September 1, 2011

Haley was six years old when her curious eyes twinkled up at her neighbor's house. It started eight days ago, when Douglas Hunsiker was finally able to bring her home. The two of them were halfway through the door when he spotted his other daughter in tears. He was shocked, Haley was fascinated, and Alice was balling her eyes out. It took them both a while to decipher at least one word in between her sniffs and hiccups: "M-hic-Monster." Haley was left forgotten in the doorway while Douglas tried to calm Alice down. Since then, her neighbor's house became her obsession. It was no longer just some background blur.

Haley has seen her sister cry many times. The worst time was when Haley was rushed to the hospital for the first time. They were both still young and the memory was hazy, but she'll never forget her sister's panicked, wet face. But she's also seen Alice scream at caterpillars, tear up at little lizards, and nearly pass out at the touch of baby frogs. She suspected, just like then, that there was no monster. After all, her father said that monsters weren't real. But there had to have been something that frightened Alice, and Haley needed to know what it was.

So, for the eighth night in a row, she sat comfortably in her bed by her balcony and studied her neighbour's dormer for any sign of movement.

Alice and Haley were identical in many ways, but they simultaneously looked exactly alike and nothing alike. Unlike her twin, Haley's body was abnormally small and dainty for her age. Whenever she was dwarfed by her large bed, she appeared almost comically frail. Her brown eyes twinkled like her sister's, but they were circled by deep black lines. Despite being cut the same as her sister's, Haley's short blonde hair was malnourished and thin. Emma, her previous babysitter, had attempted braiding it once and the lady had a panic attack when she saw a clump of hair snap off between her fingers. Haley didn't mind - she enjoyed having her hair played with. But her father was furious and her babysitter was fired.

She unconsciously brushed a few strands out of her eyes at the memory. Her fingers, too, were scrawny and weak. No, despite being identical, the two girls really did look nothing alike - nothing alike at all.

Haley was jolted from her thoughts when a dark figure blurred pass her neighbor's window. She immediately sat up and leaned closer. At first, she could only glimpse the shape every few seconds as it swung in and out of sight, but eventually, the figure stopped and dropped to the floor. Whatever it was, it had noticed her, and that fact alone was enough to make anticipation rush through her. The creature paused before moving closer; Haley felt herself instinctively inch back. The hobble in its step made it look hesitant; it looked like it wasn't sure if it wanted to come closer or run away. But once it peeked through the window and the moonlight cascaded across its face, Haley knew she was wrong. He - yes, a 'he' apparently - did not look afraid. In fact, his whole face glowed at the sight of her. His green eyes sparkled with a curiosity that she's never seen before. She was right: he was no monster, and he also wasn't human. And despite his apish appearance, Haley couldn't bring herself to call him an ape either. Haley has never seen an ape in person, and she still felt like she hasn't. The only thing that was sincerely apish about him was the hobble that she mistook for fear.

She swallowed; her throat felt dry. She was neither horrified nor scared, but her chest swelled with awe. She knew she was gaping, but she didn't care. Not losing herself completely, she glanced behind her to make sure her door was still closed. It was. Shakily, she rose her bony arm and gave a little wave. It was to her utter disbelief when she saw the ape hoot excitedly before he waved back.

March 6, 2014

"Send my love to Emily's parents!"

"I will!"

Haley was nine. Her bare feet clapped vigorously against the ground as she ran out of the house; it has been the same routine every Wednesday for the past five months. She was still smaller than her sister, but Haley's once-bony face was plump, and her energy was at an all-time high. She was still weaker than most children and her face wasn't as rosy as it should be, but she was better. She has been decently healthy for ten months and that was something. The dark circles under her eyes were beginning to turn into small bags and her once-fragile hair was becoming a full, wavy bob. She was reaching a new record. Of course, Douglas continued to watch his daughter like a mother hawk - that is, when he was in America - and her body still gave warning signs, but for now, she was healthy. At last, she had the chance to make proper friends, and her father could not have been happier. Even her mother kept calling to make sure she was still recovering. Her parents tried keeping it from her, but they were even looking into public schools.

