Misled

Chapter Five

The hallway was bright and clean but it gave me the chills. It looked like a hallway of a research facility and I felt I was about to be experimented for research purposes. The walls were pristine white and if it wasn’t for the green ceiling, my sanity would be giving up in a month, white flag and everything.

After walking for some time, I thought of how it actually surprised me to be this calm after going through a lot. I guessed being unconscious for days and being briefed by Steel helped me relax. True, I was still worried over my mom but Dash was right. I would only be endangering her if I do something reckless. Right now, I need to find out everything there is to learn about the System.

We stopped in front of another steel door and Steel started punching numbers on the pad. When it slid open, a familiar and delicious smell wafted in the air. My stomach growled but I set my hunger aside. I studied the room. It was some sort of cafeteria from the smell of the place. The room was packed. At the far end of the room was a conveyor where I guessed how the food was transported.  The people, on the other hand, were busy eating and chatting with each other to notice our arrival. They looked like they didn’t have any care in the world. Although the men’s black cover all was a bit distracting.

‘Well, that was disappointing. I could sell all my cares with a bargain and I’d still have enough to last me a lifetime,’ I told myself.

All heads turned to us when Steel cleared his throat. I met their gazes head on. No need for me to look embarrassed.

“This is Fermaryllis II. She was saved from the recent Catharsis. Give her a warm welcome, everybody.” Steel said.

They smiled at me. A young woman named Berry even shook my hand. Some greeted me with ‘welcomes’ and ‘hellos’ but when I once again swept my gaze in the room, I spotted a guy sitting alone at the table in the corner, glaring at me. His gaze was intense and it made me feel uneasy. Like there was another premonition.

Dash patted her shoulder. “Ferm, I was asking if you wanted a bite.”

“What? Oh, yeah. Right.” Steel told Dash that he would be leaving me on his hands for now. “Be a tour guide, will ya? I need to meet up with someone. Very important.”

I noted the look Dash gave Steel. It was a kind of look that tells people there’s something going on and I ain’t telling you. After that, he was off. I looked back at the guy again but he wasn’t there anymore. I tried looking for him but Dash suddenly pulled me towards the conveyor.

“Order something you like. Here’s the menu,” he pointed at a screen dial pad with a list of food.

Reading the menu made my stomach growl even more. I really didn’t care what I wanted to eat so long as it was edible. So without thinking, I pressed on escargot. I saw Dash frowned.

“You want to eat snails?” he asked.

“It’s in the menu so why not?” I said as I punched more orders. Dash shrugged his shoulders.

After a while, my orders were ready and I literally devoured the food. However, it didn’t stop me from asking Dash about the look.

“What look?”

“You know, the look you gave Steel when he said he needed to meet up with someone.” I said.

Dash became quiet for a while. He probably thought I was stupid not to notice it.

“Don’t mind it. It doesn’t have anything to do with you,” he answered.

I kept quiet, trying to read the atmosphere but I didn’t want to let it go. “I’m not stupid, you know. ”