Flames

Chapter 12 Maker FF/Father

Reika made a face of disgust, awaking to the stench of rotting flesh.

"It's all in your head, it's ALL in your head."
Her voice was drowning in a mass of others, of people from her memory. 

Of humans who no longer existed, individuals who had been Wiped.

"How're you feeling?"
A woman's strong pacifying voice pulled her up into an aware state. The smell abated.
Led light directly in her eyes, she caught the ladies' swan-like shadow swimming over the floor.

"Your brother will arrive in-a second, I'll give you a tip sweetie, don't repeat your last mistake."
The woman's high heels clicked on the floor as she left.
Reika understood perfectly what she meant, part of the block in her memory had been removed.
Her eyes adapted to the beams glare, to Grain's black walled room.

Eleazar, Conall and her had been in the Freestyles as kids, all the devil man had said was true.
She viewed her wrists and ankles, strapped to a dentist chair.
Just like before the supposed escape, her emotions were eradicated.
Images of her survival of the fittest childhood streaked across her mind.
She closed her inflamed eyes, kicking anger away with fury.

After all they had been through together, she couldn't feel a single thing other than hate.
The brown door creaked open. She kept her lids shut and body unmoving.
It was called the Freestyles for a reason, Grain wanted you to trust no one but yourself.
"Don't disturb her, she's still recuperating."
The lady's voice was now icy, like everyone else in Grain.

Once the door wooshed shut, her brother sighed lightly. She remained in her head, grappling with bitterness. Her siblings had been her enemies in the Graves. Should she keep them that way?

"Do you know what they're gonna do?"
Of course she did, but he didn't.
"No, where's Eleazar?"
He backed away from where she lay.
"Bastard, I don't care where he is. Anyway now that we're back all I can feel is anger! That's the damn best you twerps!"

He stationed himself by the door to be sure Grains Staff heard his outburst.
She squinted, raising her head off the cushion.
"Be quiet please, my head hurts."
She wondered how much Conall knew but wouldn't ask.
"Bastard!" He shouted. She rolled her eyes from annoyance, pain erupting in her sockets.
"They're coming."
After warning her he hurriedly took a seat in a white leather chair across from the dentist chair.
The door swung completely open, and the devil man made his entrance, talking.

"Conall, for your information his IQ is remarkably high for being the youngest out of all the trainees, he knows the better choice. You children in this room though I'm afraid are too slow."

The devil man ignored her brother's fiery glare as he marched towards her.
Close enough to inspect details, she observed him.
He wore a crisp, white doctor's coat and was definitely better looking than the majority of Grains medical staff, Reika had a craving impulse to slap him.

"You have very murderous eyes."
She glanced at the ceiling, why did those words trigger something...

"My name if you can't remember is, Maker FF. Or like you kids used to address me, Father." Conall unleashed a gruff croak and crossed his legs.
Rummaging in his pocket, the devil man produced between his fingertips. "Error"
She jerked her head away.
Noticing the fear, he reassured her without compassion.
"It's mandatory, but this device has been remodeled, so it shouldn't knock you out so violently."
Her and Conall locked eyes, more memories flooded her foggy mind. Reika was not going to repeat her last woes.
"I hate this thing, I hate you!"
She began a stream of convincingly crying.
The devil man appeared a bit unraveled at first, then gathered his wits.
"Didn't they wire you right?"
She sobbed louder and uncontrollably, it would give them extra time.
The devil man slapped her across the face, professional persona gone.
Remembering the beating he had given her, her bones jittered.

"Pull yourself together, presuming I'm susceptible to tricks is foolish. I know you better than you know yourself daughter."
Her brother gripped the arms of the padded chair with his fingertips, his breathing restricted

"How dare you hit me! How dare you call me daughter, I'm not, and I'll never  be. I'll never do what you want me to, I'm not a piece you can move around on your board, I'm a human bei-ng. I'm alive. You can't kill my emotions, you can't-. "
She lashed back, staring bravely into his vile eyes.
The devil man raised his hand and struck again, her head tilted from the blow.

"How dare you talk to a Grain Official in such-a manner! It doesn't matter what you prefer, We control you. You will do what we command."
Maker FF undid the black straps, once again professionally composed.
"Conall, follow us please."
She witheld a groan.

"You children aren't going where you plan, it seems you two have a lot of fight left in you. So let's pop you right back in the Freestyles."

The devil man grabbed her scraped up arm and hung it around his neck, walking lopsidedly to the opening, his hand squeezed her bruised waist. Her brother was on their heels as they departed the matrix room into a hospital-like hallway.

"I know every reality like-a glove, and I'm positive you won't be getting out. That's not the way it's designed."
Conall forcefully tore her away from the older man, eyes lowered but determined.

"Never used to be so protective, don't forget your own choice young man."
Reika wanted to ask what he meant, but the tiny device bit them before she could think.

Error sent her on a time-lapse of her broken beginnings.
She revisited a quaint house at the tip of Grains facilities.
Her and Eleazar were being taught with other children on a hill of vibrant grass, the importance of letting go of human connection and being taught how to not form them.

Exploring the newly found memory, she gaped inside a hole in the ground.
Where did it go? To the Graves?
She tried to control the flashback, but toppled into a pit of blackness.

Conall was shaking her, there was light this time, it was the sun.
"Let's escape." 

The words aroused her inwardly, stirred her awake.