Refracted

- - 33 - -

The Shadow watched me. It had filled my dreams in the night before, terrorising me as per Lucas' orders but now it kept its distance. It observed me. But why?

My eyes slowly opened as I arose from my slumber but someone had turned the lights on already and I shut them again. Using the same method when I was in the White Room, I gradually opened them again to realise that was exactly where I was. The White Room. Intense panic saturated my every cell as my hands began to shake. Was it a dream? Had I dreamt my cure? Had I been moved in the night?

I rushed over to the desk, careful to not look at the lights and therefore blind myself, and saw the same note explaining the separation. Nothing had changed since I left which made me question my leaving even more. Did it really happen? Could it really happen? Could I be cured that fast?

I tried to recollect my thoughts and decide what I really wanted. My opinions had changed. When Lucas had said that I was in the process of being cured, I really believed him but at the same time I knew I shouldn't have. During my time in the compound, I felt free and alive and wanted. My opinions weren't judged and most of us had a similar goal and we all united to achieve said goal. But that wasn't real. The Resistance was just an illusion created by Lucas, but the feelings it then produced were real. And yesterday, when Lucas said I had been cured, I really did want to be. I was definitely happier at the Resistance but the government could offer me something that was true and not an illusion...

I stood up from the desk and started pacing the room but something didn't feel right. As per usual, I couldn't hear anything but something else felt off balance in another way... The Shadow. It had gone, moved from its original position and now I couldn't see it. Slowly, I turned around and met it's gaping face and yellow eyes. It mimicked my stature along the wall and copied my every move. It imitated me, mocked me. And then it prepared to attack.

Backing away from the wall, I sought refuge from another corner but the Shadow was there too. There was nothing I could do but submit to it as it invaded my body and my mind. My ears, eyes, mouth. Gone. Lost to the Shadow. A sacrifice.

The door hissed open and Lucas walked in. Instantaneously, the Shadow was gone; it dispersed at his command. The door remained open which allowed me to hear him, I relished the sound of his footsteps and faint breathing.

"Thank you," I gasped.

He looked surprised but continued.

"I'm sure you are questioning why you woke up in here after our breakthrough yesterday," he began. So it did happen! We were in the process of finding a cure! The same joy as yesterday filled me and I felt my lips curl into a smile. "The truth is Verity that you are doing very well but we haven't finished yet. You are not completely cured and cannot be treated as such until you are. Does that make sense to you?"

I nodded in reply, eager to hear about his plans.

"The next couple of days will determine how far along you are in the process and whether we can continue the treatment outside of the facility or not. The tests will climax in a final one with one right answer, if you get it right, you are free to go. It's that simple, okay?"

I nodded again.

"Great! So for today, all I want you to do is interact with another member of the previous Resistance. The chosen member is ready and waiting for you in the room next door.

Okay then, I could do this. Yet something stopped me. For some reason, what Harleen had said yesterday sparked into my mind and I couldn't think about anything else.

"Lucas?" I asked.

"Yes?"

"Harleen told me yesterday that she remembered me getting up on stage when we attempted to rebel. She said that I confronted you and that is what started the rebellion. Is it true? Because I never did that."

"Ah," he said, pausing for a moment. "I was afraid you might ask this."

"Well, what happened?"

"This is going to sound bad to you, Verity but you have to trust me on this, okay?"

"Okay..." I said. My faith in Lucas was dependent on his actions but I needed to hear the truth.

"I needed the Zyphians to rebel. It was important for my plan and I had to make an example of them to all the other districts. When Rachel tricked you into the construction zone, the VISORs injected you all with something. It wasn't sedation but a drug that made you very, very, impressionable to suggestions. You must have reacted differently which may be why you don't remember. Then, I had the VISORs simply suggest the idea of confronting me and you did it. As predicted, the Zyphians rebelled and I... made an example out of them."

"How Lucas?"

"I used the NukeFusions."

"You did what?!"

"It was a tough call Verity and if you really want to be cured then you will try to understand."

The threat was as clear as the poison that laced his words. My fury raged inside of me but I composed myself on the surface and nodded. My emotions couldn't control me and I needed to be strategic. His confession had only confirmed my fears: Lucas only cared about himself. So he couldn't care about me.

"Are you okay now?" He asked earnestly, a pretence that he wanted me to be well but I knew the truth.

I nodded again, not trusting myself to speak and walked out of the White Room. I was ready to do anything and everything to get out the facility and bring down Lucas. And if I had to? I would bring down Lucas from inside these four walls. Right here, in this facility, one way or another.

I would ignite the rebellion.