The S-Gene (Book 1: Amelia) - COMPLETE
The Neighbor

A universal carrier.

He had known.

He had known the second they had dragged her into that house.

Noah had been asleep in a deep slumber, but her mere presence had shaken him awake. He had walked to the window, watching her, observing every detail of her. Despite the darkness of the night, he had felt like he had seen her.

It could have been a coincidence that they gave her the house next to his. It could. Be that as it may, he knew that corporation, and nothing was an accident. Everything was meticulously planned.

Noah hadn’t been dishonest with Amelia. He never said he was human, he never said he was one of her people. He had told her he had been here a long time, and it was true. He had been here too long.

This place, it wasn’t meant for permanent living.

It was - all temporary.

Except, he had extended his stay.

They wanted him out, he knew that much. But, there was something else to it. They wouldn’t toss him out. No, no. It was good for them if he found someone and if he reproduced. But he didn’t.

Originally, he had come into this the right way. Then, life happened. For the very first time in his entire existence… he could live. He got hooked, he became addicted and he didn’t want to let it go.

Plus, opportunities didn’t come knocking. They explained it to him. They were no specific carriers of Djinns. Universal carriers were the only options and they were a sought-after commodity.

Everyone threw themselves at the universal carriers, hunting them down, waiting for one. They would offer them the world. He heard the whispers - Amelia’s status was becoming known now that she had gone into town a few times.

It wouldn’t be long until more people came - outside of her matches. It was why he tried to push her to hurry, to find someone. That way, she could get out before it became chaotic and impossible. If she waited too long, she would be overwhelmed and the situation could become dangerous.

She had to get out of here soon - for her sake.

And before he forgot why he stayed here.

He had never been close to a universal carrier before. The pull, the need. He could feel it wrestling inside of his chest. He knew of two others since he arrived, but he had never met them. They weren’t interested in him. Even with a universal carrier, his odds weren’t great. Maybe 5%? If he was lucky…

Noah wasn’t rich, he wasn’t on top of the world. A low percentage, no reward to give… they didn’t bother with his name - he didn’t even know if they glanced at him.

At first, it was frustrating. Back when he didn’t know better. Then it became like salvation.

All his life, he had worn shackles. All of his life, he had belonged to someone. He had seen the darkest part of humanity as they sacrificed everything to get to him, to get wishes. And the wishes? Greed.

Humans were sinful.

When everything was in the palms of their hands, they would let their darkest desires rise to the surface. They would abandon shame, reason, and respect. The green-eyed monster would take over and they would take everything for themselves.

Noah would use that against them. Twisting their words, twisting their desires. As soon as there was a loophole, a grey zone, he would take advantage and give them what they truly deserved instead of what they desired.

Except, it never granted him freedom.

He lived, secluded, trapped, chained up.

Most of the others, they could pretend to live a normal life. They shifted, they blended, they hid but lived in the world when the moon was at its peak. Sea creatures would explore the entire ocean, tasting moments in the human world.

He didn’t have that luxury.

Noah was a little bit like Amelia; always hunted for what he was.

He waited over and over again for the same faith; a human owner. He had seen a glimpse of the world as he remained attached to an owner, but he had never gotten to taste it. Not until he was here.

Here? It was like he was human.

He could do everything and anything.

School? Menial work? Taking care of a house?

It clicked for him after a week. He had sat down at a coffee shop, looking over the water of the small river, the warm cup of coffee in his hands. There had been nothing. The chirping of the birds, the whistling of the wind… Silence and freedom.

He had cried that day when he understood how locked up he had been, how he had lived the life of a prisoner his entire existence. This was what freedom felt like. Now that he had it, he never wanted to let it go.

He could wake up with the chirping of the birds, he could decide his own day. He could do whatever he wanted without waiting for permission, without being pulled away. He didn’t have to hide in the shadow to remain unshackled. He walked - free.

Noah forgot about his purpose, the reason he came here…. The reason they roped him in. More Djinns, how great for the world. But he didn’t care about that. He was done being someone’s puppet, he was done being chained up.

Noah couldn’t trust humans to be truthful, and faithful. He knew this life. Could he trust his partner to not betray him? To let him keep this freedom forever?

This was his freedom and he would live in it until he drew his last breath.

Until she showed up.

He shouldn’t have been outside that morning, he should haven’t tempted fate - but he had. Then she talked to him, and he forgot about everything else. Her voice, her face. Logically, he knew there were flaws, that she wasn’t everything his mind made her out to be - but he forgot.

For a second, he forgot.

From that moment on, he slipped.

He forced moments between them, he took her out for crying out loud.

He shouldn’t have done that, but he couldn’t stop himself - which was exactly why he was pushing her to go out in the world. The more she did, the more she trusted the world around her, and the faster she would leave. Offers would pour in and despite her fears and her reticence, she would give in.

She would find what worked for her and he would never have to see her again.

This was what he needed.

