The War In His Mind

Chapter 16

Abraham and Natasha walked side by side after the latest reconstruction meeting. They'd spent the last two days talking with various officers and leaders within the rebellion getting leads as to where the missing spies were. It was hard to ignore the huge morale drop across the growing society. With every passing hour, the hope of finding them grew dimmer.

There were other problems keeping them busy.

The market economy was taking a hit after small attacks and large threats leveraged by O'Neil. A once prosperous economy was spiraling down like a fighter jet with a broken wing. Fear was spreading throughout the population. Every man and woman began to stockpile resources for themselves in case war broke out on their home turf. There was little money to be spent on anything but necessities and ammunition. The newly formed entertainment industry was hit the hardest. Theaters, restaurants, and pubs had taken a massive hit. Abraham didn't know what to do other than find the missing men and resolve the conflict. It was a good thing that Israel had taken to fixing that while Abraham focused on the war efforts.

Natasha encouraged Abraham to be bold for the people. She wanted him to not pander to their fear, but rather uplift them with hope. Abraham felt conflicted about his inaction towards the population. There was merit in her method, but what of the moral issue of lying to his kingdom? Wasn't the role of the leader meant to inspire, empower, and advance society forward? What good do lies do?

It was the internal battle churning inside of him. Every hour he waged a war with his mind. Both sides seemed equally compelling in opposite ways.

The two retreated far away from the rest of their society. Abraham was weary with depression and feared the worst would happen. Natasha, not quite to that stage, decided it would be best to ensure he wouldn't do anything stupid. There was an older store in the market district that the owner had recently abandoned. It had become Abraham's hiding place. His personal retreat.

It was strange that Natasha was there, but he rather liked it. He appreciated her company.

Abraham sat on top of an old counter. She was standing across from him, looking out a window.

"I still see the glitches. They're everywhere. Every day they double," Abraham said.

"What do you do when you come across one?" Natasha asked.

Abraham shook his head. "I ignore them. I'm afraid of them. Every day they become more unstable. More dangerous. I never know what will happen."

Abraham closed his eyes. He felt the tears puddle inside his eyelids. Natasha grabbed his shoulder to comfort him.

"Sometimes the things we fear most turn out to be what help us grow," Natasha said. "Look at this city. It was trapped for so long. Consumed by oppression."

Abraham reached grabbed her hand and squeezed it firmly. "Some nights I have nightmares where I come across a glitch. Every time I touch one, something horrible happens. Citizens die. Buildings are destroyed. Last night, I dreamed that one of the glitches caused those soldiers to vanish..."

Natasha didn't say anything. Instead, she hugged him. Abraham enjoyed the warmth coming from her body. It helped soothe the coldness that lingered deep inside of him.

"Natasha, what is it you want out of life?" Abraham asked.

Natasha let go of Abraham. She brushed her hair behind her ear. She bowed her head and struggled to look at Abraham.

"I...Well..."

"...don't know?" Abraham completed her sentence. "That's fine...really..."

Natasha perked up as he said that. Her face turned red and she looked at him as if she were surprised by his words. "Why? How do you know that? Is there something you're not telling me?"

Abraham stood up and came near to her. Her was taller than her by several inches. She looked up at him. He noticed there was a longing in her eyes. The same longing he had felt since his awakening.

"It's just instinct," Abraham's hand gently raised her chin. He leaned in close to her lips and hovered over them. She responded by coming even closer. A vibration shook his entire body, but he hardly paid any attention to it. He could hear her heartbeat pacing faster.

Her strawberry lip gloss shined brighter than any light in the city. He closed his eyes. The smell of her vanilla perfume wafting around him grew stronger. It lured him closer to her. It was the first feminine smell he had encountered in such vivid detail, and he'd be damned if it was the last. It was the scent of a crisp spring morning in a far away land surrounded by nature and the sweetness of nearby flowers in a field. He opened his eyes and found himself there with her. They were in that field, bathed in sunshine. Abraham pressed his lips to hers and felt joy throughout his entire body. There was nobody he would rather be with. Nor anywhere he would rather be.

She pressed her lips harder against his. Her hand grabbed his free arm and caressed it gently. Her fingers were soft and tender.

He pulled away from her. They were both smiling. He couldn't believe what had just happened. It was pure instinct. A tribal moment of passion. It was unlike anything he had ever felt or experienced before. The world around him was vibrant and full of color. Birds flew over their heads and a waterfall in the distance provided the mighty soundtrack of rapid waters splashing against rocks. It was the most vivid glitch to date. Natasha didn't seem to notice. It was just Abraham who could experience it. The thought made him sad. What good was a beautiful world if it couldn't be shared with those he loved? What good was a waterfall, or vivid rainbow, if it was just in the mind?

Was it possible that he died? Could the glitch be something more than a program gone bad?

Natasha placed her forehead against Abraham's. "Hey... is this what real people do?"

Abraham few words. He chuckled under his breath and shook his head. "So I've heard."