So, every Wednesday morning without fail, Haley watched the old grandfather clock until it struck twelve. The loud chimes told the whole house that it was time for Haley to visit her friend. If only she could tell her father that Emily wasn't the friend who she has been visiting. In fact, Emily wasn't her friend at all. She's only spoken to the girl once and Emily did her best to cut their conversation short; by total coincidence, every kid on the street started avoiding the 'weird sick girl' soon after. Apparently, Emily did not appreciate Haley's fascination with medicines and surgeries. Emily didn't care that they were the only things that Haley knew enough about to make conversation about. Haley hasn't spoken to Emily since.

Haley knew she couldn't tell her father any of this. After how the man reacted when Caesar showed up at their house, her jaw locked shut. Douglas didn't know that the ape showed up to play with his daughter, so he didn't hesitate to attack - Caesar had to get stitches, and she knew it would have been worse if Caesar's father didn't stop hers. Even from her bedroom window, Haley was terrified of her father that day - baseball bat in his hand and his eyes full of protective rage, she knew he was willing to do anything to 'protect' Alice. Even now, two months later, he kept muttering to himself about placing Caesar in a zoo. She had a gut feeling that he wanted to put Caesar somewhere worse.

As a result, despite being a child, Haley knew to keep her mouth shut. All she could do was cry when she saw Caesar's leg the next day and she begged for him to forgive her for what her father had done.

He did.

"Back again, are you?" Will chuckled down at the young girl in his doorway. He patiently watched her catch her breath and he smiled when she gave a chipper nod, "He's upstairs."

She grinned and sped pass her neighbor. Even after months of doing this, she still tripped up the spiral staircase as she ran for the attic entrance. Like always, Caesar's face brightened when he saw her head pop out from the floor. Swooping down from the window, he swung from one joist to the other and plopped down on the floor in front of her. She watched him; she was still in as much awe of his strength as she was on the first day she met him. One day, she wants to be as strong as him - both in spirit and in body.

Well, Haley took some solace in the fact that she was still taller.

Caesar gestured his hands carefully, repeating the words that he memorized in the past five years. "It's good to see you, too," Haley grinned, a couple of missing teeth interrupting her cheeky smile, "but I don't..." She trailed off unsurely.

Releasing a frustrated gibber, he motioned to her backpack.

"Oh! You want to know what I brought?" She laughed - she was proud of herself for figuring it out. It had been a month into this routine that Will begun to teach her sign, but she was still miles behind Caesar. She knew that her ignorance wasn't just because he's had more time to practice - he seemed to excel in everything that he tried. To Haley, he practically glowed.

Haley shrugged her bag from her shoulder and unzipped it in an enthusiastic rush, "Dad bought a lot of new toys on his flight to Japan last week; I'm sure you'll love these." With a slight skip in her step, Haley shuffled over to the center of the room and tossed the contents onto the floor. As routine, the two children simultaneously made themselves comfortable on opposite sides of the pile. Caesar's eyes immediately sparkled when he began to study the dozens of strange trinkets, and Haley just watched. She didn't much care for toys -toys were what her father would dump on her when she was in the hospital. Toys were what he would give her when he wanted her to stop asking to go home. Instead, this was why Haley always brought Caesar the toys: to simply watch Caesar's curiosity peak. The unique curiously that she spotted in Caesar when she first saw him, it never went away, and it never failed to warm her heart. In fact, it makes her whole body swell with an unfamiliar warmth. It was addicting. She once watched him for a whole hour and never got bored. Only when Caesar was properly finished, did she finally start explaining how the toys worked.

Downstairs, Will and Charles Rodman couldn't help but smile at every laugh or hoot that broke through the ceiling.

November 14, 2015

Haley was ten years old when she heaved for fresh air. Her arms and legs burned. There was a fire in every joint of her body and her heart hammered vocally in her chest. She desperately clutched her bruised fingers around the branch above her head. She smiled – she felt alive. Every week, after enduring days of draining homeschool, this was what Haley looked forward to. She enjoy reading and learning, but not being taught by someone who couldn't care less.

It's been two years since Haley's family thought she was getting better. Her parents were insisting that she was finally healthy – she was cured! – and they were getting ready to move on.

Eleven months.

