Terminal

Chapter 5

Wake up.

I find myself staring at the ceiling, and quickly jerk upright. I found myself in a white room. White walls, white floor, white everything. I still had my gloves on somehow, otherwise any other weapon I had was gone. Where they were at, I had no idea. There was a window to my left, the city gleaming in the light, but not blinding somehow. A wall was missing to my right, replaced with bars, and there was a woman with auburn hair standing a bit aways. She wore a long, white lab coat, with jeans and a navy shirt. Her smile was annoying me to a good extent, and I wanted to slap her badly. She stares at me stupidly, as I stand up and walk over to the cell bars, gripping them tightly.

"Who the fuck are you?"

"I'm Avery," she giggles, her thick glasses sliding down her nose. I lift my right hand, aiming at her chest. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," she says, writing something down on a clipboard.

"And what's stopping me from killing you right now?" I swear if she doesn't stop giggling like that, I'm going to kill her first thing after getting out of here. She points at my neck. I reach up, and I find a metal band around my neck. Crap. My fingers slide down a bit, feeling for something familiar, but I didn't find what I wanted. I steal a quick glance at Avery, who was looking very amused. Then my eyes catch what I didn't want to see: A small chain glinted in the light around her neck. I follow it with my eyes, but the rest of it was covered by the white jacket she wore. It didn't matter, I knew what it was. Or at least, will know.

"Give it back," I say, staring directly into her eyes. Avery was suddenly a bit afraid, but she hid it well. Nonetheless, I smirk a bit; it was satisfying enough to see her still scared of me.

"Give what back?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about."

"No, I don't." Outright denial, and her lying skills were horrible, it was obvious she knew.

"Uh huh. Give. It. Back." I outstretch my hand towards her.

"No?..."  She looks at me confused, but it was horribly done. She traces my eyes to her neck.

"Ohhhhh... You mean this thing?" She finally pulls the damn necklace from under her jacket, the small metal disc shining in my eye, which I bet she was doing on purpose.

"Yes. That thing." I open and close my hand a couple of times, indicating that I wanted her to put it in my hand. "Give it here."

 "No." I swear under my breath a bit, sighing.

"Come on now."

"But it's pretty..." I wanted to scream so badly. I was losing my mind.

"I said give it back you bitch." Tears filled her eyes.

"W-"

"How would you like it if someone killed your parents and then the one thing you have left of them was suddenly taken away by an idiot? Now give it back." This time she refuses to answer me. I start to scream, and clench my fist, ready to shoot a blade into her heart when an electrical jolt causes my arm to go limp. The band activates around my neck, pain coursing all over my body. My scream turns into gacking sounds, as I once again go unconscious.

A few hours pass, and I wake up again, lying on the floor. Avery was still there, now sitting in a chair with a cup of coffee. She yawns. I groan, and face the other way, not wanting to see her face.

"Y-y-you called me a bitch." I turn back around.

"So?"

"It w-wasn't very nice."

"Well I'm sorry, okay?" I sigh.  There was potential for me to win her over. "I didn't mean it..."

"You s-sure sounded like you meant it."

"Well I call everyone a bitch alright?"

"Okay..." She sips some coffee. Man, I don't remember the last time I had coffee, it's been a while. I start pulling her over.

"Avery, do you have any friends?"

"Huh?"

"You know, like people you like to hang out with?"

"Uh..."

"Anyone?"

"Not really..."  Bingo. Weak spot exposed. Time to start working with it.

"Well, do you want to be friends?" She pushes her glasses back up her nose and looks at me confused, this time legitimately. "I bet you and I share a lot in common."

"Like what?"

"Well, start listing off things, and I'll tell you if I like them or not."

"Uh, okay..." She stares at the ceiling. "I really like frogs."

Well, that was unexpected. I gesture at her to continue.

"And uh... sandwiches." I was getting frustrated, but I didn't let it show. This is probably the only chance I got of getting my necklace back.

"What about activities?"

"Hm..." She sighs. "I like knitting... and oh! Chess, I really like chess."

"And there you go, I like chess too." Her face lights up with excitement. I kinda got bored of chess. I was the best person in Power, no one could beat me. I resist the urge to rub my hands. Proposal time. "How about this: You give me my necklace back, and I'll play as many games of chess as you want. Deal?" She stares at me, a seemingly hard decision in front of her. Just gotta hope. She pulls the necklace out, looking at it intently, and then glances back at me again.

"Alright," she says, standing up. Finally. She walk over to me and dangles the necklace over my hand. After a moment's hesitation, she lowers her arm, and lets go of it. I quickly take my hand back, not wanting her to change her mind. I put it back around my neck, and stuff it down my shirt, out of sight. There was a concerning look on Avery's face.

"What's wrong?" She doesn't look at me.

"N-n-nothing."

"Come on now, I can tell something's wrong."

"It's just..." She sighs. "I want to go get my chess set, but I need to stay here to watch you." And I thought it was something much more serious.

"Well how about you go get your chess set, and I won't tell anyone you left, okay?" She nods at me shakily, and slowly leaves. "Go on now." The door shuts behind her, leaving me by myself. I turn to face the window, looking outside. The sun was setting, the sky turning a lovely shade of red and orange, melting away into a dark black. I slide down the wall, sitting on the floor. My eyes shut for what feels like a few seconds, and then the sirens went off.