EDEN | silas

IV

Silas watched in horror as Eden was carried off towards the D.E.N. His thoughts became clouded and the only person he could think of for help was Jonas. He sprinted off to where Jonas would be waiting for him.

"What is it?" Jonas asked as Silas arrived, out of breath and terrified.

"She's at stage four. She got called for conception duty and they found out they're..." Silas trailed off in fear and lack of breath to continue. He began pacing and ran his hands through his unkempt hair.

"Silas, calm down," Jonas tried to stop the rambling man.

"...Taking her to the D.E.N.," Silas continued.

"You need to calm down," Jonas said, putting his hands up to stop Silas.

"I'm calm, I'm calm, it's fine," Silas took a deep shaky breath, stopping his pacing.

"When did they take her?"

"I don't know about an hour ago or something," Silas said.

"Alright well listen, I will contact Bess..." Jonas said.

"No, no. No. Not Bess. She won't help us. Ask someone else," Silas protested.

"There is no one else. Bess is our only hope. Listen you can't be seen around here like this."

"I'm fine, but let me come with you," Silas breathed, pacing once again.

You need to go home... Go home and I will contact you, wait there," Jonas instructed.

"I can talk to them, let me go with you," Silas pleaded.

"Don't attempt to see Eden. Silas, go home. Trust me," Jonas said, calmly.

"What are they gonna do to her?"

"Just calm down. You need to stay calm, or they'll give you the cure. Give me a couple hours. Go home and wait there," Jonas said. Silas nodded and quickly sprinted off again.

↢ • ↣

"Jonas?" Eden asked as she was being awoken. She looked around and saw Bess as well.

"Get dressed as fast as you can. And listen to me carefully, last week, a woman was brought in called Eva. She was stage three. Last night she knotted a garbage bag over her head, suffocated, she's dead. Now you are going to switch places with her. Eva didn't kill herself last night, you did. You are Eva, she was Eden. You're gonna walk out of here. Hold out your arm. Your left arm please," Bess explained quickly.

"Okay," Eden said, doing as told even though she was still bleary eyed. She hissed in pain as a new chip was put into her wrist.

"Alright. Shh. You are Eva. Got it?" Bess confirmed. Eden nodded.

"Ready? I told Silas to wait at his apartment. You'll find him there," Jonas explained. Eden nodded, coming back to her senses completely. She stood up with the help of Bess and was lead out of the facility.

"Good luck, Eva," Bess said. Eden nodded and left the grounds in search for Silas.

↢ • ↣

Instead of doing what he was told, the next morning, Silas went straight to the D.E.N. entrance to try and see Eden.

"Welcome," the man at the front gates said.

"Her name is Eden. Her ID tag is 45830758. She writes text for Atmos," he said quickly.

"You said her name was Eden?" the man asked, clicking keys on his computer screen.