Black Hole Heartbeat

Elizabeth - 71

"Elizabeth, wait!"

"That's what everyone thinks, Ana."

"You couldn't have known, Elizabeth. Nobody blames you."

"Everybody hates me for this, and I'm not surprised. I hate my fucking self."

"Well, I love you."

She leaned in to kiss her, but Elizabeth twisted away.

"You can't just make this go away, Ana! This is not a kiss and make up moment!"

"Most people agreed with you. Me, Forr, Lavell, Nyomee... we all came with you. We

all would have made the same call. And you know why? Because it was the right

call."

"If I'd listened to Isoline, Querius would be alive right now," Elizabeth said.

"And those children? In that cave?"

"They weren't real!" Elizabeth punched the wall, fist near Ana's face. Ana's eyes

were locked tight as she trembled away from it.

"I should just take a shuttle and split. Mogg had it right. Start back from scratch.

Fuck this key, fuck the lot of them."

An unwise plan, Miss Ranger

West's voice from a speaker behind them.

You do not know the entire truth of things. We should speak. Miss Yukishnov, you

might accompany us

Elizabeth looked at Ana. She did not move her fist.

"Do you know the entire truth of things?" Elizabeth asked.

Ana did not respond.

They walked towards the central chamber. Ana pressed her eyes to the pad. This

time Elizabeth stared at her, watching. The dark damp fell on them again.

"What is the entire truth? What were you talking about back there?" Elizabeth

asked.

You saw what happened to the good doctor

"I didn't realize you were so willing to abuse your absolute power, but I always knew

you had it."

Listen to your heart beat

Don't think about pink elephants. She couldn't not think about her heartbeat. She

raised her hand to her chest. The rhythmic thud of blood pumping. A little faster

than normal, maybe. Was that his point? Could he sense this, hear it even?

"I'm not afraid of you," she said, and felt her heart thump harder.

I wouldn't dare suggest so. This is the same racing pulse you feel before a fight,

when you stalk your prey. When you take a lover to your bed. Don't listen to the

speed. Listen to the beat

Elizabeth heard Ana whimper out a tear.

"I don't understand," Elizabeth said.

Ana was shuddering. A quivering hand rose up to dry her eyes. A leaf on a branch,

barely hanging on.

Can't you hear it? Feel it?

"I didn't know. They didn't tell me what it was until it was too late," Ana whispered.