Enduring Aella

Episode Six | On the Threshold

The receptionist disappeared into the waiting room, leaving me alone in the hallway. Sleek, metal doors stood at one end, the lobby at the other. One side promised the future, the other clung to the past. I turned toward the doors but stopped, frozen. My hand pressed against my chest as a tightness gripped my sternum, my breath hitching as a wave of anxiety rushed through me.

I spun and walked back to the lobby, stopping just short of the threshold. One step and everything would go back the way it was. A lonely, claustrophobic, demanding life ... but a familiar one. I would never take up my mother's cause, never stoop to the Synths' demands, but I would try my best to start a new life.

But what would that look like? Pretending everything was normal, trying to forget the weight of my mother's legacy hanging over me. Could I really be free while still living in her shadow? Could I find happiness in a world where every corner reminded me of her loss?

"Don't do it."

I turned to find a young man standing behind me, his blue eyes icy and intense. His dark brown hair was short and neatly styled—at least, it had been. Now, it looked as though his hands had run through it one too many times, leaving it slightly tousled. His jaw was lined with a light stubble, and his dark eyebrows were slightly arched, giving his features a rugged look. Yet, there was a softness about him. His mouth, carried a perpetual hint of a smile, and his eyes, though fierce, held the promise of warmth. He was a contradiction—both sharp and inviting.

"I wasn't going to," I said, moving away from the doorway.

"You sure?" He stepped forward, casually blocking the path to the lobby. "Looked like you were half a second from crossing over." Leaning against the wall, he looked deceptively relaxed—like a sleeping viper, coiled but ready to strike.

I took yet another step back, trying to put more distance between us. His intensity was unyielding, and I was a pane of glass, fragile and transparent, ready to shatter under the weight of his gaze.

"Your mom had it wrong, you know."

I froze. "You knew my—"

He raised a hand, stopping me mid-sentence. "I knew of her, but never actually met her. I'm an engineer at the synth lab downtown... or used to be, I guess."

I remembered the lab—a squat, concrete building with just one window in the front office. I could still picture the irritated faces of the workers inside, crowded around it in their stereotypical white coats and goggles. I shifted my weight, absently rubbing my arm as the memory settled. "She held rallies there. At least once a year."

He nodded. "Your mother had conviction, but didn't understand the danger." He paused, his gaze flicking over me, assessing. "I saw you there too, though you didn't seem as passionate for the cause as she was."

My lips pulled and tightened, as if I'd eaten something sour. A frown? A grimace? Whatever it was, it made his eyes spark with interest. I straightened slightly, forcing a breath out, and tried to relax my face into something more neutral. "What do you mean, she didn't understand the danger?"

He crossed his arms over his chest and studied the wall in front of him. The absence of his stare was a relief, but it left a strange longing in its wake.

"Your mom claimed the Synths wanted to live alongside us, to coexist. But I've seen what they can do. They are faster than us, stronger, better equipped to survive whatever this shitty world throws at us." He gave a short, bitter laugh. "I thought I was helping to build the future, but I built our replacements. Fifty years from now—hell, maybe twenty—they'll be all that's left."

"That's a pretty cynical view for an engineer." I crossed my arms to mirror his stance. "You make it sound like they're out to get us."

"We gave them consciousness and expected them to be selfless? Please. Free will only breeds self-preservation. Always has, always will. We gave them the power, the opportunity, to think for us, and they ran with it."

Suddenly, it clicked. "You're going to Aella."

He smirked. "Same as you. Trust me, you don't want to make your mother's mistake."

The receptionist poked her head out of the waiting room and beamed at us. "Mr. Stewart! I've been looking for you. The doctor is waiting." She eyed me with casual interest. It was an innocent look, but now it felt sinister, as if she was calculating how fast she could get to me, how easy it would be to push me over the threshold. To make that decision for me.

The young man placed a strong hand at the small of my back, propelling me forward. He beamed a dazzling smile at the Synth—beautiful and wicked. "I apologize, I was chatting with my friend here." Then, he leaned in close, his breath warm against my ear, his voice dropping lower. "I'm George, by the way."

The Synth smiled back, her malice—if there was any—perfectly hidden behind her flawless white teeth. George continued to guide me forward until we met her at the door to the Doctor's office. Before slipping inside, he gave me a gentle push, propelling me to the metal doors at the end of the hall.

I pushed the button and the twin doors slid open, revealing a small, windowless room. A man, or rather, the hologram image of a man, stood in the center. He was tall and thin, with an expensively tailored black suit. His hair was slicked back and long enough to curl against his shoulders. He stood straight, but not stiff, and spoke with a lilting accent I couldn't identity.

"Congratulations! You have passed your initial screenings, and you are now eligible to relocate to the beautiful colony of Aella."

My heart leapt.

"No doubt you are wondering what happens next. I know I would be in your shoes! Have no fear, though, because we have a team of specialists ready to make your transition as easy as possible. If you follow their guidance, it will be smooth sailing from here to Aella. I look forward to seeing you there."

The hologram blinked off to reveal a closed door with no handle. A palm pad on the wall next to it pulsed with a soft blue light. As I approached the door, words appeared on the surface.

"Entering through this doorway is a physical and binding agreement to the terms and conditions set forth by the Alethea Transport company. It serves as the final acceptance into the colony planet of Aella and replaces and forfeits all previous contracts."

I ran my finger along the door's glassy surface, quickly scrolling through the terms and conditions. I may have glossed over a few important things, but I felt confident I had the general idea. I hesitated for just a second before placing my hand against the panel. The door slid open.

I should've read the fine print.

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Thank you for reading Enduring Aella by Evalyn Biddy.

Please note that this version is an early draft and may contain errors or inconsistencies. Revisions will occur, and changes are likely before the final publication. All names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents in this book are either the product of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.