Lunar Virus ✔️

Chapter Fourteen: Elie

Elie's POV:

“What should we code to make this simulation harmless?”

“Well, let's look at the comments first, get our bearings a little.”

Listening to Dev and Bernie’s computer savvy talk makes me feel like a third wheel. Lost, out of place, and very, very stupid. All I’m currently doing is listening to them go back and forth just trying to understand the code. I’m just kind of standing in the background like used tissue. I mean, I’d already broken them into the place, so they didn’t need me for anything more. Dev is muttering to himself, occasionally glancing back at the door, then at me, and back to the computer.

If I’m gonna be honest here, let me just say that Dev is someone that no one likes. He’s a stuck-up snot bag that probably carries around wet tissues is his pocket, just so that he can hand them to people who ask for a tissue. Pure evil, this kid. Another thing; he’s a gossip, too. He and Bernie had been whispering with each other the entire time I’d been trying to get us in. Yep, he’s that kind of guy. The guy who wears pastel pants, fancy scarfs, and cute glasses. Of course, I never said anything. I mean, who am I to say anything? I never say anything.

Quentin: Elie, hate to break up the pity party, you need to hide or something. Elie, you need get out of here!

Me: Why?

Quentin: Turn around! Look!

Me: Stop! I’m already nervous enough, don’t make me even more nervous.

Quentin: Elie . . . .

Me: Well, it’s pretty dark right now, I can’t see too hot right no--

I’m cut off by a thump that sounds in the background. It’s . . . it’s an odd sort of thump. Sharp, but not too sharp. Creepy, but something I really want to ignore. Dev turns to me, “Check in on Trevor, will you? Guarding the door without anyone to keep him company must get lonely.” I turn abruptly to meet his hairy little eyeballs and see that, yes, he heard the thump, too. And now, he’s sending me out there to get rid of me. Wonderful.

Since I’m actually getting a little concerned for Trevor’s health, I stiffly walk towards the door. I don’t open it, I just lean forward slightly with a hand placed on the grain of the door, and knock softly to get his attention. “Trevor? Buddy? How’s it going out there?”

I press my ear to the door so I can catch his answer. Oh please, Trevor, answer for my sake. Both Dev and Bernie have stopped what they are doing, and are looking at me with slightly widened eyes and raised eyebrows, that are saying, “You’re not doing anything right now. Why don’t you go and investigate?” Oh, sure, send me out there to investigate. Investigate and get killed. This is great. This is just great. They simultaneously turn their backs and start examining the code again, leaving me to feel guilty about not coming to Trevor’s rescue.

I reach for the door handle. That cold, scalding door handle. And slowly start to turn the nob. From behind me, I hear a sharp inhale as the computer screens go blank, plunging the room into a wet, inky darkness. The door handle is violently jerked the other way in my hands, and, heart pounding, I instinctively back away just before the doorknob starts to rattle. Hmm, I don’t remember locking it . . . I guess these doors automatically lock. Godbless.

Dev is shaking like a leaf next to me, Bernie looks like he’s about to pass out, and for some reason, they’ve chosen to hide behind me like I’m some human shield. Bernie faints right then just to make my life harder. All the adrenaline refines my movements, and I manage to lift Bernie and stow him under the desk, and push Dev in there along with him. I take the computer from the desk, trying not to hinder the wires, and hand it to Dev. Hopefully he could still work on the code while he hid.