G9835 walked the perimeter once again, gazing at the waves that crashed into the rocky shoreline. G1004 ran up behind her, accidentally tackling her to the ground. “Hey, what was that for?”

“Sorry, I was excited, we moved up! We’re number one and two. Tomorrow we will finally be on the top,” G1004 said, still laying on the ground.

“That’s great,” the other girl stood up and reached out her hand to help her up.

“We both got perfect scores, except you missed seven points on the firearms test,” G1004 reached out for the outstretched hand, standing up.

“Reign, you know I don’t care. I know the truth about us and that’s why they make me work in the library.”

“Roya, could you at least just pretend that you care? You’re wearing your badge backwards, we aren’t supposed to have names, yet you think you can flaunt the ones we gave ourselves.” G1004, turned G9835’s badge to the correct side, hiding the thinly scratched letters spelling “Roya”.

“You don’t want them to know you aren’t dedicated. You know what happens,” G1004 said.

They continued to walk the perimeter in silence. The sound of the others beginning their sunset training filled the small island, as the girls walked back to the main compound. G1004 lifted her wrist up to the scanner, the red light flashing before the soft click of the door unlocking sounded. They walked through the hall toward their new bedroom. G1004’s eyes were wide as she entered, she had finally reached her goal, she was on the top.

“It’s the same room we had before, Reign, there’s just a different number on the door,” She looked around the room, there was nothing left of those you had once lived there, it was barren of human touch its inhabitants before them had given it.

“Don’t you feel anything?” G9835 stayed in the doorway, “We knocked them off the top and we all know that we are not allowed to drop in rank, only the best get to keep going. They were our friends, Reign, we are responsible for what happened to them. I just can’t be here. I’m going to go get food, please just stay here.” G9835 closed the door as she walked toward the dining hall.

G1004 stood, looking down at her badge and tracing the cold black font. All she was was a number, an experiment, a soldier. She turned over the badge revealing the name scratched into the back. In thin sharp lines it spelled “Reign”. The two girls had named themselves, because they knew they were more than just numbers. She stood looking back up at the closed door for several minutes before she heard the first gunshot ring out. She sprinted, opening the door, and racing to the dining hall.

“Roya!”

The halls were filled with running girls; They were soldiers, yet they were running from their battle. She ran, pushing past the deserters, finally reaching the dining hall. No one was left standing. The room was filled with smoke and figures hunched over tables and laying on the floor. G9835 was nowhere to be seen, G1004 then ran out of the building and across the grass toward the library. She held her wrist under the scanner, but the door refused to open. More shots rang out as the soldiers moved through the training grounds. G1004 pounded on the door and G9835 opened the door after the pounding persisted. G1004 wrapped her arms around as the entered the safety of the room.

“You knew. How long have you known, Roya?”

“I’ve known the test result for three weeks. The government wanted to buy you and make you the leader of an elite task force, but the scientists said no.  They said you are the best yet, but your genetics aren’t perfect. Genome 1004 created three subjects and you were the only one to make it past infancy, something is wrong in your genes. The government didn’t want to take no as answer, they’re here for you. We need to leave, Reign,” G9835 held onto G1004.

Taking the badges off of their uniforms, they let go. Dropping them to the white tile floor,  they moved through the library then out the back door. They raced toward the tree line, hoping to hide within the small forest. Backs against the trees, G9835 said, “After this is over…”

“We’re not going back. I’ll think of something. Anything,”

It was too late— the island was covered in soldiers searching for G1004. They moved through the trees, attempting to reach the docks. They were spotted. G9835 was hit, G1004 lifted her, trying to take her to safety. She looked up at G1004, “Reign, stop, its too late. Just remember you are human, you are not a monster, you are good, and you are loved,”

“Stop running!” A soldier shouted. She stopped, looking down at the barely breathing girl in her arms. She knelt to the ground, laying Roya on the soft grass below. She raised her hands, palms facing the moon above them. More soldiers arrived circling the girls, Roya’s breaths  began to waiver and fade.

“What is your genome number?” The soldier lifted his weapon, when she responded with silence.

“I am not afraid of you or your weapons. I just lost everyone I’ve ever known, and I am ten times the soldier you will ever be. I am no longer an experiment,” she lifted her head looking into the soldier’s covered eyes.

“What is your genome number?” He shouted again.

“My name is Reign.”