She was healthy for eleven months and was a week away from a new record when Will found her, curled up on the sidewalk. The ambulance sirens were deafening. Douglas didn't thank Will when he called him at Amarillo Airport, and Will didn't ask him for his gratitude, but Haley knew Will saved her life. It took five weeks of recovery before she was finally allowed to go thank him, and Caesar immediately tackled her into a hug. Will panicked, but she assured him she was fine and hugged the young ape back. She ignored her bruising butt and simply grinned. She immediately felt better.

Haley shook the memory from her mind and tried hoisting herself up again. She whimpered when she only fell back down and felt her own weight drop onto her shoulders. 'Plan B,' She considered and took a determined gulp of air. She swung her tired legs back and forth, starting with small movements and steadily growing pace. She waited for the perfect momentum before she threw her legs forward, but she only felt her soft, buttery fingers slip. The forest scenery turned into cloudy skies as her body flipped back and began to plummet towards the ground. Her hair whipping violently against her face, but she couldn't seem to close her eyes. For a quiet moment, she was floating, and she couldn't break her gaze away from the beautiful blue abyss. It felt like she was flying.

Haley yelped when something crashed into her side. Her breath bolted from her lungs and the momentary peace shattered against the violent blow. The impact felt strange when compared to the gentle touch that remained when the pain passed. The touch – warm and soft – was unmistakable and it made Haley give a sheepish laugh. She went back to watching the flourishing woods as she was swung from tree to tree, back towards the picnic. "I almost made it this time!" She insisted and craned her neck to glance up at Caesar. He simply huffed at her words and tightened his arm around her middle. She suspected that he would have lectured her if his arms were free.

"Slipped again?" Caroline chuckled at Haley, watching the two children drop back down onto the forest floor. The woman laid comfortably against Will's side and Haley couldn't help but note how beautiful she was. Haley hasn't had the chance to get to know Coraline very well, but she often wondered if she'll look like her one day. Haley's crooked teeth, pale skin, and messy hair was nothing like the woman's perfect smile and caramel complexion. Haley wanted to ask Coraline about her possible future, but she was too afraid of what the answer might be.

"I got half way this time!" She insisted again, but this time all she got was a small laugh from Will, forcing her cheeks to puff in a pout, "I managed to swing through three trees, you know..."
That made their amused grins fall, Caroline looking impressed by the girl's improvement over the past year. Their awe got interrupted by a few grumbles and grunts from Caesar.

Over the past few years of knowing each other, Caesar has grown much larger than the small chimpanzee who waved at her from his window. His shoulders have become broad and powerful, and the innocent glow has aged from his face. Frown lines were biggening to form around his nose and eyes, his intelligence has improved, and much to Haley's chagrin, he held himself taller. Alice was short, so Haley knew she wouldn't have dwarfed Caesar if she was healthy, but her health has finally begun to stunt her growth. She was a good half foot shorter than her twin, and Caesar has officially outgrown her. And, along with his height, he grew frustratingly over-protective.

"Oh, I'm fine, Caesar." She whined while Will and Caroline began dissembling the picnic. "See?" She motioned up and down her unscathed body but stopped when her gesture revealed the blisters ad cuts on her hands. She gave an awkward smile and hid them behind her, "Well... mostly fine."
Naturally, she wasn't convincing, and it made Caesar give an annoyed, frustrated hoot. "You not ape: dangerous." He signed.

"Yes, so you've said." She grumbled. When she first started visiting Caesar, he didn't know about her illness – neither did Will – so, after that day on the sidewalk, Caesar oh-so-kindly began to repeatedly remind her than she was human. It shouldn't have felt insulting, but it did. Oh, it so very-much did. His statement cut deep against her heart, and she didn't know why. "But if I can't play with you in the attic anymore, I have to come here." She explained, "You may 'be ape,' unlike me, but you're also my friend."

Two years ago, her statement wouldn't have hit Caesar so hard, but now he knew that he was Haley's only friend. He knew that she was only able to leave that house when she came to visit him. He knew how her father treated her, and it made his sharp teeth itch. It didn't matter that she was smiling when she was telling him everything; even if he was an ape, he could hear the pain beneath her words. Haley's house was her cage, and he felt his sympathy melt the annoyance in his heart. It must have shown on his face because Haley soon shook her head and changed the subject. It didn't really matter – Will announced that it was time to leave.

