Burying the Hatchet (COMPLETED)

Recoil

Transition is by far the greatest test on mankind since time immemorial. All her life Eli knew that, that's why she wanted to shut the world out. Live inside her own bubble. Disregard the things that could possibly hurt her. Like her favorite fairytale, where all spindles are thrown out the castle to keep the princess safe. But like her, she was not able to dodge the curse and escape her destiny. She built her life brick by brick but her blood told her a different story.

A year after Eli was born the EDEN project was realized. As what her dying mother feared. People thought, the fully automated system was a life saver. When it was a threat under their noses.

"No! Get your filthy hands off me!" Six year old Eli screams at her sister Sol, whose hands are covered in mud.

Though Eli sees it differently. Instead, Sol's hands are covered in blood and getting closer meant to strangle her to death. Though Sol just meant to smudge her face with mud. They're playing near by the seashore after all they are building sand castles.

Eli backs off, trying to escape from her sister. Then all went black and she collapsed. That was her first black out. After getting checked, the doctor says she suffers from unidentified source of hallucinations. Which messes with her cognitive ability. It's like somebody is taking control of her mind without her consent.

Ignorant to her adoptive parent's past and her own, they went tooth and nail to find the root cause.

"There's only one person we know who is capable of it." Sally looks at her husband with horror glossing over her eyes. While Jack overlaps his hands with her as consolation.

***

"Venn, we thought you died at the last ambush on REVIVAL? Eve wouldn't have been captured without your knowledge." Sally can't contain her astonishment.

"Jacquelyn, I don't go by that name anymore. You can call me Trei now. Yes I'm alive in the flesh." Sally winced to hear her real name in ages.

She felt her stomach churn, an estranged feeling. Is it really her? Their childhood friend Ventre? Her scarlet locks are replaced by a blonde tinge now. Though her strong jawline and cat eyes remained the same. She can't forget her sassy attitude too.

"What you said on the last part tasted wrong in my mouth. It was your job to keep Eve safe when I'm not around. You both know I don't go to war unarmed right, Marcus?" Now Venn flips her hair as she faces Jack. "Then why the hell did former REVIVAL mercenaries...scratch that, my best friends betrayed me? and opted to play house and family. Don't you think teaching my niece cops and robbers early in the game, is more...fitting?" She pulls his collar and pushes him right after.

Marcus grabs her left wrist on the get go, "Don't you dare mess with our daughter's life." That threat was clear, knowing they were spineless mercenaries quite a few years ago. But Venn remains stoic. If they can kill with knives and guns, she can too with her mind.

"I should have bad blood with you don't you think? Why would Eve leave her daughter to you instead of me? She doesn't believe I would die that easy, right?"

"You think so? Let's not forget how she got entangled inside Adam's web for that matter." Jacquelyn retaliated, as a matter of fact. Crossing her arms to maintain her composure. Venn's doing a fine job bringing up the past she wanted to bury.

"We won't stand down Venn. It's either we compromise or our friendship's out of the window for good." Marcus added fuel to the fire. Making Venn felt outnumbered and let it go. But she is not her sister.

"Fine, I'll do it my way. You're good as dead to me now. Have a fun life. I'll collect the dues when it's time." That was a warning shot more than any weapon can give. Venn was willing to play the evil witch, in order to protect the only thing that connects her to Eve. Eli lives or she'll die trying keeping it that way.

***

Everytime Eli had sudden outbursts, her parents fear she won't come back after those black outs. Growing up, she believed that she had a serious mental illness. When the truth is, she's held hostage by her own aunt to keep ker safe. She's elated that her niece eventually takes after her wits. Though she hates to admit it, she didn't have to be head strong too.

When Eli delves deep enough for answer or any leads that may connect him to Adam; Venn is forced to mess with her head through EDEN program. Her remote connection to control Eli.

Twelve years later...

September 4, 4019

"Not a single program have run at a hundred percent ever since. Because humans are fallible. Miscalculations or a farce between colleagues can happen. Who knows which causes them to rot first?"

Eli is so immersed dismembering and assembling her parent's and sister's rectifiers. Her waist-length cerulean hair is getting in the way. She thinks of cutting it soon but the matter at hand is more pressing. She'd go crazy spending a day not knowing if they are safe or not. It's the least she can do to repay them and treating her like a true family.

"Eli, dinner's ready, you don't want to miss the feast do you?" Sol peaks her head by the door. While her eyes are scanning the room.

Ambushed Eli scrambles on her study table. "You never knock do you?" Pushing annoyance as a stealth tactic. Somehow breathes a little, thankful for her dimlighted room. She does that every time she wants to work on something alone and doesn’t want to be disturbed. Though she can't trust her nosy sister's random antics.

"Fine but hurry up though. Mom and dad would look like abandoned puppies if you go over three minutes from dinner time."

She heard Sol giggled before she shut the door.

***

March 17, 4020

"I killed them." Eli keeps repeating after herself. This is the worse black out she had so far. It never occured to her that her fragmented memories could lead to murder. Not just anybody but her own family.

Her escape and survival after that day forward led her to change so much in just a span of few months. She trained herself for combat, escape and even socializing- the thing she dreaded the most. She never thought that the outside world was this scary. An entire jungle of its own. People pitting against in other because of self-interest.

Though she can't be blamed for putting up so many walls. Atleast she can mimimize her losses. Situations and people forced her to become aggressive too. She can't live another day spending it on regrets. She has ton of it already.

***

"They say you become what you hate and why am I not surprised?" Eli throws a pebble at a nearby lagoon. The water ripples. Just like how a single action she thought she did, dragged her out in the open like this.

"Hey blueber, sulking like a kid are we? She's your aunt no matter what happens."

She snaked her head in his direction as she throws the remaining pebble too. The latter just laugh it off and sat down next to her. He even elbowed her, as if that earlier statement wasn't provocative enough.

But he was the one taken aback this time. When Eli jumped on him and he fell on his back. Good thing the grass grew thicker on that side. He felt her right hand on his nape next is her lips claiming his. Before the kiss was deep enough she breaks away. Leaving him breathless for a moment. Caught in a daze.

"Ray do I really taste like berry?" She then sticks her tongue out and ran.

While Fray got up and decided to fall back again, cozy on the bed of grass. Lying on his arms, staring at the clear sky. He can't begin to fathom how he began to fall for Eli. She's practically a kid who just crossed womanhood not long ago.

"Is it okay to feel the warmth of being loved again, even in this situation?"

"What do you mean loved again? you're such a liar?" The cozy afternoon suddenly became autumn like. It is painted red. Seeing her inverted version with her bangs growing a few inches longer. She's become a lady now, he'll give her that.

Fray gets up in an inclined position, anchoring his elbows for support. Closing their distance while giving her a taste of her own medicine. "You and your selective hearing. This is the only way I could shut you up." Then his elbows got wobbly so he lost his balance and fall back again.

While Eli's still in shock.

"And here I thought you killed yourself after that revelation." Trei almost out of breath while her arms are anchored on her waist. "Maybe you got out of the wrong v****a? You resemble me so much it kills me."

"You being tactless tells me otherwise. Atleast I'm glad I got that from your sister." Eli snaps back.

"Ladies chill."

"Shut up!" Atleast they agree on that.