Artificially Intelligent

Chapter 12

          "Didn't you hear him? He was using us! And I am not a guinea pig." I clench and unclench my fists, willing myself not to lunge at her.

"That wasn't Stanly! It was Helio!" Bindy exclaimes while taking a few steps forward.

          "What in the name of thermodynamic equilibrium was he doing looking like Stanly?" I feel my hands heat up. I don't want to fight with her, but it might come out that way.

          "He said you were mentally unstable because of all this magic business, and clearly you are! Stanly was only trying to expand your scientific ability and knowledge and you would've straight up killed him on the spot! Arsenic, you need to calm down!" She dares another step closer. Less than a meter away from me now. I grip onto the knives, not sure whether Bindy is mentally stable either!

         "Bindy this isn't right! Something weird is going on and you know it! That scientist we saw, Taylor? He looked dead and like somebody tortured him! Then I meet these people who think they're the only ones here! This seems like a bad place to be..." I grip the handle of the knife tighter as she takes another step towards me.

         "Arsenic, get your hand off the knives. I won't hurt you! I'm just really angry with you, and honestly not trusting you very much. Why can't you just go with it? See what happens. I trusted Helio, and he was right. If that's not a reason to believe Stanly, then I don't know what to think anymore." she pauses, taking another step closer. She's right in my face. "You were the only person I trusted. Now look what you're doing." She pointed and I realized how strongly I was gripping the knife.

         I grip tighter. She pulls the knife out of its loop, trying to take it from me. I don't know why, but I am not going to give up this weapon.

         "I am perfectly stable!"

         "Then let go of the knife and prove you aren't paranoid." she seethes, tugging the knife. My hands heat up, and the handle of the knife starts glowing.

         "No! It's my only protection that people understand..." I realize I might a bit paranoid. But I don't want any more ignorance right now. I yank back, the knife pointing outward.

         I pushed the knife forwards, not realizing what I was doing due to the sudden rush of adrenaline. I looked at Bindy's face, a whole range of emotion flashing before she fell backwards, nearly missing the ashes.

         I gasp. The hormones come back, and I feel fearful, no, terrified at what I had done. I lean her up on the tree, the knife sticking out like an error. Blood spread across her shirt. It looks... unnatural. She has a far off look in her eyes, her face pale. I pull the knife out and try the best I can to cauterize the slice wound, finding immense difficulty in my panicked state. Forgetting how big of a mistake that is in the overwhelming flood of fear and anger.

         "No... no no no no no. Bindy? I-" I stutter in a dazed panic still tingling of a hellish combination of adrenaline and nausea.

         "Well, bravo. You helped prove their hypothesis. Congratulations..." sarcastic bitterness stains her usually sweet, sincere tone.

         "Y-you're gonna be okay," I lie like the idiot I am, "I can cauterize it...just...you're..."

         "Never thought you'd start believing in fairy tales. Heh... Heisenberg's."

         I respond with a half hearted laugh as I watch my best friend collapse, what little light left in her eyes draining. She looks peaceful in some sort of psychopathic way. She's dead, but it's... it feels normal. She doesn't look dead. She doesn't feel dead. Her blood isn't even cold yet. "I'm sorry..." I whimper my last good bye to my only friend.