Removed

23

 I'm startled awake by a small shock at my wrist. It slowly spreads, consuming my body like bubbles do boiling water. It tingles and singes all at once, reaching from a pounding headache to tingling toes. My mouth opens to scream, but I press my lips into a tight line and bit the inside of my cheek. Tears roll down my face, my mind sharp and alert.

The sensation halts abruptly. I let out a sigh of relief, completely emancipated of the burning pain. Trembling, I glance down at my body, holding an arm in front of my face. The skin is untouched, my clothes undamaged beyond scattered wrinkles. The faux skin covering my Chip, however, is blackened to a crisp. A gasp escapes my lips as I practically fly out of bed. I yank open the door to my room and dash into the bathroom.

The lights above the vanity and the single one meant to illuminate the entire room flicker to life. Glancing in the mirror, I bring a shaky hand to my face. My emerald eyes are wide, mussy hair tangled and matted to my forehead. The flesh on my pace has paled, giving me a sickly look.

This must have something to do with my malfunctioning Chip! Once again, I cast my eyes down to my wrist. Then, slowly and cautiously, I peel away the blackened bandage. I toss it into the trash, watching as my golden Chip clatters to the floor. The skin where it was once implanted has nearly healed, leaving a nasty square-shaped scar.

My heart thumps against my ribcage as my knees slam onto the frigid tile. My fingers inch for the metal, my pointer slightly grazing the surface. Nothing. Not a spark is emitted, nor does a shock travel up my arm. It seems like an ordinary piece of metal, save the engravings and few spatters of dried blood.

With a sigh, a grab some gauze and wrap it around my wrist, a temporary solution to hold my Chip in place. My whole body trembles as I do so, finally tapping it in place.

I should call Cody! He'll know what to do. Swiftly, I hop to my feet and race to my room. My whole body continues to trembles as I grope around for my watch in the dark. Once I feel the cold metal screen under my fingers, I fumble to place it it on my wrist, fascinated as I feel the straps wrap around it and fasten themselves. Next, I whisper, "WatchAssistant, call Cody." My voice is hoarse, throat parched.

"Calling Cody," the automated voice replies, nearly causing me to leap out of my skin. I press my finger against the screen and drag it downwards, lowering the volume. Then, I reach over and tap the base of my lap, causing it to illuminate my room.

Cody's face suddenly appears above my watch, his light hair a ruffled mess. His eyes are barely visible through what I'm assuming is the darkness of his room. "Autumn, it's nearly two a.m," he whines childishly.

I roll my eyes. "Something weird happened."

His eyes widen. "What happened. Did Etchers come to your house? Did-"

I raise my hand, silencing his worried babbling. "My Chip," I whisper, glancing around the room as my nerves settle on edge. "It- it shocked me."

Cody seems wide awake and stunningly alert for someone jolted awake at two in the morning. "It- what?" Then, he proceeds to glance around his surroundings. "Okay, meet me at the ice creamery. It's safer to talk there."

"Cody, wai-"

"Call ended."

I let my arm drop to my side, once again tapping my lamp's base to shut it off. Instantly, I regret it, realizing I still have to get dressed. Well, no one but Cody's gonna see me, right? So, I skim my foot over the surface of my floor, smiling as I feel one of my slippers. Quickly, I locate the other one right beside it and shove my feet into the pair. They're soft, almost like cloth.