SCP 1471 [An anomalous life]

XXIII

...

I stayed comforting Mal0, who seemed really upset by my presence.

-It's my fault. -She murmured.

-No, no.
-It's my fault, Mal0, for being such an idiot.

-Don't say that, Quentin. -She said, raising her head and looking at me.
-You know it's not true.

-...
-In fact, I tried something to fix that, for a few weeks at least -I said, sighing.

Mal0 looked at me, confused.

-You tried what?
-Don't tell me that... -She started, worried.

I stopped stroking her head with one arm and flexed it, watching my bicep muscle lift slightly.

I hid a small chuckle and looked back at Mal0.

-What did you think it was?

Mal0 was silent for a few seconds, not knowing exactly if this was a joke or not.

-Oh...
-Amazing, Quentin. -She said, a little unsure.

-You don't have to lie, Mal0. -I said, laughing heartily.
-The weeks you were gone, I started going to the gym, while trying to find more anomalies.

-You look a little better, actually. -She nodded.
-...
-Your scar, too.. -She said, her tone somewhat sad.

-Psh, thank you.
-But, tell me about yourself Mal0.
-Are you all right?

-...

Mal0 was silent for a few seconds, looking at me not knowing what to say.

-Now that you're here, yes. -She replied, nodding her head.
-They... were doing testing on me.

-What kind of tests? -I asked, while trying not to imagine anything unpleasant.

-Basic things, like my ability to move through devices, or decrypt files.

(Those are basic things?)

-Just that? -I asked, relieved.

-Mhm.
-In fact, they tested me today, too.
-They tested the minimum size I could fit on a device.

-9.8 megabytes, right?
-I was in the next room when they did that. -I explained.

-That's right. -She said, nodding her head.
-...
-It's scary.

-Hm?
-Why is that?

-It's not like getting in your phone or anywhere else.
-When I'm inside some device without a camera or a microphone...
-I feel like I'm back in that void they used to contain me.

-But...
-They won't lock you up again, things are different now. -I said, trying to cheer her up.

-You think so?

-Yes, things are different now.
-You can... communicate with them now.

-That's...
-That's true, yes. -She nodded.

-You see?

-But, just because I can communicate with them doesn't mean that they won't...
-...
-Lock me up again.
-And now they'll contain you too, because of me.

-...

I couldn't think of anything to say to her, she was absolutely right.

-Mal--