To right a life

XXXII

Through Henry's eyes, Eleven looks at herself, sitting across from him, the chessboard on the table.

   "Try not to show any emotion as I speak, okay? Just keep playing the game if you understand."

   Eleven remembers sitting in front of him, intrigued and anxious. She remembers making an effort not to frown, pretending that the game of chess was the only thing on her mind.

   "Two is still in the infirmary recovering. He's being watched now, but once he is released, he and the others are going to attempt to kill you. Right here, in this room." Henry pauses, inspecting her expression before declaring: "And Papa will allow it to happen.

   "In fact, he wants it to happen. He's been planning it for some time now." Across him, the girl's breath seems to catch in her lungs. "Stay calm. Focus on the game," he insists in a gentle voice.

   The girl looks down at the board and moves the pawn in front of her queen's rook two squares forward.

   "There's a reason why Two and the others were able to escape their room last night." Henry moves the pawn in front of his queen one square. "Why the security cameras were turned off. Why Papa punished Two today."

   Eleven remembers, too, her rapid heartbeat at each one of his words.

   "They don't even realize it, but he is moving them like pieces on this board here." In tune with his words, Eleven moves her queen's knight in front of the rook. "Driving them to do exactly what he wants, which is..."

   Henry captures Eleven's knight with his bishop—the message is loud and clear.

   The key to achieve his objective.

   "Why?" the Eleven in front of him inquires, the shock evident on her face.

   He doesn't hesitate to answer her. And Eleven can't help but be surprised, now that she revisits this conversation from his point of view, understanding his true intentions.

   "You frighten him," Henry lies. "He knows you are more powerful than the others. And he also knows he can't control you. That's all he wants: control."

   Lie after lie after lie, Henry deliberately scares her. Because Papa isn't afraid of her, and he's still convinced that he'll be able to control her. This is an experiment, certainly, but he doesn't want to end her life.

   He, however, in his inner self, has a justification for everything. I need to make her scared. I need her to believe that the situation is more dire than it truly is so that she makes the choice to run away. I need her to leave this place before it's too late.

   "I saw all this happening. That's why I wanted to help you, but I only made things worse." This, at least, is true; now that she's the one saying them, she senses the sincere remorse in his words.

   "Helping me... made Papa hurt you."

   Henry nods almost imperceptibly.

   "And it is why you must escape. Today." The emphasis on this word underscores its urgency. "But they are watching us. Closely," he whispers and casts a covert glance towards one of the cameras located in the corners of the room; the Eleven in front follows his movement with her head. "If you want to make it out of here alive, you must do exactly as I say. Do you understand?"

   Before responding, Eleven captures his bishop with one of her pawns.

   "Why... do you still help?"

   And this, this is true, she feels it deep inside her chest:

   "Because I believe in you. It is time you are free from this hell."