The Synthetic Lie

Chapter Three~The Pill

I forgot!

"Everything okay Ella?" Gairden asked. I don't know what to say! What can I? I've never even considered skipping the pills they told us to take everyday. I guess I never had a reason.

Crap, I must have missed it this morning!

Every morning a small capsule appeared on my side table. One appeared on Nigel's side table too, but we aren't supposed to take others daily pill. 

"Ella?" Nigel added. I had to say something. 'Tell then everything is fine.' The voice whispered.
"Everything is fine!" I blurted out. Thank you. I thought. 

"Good, because it's very important we prevent any mishaps." Gairden stated, I swear he was directing something at me. 

"I'm going to get back to my room.... Excuse me." I said calmly. Trying to avoid anymore conversation. I turned to leave, I felt a hand on my shoulder just as I reached for the doorknob. 

"Ella, we just got here though. Come on, are you sure everything is okay?" Nigel asked. His eyes softened and his face radiated concern. I almost burst out everything right then and there. 

"I'm fine." I left right away, only checking once to make sure Nigel wasn't following me. I needed to get this voice out of my head. 'Please Ella, don't take it. I'll never be able to talk to you again.' The voice whispered. I ignored it. It's just in my head, I thought. 

I began to fast walk down the hall. All the escorts had already evacuated to the mess hall. I was all alone.
I walked even faster now. Nothing crept me out more than the eerie vibe of a room with only me. 'Maybe that's because you're not always alone. It's easier to sense that when you're "alone" isn't it.' The voice suggested. What the hell does that mean? 

At this point I was running. Perspiration dripped from my forehead. Nervous anxiety grew in my chest. I was in our hallway. My bedroom was at the end and it seemed like I couldn't get to it faster.  

I rapidly opened the doorknob and closed it quickly behind me. I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders. Why was I feeling such intense feelings? Normally I don't feel as much. No rage, or anxiety, or distraught. 

I walked over to my side table. There the small pill capsule sat. I picked it up. Suddenly it felt like my savior, anything to rid of this, this difference I had.
'Don't take it.' The voice commanded. 

"Why don't you just go!" I spoke aloud this time. I clenched the capsule. I frantically tried to rip it open but my fingers slipped on the sweat. 'Ella. Don't you'll sever our link.' The voice boomed in my head. I sat down and covered my ears.

"Make it stop." I whispered repeatedly. That didn't help. I open my hand. The capsule was gone.

I dropped it.

I rolled on my knees and searched the floor. My eyes blurred with tears. I couldn't help it, I didn't know why. 'Ella, please just listen to me.' The voice asked. 

"No." I said aloud then tried to stand up. I clenched the side of my bed and tried to lift myself up. I slid right back to the ground. Crap.

"Fine," I said aloud, "You have my attention." I whispered. I laid down on my back.
'Well to start. That isn't a pill, that's a block button. Oh Ella, you have no idea what you are capable of. It's not improving you. It's suppressing you. You're entire division is different, and you don't even know it.' The voice explained. I clenched my fist. What do you mean? I thought. What does it block? A thousand questions raced in my head.

'I don't have long Ella. You'll see soon enough. Just try to avoid the pills, and don't tell Nigel. He can't be involved in this. Not yet.' The voice explained. 'I have to go.' The voice said. And my mind went silent. Only my thoughts were heard. 

I know I heard that voice before, but there was something familiar too it. It almost reminded me of Nigel, in the way he spoke. I sat up quickly. What was I suppose to do now? The pill is still somewhere.

I crouched under my bed. It sat there, along with a small shoe box I was given to keep things in. I grabbed the pill and the shoe box.

I gently opened the shoe box and sifted through the treasures the escorts brought from the outside world and left behind. A soft stuffed chipmunk that was made from fabrics, a round sphere that was incredibly bouncy, even a eating utensil that was both a spoon and a fork! I grabbed one of the old jars and placed the capsule inside. I don't think anyone will find it in here. I placed it back in the box, then covered it with various items. 

"Everything okay?" Nigel's voice rang as he burst through the door. I quickly put the cover on the box and shoved it under my bed.

"Yeah, why?" I asked. Thank god the tears under my eyes had dried. 

"Nothing, I thought I had heard you talking to someone." He looked confused. I bet he was. 

"No, you must have been hearing stuff." I jokingly suggested. He wasn't the one hearing stuff I thought. 

"I guess I was!" He joked. "Come on, let's get you off the ground." He reached his hand out and I grabbed it. I pushed myself off the ground while he pulled me up. 

"Sorry about leaving you with Gairden." I apologized. He looked down.

"It's fine." He looked back up at me, I could see tears welling in his eyes. "I'm going to take a nap." He whispered then walked over and sat on his bed. I did the same. As Nigel drifted off I sat on my bed pondering.

If that voice isn't in my head. Then who's voice is it? I thought.

'It's your father's...I'm your father.' The voice whispered.