Perfect with You

Chapter 9 - Treading Paper

She had read the first two words on the screen four times, repeating them in her head before she had the courage to continue. It's just a question. The only consolation, besides having Chloe by her side, was the sun peacefully shining in through the window and the occasional sounds of cars driving by. It brought a connection to the real world in this moment of urgency and distress. Max's eyes glanced at the black text once more.

Question 1: You are sitting at home with your parents when three men break inside and threaten you all with guns. One of the men gives you and your mother a gun and tells you that one of you must die. If you both refuse to take a shot, the men will kill your mother and father, but will spare you. Your mother looks at you. What actions do you take?

"Fuck this shit," Max whispered mostly to herself, as she briefly looked at the back of Chloe's head, finding the spot where the pink and blue dye met.

"What a moral dilemma," her shoulders moved slightly as Chloe spoke out these sarcastic words.
The computer made a humming sound that made Max take a breath and focus on the answers provide below.

1: I shoot my mother. That way I have saved myself and my father.

2: I tell her to shoot me. I will die, but I will have saved two of the most important people to me.

3: I refuse and try to convince my mother to do the same. I can't live with the guilt of my mother dying by my hand.

4: I do everything in my power to save us all and shoot the men. It's a risk, but I have to try.

Both of the girls stayed quiet for a moment until Max looked a little to the right and saw the timer with nearly 20 minutes remaining. There had been no information about the amount of questions, so spending as little time on each question was crucial.

"Okay, he is clearly referring to what happened at the lighthouse. It's the whole reason why he is doing this shit," Max let out, still resting her hand on Chloe's right bare shoulder as she turned her head towards her friend.

"You didn't tell me that," the blue-haired girl let out with a neutral tone of voice. Her blue eyes looked up at Max, analyzing her face, reading the cracks in her lips.

"He thought it was selfish how I saved one person that I cared about, rather than saving the town..." Max's voice became increasingly quieter, as she tried her best to look back at Chloe, but found it strangely difficult.

Chloe didn't respond as she turned her attention back at the screen before letting her head fall to the side, resting her right cheek on Max's hand that was on her shoulder. "So the correct answer should be the answer that saves the most people?"

"Well, answer 1 saves me and my father, while answer 2, would save both my mother and my father. Answer 3 would mean that only I survive, so that must be wrong. Answer 4..." She paused for a second, feeling confused about the last answer.
"That is the only answer where the outcome isn't certain. I don't think he would consider that the right answer" her voice signaled the doubt, but she had to speak her mind as quickly as possible.

"So it is either answer 1 or 2?" Chloe asked, moving the mouse on the screen quickly up and down between the two text boxes.

"I think so. I just don't know if he would consider my life more valuable than my mothers. If it's age related, then it would be answer 1, but... I think he is looking for the most noble answer" Max's eyes fell down on the blue hair that was spread out on her hand.

"Answer 2" Chloe spoke through her teeth, holding the mouse in the center of the second text box.

"Yeah," she was quick to respond, but the word came out slowly.