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“By the way, I’m Moonshine and this is Juju,” the male twin introduced. As if on cue, they both waved.

“You mean like…the alcohol,” Beta asked. Moonshine nodded, smiling wider. “I’m so glad you recognize it, most people don’t.”

Matrix rolled his eyes. “Okay, this is the Stak’s room.”

Beta looked briefly into the large area. Inside had a rotting smell. The room was dark, the only light coming from the bar’s lamps and the T.V. the Staks were playing a video game on.

“What’s that smell?” Beta asked, feeling a sting inside his nostrils.

“You don’t wanna know,” Hershey said, nose scrunching.

“Hey guys!” A voice was heard around the corner and Beta peered inside to see who it was. “Check out what just came in.” Someone dragged a body across the purple carpet and into the Perna’s line of sight.

A fellow dead woman.

JuJu’s head tilted, and she posed, “Matrix, I thought that people don’t die die. Because he’s looking very dead dead.”

“Well, not really,” Beta answered, stealing Matrix’s well anticipated thunder. All eyes went to him. “In the brief time it takes to get from Earth to Plato, they’re unconscious dead. Their bodies start to heal until they’re completely put back together. Once they get here they’re still technically unconscious dead until they wake up,” he explained. Matrix—flaring his nostrils—was getting ready to move to the next room. Beta held the door open, preventing Matrix from using his telekinesis to close it. “What’re they planning to do with her?” Beta asked in a tone Matrix hadn’t heard yet. It sounded…angry.

“Relax, they’re just hazing the newbie,” Matrix answered, shutting the door behind them.

“Come on.”

“Well, Tenties don’t have a room since we have a bond with nature. So, we have this garden and playground behind the building. It’s seriously gorgeous,” Juju explained.

“Can we go there?” Beta asked.

“Newbies aren’t allowed to leave the house just yet, but don’t worry. We’ll show you once you’re able to leave,” Moonshine said. Beta smiled at him. He could tell there was something about their aura that made him feel comfortable, safe, and warm. It felt strange to feel manipulated in such a way. He shook off the feeling—doing what so many others couldn’t—and got over it.

“Here’s the Nat’s hangout,” Hershey said proudly.

Matrix blinked and—although Beta knew that wasn’t what triggered it—the door suddenly swung open.

At first, it was silent. Then, classical music played. When Beta looked in the room, he could see the computers, games, gadgets, and gizmos all around. The room was painted gold, and the people in there seemed very relaxed, playing Wii and Nintendo Switch games, reading, and talking quietly. They were overall very mellow in Beta’s eyes.

“Believe it or not, I usually only go in here when I’m bored or if I’m trying to find someone,” Hershey said.

“Okay, let’s leave before—”

A young Nat ran up to Hershey at the door—pigtails bouncing up and down on her enticingly joyful head—and smiled at him. “Hi Hershey! What brings you here? What are you doing? Who’s this fella here? Do you have the game I let you borrow? Is that Matrix? Hi Ma—!”

Before she could finish, the door slammed shut. Everyone looked toward Matrix and he looked back at them, acting innocent. “What?”

Hershey rolled his eyes and led the group forward, Matrix following suit. “She was annoying.”

“You’ll probably be able to see the Ciders’ place tomorrow when you come with us to ours, cool?” Juju said, turning to Beta.

He answered, “Why can’t I see it separately?”

“Uh, they don’t really like the company,” Juju responded. “It’s not too often you see Ciders roaming around with the rest of us. Unless you know something that we don’t?”

“No.”

“Well alrighty then! See you later.” As everyone started to disperse, Beta stopped them.

“Wait!” They froze in their place and turned to look at Beta in unison. “I’ve got one more question.”

Matrix stopped outside their room—about two doors down from where Beta stood—and sighed. “I think we’ve all had enough of your questions,” he said tiredly. “…and/or answers,” Matrix mumbled after the fact.

Realizing that his roommate was about to go inside, Beta asked quickly. “I don’t get the whole physical attribute stuff, it doesn’t make any sense.”

