Phillip turned around.
"Now that we are calm, I can tell you about the experiment. The experiment-"
"Can you call it something else? Calling it 'the experiment' just makes it sound like I'm a lab rat and you're the mad scientist."
Phillip let out a laugh that I think was supposed to sound evil.
"Isn't that the way it is?"
I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat bruising my insides. What exactly was he planning to do to me?
"No. That's not how it is."
"How about we call it your destiny?"
"Not good enough."
"Well then. That's just too bad, isn't it? As I was saying, the experiment will involve me too. We-"
"There is no 'we', ok? There is only me. And then there's you." I shot him the stink eye. He met my glare with one of his own.
"Let me finish. We will go to a place few people know of. Once we get there - if we get there - we will try to discover the source of this." Phillip held up a blue-green orb which reflected the yellow light of the lamps, turning it into a rainbow.
"But," he continued, "there's a catch. There's an unknown species of organisms that look an awful lot like humans. Problem is,-"
Phillip trailed off into silence.
"What?" I ventured to ask.
He held a finger to his lips in a gesture of silence. Moments ticked away. My foot started tapping in impatience. "Come here." I could barely make out Phillip's words. He pointed at the ground next to him. I slowly crept over to him and looked where he was pointing. I didn't see anything special. There was a piece of carpet, black with a swirly white design... Wait. It looked familiar. I couldn't remember where. I looked up at Phillip with a questioning look on my face.
"Step on it." I hesitated. Another trap? I rested my foot on the swirly design and held my breath. The walls trembled. No. They didn't. Nothing happened. I pressed harder, and there was a soft hiss. I looked at Phillip again, but he was staring at something behind me. I whipped around. Or tried to. Instead, the corner of my shirt got caught on the edge of the bed and I fell onto Phillip. Phillip caught me and grinned.
"Usually when a handsome and dashing gentleman saves a beautiful maiden's life, the maiden gives him a thank you kiss."
"Not this maiden." there was a steel edge to my voice. Phillip didn't release me. Funny how comfortable I was lying in his arms.
"What not?" His eyes glittered.
"Do you need a dot point list of why I won't be kissing you anytime soon? Cause I'm great at those."
Phillip still didn't let go of me. Instead, he looked at me with humour and hope in his eyes. Geez, why do some people need everything simplified into idiot talk?
"Let me say this again. I will NOT be kissing you. Now please be so kind and release me."
"Of course, mademoiselle."
Once he had let go of me, I took a few steps back and narrowed my eyes at him.
"What was that?"
"Something."
Just then, I remembered that there had been a hiss when I stepped on the carpet.
I glanced at the chunk of carpet I had stepped on. Nothing had changed.
"Why did I step on the carpet?"
"Because I asked you to."
Without any warning whatsoever, Phillip grabbed my arm and pulled me towards the wall.
"What are you doing?! We're going to crash!!" I closed my eyes and waited for the pain. There was the jolt of Phillip hitting something solid, and he swore under his breath. I was tempted to giggle, but suppressed it. I heard another hiss, and opened my eyes just in time to see my hand cut off. Not really. Would've been cool though. Instead, I saw a really bright light. It looked like it was coming from Phillip's head. Great, so now he's an angel. Does that mean we're in heaven? Phillip moved slightly to the side and I saw that the light was, in fact, a light and not Phillip's halo.
"Why is everybody giving me heart attacks lately?'"
"What ever did I do that makes you think I would even consider giving you a heart attack?"
"Um... Excuse me? We literally just ran into a wall!"
"No we didn't." Phillip's gaze pierced through me.
"You did," I said innocently. "And you could have warned me."
"I'll make sure I do next time we go 'running into a wall'."
We glared at each other. I broke my gaze to examine my surroundings. Behind me was the wall we had almost crashed into. Was it one if those liquid walls that you could pass through if you went gently?
I reached my hand out to feel the wall, but Phillip caught my wrist.
"No touching." He wagged his finger as if he was telling off a little kid.
"Why not?" I challenged him.
"Because we don't want you getting your dirty germs all over my perfectly clean white walls, do we now?"
Phillip smiled teasingly.
Something swelled up inside me. How dare he even suggest that I'm dirty?! My mouth opened to throw a torrent of accusations at him, but I was interrupted by a calm, female voice.
"No fighting, my darlings. Now Phillip, mind introducing me to your new friend?"
My eyes darted around in search of the person who the soft, melodic voice belonged to. There was nobody in the white room which was packed with different equipment. This looks just like the briefing rooms in movies when the heroes are about to go off on some dangerous adventure.
Phillip scrunched up his eyes and nose in a gesture which I believe my friends at school call cringing.
"My mother programmed it. It's my personal assistant." His explanation was short, but I understood.
His eyes glinted.
"Now is my favourite part."
"Which is...?"
"Being a mad scientist."
"Phillip." the voice warned.
"Yes, ok fine. It's time for the briefing."
