Elude

Don't Trust Anyone

The president of the Dome, Matthew Emerson, steps in front of me. He's even taller in person. I've only seen him in announcements before. It's odd to have someone I've known about for so long standing right there.

"Why am I here?" I try to say but no sound escapes. He laughs quietly.

"They always pretend they don't know..." he says, only half to me. Then he fixes his piercing gaze on me. "But I'm sure you know exactly what I'm talking about. I've been watching you, Nox. Ever since you tried to run away from the Dome."

He reaches into his pocket and I feel myself unfreeze. "That was almost five years ago," I say. "I haven't done anything since."

He walks to the chair next to the stretcher and sits down. He has a noticeable limp. "You've done nothing required with your future spouse, for one."

He's referring to how everyone gets matched with someone of the opposite gender when you turn 16. I've been matched with Ty for two years now. Not a single date, outing, or kiss has occurred. We both see each other as friends.

He sees the recognition in my face. "You've done major, ah, pranks once a month consistently for the past three years. Oh and believe me, I noticed. And the smaller weekly ones too."

"Technically Ty was responsible for the minor ones," I mutter, avoiding eye contact.

"I could go on and on," he says. "Every incident involving you since you were ten was recorded. I've been thinking of punishments for days."

"Adults have done things too," I interject. "I once watched a robbery right in front of a security guard."

"Yes, and adults are only punished if they're harming people." He stops himself. "You didn't need to know that."

"Why?" I ask. "And what are you going to do to me?"

He sighs. "It's unlikely you'll ever get out. I could tell you anything I want, really, without any risk of it getting leaked to the people."

I see the button on his tablet that turns on the loudspeaker. I lift my arm and set it down where I could reach out and press the button. He opens his mouth and I jab the button.

He stops talking in surprise, then immediately presses the button again. "Everyone will have heard that," he says quietly. "But they'll just forget about it  immediately. Why? The Dome is full of lazy idiots, and that's what the human race is."

"How is it that we can change our height?" I ask while he's still distracted. "It shouldn't be possible."

He frowns. "Do you see what I mean?" he asks. "Nobody ever stops to think that. And I don't know why."

"But how?" I press.

"You're right," he says. "It's not possible and it doesn't happen. It's just a virtual image of you, not what you really look like."

"So nobody's ever seen what they look like..." I say quietly.

"That's not true," he says. "Nobody except me. This is who I am."

"Do your officers and guards know?" I ask. "What else is a lie?"

"You remember your whole life, right? That's not what happened. Everyone remembers their fake lives and none of them know what was before the Dome."

"How old is the dome?" I ask.

"The Dome has been around for six years," he replies. "So before you were ten, none of what you remember is real."

"Then what's the outside world like?" I ask.

"I haven't been out there since the Dome got built," he says simply. "The entire building is a punishment for me and me alone. I couldn't leave, even if
I tried. So to answer your question? It's better than this. Because this place is a prison designed to torture me."

"It's not so bad..." I say.

"No!" he says. "They're forcing me to watch as thousands of humans are killing themselves! After you turn twenty-five you don't walk for the rest of your life. Do you want to know why people are dying at forty? It's because they're too lazy and too stupid to walk. And where do I fit in? I have to enforce it, I have to enforce what they're doing. I need to pretend to be cheerful and do exactly as I'm told or he comes in and hurts me."

"Who is he?" I ask, but President Emerson doesn't answer. Should I call him that? Probably not, since he hates it so much.

"What happens if you tell people the truth?" I try saying. This time he realizes that I've spoken. "Will they kill you?"

"I know they won't kill me," he says. "Why would they, if I want to die? Anything is better than being in here. If I tell...  Everyone gets the memory wiped, that's for sure. Wait, who knows what he'll think of? Maybe he'll kill you all in front of me."

"Why did you tell me?"

"I've been waiting a while," he says. "He left the country this morning and he won't be back until later tonight. You're the only one who could help me escape. I've searched and searched."

The straps release.

"Escape?" I ask. "You mean I-- we-- can leave?"

"Maybe," he says. "I've given you the next few weeks off of school and training. One of my officers is going to take you here every day, and you'll go back to your room just before curfew."

I stand up. "Won't he find out?"

Matthew shrugs. "He'll want to know who you are, that's for sure. I'll tell him that you're training to be one of my officers. Someone will be here soon to take you back. Oh, and you can't speak a word to anyone."

"Don't you trust me?" I ask.

"Not in the slightest," he says. "Then again, I don't trust anyone." An elevator opens and a man steps out.
"Goodbye."

I walk over to the man and the elevator doors close behind me. I'm still stunned by what happened when I'm back in my room. My backpack is sitting on my bed and I take out my tablet.

I turn it on and open the appearance app. What do I look like? My tablet beeps, signaling a notification.

A new contact has been downloaded to it-- Matthew Emerson. I turn my tablet off and flop down on my bed. I look at my watch and to my surprise, it's five minutes to curfew. I must have been unconscious for a while.

**Author's Note

Sorry for the horrendous amount of dialogue. As always, critiques and tips are appreciated <3

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