Plus now that she knew - she would avoid him.

It was good, it was better this way.

He should have told her from the start, he should have. That way she would have avoided him from the beginning. Yet, he heard her fears, how terrified she was of this world she didn’t know. If he had told her upfront - she might have remained secluded. He had to get her out there.

He had omitted, he hadn’t lied.

But it was for her own good as well. She had no desire to be here, so he was helping her return to her own life faster. To be perfectly honest, he thought her first date would seal the deal.

He had seen them on their dates: Caleb.

Noah had been around long enough to almost know everything. Caleb shouldn’t have been such a fucking moron. Couldn’t he keep his intentions to himself a little longer? Did he have to screw it up like that?

He had an opportunity with a universal carrier and he threw it all away. What a fucking moron. It should have been a done deal. He had pulled off the charming act so easily - only to crumble.

Caleb shouldn’t have had that conversation while waiting for her… but what were the odds that Amelia would hear him? Next to zero. How did that happen? How did it all line up perfectly?

Then there was Ezekiel.

Noah could have stayed home. He could have minded his own business - truly, he could have. Ezekiel would have magnetized his way inside. He had been close - too close. He could have let him do it.

But Amelia didn’t want him.

Ezekiel could have given her the world, he had the means to do it. He could give her whatever crazy demand she had. Almost better than a djinn; with enough money one’s power was limitless.

But again - Amelia didn’t want him.

So he stepped in when it wasn’t his place… And Ezekiel revealed who he was.

Good. It was supposed to happen. He did what Noah could not do.

He wasn’t like Ezekiel - he wasn’t obsessed. Now that she had shut him out and wanted nothing to do with him, he would stay away and it would be the end of that. He would stop modifying his routine, he would stop alternating his pattern to match her erratic choices.

He would move on.

It would be alright.

***

Not a peep.

Not a movement, not a brush of the curtains, not a sound.

Nothing.

For a whole day, nothing had happened in her house. He hadn’t noticed a light being turned on, he hadn’t seen the curtains move, no flash of a person. Nothing. What was she doing? Not that he cared. It didn’t concern him. She didn’t want it to concern him.

Why was his skin so damn itchy?

Noah hadn’t stopped scratching himself, leaving redness behind. It would heal. It always did. This body… it was not entirely real.

This form, he had chosen it.

He had different appearances over the years, sometimes adjusting himself to befit whoever own him. What he looked like was rarely tailored to how he saw himself. Then again, it was best to not delve into that.

If he made himself look like he felt, he would look a lot different.

But this? This appearance? It… came on its own when he arrived here and he never wanted to change it. For once, he had control over the parameters. It took some adjustments, some getting used to - Noah always waited for someone to pop up and order him.

Not anymore.

Except his peacefulness was gone. He was uneasy.

She was mad at him.

Leave it be.

But he couldn’t.

Which was why he had been pacing in front of her fence for the last fifteen minutes. Part of him wanted to leave it alone while the other half wanted to go in so that he may explain himself. Why? It shouldn’t matter.

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She might still follow his advice, take advantage of everything here - and everyone. Then leave. The more she was out there, the more she would find what she needed and she could escape.

He would stay. She would go.

It should work.

So if he was convinced, why was he out there?

He was starting to resemble that fucking vampire.

Two more minutes. Then he would go back home, he really would. As he turned the corner, ready to take another lap around, he heard it. The handle, the click of the door. He stopped a few meters from her house.

The door slowly opened and her head peaked out. Her eyes searched the horizon as if she knew he was out there. It wasn’t long until her glance landed on him and he completely stopped moving - even breathing.

She grimaced, her foot tapping on the porch, as she looked at him. She was mad. She crossed her arms in front of her chest before briefly clenching her hands. Pull back. Go back in. But she didn’t - she was determined.

“What do you want? Are you gonna keep pacing in front of my house all day?”

He took two steps forward. “You saw me?” He wanted to wince; he felt like an idiot now. Of course, she saw him.

“I have eyes.”

Another two steps in her direction. He was near the entrance of the fence now. A few more meters and he would be by her doorstep. “I didn’t think -“

“You didn’t think what? That I’d be upset you lied to me?" she asked, interrupting him.

He tilted his head to the side. “I didn’t technically lie.” Another step.

“Is this the card you’re playing? The one where omitting a big piece of information doesn’t count as lying?”

Touché.

He curved his shoulders inward, taking long strides. To late to back out now; he had to hash it out with her. He had to speak his truth. It was a win-win situation. He would get rid of this nagging feeling and most likely, she would still shut the door in his face.

Then he would walk away.

He thought she might stop him, she might tell him to back away but she didn’t. She almost took a step back, her left toes grazing the ground behind her. She stood her ground. So he kept going until he was at the first steps.

He wouldn’t push any further.

“Look, you don’t trust us. In my defense, I don’t trust humans so much.”

