Remy and Ronda continued to homeschool Milly and Lily for another three years. Both girls learnt incredibly quickly. They were confident that Milly would be able to join a school and fit in well. Lily was only five and only just had the implant put into her foot. She was able to shapeshift but not to the same level as Milly, who was as skilful as any Linap of her age.

Ronda took Milly to the gates of the school. ‘This is it,’ said Ronda. ‘It’s time to show these other children what you can do.’

‘Yeah,’ replied Milly as she put her arms around Ronda. ‘I’ll make you proud.’

‘Hey, Ronda and Milly,’ called out a voice.

They turned around. It was Earl and his son, Pardi. ‘It’s my boy’s first day here too,’ said Earl.

‘I used to go to a horrible school that let Sapiens in,’ chuckled Pardi.

‘Well, I hope you feel much more comfortable here,’ said Ronda as she looked at Pardi. ‘I heard two of our governors’ children are attending here.’

‘I was hoping he would feel more at home and less stressed here,’ replied Earl.

‘As you know, Milly has been home-schooled, so this is a huge leap for her,’ said Ronda. ‘It’ll be nice for her to make a friend straight away.’

‘You’re in safe hands with me,’ chuckled Pardi as he winked at Milly.

‘Yes, I feel so at ease,’ replied Milly as she shuddered slightly.

Pardi and Milly entered the school building, and Earl and Ronda waved goodbye.

Later that day, Milly returned home. She walked into the lounge. Remy was playing a board game with Lily.

‘How was your first day?’ asked Remy excitedly.

‘It was strange,’ replied Milly. ‘I guess I can get used to it.’

‘How many weirdos did you encounter?’ chuckled Lily.

‘So many!’ replied Milly as her eyes opened wide. ‘I think you’ll love it there.’

The two of them began poking their tongues out at each other.

That evening, Milly entered Lily’s bedroom. Lily was still awake.

‘These Linap are both awful and arrogant,’ said Milly as she sat at the end of Lily’s bed.

‘Aren’t we Linap?’ asked Lily, looking slightly confused.

‘Honouree ones at best,’ replied Milly. ‘At heart, we’ll always be Sapiens. Never forget that.’

‘Okay,’ said Lily as she sat up. ‘What’s so important we need to talk now?’

‘I see it now; we were somehow chosen,’ said Milly. ‘We were given these gifts so that we can redefine our species.’

‘That sounds interesting,’ replied Lily, who had a confused look on her face.

‘You’ll be going to school next year,’ said Milly as she got up. ‘You’ll understand then.’

Lily did not understand what her sister meant at the time, but her words stuck with her. After spending just a few weeks at the school, it became obvious to Lily that the Linap were different from her. Like her sister, she found them arrogant and awful, but she also found out that they were physically weak. Most of them missed many days from school because of illness, and when they did attend, they needed a wide variety of medication to keep them feeling well enough to function.

Milly had become friends with Pardi. He was popular with the other children, but his popularity had more to do with his father’s immense wealth than anything they liked about him personally. Behind his back, the other children were open about what they really thought of him. Milly was torn regarding where to place her loyalty. She decided to talk with Lily, who had greatly matured within a very short time.

One evening, Milly entered Lily’s room to talk to her about Pardi. Lily was awake. She was reading an article on her tablet.

‘I feel I’m at a difficult crossroad,’ said Milly as she sat down at the end of Lily’s bed. ‘It’s about Pardi!’

‘He’s so strange and annoying,’ chuckled Lily. ‘I understand your struggle with him.’

‘It’s not that,’ replied Milly. ‘He’s so disliked by the others. They’re nice and pretend to admire him because his father is the richest Linap in Sapey.’

‘This is perfect,’ replied Lily as she looked up from her tablet. ‘You can isolate him from the others. Let him see what they really think of him. Be his only friend. He’ll become dependent on you. Then you’ll be able to control him. And ultimately, his wealth.’

‘Oh, Lily,’ remarked Milly. ‘When did you become so devious?’

