The bearded man came rushing in to the room and with shortened breath and said, “Boris, you have to come quick!”
Boris got up and left the room with him to the lab. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but they seemed to be staring at a screen and arguing. Boris’s expression changed from semi-calm to confused to angry. Then they all ventured to another room past the lab. About five minutes later, they all came back to the lab and Boris kept talking.
I wanted to get up and join them out of curiosity, but I suddenly saw Boris staring through the window at me. I kept looking back at him, but something about his look made my heart beat faster. He said something to the group, then came back to the room and closed the door behind him. He walked near my bed, and sat down on the chair next to the bed. He didn’t say much, but stared at me for a minute.
I tried to break this awkward silence and said, “Was the conversation exciting?”
He said, “Exciting eh?”
I said, “Yeah. Why wasn’t I invited too?”
He didn’t say anything and kept staring at me.
I said, “Did your tongue fall off suddenly?”
He finally said, “I think you need to rest and get back your strength. I will make sure that you’re safe. Don’t worry.”
I said angrily, “Why the hell won’t you tell me what is going on!”
He said, “I think you need to rest.”
I sat up, swayed to his side and said, “I’m sick of you! I’m sick of this place! You’re not trying to protect me. You’re holding me hostage like I committed a crime and waiting intently for the final judgement.” I pushed the bed cover off me and stood up. Boris looked up at me and said, “Where are you going?”
I was so frustrated and said, “To my doom! Why does it matter anymore?”
I walked to the door and tried to open it. It was locked and I said, “Open the door Boris!”
He got up, walked towards me and stood staring. He said, “I can’t let you go out there alone.”
I said, “I-don’t-care! I want out!”
He looked at the ground and said, “While you and I were in the mind simulation room earlier, the team analyzed the data they retrieved carefully and found out that since you chose me, you were in my mind. You used Sara as a defence tool in my mind too.”
Why was he saying it as it was a shameful situation? I said, “So?”
He sighed and said, “You don’t seem to care.”
I said, “Ok? And tell me something new why don’t ya? Can I get out of here while you people analyze useless data and try to figure out something you are not meant to ever know?”
He said, “We are not meant to know eh?”
I said, “No! You nor anyone else can know at all. ”
He said, “Not even me?”
I said, “Especially not you!”
He stared at me, moved his arm to the left and got his gun out. He raised it up and aimed it at my forehead.
I stepped back and said, “What do you think you are doing?” Then the door banged loudly and the others in the lab yelled, “No Boris!”
He said, “I have to kill you.”
I said, “What?”
He stared.
I said, “If you kill me what would you gain?”
He didn’t say anything but kept aiming at me. I said, “Then fine. Kill me. There is nothing worth it anyways. I can’t remember anything anymore. I don’t know who my parents are or what happened to them. I don’t know how Sam died. I don’t know who is behind this plan and how they accessed my head. All I know that my life is pointless and I am just a machine to everyone! So kill me and end my misery!”
He kept staring at me and the banging on the door became louder. He lowered the gun and said, “Why did you chose me?”
I looked at him in bewilderment and said, “I didn’t want you to die because of me.”
His eyes widened then stared down on the ground. He said, “I was living as a child in that building. Why did you let me see it again?”
I hesitated and said, “I didn’t mean to. I didn’t know. How can I even control what was there? It’s your head, not mine!”
He raised the gun and pointed it at my forehead again. He kept pushing it in and said, “I would kill you. I should. I have to!”
The banging was so loud, and suddenly, the door opened and the others jumped on Boris. They tried to grab the gun and moved it away from my head. Nadia said, “You may not care Boris! You don’t care what will happen to our world! But we do! She is our only hope!”
My heart beat faster, but not from the relief. On the contrary, I was scared and sad for Boris. He wanted to forget that building and I brought that memory back. I resurfaced it to make him scared, frightened, and his only way to deal with it is to kill me, the catalyst that started it.
I walked closer and the others kept him still by grabbing him tightly. They all looked at me wondering what I was about to do, then I put my arms around Boris and hugged him tightly. I said, “I didn’t want you to remember. Sara’s defence used your memories knowing you would end her, and me.”