Artificial Tears

Chapter 19

'Am I having another nightmare?' I wonder as I look around the black and white tiled room.

My head hurts and I carefully stand up.

Another one of the doors is open.

While holding my hand against my head, that's now beating with pain, I walk through the door. I don't really care about Systems plans, let's just get this over with.

The white light in the room is making me dizzy anyway.

Now I'm standing in something that looks like a dark street.

Buildings that look a bit like shops are right and left of me, but almost all the shops are completely dark.

Only one stands in the distance, the one thing that gives me the light to see around me.

Taking a few other steps, I notice that the ground feels different from the city I live in.

I look down and see that it's not only old, but also looks dusty.

"System!" I call out to the entity that has been plaguing me in my nightmares.

"System! Show yourself!"

I'm not afraid of them anymore, they don't scare me anymore. Maybe if I can finally talk normally with them I might get them to stop.

"Gotten bolder, I see."

The voice suddenly sounds behind me, I turn around to look, facing the masked figure once again.

"Why are you doing this to me?"

As they stand close to me, the thought enters me to quickly swipe away the mask and my hand races through the air before I properly think about it.

Just before I can touch it however, System hits my hand away and takes a step back.

"Not yet, not yet, Edith. That would be a spoiler. It's just too early."

"Just let me go already. Why are you even doing all of this, I thought you were nicer."

System looks up, staring empty into my soul. Thanks to the mask, I can't even see their eyes.

Then they take another step forward: "You were given something that was mine..." They point a finger at me and continue: "And I did not give my consent."

The digital voice sounds cold.

"What is it? If I know, I might be able to return it to you."

System laughs another joyless laugh: "Oh, if it was so easy..."

I take a step back, I'm not ready to go for another try at the mask.

I have no idea what it is that they might want to have back. 

I really wish I did, then these nightmares could finally come to an end.

Wait, who actually are they? A couple of nights ago they said 'the source of your power', right? Does that mean that they are a part of me, but also not?

What the hell does that even mean? What is it that was given to me?

Were these nightmares originally theirs?