‘I don’t like the other children,’ replied Lily. ‘They act like they are supreme beings. Yet, in so many ways, they are pathetic. They’re so physically weak, it’s shocking.’

‘I thought you would like that,’ remarked Milly as she glanced over at Lily’s shelves. ‘Look at all your trophies.’

‘I haven’t forgotten that conversation we had after your first day of school,’ said Lily. ‘Your words couldn’t have been truer. Being at school has shown me it is possible for us to turn the tables on the Linap.’

‘We must tread carefully,’ replied Milly in a soft voice. ‘If they ever find out we’re Sapien, they will kill us. They are deeply afraid of the Sapiens. For many this fear translates into hatred. Don’t underestimate them, and don’t forget what they did to our parents.’

Lily looked at her sister and nodded.

Milly took Lily’s advice. She became closer to Pardi and drew more distant from Pardi’s fake friends. She wanted Pardi to see that his friends were not real, but Pardi refused to accept that they were fake. He enjoyed the admiration too much to accept that it was not real. This resulted in Milly becoming more isolated from everyone.

A year later, Pardi’s father, Earl, died in a tragic accident. This completely devastated Pardi. He completely withdrew from everyone, including Milly. Without Pardi’s friendship, Milly had become completely isolated at school.

Meanwhile, Lily had become incredibly popular. She was intelligent, athletic, and charismatic.

Milly persisted in her attempts to communicate with Pardi. Pardi did not want to talk to her or anyone for that matter. Instead, he spent almost all his time alone in the laboratory. He would inhale and consume chemicals that gave him strange hallucinations. It was his way of escaping the world.

One day, Pardi approached Milly. Milly was casually strolling in the park after school.

‘It’s been a long time,’ said Pardi in a soft voice. ‘I’m sorry, I just feel lost.’

‘It’s okay,’ replied Milly. ‘I can’t imagine what you’ve been through.’

‘Of course, you wouldn’t understand,’ said Pardi as he sat down next to a tree. ‘Time and time again I must endure the unimaginable.’

‘I’m here if you need to talk about it,’ said Milly as she sat down next to him.

‘You’re the only one who really cares,’ sobbed Pardi as tears ran down his cheek. ‘I thought I had friends, but all they really wanted to do was bask in my greatness. They never cared about me. Not the way you do.’

‘It’s so hard, but once we open our eyes to the truth,’ said Milly, ‘things will get better.’

Pardi rested his head on Milly’s shoulder. ‘Please promise you’ll always be here for me,’ said Pardi softly.

‘Of course,’ replied Milly as she rubbed Pardi’s hair.

Over the next few weeks, Pardi completely opened up to Milly. He told her about how his mother died giving birth to him, his dislike for his aunt, who was now his guardian, and his hatred for the evil Sapiens, who he believed destroyed his family.

Milly found his hate for Sapiens deeply disturbing, but she knew she had to tolerate it if she was to remain close to Pardi.

Milly was now the only one Pardi wanted to spend time with. He had fallen in love with her. It appeared Lily’s idea was finally working. Milly did not feel the same way about Pardi, but she knew she had to pretend to love Pardi back. It was her best chance to gain power.

A few years later, Pardi proposed marriage to Milly. She accepted but insisted the wedding was pushed forward so that Lily could attend. Lily was going to leave for the West Region, where she had been accepted to train to become a philosopher.

Two days before the wedding, Milly met with Lily by the rooftop pool. Milly walked out onto the roof. Lily was sitting by the pool enjoying a large glass of pineapple juice.

‘I still can’t believe you’re actually marrying that weirdo,’ chuckled Lily as Milly sat down opposite her.

‘I found him insufferable for so long, but he’s actually beginning to grow on me,’ replied Milly. ‘He’s much better when he’s happy. He’s even lightened his stance on Sapiens. He’s hired several to good positions in the company. Jaymas has been promoted back to his position as senior scientist.’

‘I guess you need to see something positive, or you’ll go mad,’ chuckled Lily.

