37.

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000d, 00h, 00m, 00s

What was day and night quickly became a blur in a room constantly illuminated by bright lights.

For a few nights, sleep had been a luxury I couldn't afford. Just like the first time I had watched those things unfold on a screen; As soon as I drifted off into sleep, my mind was plagued with those same images.

Though, instead of the blond woman, it was me being beaten.

Instead of the child that had burnt until they were unidentifiable, it was Audelle's body — still identifiable.

Instead of those young women that had been murdered in cold blood, it was Eniola laying dead right in front of me.

And god was I grateful none of that was my reality. I didn't want to imagine what life would've been like if The System didn't structure it for us — for me.

"Amidelle Gray." My head snapped over to the screen, the sight of those same sound waves moving, making my breath hitch in my throat painfully. "The System is so glad to have you in its midst."

A pleasant ding drew my attention onto the wall behind me, a stretch of it sliding open and revealing a similarly white corridor. My brows knitted together tightly, though I got up almost automatically as my feet carried me towards it;

Passing the nightstand with the empty tray on it — I had hardly eaten in the rough week I've been in here now. The thought of food alone made me want to heave everything I've ever eaten right back up for the first few days.

It had gotten better over time.

My head peaked through the opened door, turning it left and then right only to find a corridor with similar openings in the wall's stretching into both directions.

The door opposite of me had the number 013 displayed above it, and as I stepped further into the corridor and out of the confinements of my room, I turned to find the number 012 over mine.

Eyes narrowing slightly as I scanned the corridor once more, my eyes fell on a stretch of bare wall to my left, words on it I couldn't quite decipher from the distance, and I immediately made my way over.

Standing in front of it, it showed a singular arrow pointed to the left, "Common room," as well as "Dining hall," written above it. My head tilted, turning to said left to find a doorway at the end of it.

Habitually, I raised my hand to check the time on my watch. Though, instead, my eyes fell on the countdown engraved in my skin. Images of brown hair, matching eyes and bushy brows lightly furrowed flooding my mind almost immediately.

The ringing in my ear – the one I didn't have to deal with since I've gotten here – was increasing once more, and a slight frown found itself on my lips.

"Amidelle?"

I swallowed thickly, eyes flickering over to my right. The recollection of him — and his hair, and his brows and his pink lips — disappearing at the same fast pace the buzzing in my head faded into nothing, too.

My gaze landed on Eniola only moments after; the girl's eyes blown wide in surprise as well as relief as she threw her arms around my neck. Taken aback by her unexpected presence, it took me a little longer to mirror her gesture.

My head buried in her wild locks, the familiar scent — a mixture of coconut and lime — had a similarly calming effect on me as The System itself, my embrace tightening just slightly.

"Are you alright?" She asked, worry lacing her tone.

My head tilted slightly, a look of utter confusion on my face at her apparent worry. "Of course."

Why would she be worried?

Her brows raised before she repeated, "Of course?" slight disbelief in her own tone now, completely having taken over the previous worry displayed. "I mean, that's good— I guess—?"

As the words left her mouth, she gently nudged me towards the signposted common room. "How long have you been here?" Her arm snaked around my back, leaving a reassuring warmth to form beneath her touch.

I thought for a moment before, "About a week," slipped past my lips with a shrug just as we passed through the doorway, turning right — following another arrow pointing in said direction. "Common room" displayed above it.

When I turned my head over my shoulder, stealing a glance into the opposite direction we had turned to; the sight seemed so familiar. The organically shaped tables — everything white apart from the plants and people scattered around the place. The similarly shaped buffets with all the fruit, vegetables, meat alternatives and sides you could think of.

Exactly as it had always been presented at work, though, the space was a little smaller than the dining area at The System's Headquarter.

Instead, Eniola led me further into the opposite room, my head snapping straight ahead again. A few white couches, coffee tables and plants — similar to those in the dining area — scattered around the room in an organised mess.

A bookshelf stretching across one wall, a screen with The System's logo spinning in the middle of it on the other, and the time displayed above it; 4:40 PM.

Eniola's eyes casually darted through the room similarly to my own, lingering on the same screen and scanning the few people currently occupying some of the spots on couch or chairs.

It was only when she sat down herself — me following her lead — and she absentmindedly rubbed her belly that the memories of that day flooded back into my mind.

The tears in her eyes when she announced her pregnancy, the joy everyone in the apartment felt and how worried I was about her when Aiden told me she was gone — implying that they took her.

It seemed they had, just like they had taken me, too.

All for good reason, of course.

I never imagined anyone I knew would end up in here; never mind I myself.

Though, it seemed it was time to cleanse my mind of the things my own soulmate had been infesting it with. Propaganda here and propaganda there for Razor's stupid cause — I couldn't believe I hadn't turned him and his little group in the second he made the implications.

I was blinded by the prospect of what could've been if only we would spend enough time together; thought I'd be able to change his mind, make it work and convince him of how hard The System worked to make the world we lived in a better place.

And I got caught up in it myself. My intentions almost resulting in the complete opposite outcome.

Snapping myself out of the thoughts, shaking my head vigorously before my eyes focused on her, I asked, "How is the—" I gestured towards her stomach, my voice trailing off.

She huffed slightly, nodding. "—The baby," She completed my sentence before saying, "Good. It's alright. They're taking good care to make sure everything is alright."

A smile found itself on my lips. "Of course they are," I muttered to myself. "If you're lucky, we might be able to stay long enough for you to deliver with them... right here—"

"Oh." Her brows furrowed lightly. "I'm not so sure about—"

"—it would be an honour, En, wouldn't it?" I pressed, ignoring her words and interrupting them as my brows raised. "Wouldn't it?" I repeated.

"I suppose, yeah." She thought to herself for a moment. "You're right— yes. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hesitate."

"As long as it doesn't happen again." 

Hello hello I'm fully focusing on Moira until its completion from now on and I can't wait for you guys to read the ending. I honestly outdid myself I'm ngl LMAO I'm just kidding kjnbhg but I can't wait to complete this baby it's honestly bittersweet. <3

I hope you liked today's chapter!! :)

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