February 14, 2016

Haley was eleven.

Horror, terror, fear, confusion - none of those words could properly explain how Haley felt. Her heart hang heavy, a dry lump scratched at her throat, her feet burned against the path, and her breath wouldn't move. 'This can't be happening,' She insists to herself, but reality was a cruel teacher, and she couldn't blink the scene away. A crowd has formed, but they were faceless to her; all she knew was that they were backing away. Haley pled that it was a nightmare, for her sisters' screams to be a hallucination, but the sound of dripping blood echoed painfully in her ear. Blood has never looked so red as the crimson liquid that stained Caesar's lips. It couldn't be a nightmare; even Haley couldn't dream something so revolting. She couldn't look away.

Haley was frozen between her bleeding father and Charles Rodman. Her father's mortallity showed itself in thick, bold tears. Alice was standing over their father, helping him clutch his bleeding hand to his chest, trying to stop the flood of blood where his finger used to be. Caesar held his grandfather close, looking just as terrified as the man he had attacked. His eyes didn't leave Haley's. They wouldn't - they couldn't - and they begged for her to tell him he didn't hurt anyone. He, too, begged for it to be a nightmare, and Haley could feel a choice cut against her soul: her father or her friend. "Haley!" Alice cried again, trying to get her sister to help move their father indoors. Charles looked as horrified and confused as Haley did - what the hell happened? - but Haley was more terrified of herself than anything. She was hesitating on who to help. She wanted to walk away from her father and to go help her friend. She didn't want to help her father, she didn't want to help her sister, she didn't want to go back into her house, she didn't want to stop the bleeding, she didn't want to console her family, she didn't want to do anything except help Caesar.

It was more revolting than any sight of blood: the fact that she didn't immediately rush to help her family. Douglas Hunsiker was her father, Alice was her sister - they were her family and Caesar was an ape. It wasn't right - what is wrong with her?

And so, she closed her eyes - my god, did they burn - took a breath, and turned away. She felt her heart break; heck, she could practically hear it rip in two. She forced her heavy legs forward and moved to her father's side. Her hands trembled as she helped Douglas indoors to call the hospital. Maybe, if she had known that Caesar would be locked away by the time she returned home, she would have made a different choice.

A month later, Haley's father was released from the hospital. His hand was patched, and thanks to an awkward gift from Will, his finger was skillfully re-attached. Unfortunately, along with him being released, so was the truth about Haley's visits with "Emily" every Wednesday. She had never seen so much rage directed at her from her father's eyes. Even in the past, when she had broken his precious heirloom with her fumbling fingers, he hadn't yelled, stomped, or snapped. In his eyes, she was too fragile; she would surely crumble if he scolded her. This time was different. Her bedroom door was permanently locked from outside; at first, she wasn't allowed to leave the house, but after many failed attempts to escape, she was barricaded inside her bedroom. So, Haley sat alone atop her balcony, just as she had five years prior. Once again, she stared at her neighbor's dormer in search of some type of movement that she knew would never come. She knew that Caesar was locked where she'd never be able to visit. She was young, she wasn't influential – during her brief stint at public school, she lost the class presidency elections. If she had won, maybe she could have asked the principle to help. Principles were scary – surely they could have done something?

Instead, she had to settle for someone else. She had to settle for the one person who missed Caesar as much as she did.

It felt identical to the first time she saw Caesar: Haley glanced over her shoulder to make sure her bedroom door was closer. It was. She skulked over to the balcony edge and hoisted herself onto the railing. She didn't dare gaze down to the ground. There was an irony; she has jumped from 100ft trees and didn't feel scared at all, but now, she was terrified. She suspected that, deep down, she always knew Caesar would save her. This time, he won't. He won't, because Haley chose her father over him.

