Together

Chapter 7★Amy

I'm woken by someone screaming. I shoot into a sitting position. Ender's face is illuminated by his desk. The blood has drained out of his face.

"Nightmares, launchy?" Someone nearby asks. Ender nods. "Keep 'em to yourself." Fly. Ender turns off his desk. I get up and walk over to him.

"Is there something you want to tell me? Something on your desk?" I ask. Ender nods. He gets up, grabs my arm, and leads into the dimly lit hallway.

"The mind game." He says. "My sister, Valentine was in it. My brother, Peter, too. Not pictures of how I remember them. Updated pictures. Recent pictures. Isn't that more than a bit strange?" I think for a minute.

"Yes, very strange. The commanders wouldn't have allowed the computer access to those pictures, so it must have been an outside source." He nods in agreement. "Whoever put those pictures in the mind game is trying to access you. You shouldn't play it again."

"Good idea, Amy. I won't touch it again, I promise.'

"Good. Now get some sleep. And, tell me if you have strange nightmares. They might have gained partial access already." He looks terrified at the thought. That wasn't reassuring. "Graff probably knows and is trying to figure out who it was. He won't let anyone hurt you." He looks a bit more reassured now. "Night Ender."

"Good night Amy. And thanks. For listening and not dismissing it as crazy." I smile and nod.

"Anytime," I reply, and head off to bed. I'll talk to him some more tomorrow. He's really my only friend.

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"You said the game reveals his state of mind, not messes with it!"

"He's obviously feeling some psychological pressure, a-"

"Of course he's feeling pressure, Anderson! This is a boot camp! For kids that are going to have to face a real enemy! I want to know how the picture of his psycho brother got into the game."

"I don't know how these images got into the game!"

"Make it so that he can't play anymore."

"I should think that you would be more concerned about the Thompson girl. He told her. About the game. What happened. He's taking her into his confidence. They're becoming friends. His isolation is broken, sir, what-"

"I'm moving them. Both of them. Ender will command, she will be a soldier. Tomorrow."

Anderson ends the call.

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