Game Over: Prison Cells

"Hi, Saturn Marie Matalines, isn't it? How are you feeling? Can you see my face alright?" A nurse hovered over my body to examine the bandages around my head. It felt real again, and in the pit of my stomach I knew I was back home to the planet I was born on, but at the same time, it was a lot to accept. I've been up in my own head for a decent amount of time that it's caught up with me, but important thing was I'm here, alive, and sane. I should be happy about that. In pain with the medications dying off, but happy.

"Uhm, hi. Yeah, I can see you, and please call me Ellie," I greeted her awkwardly, trying to sit up. It's been a while since I've been able to properly see a face that didn't blur or change, but despite the brightness hurting my eyes, everything looked okay again. With her fingertips at my collarbone she stopped me from getting too far. I looked at her waiting for her to explain what the problem was, but for a good while all she did was stare right back at me. I thought talking again would make it less awkward. "I know it's not in my paperwork, but it's just a preference."

"Right," she acknowledged, shaking her head, to snap herself to enough awareness to continue. She must be tired. "It's best if you focus on resting and recovering, Ellie. The surgery was a success, but we had quite a few complications along the way during the thirty hours. Thanks to technological advances, we were able to adjust the right fusiform from a safe entrance on your head, without leaving much of a scar, but your complications were odd, and pretty baffling. We'd like to do some more tests to be sure if—."

"That's okay. I don't need any tests. I feel fine, really. I'm sure it's not serious." I shut down her idea before long. I know exactly what caused those complications. It could be nothing besides me being in the most traumatic zone anyone could be, but they'd lock me up in a mental hospital if I said any of it out loud, and they'd know too much too; stuff they weren't supposed to know about.

"Ellie, it was a case like no other. I think—."

"Really Miss, I appreciate it, but I don't think it's necessary. How about I keep in close touch with the hospital and come in once I feel off?" I attempted a promise, or making a deal with her, even though I still expected that she'd put up more of a fight.

She gave up faster than I thought, letting it be. "Okay, I can't force you. I'll let the doctor know," she replied simply. "With all that out of the way, you have some visitors that want to see you. How would you feel about that?"

I turned my head to face her, the pillow beneath my flattening. If I'd get up to fix it, she'd throw a fit, so I stayed put, a cramp forming in my neck. "Who? Whose here to visit me?"

"I've been told that your stepfather and your mother are out in the waiting room, and all of your brothers. Then there's two people that claim to be your friends? They go by the name of Shyrene Rosen and Blake Qirmiz. Do you know them?"

I nodded ferociously for the condition I was in. "Yes, please let them in."

"Yes Ellie. Give me just a moment," she stated, leaving the room after a couple clicks of the mouse to her computer. That left me behind with the constant beeping that reminded me where I was no matter how much I closed my eyes, but I couldn't complain that much. Not after I've been through things that are wrong on an entire different level, that they'd be illegal if it happened anywhere else besides my head.

"Hi, hun. How have you been? I'm so glad you got through it. I knew you would," Mom said as I was waiting for her to say, once she turned the corner and her head peeled over the doorframe pre-stepping in. I imagined her saying that before the surgery even started, when it was all over. It probably contributed to me getting this far. I wanted good news for them when I woke up. I wanted to have reason for a good attitude.

"I'm good. Just hella drugged up, probably. It's so good to see your faces though. I would've went crazy if I couldn't see you guys forever. I'm glad there was hope. I missed your faces," I joked, creating a light swirl of laughter in the room, but it came down to honesty. I checked for the sources of the giggles that burst before I had finished, being Ethan, Joey, Shyrene and Blake. "I've seen you guys have already met. Where's the rest of the boys?"

"Daddy sent them with money to the gift shop in case you had any questions they're not supposed to be in on. They'll probably be up in five," Ethan answered, sounding exactly like his dad. He was growing up to become a mini-him. His words were clear as day, the stutter completely gone without a trace. I've been in his shoes, I know how hard it is to live with it, and I was glad that because of this dream I lived through he was cured like it was never there. "So, do you have any questions that need to be kept secret?"

"I guess I do. First off, Joey was on the news because of his death. Everyone knew he was and now he's back. People aren't gonna freak out about that? They haven't already?"

"They can't, because they don't remember. They don't remember you becoming heiress of the business either, because he still has ownership. In their eyes, he's been here the entire time. It's only us and Camdyn who can know the truth," Blake said, without thinking much of it. "Everyone is going to remember it different than the way that they heard it, and if they ever do end up curious enough to Google it, the information up online was tampered with. The Kingdom you come from is pretty strong, you see. There's not much that can get by them."

My eyes widened. "You can just— I mean, that can just be done? Without issue?"

"Apparently but nothing's perfect," Shyrene included herself. "Some stuff is bound to be left behind, and when people get their hands on that stuff, the next thing you know there's conspiracy theories and Mandela effects. It's messed up. These things overwhelm the tiny pea-brain of this species, that I so proudly get to be a part of."

"Hey, hey, it's not messed up," Blake claimed, back at her face. "It gives their boring lives thrill. Let them play with their toys." His nose crinkled, as he waited for someone else to say something or at least find it funny. Nobody moved a muscle, but in that silence I saw how much his communication has grown since the beginning. He's an introvert, but comfortable with us now. "Anyway," he said shyly, "are there any other questions?"

