Project: Karma

14 | Reflection of Me

<Nagisa>
W-why can't I comprehend what just happened?
I collapsed on my knees and stared back at the cursed door next to mine. Sugino, no matter how you look at it, I ruined your life. I've left a scar on your heart and left it there to make you suffer all this time. I'm sorry. I didn't know.

You're an idiot, why couldn't you tell? Those sorrowful expressions he made. It was because of me.
I picked up my pitiful body and dragged myself back into my apartment. Why am I like this? Why is this hurting me so much? Is it because I've hurt him and I can't return his love? Nagisa, you've surely done numbers on people. To everyone that cares about you. You always leave them behind.

I closed the door behind me.What's this?
Warmness slipped down my cheeks and splattered on the ground. Like rain during a cloudy day. When was the last time I've broke down like this? It truly hurts me, but I don't have the right to complain.
•••••••••••
<Karma>
It's been 2 days and Nagisa still hasn't shown up to work. In any case, she hasn't missed work once since she started, that includes taking personal days off and vacations.

The lab door opened. The black haired scientist that worked on me before entered with his hands deep in his lab coat.

"She finally called." He spoke, "a fever. Can I trust you with Karma?"

"Well, it's not like I'll be busy." Shizuka said. "How bad is it?"

"Well, she could barely talk. Besides, it's good to take days off to rest. She's been very committed from the start."

"Of course, I don't mind." Shizuka added. "I'll be sure to call her later."

"See yeah." He winked.

"Bye." Shi picked up her phone.

Nagisa's sick? A fever? I wonder if she's alright? I remember she said that she lived alone. Possibly, her father is taking care of her. However, she did call in herself. There's a chance that her family doesn't know about it. I would suspect something like this from Nagisa. Independent as ever.

I wonder if I can leave?-

"Your face saids a lot."

I jumped and twisted around to see Shizuka with her hands on her hips.

"You've been deceiving us, haven't you?"

"Well, you could say that." I spoke. I knew there was a 45% chance of being able to trick her entirely. Slim, but she is a very intelligent woman.

"You must care awfully about Nagisa, to have yourself exposed like this. Rather quickly and unknowingly." Shizuka pointed out.

"Of course, is it wrong to be worried?"

"Again, like we talked before. What you are and what you do, these emotions and feelings of yours are not needed."

"So I've heard."

"You want to leave the dome don't you?"

"A smarty you are." I chuckled.

"That's not possible. Unless you plan to break out and set off the alarms. Boom. That's what's going to happen. Bye bye facility." Shizuka shook her head.

"How about we make a deal?" I suggested.

"Ohh no, you're crazy if you think I'll make a deal with the devil." Shizuka backed away from the dome. "Besides, you think I'll put my federal license on the line just so you can see Nagisa? Surely your brain lost some screws."

Shizuka began to gather her folders and bag and scanned her ID at the door. "If you really do intend to see her. You should know when they start to lock up the facility. In any case, it shouldn't be hard for you."

"Wouldn't figure that you would suggest that."

"I'm not all that bad." She shrugged and then left.

Despite her cold attitude towards me sometimes, she does have the compassion to understand us. I even saw that she turned off the dome's automatic armed receiver. A device would generate heat in the dome, overwhelming my circuits, hot enough to melt and cause immobilization.
I'll just wait until they do the last sweep. Then I'll make my great escape. They'll never notice that I'm gone.
Thanks to Nagisa's precious installations and the one Shi just turned off, it shouldn't be a problem to leave. Now, lets see what I can do.
•••••••
Around 8:30pm, the last sweep was done. The whole facility was on night lock down. No one could get in or out until the morning. The security lasers, I had to watch out for those. However, I know the interior and exterior of this place. Ingrained in the back of my head.

Before, when Shizuka had left. I put pieces together and wired parts myself. A simple machine that could be detected by the heat sensors. Mainly because if I left, sirens would go off and boom. So this little guy here. I patted the top. Will be me for a couple of hours.

Now, it's time to leave.
••••••••••
<Sugino>
"See yah tomorrow!" Members from the baseball club dispersed, some convening in smaller groups into the darkening night.

"Remember to bring the extra baseballs Sugi-chan." A few of the girls from the club called out.

"Don't worry, I will!" I shouted back.

On my way home alone. The street lamps glowed and I noticed someone walking in the same direction as I. Further in front, he seemed to be looking around. A stalker?
Was he lost?

"H-hey-" I stopped myself short.

He could be a predator at night and I happened to witness his works. Or he could be a civilian lost in these common streets.

"Are you lost?" I managed to slip out.

He did not proceed once I spoke and he slightly turned his body.

"No, I'm quite alright. Who knew that finding houses in the dark would be hard." He spoke.

"Oh, okay." Yup, I was just a tad bit paranoid. He's not a harmful stranger but his speech was off in some ways. Too casual almost.
Like as if he was sarcastic when he was talking about the houses in the dark.

In any case, I kept walking. He was still in front of me. Like he had eyes in the back of his head and was watching my steps from the front.
I became stuck to that notation when we had arrived at the apartment accumulation. Where I had lived. I stopped at the wall and watch him proceed past the parking lot to the metal stair cases. Walking up to the second floor of apartments.

What worried me was that I did not know who he was. Plus, there are only two apartment rooms on that second floor of this section. Mine and Nagisa's.

I bolted across the pathways and passed the cars. Making my way up the stairs and breathing heavy when I made it there. Only to see, that the man was gone.
I swear, he was just here. Where could have he gone? I went over to my door and twisted the knob. Locked. I went over to Nagisa's door, locked.

I must be imagining things, but it seemed so real! I saw him. How could this be? Where did he go? I looked over the balcony and looked beyond. He couldn't have jumped over this. And to run off in time?

Something isn't adding up.
I glance back at Nagisa's door and a shallow thought came upon my mind. He couldn't have broken in her apartment in time.

Then again, ever since a few days ago. I haven't seen Nagisa.