The Reflection Silver Casts C4

At first, I'm extremely tense in the backseat; the woman named Lithium my only companion. She remains quiet, her purple eyes serene and watching her brother's erratic movements closely as he speaks to the brown haired woman - Potassium, if I remember correctly. The air within the car becomes comfortable as time passes and I can breathe as I watch the sun set from the tinted window.

Beryllium speaks up suddenly. He asks me simple questions, like who my parents are, what California is like, and what I like to do in my spare time. However, he never brings up the topic of what I was doing on the streets. Of why I left home; I'm completely at ease.

He's good at doing that.

Eventually, the city lights begin to show in the distance. Despite this, we don't arrive until the sun is peeking over the horizon and all you can is the reflection of the intense rays off of the window panes. I mean to ask Beryllium in what city we are, but seeing the sun overwhelms me with such emotion that all I can do is sit there and stare in awe.

"Alright, who wants breakfast?" Beryllium asks.

The girls simply nod and I chirp in quietly, "That sounds really good…" I hesitate, "Though, I can just go… I mean, you could just drop me off somewhere. All I wanted to do was get to the nearest city.

"You don't recognize the place, do you?"

I blink.

"It's Las Vegas, Alex, you'd get all lost here and you wouldn't make it in such a place. We'll discuss what you can do during breakfast, yeah?"

"B-But…"

"No buts! You just do as I say and believe me, you'll get somewhere that way." He then places a grin on his face that I find irresistible, so I nod and sink back into my seat, a nervous knot in the pit of my stomach. Suddenly, food doesn't sound as appetizing.

The car makes a quick turn into the parking lot of a diner much like those you see in old movies. It's cute and quaint, and I quickly grow accustomed to it. Lithium and Potassium step out of the cars, stretch, and take in the sun while Beryllium bolts inside to reserve a table. I sigh and look around, realizing that the heat of sun truly is blistering. The three of us shift towards the building, the shadows a good ten degrees cooler.

Suddenly, Beryllium bolts out from the diner's entrance and clings to the door, looking like he's hanging by a thread. "Guys!" he shouts, despite the two to one ratio of women and men, "We've got the best table in the house! Hurry before someone else takes it!" And suddenly, he's back inside.

I look at the women and realize that they're staring at me, waiting for me to take the initiative and walk inside. Their very looks give push me towards the door.

Embroidered in silver metals and bright red cushions, it looks like the typical diner. However, the details of the trinkets, the powerful smell of fries wafting through the air, and all the pretty waitresses practically destroys me. The ladies slip past, sliding into a booth towards the back. I grumble, wanting to sit in the middle so that I can watch the commotion, but I don't verbalize the complaint. Eventually, I join them.

"Quite the place, innit?"

I smile and nod at Beryllium, wishing the only view behind him wasn't the wall.

"Kind of reminds you of lovely places, like beaches and waterside parks, no?" He leans forward, clasping his hands together. I can't help but tense up, wondering if he simply knows I'm a California boy.

"It does."

"Mm…" The silence that follows is cut short by the waitress. After quickly ordering drinks, Beryllium makes it a point to keep his golden eyes laid on me. "So," he continues, "I've decided how we're going to help you so long as you pass the test."

I sit straight up. "W-What if I just don't want help? I mean… you've helped me enough as is." He leans against the seat, a hand tapping at the table. "And what kind of test would that even be? I'm not doing anything dangerous or against the law!"

"Now, now, no need to yell. Look, just take this simple little test as gratitude for bringing you to the nearest city then. If you don't pass, you can go on your own way, and if you do, well. We'll just see if you pass to start with, yes?"

For that instant, I feel all eyes on me. But there really seems to be no way out of this one so my head bobs up and down in agreement.

"Good! Alright, so first question," he leans forward eagerly, "Our names. Well, I mean, you know. Beryllium, Potassium, Lithium. Why haven't you said anything about them? Don't they strike you as strange, Alex?"

There's a slight flashback to when I first met them; the smile he had on his face then suddenly seems like it was holding onto something more than just a polite gesture. I shrug and look up at him, sincere. "I didn't care."

"Really now?" The drinks arrive and we order our food then, before he turns his attention back to me.

"Well, it struck me as curious. Why would people have elemental names? But… then again, why did I run away from home? I wasn't in a place to judge and… I can never be. I'm okay with that. If someone wants to tell me the why behind their actions, that's fine… but I won't insist."

After tapping the table a few more times, he seems satisfied. "Got any legitimate fears?"