"Hold up," I took the chance while I have it. I'm not usually the type to ask so many questions, but I had an excuse being a patient in a hospital and I knew nobody was gonna make a big deal about it. "If Joey is alive now and nobody remembers that he died, what's Soren in prison for?"

"Well that," Shyrene muttered, "We're not actually sure. It's either for attempting to kill him, to kill you, or it could be they totally space what he's supposed to be in jail for and they'll let him go."

"They'll what?"

"Ellie!" The boys caught up like Ethan said they would, calling out to me as they entered the room. It left our conversation on a cliff-hanger, and I'd be lying to say that was a let down, but I couldn't be happier to see them. We might just be beginning to live our life like siblings recently, after I spent years chasing for their attention, but now that I've got it I don't hold a single grudge. "We missed you! I'm so glad you're okay," Ezra, the oldest, said, hugging me.

"It's so good to see you guys."

__ __ __ __ __

It's been a week. I've gotten stares of pity on the street ever since I was released from the hospital, because my story got put up all across the media, but it's not actually that that peeves me the most. It's how this year is full of too many firsts and of of those firsts include what I'm doing right now; leading myself right to the front desk city jail.

"Hello. I heard that Camdyn Sacar was being imprisoned here, ma'am. Would I be able to speak with him?" I asked the woman there. The most I got out of her is a glance, and besides it, nothing. No greeting or instructions, or even a smile. She typed into a document, signaled over a man in a professional-looking uniform, and before I knew it I was taken in front of a glass wall, separated by brick pillars every few feet. There were a few tiny holes in that glass, with a desk and a seat on my side to sit at. Though not appearing inviting at all, I took my spot as told.

Camdyn came out minutes later. He was a bit scruffier and looked rough from going through some things, and he hasn't even been in a cell very long yet. I felt bad that he was here, no matter what he's done, because I understood now that he meant well, and the grin on his face when he saw me pushed me to remember that more, and keep it closer in mind.

"Hey," I stated, a slight nod to my head. "I'm sorry for everything you had to go through for me, Cams. My head is one wild place, and you stuck with me from beginning to end. I know you didn't have much of a choice, but thanks for contributing to it ending so well. I owe you that much."

"It was worth it," he answered, his finger in between the hole in the glass that was only supposed to enable me to hear him better. It wiggled there, and I was tempted to graze it. As much as I've been able to hold him in my head, it's never the same as real life. I gave into it, holding onto him from what I could. The options weren't much. "Because of it, we had the chance to reconcile, and I think we know each other better than we used to. There's never anything wrong with that."

"I'm glad it ended this way, but not glad you had to go through so much because of me."

"Let's just focus on the fact that we made it. We don't have to think about what the obstacles were, but that even though they were big, we were strong enough to get over it."

"You're right, you're right," I had to admit that, but accepting it put a halt on our conversation. Neither of us knew quite how to shift it to something else, and the aura of a prison wasn't the best one. I can say that. "So?" I began anew, scanning the closest thought in mind. "How's Soren?"

"He's really blank right now, like he doesn't even know what he's done to deserve to be in jail, and his files are completely erased, or misplaced or something. It's like nobody knows how he ended up in here. They might have to let him out."

I gasped, and that confused him, so I had to fill him in. That's when the gasp came out of him too.

"I don't know what to do about him. I wish it was you who could get out and not him," I said, clearly concerned, my face buried into my hands. "What if because we brought Joey back, everything starts all over again?"

"Don't worry about that, Ell, okay? Let's focus on us. The past sucks, but your response got you out of it. You're safe now, and your father is too blank to have something to be angry about. Believe me. Nothing is going to happen to you. You have everything under control. We do."

I tried to laugh. It didn't come out realistic whatsoever. "We kinda suck too, Cams. We live on the same island, but you're here for no actual reason if the whole story is considered, and it makes us feel like LDR. We're depressing."

"Oh come on, girly! We're not LDR. We've been in your mind together for a good amount of time. Nobody can just do that," He did manage a real life. It must be nice to have that in him, and looking at us, him in this bright prison uniform, you'd think it's some miracle that he's the one acting like that. "You're a bad-ass, Ell! You fell asleep for a little too long and the sun doesn't come out once. It rains again and again and again, and that's all we got, but you're back now and the sun is always up. I can see you all the time, no matter where you are."

"How generic," this time, I was able to pull off a real laugh. "Everyone sees that sun, so it's not like it's a big deal."

"You are beautiful like the sun is, you know? I think it fits. No wonder why it's you that was granted that power."

"That's what I'm trying to say though, babe," I sighed, gathering my hair up to form a ponytail, full on aware that I had no hair tie. Moving around made me feel better, even minorly. "I want to be special to you. I know I am, and I have faith in that, but I'm the sun for everyone. For you, I want to be different."

He smiled from ear to ear. "Ang iyong ganday umaabot sa buwan." His position changed, and for a moment, he just stared at me, flirtatiously. "You fight whatever I do to cheer you up. You're as stubborn as you've always been. How about that? Are you happy now?"

"This is why I love you, fricking bish."

"I love you too, pighead ho."