Chapter 42: Gazing at the Same Sky

That night, Clyde remained sitting on the edge of the roof, gazing out at the city and the surrounding ruins. Craig, Casca, and Corie were already asleep inside the bunker. Clyde sat alone, staring up at the stars and auroras in the sky, reflecting on everything and nothing, simply enjoying the beauty of the night sky. As he was relaxing, someone tapped his shoulder gently. He turned to see Mary wrapped in a blanket, standing behind him with a smile.

Clyde shifted over and motioned for Mary to sit beside him. She accepted his invitation, sitting down next to Clyde and gazing upward,

"Not asleep yet?" Mary asked Clyde while looking up.

"Not yet. Are you not sleeping either, Sister?" Clyde asked, turning to look at Mary, who was still staring at the sky.

"Can’t sleep, got too much on my mind. In the end, I came back to this city again, and to be honest, I’m also thinking about Janet and Commander Ryker back in Neo Ark," Mary answered, a faint smile on her face as her eyes stayed on the sky above.

Clyde understood what Mary meant. Before this, Mary had a life in Neo Ark, with friends in the military and among the mercenaries, including Janet and Commander Ryker. Now, because of him and his siblings, Mary ended up stranded in Safe Haven, even though this city was her home too. Clyde looked back up at the sky,

"I’m sorry. Because of me and my siblings, you had a hard time and were almost killed," Clyde said.

"Hmm? I was almost killed?" Mary asked, turning her head to look at Clyde.

Clyde realized he had misspoken, having accidentally brought up his vision, the very vision that had brought him and Mary here to Safe Haven alongside Craig, Casca, and Corie. Sigh. Since the cat was already out of the bag, and seeing Mary waiting for an explanation, he finally spoke up,

"Actually, I can see what’s going to happen in the future, though only a few hours before it takes place," Clyde revealed, opening his secret to Mary.

Clyde then recounted all of his visions: how the soldiers captured them in the apartment, how Janet was arrested, and how Mary was killed trying to defend him and his siblings. Mary listened to everything Clyde said without uttering a single word. She didn’t look completely disbelieving, but she didn’t look entirely convinced either. After Clyde finished his story, Mary reached out her hand and placed it on Clyde’s head as he sat silently beside her,

"If that’s the case, shouldn’t I be thanking you? Because of you, I’m still here and breathing," Mary said with a smile.

"Do you believe my story, Sister?" Clyde asked, turning to look at Mary beside him.

"Hmm... to be honest, I only half believe it. But in a world like this, anything can happen, and I have no reason not to believe you, right?" Mary answered.

Clyde fell silent. What Mary said was true; the world had indeed transformed into a place where things that were once impossible became possible. Clyde looked up at the sky again,

"Thank you, Sister," Clyde replied with a faint smile.

"So... how many others like you are there, really? Sorry... I actually heard about the Chimaera initiative from Janet back when Casca and Corie were taking a shower," Mary said.

"I don’t understand, Sister. I don’t know what the Chimaera initiative is. All I know is... I have three siblings, and... there’s one girl my age whom I consider family, who is still out there hoping that my siblings and I will go get her. That’s all," Clyde said.

Mary went silent. She simply stared at the young man beside her, then shifted over and leaned her shoulder against Clyde’s.

"Alright... I understand. I won’t bring it up again," Mary replied with a smile.

"Thank you, Sister. I appreciate it," Clyde replied, smiling back.

Both of them fell silent, but suddenly, "na... na... na," Clyde turned to see Mary humming a song he usually heard inside his head, the very same melody his siblings often heard too. Clyde looked at Mary in surprise. How could Mary hum a melody that was only supposed to be audible to them? Sensing his gaze, Mary turned to Clyde, saw him staring, and smiled,

"When you guys were asleep on the train earlier, you were singing that song in your sleep. I also used to hear Casca singing it back at the rehab center in Neo Ark... I just liked the melody and started humming it often because I thought it sounded pleasant," Mary said with a smile.

"Oh... I see," Clyde replied, his tension easing into a smile upon hearing her explanation.

"That song... means a lot to you guys, doesn’t it?" Mary asked.

"Yeah, that melody is what brought me and my three siblings back together. It’s also the song that unlocked our memories and made us remember each other. That song truly means everything to the four of us," Clyde answered softly.

"I see. That’s good. That means from now on, that song means something to me too. Because of you four, I’m back here now, actually thinking about my life... just like Selma wanted," Mary replied, looking up into the sky.

"That’s great then, Sister. I’m really glad to hear that," Clyde said with a smile.

"You four seem so close. In times like these, you’re really lucky to be reunited with your family. What were you like in the past?" Mary asked with a smile.

"Hmm... back then, the five of us were like..."

Clyde began sharing stories of his childhood with Celes, Craig, Casca, and Corie, though he himself was genuinely surprised at how easily the words flowed, like a younger brother opening up to an older sister, even describing things he hadn’t fully known or had only dimly perceived in his mind. Mary listened with a warm smile, occasionally asking questions that brought the stories to life. She also shared stories of her own life with Selma in the simulation, her first boyfriend, and various details about herself to Clyde, who listened attentively in return.

The moon rose higher into the sky, joining the stars, while Clyde and Mary’s conversation grew livelier amidst the dark night, illuminated only by the moonlight. Meanwhile, inside the bunker,

"Uhh... Lyra... snore... snore..."

Casca and Corie, who were sleeping on either side of Craig in the middle, woke up and sat up. They turned to look at Craig sleeping between them; their expressions grew sad as they watched him suffer in his sleep, even shedding tears. The two girls exchanged glances, then heard Clyde and Mary chatting outside. They moved to open the door, poking their heads out to peek at Clyde and Mary, who were now laughing together.

The two looked at each other, up and down, before pulling their heads back inside and sitting cross-legged. They looked at Craig, then looked back at each other again,

"Should we go out?" Corie asked.

"Better not... Brother Clyde, who never used to laugh before, is laughing with Sister Mary right now. It feels like we’d be interrupting," Casca answered.

"But... I can’t bear to watch Brother Craig sleep like that... what should we do?" Corie asked.

"I don’t know, I’m confused too," Casca answered.

"How about the two of us just talk? It’s been so long since we last caught up, right?" Corie asked.

"What do you want to talk about?" Casca asked.

"How about we talk about our lives in the simulation?" Corie asked.

"Hmm... alright, go ahead," Casca answered.

In the end, the two of them chatted inside the bunker, listening to Clyde and Mary’s lively conversation outside while keeping an eye on Craig, who was sleeping deeply, yet talking in his sleep.