"Being unable to visit the beach once in a while."

"Is that really it?"

"I-I could say dying, but I don't really think there's a person out there who isn't afraid of that, no matter how they deny it… s-so it's a given, correct?"

His laughter is mocking but at the same time, it calms down enough that I don't feel completely stupid for the comment. "I suppose so. Alright then, tell me. How often do you smile? Do you get depressed easily?"

I beam, knowing that my optimism tends to be my strongest trait. "I love smiling, I love making others happy. The only times I get really depressed is when I am consistently rejected or do something really wrong…"

"And how do you deal with that?"

The question blows me off track and I want to stop there. "What kind of test is this, huh? I'm not here to have my personality analyzed." I take a sip of my drink to soften the comment, but when I look up expecting a frown, he's smiling at me anyways.

"What if I told you there is place that really needs people like you?"

"People… like me?"

"I mean, you're obviously not the average kid. You've run away and yet…" he stops, "They just need someone who can hold his own. You can do that, right?"

"I don't know, I haven't had my chance to do that yet. But even so, what kind of place needs a nobody like me?"

His smile becomes terrifying and I notice that the girls are shifting uncomfortably. They've probably been doing that for a while actually, I just had yet to notice.

"No matter, Alex, you'll eventually see what I'm talking about. So! You've passed your test, and so you have to come with us, okay? You can't go back on your word. Now listen closely, because I'm not going to repeat anything. We're going to eat, and once we're done doing that, you're going to obediently head out to the car, turn it on for me, and wait in the driver's seat. If you fail to do that, you'll regret it immensely, so please, just do it. We'll pay, head out to the car, and you're going to drive for Potassium so that she can rest. I imagine you've never driven, but that isn't a problem. I'll be there to help you out.

Anyways, we're going to drive all the way east and once there, you'll make yourself at home at our place until some things are done with. From there, your future will be decided. But be happy, Alex, and wipe that look of disbelief off your face! I'm taking you in and giving you a sort of freedom you've never had before. Where we're going, you'll be able to visit the beach, do your little Californian boy routine! And you'll have a nice job."

"Brother…" Lithium pipes up but he waves his hand at her dismissively.

They look at me worried, but it doesn't matter – I know that I'm caught and there's no going anywhere. My fate is no longer in my hands, as it was when I'd left home. Somehow, the thought is comforting for me, despite the obvious discomfort in the women. I feel that I can trust Beryllium and I must be grateful. He's giving me the one thing I wanted most back home and more still. And if it's all a lie and something terrible happens to me, then… I shudder and shake the thought out of my head. Optimism; if I can't keep that, I have nothing else.

The color in my cheeks returns as our breakfast is set in front of us. The steam from the food feels so nice that it causes the shivering to go away. I blink and look at my hands, understanding then that I'd been shivering from the feeling of both excitement and dread buried deep within the pit of my stomach.

Eagerly, I begin to devour the scrambled eggs covered in melted cheese. Beryllium chuckles and begins to eat his own food, and then the ladies follow. The meal is quiet for the most part, and once we're all done, I follow his directions down to the bone.

The truth is - I've driven a car before. I've stolen my parents' car maybe once or twice to get out of the house, but both times ended brutally, so it's definitely been a while. The beep goes off as it unlocks and I gently slide in, turning the key in the ignition. It pleasantly roars to life and I lean against the leathery seat, trying hard to wipe the grin off my face.

Still fifteen and driving, doing stupid things and going somewhere so far with strangers; it definitely isn't what the smartest child would do. But, I admit that I'm having too much fun to care. It's like a movie, and most movies have happy endings, right?
I adjust the mirror to fit my height and look around the parking lot when the other three trail out of the diner. Beryllium's arms are thrown behind his head in a carefree manner, while Potassium continues to speak to him. However, the amount of attention he's paying seems to slowly waver the closer they get to the car. Once they scramble in, she's silent and Beryllium has a conniving smile plastered forever on his face.

"You ready?"

I tell him of my previous driving experience and he laughs, patting me on the back as if it's a congratulatory event. Telling me to hit the gas, he leans back, yawning. I gather a little bit of courage and ask him to buckle up before I go and eventually, we're on our way to yet another city.

The horizon disappears with the passing hours and as night makes its round, I start to get really sleepy. Beryllium eventually trades spots with me but in the end, the four of us are sitting in the car at the side of the road, listening to whatever the hell is out there. The very same feeling of discomfort I had the first night by myself returns as bushes rustle and the wind howls. When I finally get my eyes to close, all I dream of is monsters and corners, snakes and chameleons. I don't wake up until the sunrise begins to prickle at my eyes.