The Stak just sighed, pulling out his key while Juju, Moonshine, and Hershey just stood silently confused. “Tenties are mermaids, which isn’t that weird but last time I checked mermaids aren’t that happy, I mean have you seen the Little Mermaid?”

“What?” Matrix said, feigning his response. “Look, our room is right here. Let’s just go inside.” The door swung open and it was daunting. His voice was calm and subtle to the point that it worried Beta, and Beta wasn’t one to worry much.

“And Nats have devil horns, I mean what the hell are marks of the devil doing on people so wrapped in books and social experiments to care about any of that stuff?”

“Beta, get in the room,” Matrix urged.

“And Ciders, I mean I haven’t met them yet but they seem to not be deserving of angelic wings, am I right?”

“Beta—”

“And you…Matrix,” Beta went on. “Stak equals cannibal. Now I might be wrong but don’t you think that’s a bit extreme.” Beta shrugged in the silent hall. “And me…Pernas…we’ve none. You’ve only just met me but believe me when I say there’s more than just nothing going on in here.” He gestured to his chest.

When no one said anything he shook his head. “You can give me a tour and speak sweetly all you want, but it doesn’t make this place any less terrible.”

And of all the people, to Beta’s surprise…Hershey was the one who spoke. “So?”

Beta furrowed his eyebrows at the young Nat. “What?”

Hershey shrugged. “So what? So what things are weird here? What else are we going to do?” Hershey waited for an answer, but Beta didn’t give him one. “Nothing, is the answer…because there’s nothing to do…so how about just be grateful for what you have and don’t worry about what’s terrible.”

Matrix was taken aback by Hershey, and so was Beta, unaware that the teen had it in him. Not to mention the look in Matrix’s eye stopped him from doing something he might have regret.

“Go inside,” Hershey said softly, his gaze dropping to the floor as he slowly walked away. Matrix watched him go before turning back to Beta. Juju and Moonshine had left right after Hershey, unsure of what else to do.

Now Beta and Matrix stared at each other, figuring out what would happen next.

Once the door was closed behind them and they were inside the room, Beta turned to look at Matrix harshly. “What’s your problem?” Beta said.

“You can’t ask questions like that.”

“Why not?”

“Because there are some people who’d grow ‘concerned’ about your ‘comfort’ here,” Matrix said, using air quotations.

“This isn’t the Hunger Games, mate. Who cares?”

“Everyone. There are just things you shouldn’t know.”

“About what?” Beta said in a strict tone.

Matrix sighed. “About…” Matrix’s breath caught and he shut up then.

“You mean about the Syncs?” Beta confirmed. “Because honestly, again I say, who cares?”

Matrix looked Beta in the eye, a sense of utter amazement. Knowing things about Plato was one thing, but knowing what was going down on Earth…was something else. “How do you know about that?”

“How do you about that Mr. ‘they don’t tell me anything?’” Beta countered.

“I’m allowed to know. You aren’t. Now who told you?” Matrix’s voice not only sharpened but increased in volume.

“That doesn’t matter. Why can’t I kno—”

“Don’t change the subject! Who told you?”

Matrix looked even more threatening to Beta. He really didn’t like it.

The Perna hesitated, and for the first-time Matrix saw him truly vulnerable. “Um…” Beta struggled for words, not knowing any names to give him, any lies to tell…any approach to steer him away from the reality that Beta just knew things Matrix did not. “The doctor,” he spat out. “Julia Hill, but only because I asked.”

“Brown hair, gold eyes?” Matrix said, unconcerned with the ‘I asked’ segment of his ‘confession.’

Beta nodded, trying to add some sass back into his step. “Is she why I can’t see the Ciders too?”

Matrix looked at him, biting the skin at the tipoff his thumb nervously. He shook his head. “N-No, not that.”

“Well, then what else?”

“Nothing! I just—!” He cut himself off, taking a deep breath and calming himself down. “I’m not allowed there anymore…” Beta waited for Matrix to elaborate, but he didn’t. With all that Beta could be curious about, he couldn’t really prioritize Matrix at that moment.

His mind was raging with what they’d do to Julia when word got out…

…of his lie.