Artificially Intelligent

Chapter 9

        "So, is this everyone?" I ask the small group of people.

        "Why?" replies the stupid looking guy, who's name I learned was Kyber, "Underwhelmed?"

        "No, it's just that I don't want to be caught off guard when I try to leave and six more people walk in."

       "No," Hemmle says, "one more."

       "Yup, we're missing Theo," the tall woman, Eileen, answers from the corner, "aside from that, we're the only ones in this forest."

       "What?" I say, holding back my laughter at their ignorance.

       "No one else is here. It's just us."

       "Hate to break it to ya, but..." I start, but I'm cut off by some one who must be Theo rushing in the door.

       "Guys, yarnt gonna believe what I found!" Theo shouts, tripping over his words.

       "What," I ask sarcastically mocking concern. "are there other people in this forest?"

       "How did you know?" he slowed down.

       "Where did you think I came from?"

       At this comment, everyone falls silent. It is as if I am trying to teach an average seventh grader about covalent bonds.

       "You mean to tell me that you guys thought that you were all alone?"

       "We did," Theo replies, "we don't now."

       "An entire forest, and you are the only living things... BRAVO!" I sarcastically applaud this failure. "Truely amazing powers of reasoning."

       "No, we knew that there were animals and stuff..." Eileen starts.

       "No, Arsenic has a point." the girl who was next to Kyber interrupts.

       "How did you know my name?"

       "Hello, I'm Crystal."

       "No, you're dodging the question."

       "I can read minds, and yes, my brother over there is an idiot."

       "HEY!" Kyber shouts.

       "Ya know it's true." Crystal replies, seemingly emotionless.

       "Ya don't gotta rub it in."

       "Okay, bro, I apologise." Her voice is frighteningly cold. I can't help but wonder if she's a psychopath. Then something happens. She splits into two people. One of the duplicates remains the while the other changes drastically. The second person was taller than Crystal, had dark brown hair, countless freckles, and cobalt blue eyes. Upon closer examination, I notice that neither of their eyes have an ounce of red, and the other duplicate irises turned from whitish- grey to a blue-green and she too gained an outrageous amount of freckles.

        They looked at eachother, confused, worried, and panicked. I wanted to ask who they were, but when i blinked, they were gone and replaced by the old form of Crystal. No one else noticed.

        I shrug this off as an effect of insanity, but I can't help wondering who they were. They seem familiar in a way. Like a ghost that won't leave you alone but won't let you see them.

        "I don't know them either." Crystal says, reading my mind.

        I look at her and say the most intelligent thing ever, "huh?"

        "Those people...I believe you saw two girls."

        "I don't like this mind reading thing, please stop."

        "I can't"