Dissonance - Book One

twenty-six

"It's no use going back to yesterday, because I was a different person then."

That quote is from my favorite book, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, the one I was holding when the accident happened, if I can even call it an "accident" now. Murder might be a more appropriate word. Today, Lewis Carroll's words resonate in a way I never thought possible. I'm not the same person I was yesterday or the day before that. I don't even know if I am a person at all. I'm a "Mod," whatever that means I still don't fully understand. And to top it off, it is entirely possible that I am the only woman on Earth with the ability to procreate. It's an odd concept to wrap my head around after spending my entire life never knowing whether or not I would be allowed to have children. The fate of humanity rests on my shoulders, or more accurately, on my ovaries. I have so many questions, but the one that is nagging at me the most, has nothing to do with me. I want to know how Kelly knows Wyler. I need to know the truth before this goes any further, and I have a feeling that I'm not going to like the answer.

Thanks to my Mod status, I am on my feet and healing quickly from the gunshot wound. Dr. Ivanov said it is one of the many things that was altered in my genetic make-up. Years of bumps and bruises healing overnight as a young girl, suddenly make sense. I guess I can add that to the short list of things I understand about Mods, about myself: my inexplicable healing ability now explained.

I find Wyler in the area of the building dubbed, "the cafeteria." He's sitting at a table, eating dinner with Lex and a few other people that I don't recognize. The entire room goes silent the second I enter. I approach the table and a blonde girl who looks about my age immediately stands up and shoots her hand towards me. It takes me a minute register that she wants me to shake it.

"Ever Attwood, the Ever Attwood? This is amazing! It's so exciting to finally meet you!" she says while vigorously shaking my hand. "I've heard so much about you. This is just so incredible! My name is Jovie. I've been dying to meet you from the second I heard you were here."

"Hi Jovie," I reply, trying to politely remove my hand from her death grip. My new star status makes me uncomfortable. The other people sitting at the table look me up and down, no doubt trying to figure out what makes me so special.

"Is there anything I can get you?" Jovie asks eagerly.

"Actually, I would really just like to talk to Wyler," I pause, hoping that she'll get the hint, which she doesn't. "Alone," I emphasize, trying not to be too rude about it. I can see the disappointment in her eyes. "If that's all right?" I add in my most polite voice.

"Oh, uh, yeah, of course," she says, fumbling with her tray. Another girl and two boys get up and grab their lunches as well, clearing the table. They seem less than thrilled to have to relocate because of me. So maybe I'm more comfortable with my star status than I initially thought. After all, I'm already acting like a celebrity: demanding things and expecting people to do as I say.

"You too Lex," I say, as she shovels a spoonful of mashed potatoes into her mouth.

"Are you serious?" she replies, through a mouthful of food.

"Yes," I say sternly, but I don't look in her direction. Even though I'm speaking to her, my eyes never leave Wyler. My stare could burn a hole through him.

"Okay, okay," she replies, throwing her hands up in defeat as she rises from her chair. "Good luck," she mouths to Wyler as she exits.

I pull out the chair across from Wyler and sit down. I don't think I've ever been this mad at him before. In fact, I don't think I've ever been mad at him before. And what makes me even angrier than the secrets that he's been keeping, is that he's sitting across from me, sipping his soup and looking up at me nonchalantly as if nothing happened.