Sometimes, her dislike appeared to be more out of fear and lack of knowledge than true fear. In his case, he had seen humans firsthand, he knew what they could do, what they were capable of when the world was in the palm of their hands.

“Humans?”

He chuckled. “You heard what I was, right? So what do you think I do?”

She paused, her shoulders slumping downwards. Amelia rolled her lips together, her eyebrows knitted. She would put it together quickly enough, he knew that. “Granting wishes is a thing?”

He nodded. “Yeah, and let’s say that humans don’t usually wish for peace on Earth. If you think we’re all dark and twisted… you should see humans when they think they have power.”

Noah watched as her face transformed, lips curling downwards, arms slacking until they fell into the emptiness. “You-…” She looked away. “You gotta do whatever they ask?”

Genies sounded fun in movies, didn’t they? Granting wishes, getting a better life - funny, quirky. Maybe some sang songs. The reality of his life was far from that. Always seeking freedom, but only managing to trade one pair of shackles for another.

“Depends on how well it’s worded. But mostly - yeah.”

“Why did you lie? Why didn’t you say something?”

“You wouldn’t have talked to me. Be honest, Amelia. I wasn’t trying to trick you into something. You hate it here - I like it here. I don’t wanna find someone. I wanna stay here.”

Amelia frowned. “You… wanna stay?”

“This is your nightmare but it’s my safe haven. I don’t have an owner here. I’m free, and I can live a normal life. I was trying to make you find the best deal for you so you can have the life you want. For me, it’s here. I’m happy living… normal.”

“So you came here… so you wouldn’t have to be a genie,” she paused, “a djinn anymore?”

His right hand lifted, gripping at his left shoulder. “Not exactly.” He popped his lips. “If - If I had someone, no one could own me.”

She furrowed her eyebrows. “So… why aren’t you trying to find…” She paused and as her eyes widened, he knew she understood. “… You don’t trust a human to not turn against you.”

It was beautiful, romantic, and poetic on paper. Finding the love of his life, trying to live a normal life, belonging to them. But what if it broke down? What if that person decided this wasn’t the life they wanted, that they wanted more?

Sure, Noah did more than grant wishes. He wasn’t powerless. But could a person truly resist the temptation for the duration of their lifetime? He didn’t think so. He had seen too much, lived through too much to think that anyone could be trusted.

The human heart was such a fickle little thing. It was safer - better for him to live out his life here. He saw it here. This was all - a transaction. Profit. People got what they wanted and they walked out better for it. If it worked for them, fine. It didn’t work for him though.

Maybe he would leave one day, and return to the world of chains but he wasn’t ready to give it up for now.

“You don’t have to talk to me. That’s fine. But since you knew, I thought you should know the whole story.”

Her left cheek sunk in as she began chewing on it, staring into his eyes. She was hesitant. He had learned to be the same way. Guarded was better. She should be guarded… This place, it wasn’t here to protect her.

Noah hoped she concluded that when she noticed how long it took them to remove Ezekiel from her environment. It could be the reason why Genecorp wanted him out. After years and years, he had learned too much.

He wasn’t trying to take them down or make the whole system collapse. It was good for him, it worked. It was selfish, he was aware - but the entire world had been selfish towards him. It was his turn now.

“Is that it?”

“I didn’t lie when I said you should squeeze out every experience you could out of this place. I didn’t lie when I said you should get whatever you want.”

“Why? Because you did?”

“Because you can.”

“You really love it here?”

He gave her a half-smirk. “I do. It might not be your cup of tea, but it’s everything I never knew I wanted.”

She swallowed hard before running her tongue across her top lip. “So what do you have to gain?”

“From what?”

She scoffed. “Me?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“Nothing.”

“And I’m supposed to believe you?”

“You don’t have to believe me.”

Don’t do this.

He shouldn’t do this.

Why would he do this? This was everything he wanted to avoid, everything he ran away from.

“You can wish for it then.”

“Excuse me?”

“Wish for it.” He shrugged. “Like in the movies, right? I wish…”

“Wish for what?”

“Wish that I can’t lie to you. Be specific.”

No. He shouldn’t do this. He shouldn’t go down that road. When was the last time someone pulled that one of him? Could he remember the last wish he granted or had he gotten that good at forgetting he had a life before this place?

How much of his past had he let go of? How much of it was he holding on to?

“It’s easy,” he added.

Her arms dropped to the side, her head lifting, her body rigid with confidence. She would do it. She would make a wish. She gripped the door, using it to keep her body steady. Her mouth opened and then closed.

No words. Nothing.

Then her demeanor changed. Her body slumped forward, her head tilted to the side, and she shook it, whispering something to herself that he didn’t quite catch. A moment passed and she was looking at him again, but her eyes were different - softer.

“Go home, Noah.”

He watched the door close, his lips parted. The door clicked as it shut completely, and she was gone from his view.

She didn’t make a wish.

She could have.

But she didn’t.

***

A/N: HAPPY MONDAY! :)

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