‘Yes, well, maybe,’ replied Milly as she poured herself a glass of pineapple juice. ‘Once I have an heir to his empire, the facade can soon end.’

‘I truly admire your strength,’ smiled Lily. ‘I couldn’t do it. He makes my skin crawl.’

‘Your path through the House of Divine Knowledge won’t be so simple,’ replied Milly. ‘Their training is insanely strict, and I’ve heard some of their rituals are really weird.’

‘Nothing will be simple for either of us,’ said Lily firmly. ‘We need to stick to the plan. I win over the House of Divine Knowledge and become a governor. You control the most powerful empire in Sapey.’

‘Remember the main objective is for the Sapiens to take power, not just us,’ said Milly. ‘We mustn’t fall into a trap and end up like them.’

‘We will never be like them,’ said Lily angrily. ‘They killed our parents and countless other Sapiens to preserve their own frail power structure.’

‘When the time is right, the culprits will be exposed and dealt with,’ said Milly as she sipped on her pineapple juice. ‘Right now, the current plan is more important.’

Pardi and Milly were married at the main temple of the House of Divine Knowledge in a huge ceremony. All the governors, representatives, and the major owners of the hundred businesses in Sapey attended. It was even televised on the Wolf News Network.

Remy and Ronda were delighted to see Milly marry Pardi, and they knew Earl would have been delighted to see his son marry the child he had managed to save all those years earlier.

A few days later, Pardi and Milly went to the train station to see Lily off.

‘They’re going to make you dress like a weirdo,’ chuckled Pardi as he held up a picture of the previous year’s graduation ceremony.

‘It’s about absorbing wisdom from the higher power,’ replied Lily as she tilted her head back and held her arms out to the side with her palms facing upwards.

Pardi and Milly burst out laughing.

‘That’s nice,’ replied Lily. ‘I’m going to have to be serious about this for years.’

‘It’s not too late,’ chuckled Pardi as he nudged Lily. ‘I can still give you a job sorting mail at the Carvaress building.’

‘You’re going to do great,’ said Milly reassuringly to Lily. ‘There’s something truly special about you.’

‘I couldn’t think of a more appropriate word, friend,’ chuckled Pardi as the train pulled up at the station.

Milly put her arms around Lily and gave her a big hug. Lily got on the train and sat at a window seat where she could see Milly. She waved to both Milly and Pardi, and the train pulled away from the station.

That evening Lily arrived at West Region. She was escorted to her accommodation at the House of Divine Knowledge. Life as a trainee philosopher was incredibly regimented. It was completely different from what Lily had experienced in the Capital Region. She missed her sister and her parents. Lily quickly overcame these feelings and soon began to thrive. She was determined to become the best trainee of her batch.

Two years into her course, Merida, the Head Philosopher for West and the most senior Head Philosopher in Sapey, approached Lily.

Lily was kneeling down in the high altar reading ancient scripture.

‘Your devotion and dedication are unmatched,’ remarked Merida as she knelt down beside Lily.

‘I feel a force pulling me to these ancient and most powerful scriptures,’ replied Lily.

‘These scriptures are indeed compelling,’ said Merida in a stern tone. ‘However, I really doubt they are the driving force behind you.’

Lily turned to look at Merida. She had a worried look on her face.

‘Don’t be concerned,’ added Merida. ‘There are two types of Linap I look for. The ones who will commit themselves to the temple and the ones who will go out and spread our message. It is obvious the category you fit into.’

‘I desire to bring the word of the House of Divine Knowledge back to Sapey,’ said Lily. ‘For too long, the Business Sector has sucked up all the wealth.’

‘I know,’ replied Merida. ‘You’re ambitious. You want to be governor. You have the intelligence and the charisma. We don’t have anyone like you. Still, I have one great concern.’

‘My sister?’ asked Lily.

‘No, it’s your brother-in-law,’ replied Merida. ‘He might be young, but his influence and wealth are growing quickly. He is a dark force who stands against everything we stand for, and he has his grip firmly around your sister.’

‘I love my sister, but I don’t love Pardi Carvaress,’ said Lily. ‘He has corrupted her. I’m prepared to fight to bring her back into the light.’

