"What happened?" I demanded, not posing the question to anyone in particular. "Where are they taking her?"
"They most likely found a virus in her system," my doctor said. "She's being taken to another room to be cleansed."
I raised a suspicious eyebrow. His reply sounded calculated and pre-planned, delivered without emotion. I glanced over at Azura, who was studying my doctor as he pulled out the syringe and plopped it into a metal contraption.
"A negative," she called to an assistant with a sketch pad. "Healthy cholesterol and glucose levels. Give the House the go-ahead."
I rubbed my temples as my head began to fill with information and theories to be sorted out later. I would have to talk to Azura and Chase about all of them- maybe even Allison, if she had any ideas- but I knew I would probably never find the answers.
My eyes wandered towards the empty spot where Chase's Mason Chip should've been. I hadn't exposed him in front of Chairman Marshall- who was still in the room, watching us- but that might not be enough to convince him to tell me the truth.
Chase noticed me staring and cleared his throat. "You good?"
I did my best to appear unembarrassed. "Fine. Just thinking." Our voices echoed through the hollow room, but they didn't make it any more welcoming.
He blinked rapidly as his doctor shined a light in his eye, reminding me that it was actually blue, not black as I had originally thought. "Worried about Joanne?"
I nodded and looked away, trying to find something else to stare at. I settled on studying Allison. Her demeanor emitted a sense of rebellion, though not cold and calculating like Azura or Chase.
Or me, I realized, peering at my reflection in one of the shiny tables beside where I sat. In just a few short hours, I had completely lost all faith I once had in Eden. Had my eyes become darker? My face looked more serious, older. The jovial spark in me was fueling a different feeling. Distrust. Suspicion. Rebellion, even. All those things and more.
I'm so enveloped in doubt, that I haven't realized how much I've changed.
For the better, or for the worse?
Have I lost myself?
YOU ARE READING
𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐬𝐭
Science Fiction"It is an honor for a citizen of Eden to be chosen to die for their country, so we can live!" there he paused, allowing us to cheer in unison. "We are working to establish a new patrol-" Governor Mason cut himself off as he let out a hacking cough...
