Separian - Book 1

Chapter 8

Just play along.

"Do you happen to know where I was before I got too drunk to go home?"

"Well before that, you and I were sitting at a table talking. Every fifteen to twenty minutes you ordered another drink, a few times you got up to use the restroom, but other than that we didn't really-"

"What did we talk about?" I cut in, curious as to how she would cover herself if that part of her story was a lie. I listened for any sign of hesitation in her response.

"Maryland, your family, your dog. A girl I think? I'm not really sure of her name, but you claimed she was-"

"What did I say about my family?"

"Your mother's English, your father's American, and you have four siblings; three sisters and one brother."

"What were their names?" If she knew the answer to this, something was definitely wrong. No story was that perfect.

"I couldn't tell you," she trailed off. "I mean, it's not like I wasn't listening to you, but so much happened last night, I'm having trouble remembering everything specific. You know?" Maybe she was the one telling the truth. "Now I have a couple of questions for you."

"Alright." I couldn't fathom how she felt entitled to ask them, but I held my tongue out of some innate sense of respect and listened.

"How did you get to Arizona? Did you fly?"

I shrugged, "I don't know."

"Right. So why did you come here of all places?"

"I don't know."

She was acting. I followed her eyes as they danced between my own. She hadn't once taken them away from me, like someone reciting a monologue. This woman wanted to make sure that I heard every single word she spoke. The charade was good. Her mistake was very small. But I'd been looking for it. Maybe if she'd known slightly less about last night, perhaps one too many details shared when going over it or intentionally asking me questions I couldn't answer to take the attention away from my suspicion of her and direct it at her ignorance. Or maybe I was over thinking things. I do that, you know: over think things. But that was my only ally here and now. I couldn't trust anyone completely, and until I knew for certain where my allegiance was due, I wasn't signing anything.

"Did you ever dream of coming here?" she asked, stealing me away from my thoughts again.

"I don't believe so."

I didn't believe her. That final question was the last straw. There was no doubt the entire story she'd told me was fabricated. I didn't know how I knew exactly. Almost like a gut reaction. An inherent nature to distrust her. The other entity's thoughts lingering somewhere inside of my head weren't leaking into my own like before. There was something seriously off about her.

Physically, her flaws were invisible, if present, at all. And I mean every single one of them. She was gorgeous; I won't lie. Her facial features were perfectly positioned, her hair was brushed to equal perfection, and her body was picturesque; beyond cosmopolitan magazine ad models. The way she positioned herself was like something choreographed for an impromptu photo shoot. Her outfit looked expensive and for all I could see, so did this cabin in the middle of nowhere. So, what was she doing way up in the mountains?

Oh yes. We were in the mountains. Did I not mention that? Out through the living room window, the world continued for about 30 yards and then disappeared somewhere below. But not somewhere I could see, no. All that filled the vision through this little glass square was a backdrop of hills and valleys.