Haley paused and took a shaky breath to unwind her nerves. She had to jump – she had to. "Now!" She demanded and kicked off. She leaped with a ringing in her ears and reached for the nearest tree. She had to grab it – she had to. Her heart lodged into her throat when her fingers almost slipped, but she desperately clawed into the bark and quickly found her metaphorical ground. She sighed with relief. Her muscles stung after only a few short weeks of inactivity, but she didn't fall. That was something. "Come on, Haley," She encouraged herself in a whisper, "use your shoulders, kick your legs," she chanted, shifting her aim on the next tree, and followed the directions Caesar taught her, "swing, and let go—"

With a faint yelp, she swung herself to a lower branch on the next tree, but alas, the trees in her neighborhood were nothing like the redwood she's gotten used to. Her sweaty palms slipped on the slick bark and she crashed feet-first against the tree's center. She hissed as splinters dug into her scraped knees, but bit back the urge to cry. She couldn't cry now – yes, if her father found her, he could magically numb the pain, but he'll also take her back inside. She had to leave – she had to. So, she carefully climbed the rest of the way down the tree, and she ran to Will's house. She ignored the jolt of pain in her unsteady steps. Still, it was all for naught when she discovered that no one was home.

Stupid! She should have made sure his car was parked outside before she came!

Haley has spent enough time around the Rodmans; there had to be another option. 'Think, Haley, think,' She begged, squeezing her fists and eyes shut in deep concentration. It had to be today; if she went back home now, she wouldn't have another chance, 'Think! Thi-'

"Gen-Sys. This is where I work." Will's voice replayed in her memory, "This is where you were born, Caesar."

"That's it!" Haley gasped aloud, her innocent eyes sparkling with new-found hope. She spun around on her neighbor's porch, her baby blue dress swirling dramatically, and ran in search of Gen-Sys. Fortunately, once you tell someone you're looking for your parents and they work at Gen-Sys, people are more than happy to help you. The good samaritan's poor eyes bulged in horror when the little girl practically jumped from the car when they arrived. Their screams fell on deaf ears while Haley sped towards Gen-Sys and disappeared inside the towering structure.

"Is that a kid?"

"Wait, you can't go in there!"

"Stop! Get back here!"

Haley aimlessly sped through Gen-sys, slipping through lab hands and slithering pass white coats. If she wasn't determined to find Will, the familiar sight of doctors – so many doctors – might have stopped her in her tracks. The glass walls and shimmering floors were surreal. It looked like the building was both there and not there. It was devoid of character, of life, of soul – it was no wonder Will worked mostly from home. He never specified his reasons – Haley and Caesar often spied on him in his office but were shooed away when their giggling became too much – but he could not have possible enjoy being there. She decided, then and there, that she was going to ask Will about it later; not now - that is not why she was here.

No, Haley had to find Will – she had to. And she took full advantage of her small build and innocent face, and of the stamina which Caesar helped her build. Her knees have long-since stopped stinging.

"It's okay," A doctor said carefully and slowly backed Haley into a corner. The doctors felt like they were re-living the time when Bright Eyes escaped her cage. Except, this time, it was a little human girl. It was more than embarrassing, it was pathetic; they really needed to increase their security measures. "Let's find your par-" She tried, but before she could finish, the girl lunged forward and slipped past her. She tried to catch a stray arm, but the small limb slipped free easily, and she was sent stumbling into the wall. The glass rattled loudly, and another group of scientists fell in line behind the intruder. Haley went unfazed by the events and her face only brightened when she finally heard a familiar voice in the distance. She was lucky that it wasn't muffled by the stampede of footsteps behind her.

"It's a virus; we don't know the human-related effects."

Haley swerved her small body around the corner and enjoyed the sound of a few adults stumbling down the hallway. They tripped on their own heavy weight and Haley felt strangely smug; turns out, there was some advantage to her stunted size. But of course, she couldn't revel in her smugness for long. The familiar voice in the distance demanded that she kept running. Her body was starting to hurt, her lungs were starting to burn, but she had to keep running – she had to find Will! She turned another corner and sped into the next room. Immediately, a nauseating chill traveled up her spine and her blood flushed cold. She came to an abrupt stop which sent her sliding against the shimmering marble floor. The scientists heaved for breath when they finally reached Haley and grabbed her shoulders, but she didn't care. She was petrified.

