Artificial Insecurities

Chapter 17

So Alex is the supposed strong one, interesting. I mean, she never really participated in strength inducing activities. Actually I haven't seen her in, like, three years or something so she could have done stuff then.

Why am I thinking about this? Who knows. I clearly don't. Anyways, what is this Alan guy doing? Is he the reason why I needed to get so drunk? Pixel doesn't really trust him so that means something coming from him. Why didn't this Alan guy carry me back here? From what I remember, Alan was taller than Alex but shorter than me. Why did Alex carry me?

I was wandering her apartment aimlessly trying to find either Alex or Alan. I decided to just sit and wait for them. As I sat down I felt that same cold feeling but instead of it staying still, it was moving. It must be some sort of breeze coming from somewhere. Alex entered the kitchen and made a beeline for the seat across from me. That cold feeling stood still. Alex took a seat.

"Is a window open? It feels cold in here." I said as she scooted into the table.

"Don't mind it, it just gets cold sometimes." She looked off into the distance and moved her head left. "So, last night was a mess." I nodded in agreement. "That... chip thing, what does it do? I noticed it on your shoulder at the coffee shop and at the farm house. I was just wondering."

I touched my left shoulder, the chip was gone. I heard a light metallic ting on the table. There it was. She must have taken it off of me when I blacked out. I never really liked whisky.

"You, you took it off me." I stared at the chip. "What did John tell you?" She must have been told something about it by John.

"Not much, a bit of info but I can't quite remember much about it." She looked at the chip and back at me. We sat there in silence for around a solid minute.

"Well... before I tell you more, how are you with, um, little things?" She shrugged "If John told you about it then I guess you should know." I took the chip and put it in my pocket. I got up and realised I had no idea where the guest bedroom was. "Um, where's the bedroom?"

"Last room on the left." She leaned her chair back and crossed her arms behind her head. I nodded too show I understood.

I entered the room, Pixel was on the ground wandering the carpeted plains. He was slightly underneath the bed.

"You never told me she took the chip!" I sat cross legged on the floor.

"I was getting to that part and then you left." Pixel came out from under the bed.

"Anyways, John supposedly told Alex about it and, well, she wants to know more." I set the chip beside him and Pixel just rolled his eyes.

"Is that Alan guy still here, because if he is then I'm not appearing."

"I haven't seen him yet." I looked behind me at the door.

"I hope he left this morning." Pixel said.

Pixel disappeared into the chip and I picked it up off the ground.

"Let's just hope he doesn't pop in unannounced." I said. I put the chip back on my shoulder, picked up the earbud and went back to the kitchen.

Alex was right where I left her. She sat up straight in the chair when I entered. I sat down on the same chair I was in. Alex leaned forward putting her arms on the table.

"Okay, so what I tell you he doesn't really want anyone to know. Also, is Alan here?" I said. Alex's eyes lit up with wonder.

"Um, no he isn't here but what do you mean by 'him'?" I froze in position at this question. I resumed the act of grabbing the earbud.