76 CHAPTER 75-MORE TROUBLES

The twinkling smiles of the stars covered the firmament with wonder. It was beautiful, and Jeff wished the world was as peaceful and serene as the sky. It was a mixture of white in a black world of nothing. The pattern and the design were a masterpiece. Beauty would be a misnomer to the actual brevity of intricate patterns and shimmering. 

Their aircraft flew along, floating through the world of endless lights that cannot outshine the sun. They had long since left the prison and were making their way to the northern side of the compass. No destination has been decided yet. They just wanted to put enough distance from the ocean, before their captors noticed their departure and decide to pursue.

Jeff blew off the strand of hair that rested on the left side of his face. The hair fluttered for some time but returned, this time covering his brow. With his first finger, he tucked the hair behind his ears and leaned his elbow on the windowsill, letting the sight of the dark sky carry his thoughts to the valley of confusion. 

Ema is your sister. Her real name is Louise. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine it. Every part of him wished it was not true. Every cell in his body wanted Ema to be something different. To be something else than his sister. 

Her name is Louise. The words of his mother echoed again as if it was some kinda 7 o'clock alarm. They kept replaying in his head, and each time, bringing vaguer memory that makes no sense. How could he have had a sister he didn't remember? He remembered literally everything that had happened before Vanessa manipulated him, and none of it pointed to Ema being his sister. From what Alex had told him, he had the Happy-Tech in his body for three years. Or could it be that the bug took away that part of his life? Was it possible?

No. This was a joke. Think about it. I grew up with Matt. I remember everything we did as children. I remember my father holding me in his arms as we soared into the sky every morning. Where was Ema in all these pictures?

Two quiet knocks came from the door, and he turned to meet the elderly face that leaned on the doorway.

"Do you have a minute?" The voice asked and walked in without waiting for his reply. 

"Sure," Jeff said and shifted his weight to the edge of the bed, giving the older woman enough room to relax her old bones.

"Thank you," she said curtly, and took the space. The springs on the bed growled in protest, but they quieted down when the woman relaxed with all her weight. Silence spoke in their midst as they elevated their gaze, studying the dark cloud whose features spread through with the singing light of the stars.

"It's beautiful" Anabel heaved, still holding her gaze with the sky. The edge of her lips was folding into tiny lines despite the dim light that hung on the ceiling of the small room. Age was taking its toll on her. She used to be the most beautiful creature in Jeff's life, and she still is. God has endowed her with not only physical beauty but also an inwards beauty of soul and spirit.

"Yeah, it is. And peaceful too, " Jeff sighed. 

The features of the sky were fluctuating, but always cages the heart with its beauty and awe. Jeff had always loved looking at the stars. It was one thing about his childhood he missed dearly. There was a time in his life when he would stare and stare. His father had joined him sometimes. Telling him tales of the star king. How the stars had given up their light just to save the dying sun. They had fed the sun with so much light that the sun now outshines them. It became the king of the galaxy, the main source of the earth's solar energy. The source of the extracting power. Without the sun the people of Anadan would not have the power to extract. There would be nothing to extract, and life in itself would have been meaningless. But even now he knew it was only a matter of time before everything comes crumbling. Unless he prevented it. Unless he gave up his life to save the world.

"I remember coming home one night only to find your clothes wet," Anabel shifted her weight on the bed but did not break her gaze from the sky.

"Even though it had not rained," she continued, but this time, looking away from the window. The dim light hanging on the ceiling flashed on her face, dancing in those bright eyes of hers. "I was furious until I learned that you had to exchange your clothes with Matt, who had fallen into a gutter. You save him from being punished by his mother. You protected him like a brother."

Jeff bit his lips. His mother's words printed the event of that day in his mind's eyes. He could still see Matt's face as he cried, afraid to go home for fear of what his mother and his two brothers would do to him. 

"There was a way you look at Matt; I must say I haven't seen such looks on you until today." Anabel smiled weakly. 

"But why can't I remember her?" Jeff grunted, knowing what her story was referring to. His mother was fond of that. Always beating around the bush, hoping to find her path from one edge until she finally gets to her main point.

"You were so little. She had died that day, or so I thought. After the explosion in your father's laboratory. I lost Louise too, I lost her to the explosion. It was hard to say for sure if she had died, but the healers told me there was no trace of her. They had said the explosion had destroyed everything in her body. I buried an empty casket to morn her departure."

"That's the point, mom," Jeff said and turned his attention to Anabel. His long hair did well to hide the crease that lined his left brow. 

"I remembered playing with Matt…" He stammered. He also remembers the face of the man who had killed his father. He could never forget it, not in a thousand years. He didn't mention it though. Not because he was afraid to or have decided to let it fly. He had not mentioned it for the simple reason that his mother would end up giving him an endless lecture on how revenge was evil and should not be treated with a greasy hand.

"If you remember that, then you should remember your sister. That night, Matt had been away with his father to the city of Zapper. It was Louise who was in that laboratory with you. Do you remember now?"

Jeff swallowed and averted his gaze away from his mother. The brightness of the stars still held the sky with serenity. What was happening to his memory? Why was it difficult for him to remember?

"Don't push yourself too hard, my sweet child," his mother patted his shoulders "Alex told me everything you've been through. You are strong, I believe your memory will come back to you." 

Jeff nodded but said nothing. Perhaps it was true, perhaps he had hit his head on something and had forgotten how he grew up with his sister. Perhaps he wanted the actual truth to be false. He must have created his own illusion in his mind.

"Do you still need some time alone?" Anabel asked as she stood up, "I will suggest we meet the others, you know," She shrugged "to discuss the next move."

"Go on without me, I will join you guys later," Jeff whispered. He did not know how long Anabel stood studying him, observing. He could feel her eyes on him, weighing him and making sure he was okay and would not brood in hopelessness.

"Five minutes. If I did not see you in five minutes, I will come back here and drag you out myself"

"Five minutes is okay" Jeff mumbled, trying to hide the smile on the right side of his cheek. 

"Good boy," His mother said and planted a kiss on his head, before walking out of the room.

Jeff leaned away from the window and laid on the bed. The ceiling was a mixture of metal and insulted tubes, lined with blue lights at the center. He remembered the good and the bad of his past life. But everything about Ema was so blank. 

The curtain of his eyes closed as he tried to sleep. Everything had changed. Well, this is life now. Even though he hated the idea of being related to Ema, he was glad that he would keep a close eye on her. Having a friend was cool, but a sibling? That was exceptional. He would protect her and their mother, even if it cost the last drop of his blood. The last dropped of my blood. Jeff hissed.

"Must every event end with my blood?" He gnashed his teeth. What a ruthless world.