"No more tests." Will announced, but when he turned to roll the trolley away, the sight of the young girl made him freeze. Her hair was more disheveled than the unconscious ape who was inhumanely tossed across the trolley, but he recognized her immediately. A heavy silence fell across the room while her wide, horrified eyes studied the hairy shape. Eventually, the situation sunk in and Will spoke, "Haley!? What are you doing here!?"

"I..." She croaked, but her words were forgotten as her gaze traveled to the other cages around her. Dozens of apes were in cages around her. "I wanted to—" She tried again, trying to find the right excuse, but her thoughts ran dry when she spotted one particularly nasty sight. She gulped comically, unable to look away from the strange ape's sneering and scarred face. He also didn't look away – he only stared back at her. He was shorter than Caesar, but she felt dwarfed by his accusing glare. It was like he was daring her, but she didn't know with what. She could feel his one blind eye piercing through her thoughts. She could feel it undressing every lie she's ever told, and the lies she hasn't. She swallowed again, but the lump in her throat wouldn't move. He still didn't look away; he kept watching her – why? He, too, didn't look like an ape; he was too terrifying. And he was still watching her.

"What's this?" Jacobs interrupted finally and Haley gasped for a breath she didn't know she needed. She broke her eyes away as quickly as possible. "There can't be kids in here!" He snapped, glaring at the doctors behind her. For a moment, he resembled the ape in the cage. Gods, he was still watching her – she could feel it.

"I'll take her home." Will rushed out and rolled the ape aside before he shooed the team to their positions. He moved to pull Haley to the door, but she immediately skidded out of reach.

Right, she was here for a reason – snap out of it, Haley!

"B-But I want to help get Caesar out!" She yelled, her face crunched up with such determination that it was easy for an adult to forget she didn't know how difficult that would be. It reminded Will of a child's face when they are told that their goldfish was set free. That is, until he saw her brown eyes move back to the trolley behind him. He suddenly realized a kid shouldn't see that, or anything in the lab. Her friendship with Caesar only made the situation worse. 'Cornelia,' Haley read the ape's tag before Will could stop her.

"No!" She yelled when Will took the opportunity to grab her wrist and start pulling her away. She kicked against the ground to pull herself free, but it was pointless. She was exhausted and her knees were starting to hurt again. "No! No!" She kept crying, "We need to help Caesar! I have money – you can take all my quarter! Take them! Please!" Will did his best to ignore the awkward atmosphere around the lab and just kept moving. But, Haley's pleas did give him an idea: if legal paper won't get Caesar out, maybe another type of paper will. It was already clear that John Landon was a deplorable man; maybe he is deplorable enough to be bribed.

During his mulling, Will didn't notice Haley lose strength and fall into a sullen pace behind him.

That was it – that was Haley's only chance – and she blew it. The only consolation was the fact that her father was too furious with her to press charges against Will. When Will brought her home, Douglas slammed the door in Will's face and wasted no time before screaming down at his daughter. She wasn't even sure what he was saying. Haley's head hung low, she flinched under his words, but none of them sunk in. By the time that the sun lowered the next day, Haley's balcony doors were stripped of their hinges and the glass was covered by thick white security bars. The balcony was still beautiful, but there was no more way to access it. "Well done, Haley," She sniffled, pressing her wet face against the glass, "now you're both trapped."

September 1, 2016

Haley pulled her knees tighter against her chest. She was curled up on her bed, cocooned by two green duvets. The heat was suffocating, her sweaty hair stuck to her forehead like blonde noodles, but she didn't move. She wanted the blankets to swallow her, to take her away from there. She wanted them to transport her into the world that she could faintly glimpse through the security bars and balcony railing. It was easier to see the dormer which neighbored her window, but she didn't want to see it; instead, she watched the small square of trees and passing cars.

It's been a week since apes from every resort, zoo, lab, and cage, stampeded through the city in calculated groups, and Haley hasn't left her room since – not that she would have been able to get very far. She was ungrounded for a whole day when she saw apes swinging from tree to tree pass her window, and she didn't hesitate before she made a run for it. She sped downstairs, pass her sister's room, pass the kitchen, pass the living room, towards the front door, and violently crashed into her father's solid figure. She was ungrounded for one day, and she was immediately back to being grounded. This time, she wasn't sure if she'll ever be allowed to leave again. She was no longer locked inside her bedroom, but the front door was fastened by an exterior lock, all the windows were secured, and Haley childishly refused to leave her room. Why does it matter which part of her cage she decides to wallow in? Even when Haley's father came upstairs to announce that he was flying another bunch of strangers somewhere, Haley didn't move. She didn't say anything – she didn't look.