‘That does fill me with confidence,’ replied Merida. ‘When you have completed this course, I will support you to run for representative in the West Region. I know you will win.’

‘That means so much to me,’ said Lily with a slight smile.

‘Be warned,’ added Merida as she got up. ‘Even the slightest hint that you have been compromised by Pardi, I’m pulling my support.’

A few weeks later, Lily received a message from Milly informing her that she was pregnant. Lily was delighted. Their plan was coming together perfectly.

Milly’s pregnancy did not go according to plan. She had become very sick. She was rushed into the medical centre for an emergency operation to save both her and her baby. Pardi was rushing around frantically to find a Linap doctor. Jaymas had also been informed of Milly’s condition. Milly wanted to speak to him urgently.

Jaymas rushed into Milly’s private room.

‘I’m here for you no matter what,’ said Jaymas as he grabbed Milly’s hand.

‘Something feels terribly wrong,’ panted Milly. ‘I don’t think I’m going to make it.’

‘You’re going to be fine,’ said Jaymas in a slightly panicked tone.

‘You must listen to me,’ said Milly firmly. ‘You need to protect Lily.’

‘Yes, of course, I swear,’ said Jaymas.

‘At some point, Pardi will find out that my baby is half Sapien,’ said Milly as she grimaced in pain. ‘Lily will be exposed. Pardi will want revenge.’

‘No, surely he wouldn’t do that,’ stuttered Jaymas.

‘I know him well,’ panted Milly. ‘He’s extremely vengeful.’

‘What do you ask of me?’ said Jaymas as his face filled with fear.

‘Swap Pardi’s on-file DNA sample,’ panted Milly. ‘Remove all traces of it. Change the databases.’

‘I don’t understand,’ replied Jaymas in panic.

‘He’ll believe she is not his child,’ gasped Milly. ‘He’ll think I cheated on him with a Sapien lover. My identity and, more importantly, Lily’s identity will be protected.’

‘He’ll hate you for this,’ said Jaymas.

‘It won’t matter if I’m dead,’ said Milly as she shook Jaymas’ hand. ‘Now go! Pardi will be back soon.’

A few minutes later, Pardi and a medical professional rushed into Milly’s room.

‘We can’t wait any longer,’ said the medical professional. ‘We must operate now.’

‘Okay, do it!’ said Pardi as he looked at Milly struggling to breathe.

Several hours later, another medical professional approached Pardi, who was sitting in the waiting room.

‘We’re sorry. Your wife did not make it,’ said the medical professional. ‘We have some good news. You have a healthy baby girl.’

Pardi did not respond. He stared blankly at the wall opposite him.

The next day, Lily received a call from Remy informing her of her sister’s death. Lily returned to her room, where she buried her face in her pillow. A short time later, Merida entered the room.

‘I heard the news,’ said Merida. ‘It’s a little sad, but at least she is free from that monster.’

Merida’s words filled Lily with anger, but she calmly lifted her head up and looked at Merida.

‘I mourn my sister’s loss, but I know she’s in a better place,’ said Lily in a brave tone.

‘You can mourn here for two days,’ said Merida as she turned to leave. ‘Attending the funeral when you are vulnerable is not a good idea. We wouldn’t want Pardi to prey on you.’

When Remy found out that Lily was not allowed to attend her sister’s funeral, he was furious. He called the House of Divine Knowledge and demanded to speak with Merida. She refused his call. Merida went to great lengths to isolate Lily from her family. She even told her that her niece had died at birth.

End Part Two. Continue this story in Part Three

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Images were created with the help of Bing Image Creator

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Sapien Loop Short Stories

Sapien Loop short stories explore the adventures of some of the characters from the Sapien Loop series. These stories are intended to reveal more about individual characters and the events that have helped shape them.

Currently, two books from the series have been published on Amazon; see links below:

• Sapien Loop: End of an Era
• Sapien Loop: Frozen in Time

All individual chapters can be found on my @captainhive account.

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