damn window, that's what!"
"C-7, let her go. She didn't know she was doing anything wrong," C-10's calm voice drifted to her ears. C-13 almost wept in relief but stifled her tears. If it was one thing she had learned in this room, it was to never show an ounce of weakness. She felt the hand on her hair tighten for a moment before a force sent the locks flying forward and C-7 stormed away. Gentle hands helped her up and C-10 smiling face was soon all she could see.
"There you go. I'll help you carry all these bottles," she offered, picking up a couple of the things at her feet. C-13 nodded, picking up some and heading toward the clear glass. The snow continued to fall lazily toward the ground. In a matter of moments, she had already forgotten that she was supposed to be cleaning and simply stared out at the empty white sky.