OBLIVION [Thomesa]

one

"Teresa Agnes," Chancellor Paige started, looking at her skeptically.
She looked intimidating, her eyes so piercing. Teresa shifted uncomfortably, blinking from time to time, completely disoriented.

She shut her eyes, her mind reeling. Where is she? What I - And then everything came back.

She was supposed to be dead.
Isn't she already?

Her voice was soft, like fur - but at the same time, very authoritative. Teresa was about to open her mouth to ask her what the hell this was all about but he beat her to it. "You see, you're not done yet."

"What?" Teresa demanded. "How does that statement clarify anything?" She returned the Chancellor's stare. It was all so, so unfair. But then again, maybe life becomes unfair because we expect it to. "I'm dead. I was dead, I died."

The woman smiled, with no mirth. A calculated move. Like she expecting this all along, her reactions does not affect her. She was satisfied - she was almost never wrong. Almost. "You're very much alive. I wish we have enough time to answer your questions but unfortunately, we don't."

Chancellor Paige must've seen the doubt in her eyes. "I know you're still in the state of shock, but as I've said before we're running out of time. I know I'm rushing things, but you need to listen," She cleared her throat.

"Thomas wasn't the test subject with the most reactive kill zone, as we previously thought. We found out that only recently, that one human variable offered more reactions to the stimulants than all of the test subjects combined."

She turned the screen behind her on, images of Teresa flashed momentarily before an image of her brain appeared. "With this much brain activity, the Flare had easily spread to her whole brain but her cerebral capacity remained the same. The first results told us that she was no way immune and the virus was slowly destroying her brain as it should, albeit too slowly." The image switches to tables and graphs far too complicated for anyone to comprehend at once.

"Her brain was fighting. If the virus would advance and attack, the brain would retaliate and react in a special way to keep the virus at bay.
Whatever her brain is doing, it's doing a good job at it. Our scan showed a flat out zero brain damage." She stared at her. "And that person is you."

"What?" Teresa demanded, her eyebrows furrowed.

"Tests are currently running to find out if you can still infect others, since you aren't really immune. But we are taking no chances. We need to find out, if you brain is expanding, retracting, or excreting a new type of endocrine–"

"You're not taking my brain." Teresa snapped.

"–We won't know for sure until we complete the tests."

Chancellor Paige continued. All the tests that could be done without harming Teresa was completed. The ultimate task was to dissect her brain, and only then can WICKED have their answers.

Chancellor Paige didn't deem the world officials to know that –
Not even Teresa. Because even if the world desperately needed the cure
She couldn't let Teresa die. Not now. Not soon.

A few more questions were asked and answered with the most minimal information shared. She was treading on dangerous waters and one wrong word could cause her to lose everything. The meeting ended in due time.

A man approached Teresa and guided her towards a room.
"Where are we going?" She said cautiously. "Where are you taking me?"

"We're still running the tests," The Chancellor replied smoothly. "But for now, I'm going to send you off, to your friends." Teresa froze.

She turned to leave. But before she could open the door, she heard Teresa call her name. "Wait! I want to know, I need to know."

She was struggling from the man's arms. "Why are you sending me off? Wouldn't it be easier if I stayed here? Why?"

This is for your own good. The Chancellor said to herself. Before she could react the needle jabs into her foream, and she could immediately feel the effects. She was losing consciousness. "You're not going to
remember anything when you wake up . . . Part of the tests."

"Teresa, remember I -"
Teresa never heard what she wanted her to remember,
she lost consciousness completely.

One official approached her,
as one started carrying Teresa out of the room.
He was the head of all the world's armed forces,
a sturdy man and a just one.

"We understand how hard it is for you, Chancellor," He started. "It's not easy watching kids die through the Trials. We deeply admire your commitment."

"Thank you for your kind words, General."
She nodded at him, with a stiff smile,
not reaching her eyes.

"WICKED is good."

_____________________

Darkness.
She was greeted by darkness.
She was floating,
She was drowning,
She was submerging completely.

She flailing,
Going down,
Sinking.

She saw faces – but they faded as soon as they appeared.
She couldn't remember who she was.
She was startled, and desperate.

She shut her eyes and steadied herself.
She was running out of time,
but she would,
stall.

She would stall somehow.
Of course she would.