The Only One Left BehindChapter 3: To the Sands

Clement's face was thunderous as he parted his lips to retort, but my father stopped him after checking the time.

"Enough. We'll be late for the safety check." My father left the house. "Make sure you clean the floor, Theodora. I don't want to come home to mold."

My mother took Claire's hand and went past me. Claire looked at me and said, "Happy birthday, Theodora."

The security door swung shut with a final click. I was alone. Just then, my phone buzzed.

Professor Zlensky texted, "Our ride's already here at the campus' north gate. Our personal profile will be under lockdown in half an hour. We'll be setting off right after that, Theodora."

…

A bus stood outside the campus' north gate. Professor Zlensky was standing by the entrance, holding an NDA. "This is my last time asking you for confirmation." He looked at me solemnly.

"This project is national top-secret stuff. Once you enter the base, all your social media accounts will be deleted, and all your communication devices will be taken.

"You will not be able to contact your family for four years, not even once. You can't even tell them you're alive."

"I understand."

"And your family is fine with this?"

"They're going to Syldan for a vacation." I took the pen from Professor Zlensky. "They don't have time for me."

Professor Zlensky paused for a moment and said nothing else. I signed my name and stamped my fingerprint on it. The print was red, just like the strawberry red velvet cake my mother would get from that old-timey shop when it was Claire's birthday.

Before I handed my phone over, I opened up WhatsApp. The family group chat already had dozens of new messages.

Clement sent a photo of the VIP hall. The table was filled with sandwiches and other kinds of food.

Clement texted, "VIP hall rocks. Everything's free!" He tagged me. "Also, are you cleaning the floor? Don't you dare slack off!"

My mother texted, "Good training for your body, honestly. Staying in that dingy room all day has shrunk you."

My father texted, "Let's get to that duty-free shop after we land. I'd like to see if the watch Claire wants is in stock."

No one asked me whether I'd gotten my birthday cake or if I was doing well. My finger hovered over the group chat for a while before resolutely closing the app.

Then, I pulled my SIM card out and cut it up with a pair of scissors. "Let's go, sir." I tossed the pieces into the bin and grabbed my canvas bag as I stepped onto the bus.

The bus was filled with a dozen people my age, and everyone had a look of stoic calmness.

The scenery outside quickly faded into the distance behind us. The city quickly became a memory as we were transported into the old outskirts. Finally, all we could see was barren plains that seemed to stretch on forever.

Sunlight shone through the window and rained on my face. There were no damp walls, no sounds of Clement kicking the door in frustration, and no Claire speaking pitifully with that fake innocence.

The coldness that'd been seeping into my bones for years now seemed to have disappeared.

The bus ride lasted for 12 hours. It was already late at night by the time we hopped onto a military train and kept moving further into the northwest. I could hear the train holler as I closed my eyes.

I remembered how I got first place in school when I was 12. My father held me high over his head. "You'll be a scientist one day! We're counting on you, Theodora!"

I remembered how Claire was adopted when I was 15. She pointed at my room. "That window's beautiful. I want it, Dad."

My father pulled me away from my desk. "You promised us when you spun that wheel that you'd accept your losses. Don't push your sister around. You could still score well even if you study in the storeroom."

I buried my face in my coat and fell asleep. It was the best sleep on my birthday I ever had in three years.

…

Far away in Syldan, the sea breeze blew across the hotel's al fresco balcony. Clement was holding a two-pound lobster, peeling it for Claire.

"Nice, bouncy meat. Have some more, Claire. You need the protein."

Claire bit into the lobster and frowned.