The weeks that pass on the road turn my stomach into absolute goo. By the time we reach the final destination, the very idea of food makes me want to throw up – even a tub of tums does me little. Beryllium, on the other hand, seems to gain energy the closer we get. He throws his hands up in eccentric motions when he talks and he has the ladies going on giggle fits.

When the car pulls into the back of a building, a different type of knot settles in my stomach. Once we've clambered out of the car, I gather the courage to look around the dark garage. Aside from the sketchy cars, nothing seems to be too scary and so I relax slightly, encouraging myself to not flinch at every move Beryllium makes.  As I look about, he pulls out his phone and makes a quick phone call.

"I'm outside!" he grins into the phone. There's laughter on the other end before a quick click. My eyes wander towards the only door in sight when there's suddenly a deeper voice resonating behind me.

"Well, Beryllium, I should have known better than to think you were kidding around." The tall man flashes a smile. It takes me a moment to adjust, but as soon as I've craned my neck enough, his brown eyes catch mine. When he leans in, his black hair slips forward. It has a strange tint of green slivers in it as well. Blinking, I try to step back, but instead he puts a hand on my shoulder,  making me automatically flinch under the presence of this stranger. He smiles then, but it appears to be almost sad. Standing back up, he shakes his head and motions towards the only door in sight.

Beryllium nods and turns to the ladies. They quickly follow this man inside. I nervously turn to Beryllium but he heads towards the door himself. "That's Aluminium," he turns back to me, before slipping inside.

It takes me a moment to realize that standing here will get me no where.


As I swallow hard, I take in my new surroundings. The living room is empty, nothing but the rug, a few plants and the paintings. Not a soul in sight. Slowly, I make my way towards another room and am blinded when I peek in, the white reflecting the sunlight off the walls.  No one is there either. A few utensils lay strewn about and a kettle is on the oven, but nothing that reflects a current presence. So that must be the kitchen. I turn back around and make my way towards another door. When I open it, it's quiet, but I suddenly feel like I've done something forbidden. The yard is green on the other side.

"Where are you going?" I hear someone ask. The voice is unfamiliar, so I gently turn around, not wanting to get shot. What a strange thought.

"Outside," I smile and catch sight of a beautiful boy. Orange hair like Beryllium's, cornflower blue eyes, and a round face.

"You are not allowed to leave," he states, his voice cold.

"But…" I decide to be honest, "I was just going outside to, to see where everything is. Maybe something comforting, that stays the same, like the ocean." I want to ask him where Beryllium is too, but he cuts me off.

"It is about 4 to 5 kilometers to the nearest body of water. No matter though, you simply cannot leave."

"W-what are you talking about?" My voice cracks. "I just wanted to go outside."

"My name is Sodium; I am Beryllium's younger brother. And I will be telling you whether you are to stay in this household or to migrate towards the Transitions. But aside from that, going outside is currently forbidden. You cannot go about as you please, not yet."

The word Transition sinks in and I think back to the diner and Beryllium's bizarre questions. "Then, can you please tell me what I'm waiting for?"

"You are quite the special case, Alexander."

"How do you know my name?"

"Beryllium always announces a new acquaintance to his family. It would simply be rude if he didn't."

"Why is that?"

He sighs and rubs his forehead, obviously quite annoyed with me. "Do me a favor and stop asking questions. It really does get to be cliché."

"Well what do you want me to do?" I whimper, "You're hiding things from me... What if I just leave, right now, huh?" There was a string slowly pulling tighter and tighter around my neck, I could feel it.

"Then you will die."

I slam the door closed and stare hard at him. "E-Excuse me? Well, is there any... way I can leave, without dying?" Were the measures for going outside truly so strict? I begin to wonder if he's misunderstood me.

"Yes, but none come with your life."

Bewildered, I lean against the wall. There's no way the rules would be like that, Beryllium did say I would have my own freedom. What had I stepped into? "How come? He said he was my friend, he wouldn't kill me! Right?"

Sodium inhales deeply and looks at me once more. He mutters something under his breath before walking towards the stairs, hidden down the hall. "Come on, I will tell you what am I allowed to explain. After all, that is what brother sent me down here for."

Me feet refuse to move, but when his eyes meet mine, the goosebumps are enough to change their mind. I find myself following him up these stairs, hoping that whatever misunderstanding there may be is cleared up.