There's Someone in My Head But it's Not Me

Chapter Two

My shock must've been all over my face since Colton responded immediately.

"I don't have much time, since they're coming for you."

"Who?" I questioned. 

"Nialliv. The organization you and I work for."

"If I'm working for them then why are they coming after me? And if you're with them, then why aren't you coming for me? And even more important, how can you be in my head?" Just as I did, I heard a car pull on to the gravel driveway. 

"And here they are," he said, shoving the back door open. "Come with me."

"But-" Colton cut me off. "Shut up if you want to live, Echo."

"I-" He shoved his hand over my mouth and grabbed my arm. "I said stop talking."

I struggled against his grip as a car door slammed. The sound of footsteps echoed through the cabin. "Freyd, do you have the girl?" came a man's voice. Colton didn't make a move to reply. He instead pushed me out the open door. 

The wind immediately blew my short, bright red hair all over. The sky had begun sprinkling tiny droplets of water, which made the cold, miserable night even more unbearable. 

"Get to the forest. Don't wait for me," Colton whispered into my ear. I followed his orders and sprinted into the dark forest. Despite the rain, I could hear crickets chirping and owls hooting. 

I slowed to a jog as I reached a clearing. The way the tall oak trees overlapped kept the rain from soaking the dying grass underneath. Along the edges of the clearing there were skeletons of bushes that had long since lost their leaves. 

Behind me a twig snapped. I spun around to face a woman wearing a clean white lab coat and black pants with no wrinkles. In one hand she held a syringe and in the other, my knife. I don't remember ever dropping it, but it was no longer in my possession. 

"Good evening, Echo. Or should I say morning, as it is four am," the woman said with a smile. She acted like she knew me.

"Am I supposed to know you?" The smile on her face was replaced by a one of sorrow.

"You once did, before the tests. We got along very well, you and I." The woman's frown deepened as she continued. "But after what your parents did..." She trailed off.

"My parents? I don't have parents."

"You did. You just don't remember. Tell me, do you even remember your life before this year?"

"No."

"Then our experiments worked!" the woman exclaimed as the smile returned to her face. "That reminds me. I'm supposed to give you this." She held the syringe up. It was filled with a dark red liquid, almost the color of blood.

"How about no," I replied. Who would want a mystery blood-colored drug in their body? Definitely not me.

The grin again disappeared and a look of mischief covered it. "How about yes." The woman moved towards me as men wearing black and carrying guns moved from behind trees and advanced towards me.

Crap.