Hexed

Chapter Eight

5/02/2052

To: Dr. Wells

From: Agnes Drew, Head of communications and organizations.

Subject: News and details on test serum, B.74.

It has been quite a while since my last update, my apologies on that, but now that we have more exciting and hopeful news to share, I'm glad to write to you again. The newest results have been carefully examined and studied, over the 170 subjects that have been tested so far, the most recent few have had the most successful outcomes. Version B. 74. Impacted the brain in a more emotional way, focusing on the feelings inside and less on the actions taken outside, while still not erasing the effects of uncontrollable actions. While this has been a great breakthrough, we have encountered one issue. These 'episodes' hardly follow a regular pattern, some showing up hours after insertion and some taking days. For this to work properly on the final subjects, there must be more time between when the subject is injected and when the first episode arrives, also the episodes should follow a regular pattern to make it more controllable for us. We are still trying to figure out how to create the perfect balance without damaging the brain so much that the actions taken are fully out of control. This requires more testing to be done so I suggest we look for newer subjects. Until more up to date information is sent to the lab we will continue to work as planned. If the rate of success keeps increasing as it is right now, we are assuming that we will be able to launch the final version as soon as May 28th, this will give us enough time to find the perfect version and test it on subjects as close as possible to our final targets. We are getting very close to it working perfectly and hope that you recognize the progress that we have made so far. If something doesn't go as planned before we reach the ending phase, I will write to you again. If not, this will most likely be the last formal update.

Hope to see you soon.

I look up from the letter, everyone has fallen silent. This morning we stopped by a gas station. The air in the van feels stuffy. We've been in here for over six hours now and I actually managed to get a few hours of sleep. Benji and I decided to read the letter to the others once we stop for gas. Which is what we're doing now. I'm lucky, I won't go so far that my actions become uncontrollable and violent, but I'm unlucky because as the letter stated, I'll be completely conscious with everything I feel and do. It's better because I know I won't end up running around the streets trying to attack anyone I see. But still we hardly know anything about what the serum does. All we know is that it affects people do to unexpectable things and evokes rather unpleasant emotions. My mind always ends up asking why anyone would want to force this onto someone. Jerome knows someone who had been injected with the serum about a month ago, and apparently, he described it as a living hell.

Willow keeps looking at me, we were the only one's injected and I think she's just as scared as me about the consequences.

"So, what does this mean?" Willow asks breaking the silence.

We all turn to Jerome, hoping he has an answer of some sorts.

"It means we're already a step closer to finding out who those people are and what they're doing. But it also means that we have 20 days left to find a way to stop them from using this stuff on their 'final subjects'." He pauses.

Somehow, he sounds slightly optimistic, I'm sure Benji and Naomi feel the same. I just can't see how this is helping us. Maybe I'm too stuck on wondering what will happen to me and Willow to see what they're talking about.

"How can we be sure that the serum we were injected with is indeed this version?" Willow asks.

Nobody says anything. Because we don't know.

"This place, what do you think they're doing?" Benji asks after a while.

"You can ask all you like but I know just as much as you guys," Jerome says "but I know someone who might know more."

And with that the conversations ends. The plan is to get Kasper and I home, and on the way find the person Jerome was talking about. He specified that it's our choice to join them or not. They could use the people and he said that I'd probably be safer with them as they know more about what's happening to me. I'm having a hard time figuring it all out, I want to go with them, to find out who is behind all of this and hopefully find a way to reverse what the serum did. But on the other hand, I barely know them. For all I know they could be criminals, I still don't really know what Kasper wants to do. Does he still want to go back? He's got every reason to want to go back. He's got a good family, he's not at risk of going insane. He actually has a life. Me? I don't matter, not to anyone. Well, maybe to Kasper. But still, he could easily continue his life without me. I don't think I could say the same about him

"Hey," Kasper says softly, he puts his hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay?"

He's been asking me this question a lot, just to make sure I don't go crazy or whatever might happen to me. I haven't had any pains since that time in the van and neither has Willow, but I can tell he's scared that it'll happen again soon.

"Yeah I'm alright." I say quickly. I want to ask him what he thinks, though I'm scared he'll tell me to just go home.

"I think we should go home." he says avoiding eye contact with me.

I knew he'd say that, as much as he loves adventure, I fear that this has become too much for him.

"I can make sure you don't hurt anyone or yourself. This stuff isn't supposed to kill you, so if we just hold off long enough for them to figure out how to fix you, we'll stay safe. Going with them will only increase the risk of either of us getting hurt."

I'm about to go against it, I want to go against it. There's nothing for me back home. I know he thinks he can help me, that he can keep me safe. But he can't. Not from this.

"Kasper, you can't keep me safe forever. If what they're saying is true, we might actually be able to help. And stop more people from getting tested on. We have to help them." I say, he looks at me conflicted. "I have to."

This seems to get him thinking. As much as I want him to come with me, he still has to make his own decision. If he stays, can I still go? What if I go and never come back? I could never see him again. Can I even handle that?

I don't get that much time to overthink, because Jerome gets back into the van and closes the door.

"Alright guys, let's go see what the old man has to say." he turns on the car and drives.

Apparently, the guy he talked about earlier is someone who was involved with government business a few years ago. From what I've gathered he's probably in his late 60's. I don't talk to Kasper for the entire ride there. I just stare out the window trying to get my thoughts together. It's an impossible decision, one that I still have to make. We drive for about thirty minutes and stop at a flat building in the outskirts. The streets are dirtier than closer to the city centre. Trash piles laying around, the paint on the walls chipping off, broken windows, it looks like nobody has even tried to take care of this place in a long time. Jerome walks in first, opening the broken door and walking up the stairs. He stops at the third floor.

"Here it is." he says and turns around to the rest of us as we're still walking up. "Let me do the talking first."

He makes a fist of his hand and knocks on the door three times. Then we wait, a minute or two go by and still there's no answer. I look next to me at Willow, I'm starting to wonder if this is the wrong place until the door slowly opens.

"Who is it?" a worn out voice says.

Jerome leans closer to the door.

"Hi, I'm Jerome Page, we met two years ago, me and my mates just have some simple questions for you, if that's alright?"

The man on the other side takes a moment to think, then opens the door wider and waves his hand signing us to come inside.