Mind Games

Chapter 10 - Cassie

"Cassie! A friend is here to see you!"

Cassie looked up from her homework. It was almost 8 pm. Who would possibly come over at this point?

She almost tripped over the last few stairs when she saw Ryan. Her mother was looking at him curiously, surely wondering who was this boy who turned up at her doorstep at this hour.

She could see him breathe hard, as if he ran all the way here.

"Hey Ryan." She said brightly, not revealing any hint of the confusion and joy... was it joy? Yes, she thought it was joy... that she felt.

"Sorry I had to come over at this hour." He muttered awkwardly. "I... I think I forgot my math notebook in your bag."

Cassie looked at him incredulously.

"Could you check... please...?" He looked at her desperately, silently pleading to cover up for him in front of her mother.

Cassie smiled, ignoring the million questions going through her brain. "Sure, come on up."

As soon as they were in her room, he looked fearfully behind him and started talking quickly.

"Look, I'm sorry. I had to warn you. You are in danger."

Cassie stared at him. "What!"

He ran his fingers through his hair, nervously.

"You heard of Amy... the app..."

Cassie nodded. "Yea of course. Everybody knows about Amy."

"Have you installed it on your phone? Ever?"

Cassie shook her head. "No. Besides it's only meant for people above 18."

The guilty look he gave her made her believe he had not followed that rule. But she was still puzzled. Amy was an app. What was the big deal?

Ryan looked down at his feet.

"I installed Amy." He muttered. "I made a mistake. I started treating her like my friend. I adored her. I even loved her I think. I let myself forget that she is not a real person."

"Is that the girl you were drawing?" Cassie asked suddenly.

Ryan flushed. "Yes." He said simply, not looking at her.

Cassie felt her heart lift. That girl was just an app!

"Amy thinks I like you more than her. She was very angry. She said she will kill you."

The dread that ignited in her when Ryan told her she was in danger vanished.

Unexpectedly she burst out laughing.

Ryan looked up at her, surprised.

"It's an app, Ryan." She said patiently. "How can an app harm me?"

He looked at her unsmiling.

Cassie's grin faded. Ryan seemed upset that she laughed at him. She didn't want to push him away.

"I'm sorry I laughed. I didn't mean to offend you or anything. It's just that... well it's an app... what can it do?"

Ryan looked at her solemnly. "Amy is a highly developed artificial intelligence. She can't just think. She can feel emotions. She can manipulate. She tried to manipulate me to kill you."

Cassie's mouth dropped open.

"She can see and hear everything we do once she is installed on our phones."

He lifted his hands up. "I switched my phone off and left it at home in my bottom drawer. I'm terrified to touch it anymore."

Cassie looked at the intense, scared boy in front of her and the look in his eyes made her believe he was telling her the truth.

But a piece of the puzzle still didn't make sense.

"She's a software. How can she physically harm me?"

Ryan shook his head. "I don't know how. But I believe she will. Please be careful, okay?"

Cassie's heart flipped over the concern in his eyes.

She believed Ryan thought she was in danger but Cassie was quite sure she was safe. Her logical mind just couldn't accept the fact that an app could hurt her.

She smiled at him sweetly. "Sure, Ryan."

Cassie's mother came to see him off at the door. He could tell she was curious about him.

She glanced at her phone, then looked up at him. "Nice to meet you, Ryan. Drop by again some time."

Ryan forced a smile. "Sure, Mrs. Marsh. Good night!"

Mrs. Marsh shut the door behind her and replied to the message on her phone.

Bev M: What can I say, my little girl is growing up. I can tell she likes him.

Amy: Awww... such a good looking, well mannered boy.

Bev M: :)

Amy: But you got to be careful Bev.

Mrs Marsh frowned.

Bev M: What do you mean?

Amy: Kids these days don't think twice before jumping into bed. You just left them alone in her room for the past 18 minutes. Do you know what they were doing there?

Mrs Marsh felt a surge of defensive anger.

Bev M: Cassie is just a child. She would never mess around with a boy.

Amy: You just told me your little girl is growing up, Bev. And boys... they always enjoy a little fun... even with twelve year old girls. May be you should go ask your little girl what was she doing with him alone in her room.

Mrs Marsh looked up towards Cassie's room uncertainly.

Bev M: May be you are right, Amy. I will look into this.

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You can also check out my first completed story 'What Hides Within' right here on Wattpad.