Redolent

Chapter 2: Disobey

I walked down the corridor towards my room, my high heels clacking loudly on the marble-like floor. My door slid smoothly open as I passed through it before seamlessly molding back into the wall. Collapsing on the bed, I ran my fingers through my straightened, artificially bleached white hair. Each knot came away between my fingertips as I thought furiously.

What if I could run away?

The thought scared me. The thought that the thought scared me, scared me. If you follow. I'd seen enough of the pre-revolution videos to know that times weren't always like this. Back when we had freedom of clothes, of image, of love. Back when we had freedom in general.

I'd seen the movie of the charming gentlemen and the downtown girl meeting in the over-populated cities. Running into each other in generic net cafes, chatting over a cup of steaming dark coffee with swirls of steam hanging in the frosty air. I'd seen the love. Something stripped of me.

Here I was, staring into the face of my future husband. A man I'd never met, never even thought of until an hour ago.

I shook my head quickly, such liberal thoughts would have me killed—Refreshed. Erased from existence. I would cease to exist. I would be the dark spot on the pristine perfection of Obsidian. I would have to be removed at all costs. I got up from the bed and then fell back down again. I was a coward. I hated the system but I was too afraid to go against it.

The consequences scared me. I was nothing but a thinker. A trapped thinker. A coward.

The motion of restlessness brought my ID chip to life and it flared out in front of me. Grumbling, I tried to switch it off but a tiny beeping from another format caught my attention. Switching gears, the holographic menu shifted until I was staring at the tiny message in my inbox. Without much hesitation, I blinked once and it opened. A video conference popped up and I straightened at once, madly fixing my visage unless it was someone from the government. The camera opened suddenly and I found myself actually staring into the face of my future husband.

"Hello Aris," he said coolly. His auburn hair was stylishly splayed around his deep chocolate eyes.

"Hello, Trey," I responded, just as business-like.

"You look as gorgeous as ever," he chuckled to himself, admiring my icy-blue eyes and white hair.

"Cut the compliments," I hissed, irritatedly, "What do you want, Etron?"

"So rude to your future husband," he laughed even harder.

I smiled condescendingly, "Better get used to it, darling."

"Look," his voice dropped suddenly, "I know you don't want this any more than I do." He shot me a glance and I held up one hand warily,

"Is this really the time and place," I stared hard at him, "to be discussing this." The government was probably all over this video by now.

"Relax, Exto, this isn't bugged. I've covered it."

His words didn't exactly sooth my worries, but I allowed him to continue.

"I know a place—"

"Where there are unicorns and fluffy bunnies," I snapped sarcastically, "why don't you go back?"

"Let me finish!" His voice dropped even lower, "A place away from Obsidian."

"What?"

"We could run away."

Silence filled both rooms.

"No."

"Bu –"

"Bye Entron."

Coward. I was shaking. Every part of my computerized body was shaking. I was malfunctioning. The agony was terrible. I wanted to flee. I wanted to run. But I was caught. Ensnared.

Leave. Fly. Go. Quick.

 I took a deep shuddering breath. Escape.

Do you really want to die? You'll be caught. You'll be Refreshed.

No. No. No. I didn't want to die. Screw Entron. Safety. Stay.

Coward. What was that about a better life? Words. Salty, slippery words running down your throat. Force them down. Eat them. Coward.

Every gene in my pre-coded body was in turmoil. Turmoil between what I wanted and what was right. Right? Was this right?

 

Leave. Stay. Coward.

 

Good… Good girl. Aris is a good little girl. A good program. A good experiment.

Aris will not.

Will not.

Not.

Disobey.

 

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