Akina's Reflection

XXVI

How was he standing, talking, breathing?"

Mr. Farsdale smiled knowingly.

"Your small attempts of assassination did not get the best of me, see?" He said, smirking. I glared.

"What are you here for?" I snarled, anger building up.

"I expected you would be coming here. Where's young Alstein? He could have given plenty of instructions about this piece of equipment."

"What do you mean?"

Farsdale walked towards us, Cody stepped in front of me.

"How are you even still alive? A normal person would have long bled out by now!"

Farsdale chuckled darkly.

"That's a very interesting statement, Cody. Almost as if you forgot.."

He leaned in, and whispered,

"I am no normal person, see."

He carefully lifted his glasses, and touched each of his eyes, removing the contacts he was wearing the entire time. He stood up, the familiar violet eyes no more.

Similar to that of Alex and Xela, Don had one red eye, and one blue. He continued to chuckle, with that new, sadistic sound.

"When plugged in, this tube holds a subject in deep illusion. They can't even figure out they are in a simulation.... At least, normal people don't realize. Selected ones, like myself, can quickly figure out we are in a fabricated world, and wake up. Others, like Aubrey when he was here, could dream on their entire lives, not even knowing their true surroundings.

Aubrey was able to get lost in a universe woven by his past, hatred, joy and fears. Cody, who dreamed off of Aubrey's world, woke up, but was only seen in Aubrey's eyes as Cody's passing."

"Aubrey was in one of these?" I asked, kicking an empty tube.

"We both were." Cody said, quietly. I turned to him.

"In illusion, Aubrey created a world continuing directly from before the cops stormed our abandoned house, back when we were living in the streets. It was all so elaborate, Aubrey had even created an illusion Antonio and Penny. He made it that we escaped, and wandered to an old house his family used to travel to for recreation. In that house, Aubrey must have made a nightmare for himself, that prevented him from leaving the simulation for a long time. He didn't realize that death in his world was awakening."

"Very well said, Cody." Farsdale said, cool as ever.

He turned to me.

"You had just gotten here, Sayoki. How about you try one of these? They don't hurt one bit, and you will be lost in your own dreams... how does that sound?"

Lost... In my own world... I could never do it. I didn't want to be in a tube with Farsdale watching over me as I slept, but I was more afraid of a dream that has yet to come. These simulations, are made out of the thoughts of the user, making a complex world out of the user's thoughts and feelings.

I did not want that. I can not look my past in the face.

"I will not allow it." Cody snarled.

"Sayoki is staying with me! You could go down with your building!"

"I won't be so sure!"

Cody, as Aubrey has done before him, ran at him, preparing to tackle the crazed doctor.

Farsdale was now much smarter than that. Out of his pocket flew a syringe, thrown like a deadly dart.

I screamed. It stabbed into the center of Cody's chest. Cody didn't even make it to Farsdale, he fell to his knees before impact.

"Curse... you..."

Cody collapsed, saying nothing more.

"Cody!!" I screamed. I ran, kneeling down next to his lifeless body. Cody did not react in any way, whatever was in that syringe worked very effectively.

I turned to Farsdale quickly.

"You... You killed him! You killed Cody!"

I cried over Cody's body. I barely knew him, and now...

"Shut up, he's not dead." Farsdale said coldly.

"He's one of the few perfect subjects I have. Getting rid of him would be useless."

I stood up, backing up.

"You have nowhere to go, Akina. You cooperate, or else..."

He nudged Cody's head with his foot.

I glared.

"You said yourself that you wouldn't get rid of him."

"Ah, but I never said I'd not hurt him either, did I?"

I clenched my teeth. He thinks he's so smart, as if he hasn't seen the brainpower Aubrey has. If Aubrey were here...

Farsdale walked up to me, quickly grabbing my wrist.

"Aubrey might have gone, but you aren't going anywhere..."

I felt the needle pierce the skin of my neck before going blank.

I awoke with glass above me. I tried to push my hands against the glass, or perhaps break it, but my wrists were strapped down. My feet were in a similar disadvantage.

I wanted to scream, but I was gagged as well. Farsdale looked down upon me.

"I'm very sorry I had to restrain you. I just knew you would fight it, but you should honestly just relax....accept where you are now."

He leaned in closer.

"I know this will be the longest nightmare you'll ever have." He whispered, knowingly as ever.

Behind my gag, I begged him to release me. I fought as much as I could to no prevail, I just wasn't strong enough.

I was feeling my consciousness fade, the worst feeling. I felt myself losing myself to my fabrication,

Farsdale's simulation.