Dark Matter

Chapter Eight

A face blinks in and out of existence, first it's 1.9, then it's 2.9 and at last it's Mare. No, not Mare. Her eyes wouldn't be so hollow, so lifeless. So who is this girl in front of me?

I reach out to take her hand, to shake her awake of whatever she's experiencing, but my hands latch onto nothing but thin air as I throw my limbs around to get a grip on her wrist.

At the same time I can feel myself being pulled back, back, back. Into the same darkness that was my cocoon, the same darkness that protects me, the same darkness I feed on.

I realize with a jolt that I'm staring at myself, my hands dripping in dark blood as they reach for me. I shut my eyes to escape the wretched nightmare, nightmare.

Yet I've never seen anything so real, so true, so correct. My darkness will corrupt me and there is nothing I can do to stop it. Nothing whatsoever.

I scream but nothing comes out of my mouth. The words repeat in my head, nothing whatsoever.

I clench my fists, my nails digging into my skin so hard I'm sure I draw blood. Yet I don't care, with shaking hands I point at the person-- myself-- on the other side of the room, and scream as I let my darkness destroy her.

I jolt awake as someone shakes me and I realize my hands are pointing skyward. I can see the darkness pulse between them, but I don't pay attention to it as I glance as the intruder. Julian.

"Quite rude to enter a room without knocking." with a wave I get rid of the remaining dark bits on my hands, acting as though nothing happened. He sighs, moving to sit on the chair next to my bed. With a shake of the head I realize I never put it there.

"I did knock, about four times, before hearing your shouts and deciding to enter anyway, which"-- he gestures towards the roof-- "led to me saving a beautiful chandelier, don't you think that was worth it?"

I brush his rhetoric question aside as I move the covers, planting my feet firmly on the floor. I stay rooted to the spot for a few seconds, reminding myself that this is real.

"Are you okay?" His concern is so sincere I feel the urge to scoff come back. Yet I stay where I am, my back turned on him and my eyes glued to the ground.

"Are we going to start the study on me today?" I gulp as the word rolls out of my tongue. It still feels strange, to willingly accept being experimented on. To agree to needles that will definitely puncture my skin.

"Yes, if you are in a suitable mood." I turn around to face him, he seems genuine. The truth is so far I haven't seen anything that would lead me to mistrust Julian, yet I can't help staying wary of him. He is a silver of the worst kind. How can I justify trusting him?

"I am." I smile through the lie, as I get up from the bed. He smiles back and walks to the door, nodding once before stepping out.

I can't help but feel guilty for a second, for what, I do not know.

***

The room would seem bare to another person's eyes, but I know where to look for scientific equipment.

Most scientists at the facility kept a suitcase filled with whatever they needed at all times. It was a safety attempt, in case the subjects ran wild, they would have all the samples safe in their little white boxes.

Julian's case is not white as I had expected and I realize quickly why that is. Yellow and gold, his house colors.

My mouth twitches in displeasure, a silver who takes such pride in house colors and such is not a silver I can trust.