I'll Tell You a Story

Codeless

The cold night air bites at Andromeda's exposed face. The smell of smoke clings to her, so as his deep fear. Her feet brought her into this dark forest, unsure of what danger is lurking behind the congestion of trees. But there's no way she must be dainty, she must keep moving and avoid having dead ends. This isn't just a game. They already know her and they are chasing her. And they will make sure she'll never come back.

Cicadas cry and raging waves are the only noises she can hear--as if this place is born for silence, quiet as death. She let herself inhale the frigid air, then struggles to clear her throat. She knows that there's no way she can call for help, but she has no plan of dying on this island.

Something crosses inside her mind--she wears their clothes, and she hates being one of them. She needed that disguise before, but it's now time to unveil. Consequently, she takes off her black steampunk coat. She feels a lot more of herself now coming out from a grave she dug before just to survive. It is like she is born again, and that means to live a world without pretentions or restrictions just to belong.

Silence is so loud that she hears her heart pumping wild. She doesn't know why is it sudden. Is it her sixth sense rattling her or just her rational version telling her she's too dumb that she can't think of an escape plan. She let her eyes search the place--she's standing near a cliff and the stormy ocean is closer than she thinks. She is hopeful to find a boat at the seashore, which means her next step is to find a way down.

She is about to leave when footsteps swallow the anguish sounds in the background. It is distant until it grows sharper. As soon as she pays attention to the music of incoming danger, it suddenly stops. She speeds up her walk, setting her condition for a possible attack. And she is right--she suddenly finds herself inside a virtual dome. The sky is in its delectable cerulean, imitated by the ocean. The pastel rainbow-colored grasses are following the directions of the erratic wind.

"You are a huge threat to the society of Utopia," the mechanical voice roared.

She keeps her replies running through her head. It's like her lips are suddenly stitched.

"Thinking about your death?" a deep voice echoes from her back. It makes her head do an involuntary turn.

"Are you dead serious?" her words are between shocked and dismayed.

A man in a white jacket seems to challenge her in a duel. At first, he looks like dandy and gentleman, and will not hurt her--not even a single scratch. Yet his eyes went dark, canine, ready for an attack. This is the cue for her to stop herself from her delusion that she's still safe.

She tries her best to avoid every single punch he is throwing, but he is still a real crackerjack of martial arts. He gives her one sharp blow that makes her knockdown. But her kind do not raise white flags--she keeps on standing after her every fall. Another strike she receives and she tumbles and falls in her knees.

"I don't like playing," he spoke, and she's afraid these will be the last words she will hear.

Although already having a bloody face and losing her adrenaline to defend, she still wound him in the cheeks using her small knife hidden in a band in her left thigh. She cracks a vindictive smile, fixing her blurry sight on him. Despite her near death, she can really tell that his wound doesn't gush any amount of blood.

"Say goodbye, codeless!" he thundered as he reveals a small gun, points it at her forehead, and curls its trigger with pleasure. He seems like he never used or saw one before.

His index finger gently touches his wound. He thinks he's still in the pink but the skin in his wound is unwantedly peeling. He lacerates the small part of his skin, but he is again not surprised there's no blood. In fact, he knows exactly why. His name is XYZ, and inside him are cables, wires, and sparks of electricity.