A Reflection of Moondust

'But, we can't,' I protested with bated breath. 'You can't. It's against the regulations.'

'Maybe this will help you decide,' she growled domineeringly, tilting her Vaporiser just so the lasers landed on my heart.

'But, why me?' I protested again, trying to fight the force field and break free. 'I'm not the one you should be asking!'

'Oh yes, we are,' another's voice suddenly appeared. It was him. 'You're the one who got us all into this mess. And so you're going to fix it.'

'Please!' I shouted, tears streaking down my cheeks. 'It was only one night! I don't even remember it.'

'I know you don't,' he came closer, caressing my cheeks and kissing me quickly. Tasting the strong sedative on his lips, everything began to go blurry. 'And you won't remember tonight, either.'

---

Waking up with a jolt, I tried to find my bearings. I was alone, cold and scared, my overalls covering almost all of my body. I couldn't remember putting then on, nor what had happened after he drugged me.

My eyes becoming more accustomed to the light, I studied my hands, my fingers feeling numb and stinging ferociously. They were stained with blood, a cut deep in my palm, giving me some insight to what could have happened.

No, they couldn't have made me do it. They couldn't have succeeded. But then again, I had the cut they would have needed to complete it.

Looking out the window, the moonlight shone through, its rays giving me comfort. They mustn't have succeeded. Unless it was going to happen later.

'You've awaken,' she said. The first one who had trapped me. Avanna.

'Get away from me!' I shouted, trying to shield myself with my other unscathed but bloody hand. 'I thought you were my friend. Both of you!'

'I'm not here to hurt you, Mari,' Avanna softly said, much unlike how she had spoken to me when she had trapped me. 'But I'm here to help.'

'No you're not!' I exclaimed. 'Now I see who you are. Who you both are. Nothing but liers and traitors and thieves.'

'No, you- you don't understand,' Avanna shook her head, taking a step back. Taking my chance, I pinned her to the bare brick wall, ready to give her a beating.

'Please, Mari!' Avanna shouted hysterically. 'I'm on your side! Trust me!' She held up her right hand, the same cut as mine on her hand.

Taking a step back, I tried to rationalise the situation.

'He drugged me too,' Avanna explained. 'Josiah. And then he bound me in this... contract, so I couldn't escape my fate.'

Was she lying? I didn't feel like I could trust anyone right now.

'It was only one night,' Avanna further added. 'I can't remember what happened, but I was bound to do his bidding. And then he drugged me again. I can't remember anything. I don't even remember what happened to you.'

'You trapped me in a force field,' I explained. 'I thought you were the one who was against me, conspiring against me. But then Josiah appeared.'

Looking at her blank but sad expression, she seemed to be telling the truth after all.

'I think we better get cleaned up,' Avanna suggested, looking at her and my hands. Finding a metal box with a faded red cross on the lid, Avanna manoeuvred it open and I peered inside for anything to help us seal our wounds.

'Hey, I think I can see some nanopatches,' I said, pointing at the silver strips of nanomedicine amongst the vials, needles and pills.

'Here you go,' Avanna handed me a nanopatch. I placed the patch on my cut, the wound gone after moments of contact.