Maybe, if her mother was here, she would allow Haley to go see her friend. Maybe she would have allowed Haley to go visit Muir Woods, which the apes have claimed as their own. Maybe – but Haley knew better. Her mother had her own family to take care of; she had her own family to coddle after the scare on the Golden Gate Bridge. So, she merely watched the street with lamented eyes, and she watched her father pack his suitcases in the taxi trunk.

"Haley?" Alice called carefully, poking her head into the room, "The new babysitter is here." The old one got fired again; no doubt, he questioned her father's parenting methods. Haley didn't respond to Alice. She kept silent and watched her father drive away - she sat there, watching him leave just like the apes had swung away. It has been a few months since Haley last got sick, and she was starting to feel healthier, but she would be willing to leave the house in the back of an ambulance if it meant she could leave at all.

"Haley?" Her twin tried again, but was interrupted by her own sudden sneeze, finally compelling her sister to glance her way. It wasn't the best circumstances, but Alice was happy to see a flicker of worry on Haley's face. "I think I caught what dad has." She explained and chuckled sheepishly at Haley, but only to see her look away again. She watched as her sister once-again placed her cheek on her knee, "Well... alright then. Sorry for bothering you."

Hearing the door close next to her, Haley sighed and felt her heart sting with guilt – she knew it wasn't Alice's fault – but she also didn't call after her. Instead, she finally wormed herself from her blankets and slid her feet over the side of the bed. The floor's cold wood pleasantly tickled her feet. With a slight wobble in her step – her fault for refusing to eat – she shuffled over to her desk and begun to search through her drawers. It took her ten minutes to find what she was looking for and a loud rip sounded across her room. Using the tape she borrowed from her sister's room a few years ago, she stuck the picture to her wall. Her father wasn't here; she didn't have to worry about him getting mad and tearing it off.

Haley swayed on the mattress springs when she climbed back on top of it, and she used her new height to jump to the ceiling with a determined grunt. With hands more desperate than ever, she grasped the wooden joist above her; she stumbled, and she panicked, but she eventually found a good grip and sighed with relief. Testing it, she pulled her tiny body up and dropped it back down. The wood didn't budge, or creak, or whine – good. "Use your shoulders, kick your legs, swing forward, and let go." She chanted in a whisper and threw herself on towards the next joist. She caught it perfectly this time. There really was a first time for everything.

Haley paused to watch the picture of the chimpanzee on her wall, as if hoping he will turn into Caesar and tell her she was doing it correctly. But her face just darkened, and she focused back on the next joist – Caesar was gone.

April 1, 2017

The hallway felt like the path to hell when Haley studied the old telephone on its wall. The thing was the devil themself – wicked and murderous. The surrounding world felt hollow; popping guns and screeching tires were muffled by her own ears. The entire city was out of control. People of all cultures and religions were calling it the end times. Windows were shattered and malls were destroyed in preparation for survival. People like Haley, who wanted none of it, barricaded themselves indoors. They begged and waited for the violence to end, and they prayed to escape the crossfire.

Reluctantly, Haley reached for the phone and picked it up with a trembling hand. The plastic rattled in her grip and was smeared red with blood. She had no other choice. The blood was mostly dry, but she didn't bother washing it off – not yet. She's grown used to the sickening color. She barely noticed it as she entered the familial number. She's typed the number plenty of times – before and after the apocalypse – and didn't need to think about anything. She didn't want to think about anything. Unfortunately, the phone rang six times, and then the results were the same. "This is Douglas Hunsiker; I am unable to come to the phone right now," Her father's familiar voice came from the other side, "but leave a message after the beep if it's urgent – Beep."

