Err0r

Chapter 17: Naive

           Pixal looked around. She seemed to momentarily snap out of whatever trance-like state her curiosity had forced upon her. The elevator was still open. It seemed to be waiting for her. If her chest wasn't beating fast before it surely was now. Her breathing was shallow but she still longed to see what awaited her below. She tried to take a step but her feet wouldn't move. It was like she was frozen in one spot. Her whole body thumped with every beat her chest made. She could barely hear anything around her except her own breathing. Time seemed to pause as she couldn't focus on anything but the elevator doors. Inside the elevator looked normal enough. The lights were on and the tiny whirring could be heard inside from the energy pulsating along the sides. Her feet felt heavy as she tried to pull herself forward. Her hands were glued to her sides as she debated once more on entering.

But she couldn't just sit there. She knew that any moment Borg would notice something was going on, that is if he was awake at all. She didn't know if he was working on a project or not. This might be her only chance to enter the forbidden elevator. She wondered what Borg could be keeping from her. He came out with the spider-like contraption, so there was some sort of factory down there. Or at least that's what she assumed. She squeezed her eyes shut to block the empty elevator from her mind. She knew she shouldn't, she knew she should listen to him and obey what he told her. When she opened her eyes her mind was made up. Borg might get mad at her for entering without permission, he might be enraged that she disobeyed him but nothing he could say could make her feel any worse than what had already been said. She couldn't help it. Afterall he wanted her to be more human, didn't he? She let out a shaky breath and took a step forward. The time still seemed frozen and every step felt as if it took a thousand years. She finally crossed the threshold of the elevator. The time sped up once more and her limbs felt normal. She let out a soft sigh of relief. Pixal prepared to press the button for floor -10 but as she was about to the doors slammed shut.

Her heart rate was pounding again. She backed up only to feel the walls of the elevator surrounding her. She felt cramped in Borg Tower normally but here it was unbearable. She slammed her side against the closed elevator doors leaving a small dent. Alarm lights began to flash and the loud noises startled her. She shrieked as the blue lights turned to red. The elevator began to shake not very much but enough where it seemed out of the ordinary. She looked on the button panel and found out that floor -10 wasn't on the panel. It seemed like it had been but someone ripped it out. The alarm continued to blare until it finally came to a stop. Then the lights went out. Pixal's green eyes were the only thing visible in the elevator. All she could think of was what Borg had told her.

'For your safety'

Her heart nearly stopped at what came next. Her stomach seemed to lurch forward, then she felt it drop. A small gasp left her mouth before she was shoved against the side. Her eyes flickered on and off before they closed entirely.

Down

Down

Down...

Pixal let out a groan as she got to her feet. She felt around her head and her side to check if she had been injured. The elevator had stopped descending. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked around. It was dark, everywhere it was dark. She could almost hear the pounding in her chest because of the silence. She noticed the elevator doors had finally opened. Cautiously she stepped forward. She had no other choice in the matter anyway, there was no way out except up. A bright light flashed in her face and she shielded her eyes. When they reopened she noticed screens. Screens like the one in front of the doors in the lobby. All around her. She recognized the face on the screens. It had bright yellow eyes and purple and orange surrounding them. It seemed to be looking at her.

"Pixal, I'm so pleased to meet you." It hissed.

The voice itself was anything but pleased as far as she could tell.

"W-what do you want?" She hardly managed to whisper.

Her body was shaking and shivering even though she never got cold.

"I want... you." Its raspy voice echoed throughout the room.

Pixal stepped back on instinct. She backed up into another screen. She tried to move anywhere else but the creature wouldn't leave her alone. She wasn't sure how small the room was but it seemed to be keeping her inside.

"Why?" Was all she could ask.

"I know what you want."

"W-what do you mean?"

"You want to feel what they do."

"H-how do you know that?"

"I know you well, I've been watching you for quite a while. Cyrus Borg doesn't understand you. He doesn't care about you, he doesn't even love you."

"And you do?" Pixal grew defensive.

"I can make him." It seemed to smirk.

"I do not want anything to happen to him."

"Of course not, I just need you. If you allow me access to yourself I can give you what you desire. Cyrus Borg will finally be your father, and you'll be like them."

Her chest beat faster and faster. She didn't like this thing but she liked what it said. She squeezed her eyes shut and crossed her arms over her chest.

"You do not know that! No one cares for me! I am different and that is all I will ever be!" She screamed pushing past the longing.

"You poor thing. I will help you, if you are mine I will care about you. You will be like me. What do you say?" It rasped.

"I- w-what d-do I have to do?" She wiped angry tears from her face.

"Just let me in." Its cold voice echoed.

Her hand slipped off of her chest as she seemed to trip over a wire on the floor. Her arm fell on the counter that she didn't know was there. The screens flashed for a moment and she felt a burning in her head. Sparks began to fly from the screens and the wire she was closest to stabbed into her wrist. Pixal yelped as the stinging of the wire set in. She felt something cloud her mind and then her vision went blurry. She let out a fearful scream as her eyes began to forcefully close. Her breathing was heavy and she could no longer feel her body. She fell limp to the floor of the room. The last thing she saw was the screen closest to her. The yellow eyes stared into her green eyes before she strained to stay awake. Her consciousness seemed to be fighting with something and it hurt. Her body writhed on the floor until her eyes closed altogether. She let out a half there shriek before she couldn't feel anything at all. A single tear fell from her eye to the ground as the pain faded as well.

A/N: Enjoy the climax ride it's all downhill from here!