"Daddy?" Haley sniffed softly. Her whole body was tired and sore from the lack of sleep. She didn't bother trying to stop it when she collapsed against the wall with a gentle thump. "It's Haley again," she said and paused, as if waiting for her name to coax him into picking up the phone. He didn't. "Please call back when you get this, because Alice... she's..." Her voice trailed off into a few dreary sniffs. She roughly wiper her puffy eyes and continued, "she's not feeling too good. I think she's going to..." A few minutes of silence followed. The voicemail has long-since cut off, but she held the phone against her ear, waiting and waiting for someone – anyone – to reassure her. Deep down, she knew her father was dead, but she needed someone to answer. It didn't matter who – just tell me that Alice will be okay.

She placed the phone back on the wall and backtracked down the hallway.

Haley stepped over her babysitter on the floor, and her footstep made some dry blood chip from the woman's lips. At one point in time, Haley found the sight revolting, but it has steadily become nothing more than background noise. Instead, Haley kept walking and grabbed the Nyquil from the table. The medicine won't heal Alice, but it will help her sleep; that is enough – that is all Haley could do. When the Simian Flu first started breaking through the world, Haley didn't understand its severity – it was just the flu, surely – but she knew that something was strange. As twins, Haley and Alice were born on the same day, but unlike Alice's screeching, Haley was dead silent. She was still and quiet, and limp – her parents panicked immediately. The doctor cautioned them that she should stay in the hospital until she was strong enough to leave. But when she left the hospital a year later, she didn't stay away for long. A month later, a simple cold tried to kill her. Before long, she knew more doctors than she knew people on her street. There were times that Haley resented Alice for being healthy, for playing outside, for going to school, for making friends – so then, when Alice got sick and Haley was healthy, she instantly felt trepidation hang heavy in her belly. Haley was more than willing to be sick now if it meant that Alice was better.

Haley wondered if Alice ever felt the same way.

"Haley?" She heard a faint, croaking whisper when she slipped inside the room, and she sent Alice a ghostly smile before she sat down beside the bed. She placed the medicine on the bedside table and took Alice's hand to confirm her arrival, "Where's the babysitter?"

Haley hesitated, gave Alice's hand a reassuring squeeze, and ultimately decided to lie, "She went home to her family. How are you feeling?" It was better to change the subject.

"Better." Alice chuckled weakly, "My legs don't hurt anymore."

Haley has heard enough about this virus to know that wasn't a good sign, but she wisely decided not to say anything. She smiled instead. "That's good." She responded, her words feeling empty, and moved to pick the medicine back up. But from one single question, Haley stopped.

"Why aren't you sick?" Alice asked, frightening Haley with her unfeeling tone, "How are you still alright? How are you," she stopped with a chilling fit of coughs and her free hand moved to cover her bloody lips. Haley felt her hopeful demeanor shatter.

"I... don't know." Haley began to sob quietly, leaving the medicine and pressing Alice's weak hand to her cheek. She squeezed her eyes shut to stop the tears – she needed to be strong for her sister! – but her cheeks burned from endless salty droplets. "I don't know." She repeated, again and again, and shook her head as she fruitlessly prayed, pleaded, and begged for an answer. She, too, wanted to understand why she was healthy; in fact, she hasn't felt this healthy ever. As some cruel twist of fate, she hasn't felt sick since she last saw Caesar.

Haley jolted from her despair when she finally felt what she's been dreading for weeks: her sister's hand slumping in her grip. "Sissy?" She breathed and hesitantly opened her eyes. Haley's eyes flashed with horror when they met an identical, unmoving, and unblinking pair. "Sissy!?" She cried and allowed Alice's arm to flop down onto the bed so she could grab her shoulders. She shook her gently at first, "Wake up! Alice! Wake up!" But Alice wouldn't blink, so Haley shook more violently, "You can't—remember, Daddy will be mad when he comes back and you're not here!"

Throughout her desperate screams, Haley felt a rage begin to boil. It's all their fault, she thought – yes, all their fault! Those animals took everything from her when they messed with nature. They caused this – all this death and destruction – all of it! Without expecting an answer, she wondered when humans will realize that some boundaries should not be crossed. They blame the victims of their experiments, instead of acknowledging what they created, themselves, in a lab somewhere.

Haley was twelve years old when she left her home, and she never went back.

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