Glitches

Chapter 15 - Confrontation

Different emotions swelled up inside me as I stared at the woman behind the glass.

"Stephanie come on, we don't have time for this!" Sam pulled at my arm, but I didn't budge.

"I have to talk to her," I whispered, more to myself than to him.

"What?"

"I have to talk to her," I said again, louder this time.

Sam looked at me bewildered, his grip on my arm tightening.

"No. No, no, no. You don't have to talk to her Steph," he hissed, taking a step in front of me. Blocking my view, "what you have to do, is to come with me, and meet with Miranda at the east doors, just as we agreed."

"It won't take long, I promise." I looked into his green eyes. Every inch of them were filled with worry as he stayed silent, probably debating with himself.

"Please... You can stay here and keep watch. And if you see any sign of other people, we leave, okay?"

Sam let out a sight in defeat, nodding slowly, and he let go of my arm.

"Fine. But do it quick."

Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself. And with one last glance at Sam, I opened the door.

When the door closed behind me, with a soft click, it was like being in a vacuum. Somehow, the room was completely soundproof. Locking the sound of sirens out.

The sound of the sirens that had made it into the room before getting blocked by the door again, had made Vickie turn around. Her eyes widened by the sight of me.

She looked like a doctor. A white coat covering her thin body, almost looking too big for her. Random stuff stuck out of her pockets. A calculator. Keys. A ruler. In the middle of her messy bun, a pen stuck out of her hair like a spear. She didn't feel like the Vickie I had got to know for the past six months.

Had she changed?

Had I changed?

I felt the emotions beginning to swell up inside of me. The familiar feeling of drowning taking over, making me clench my jaw and clutch my hands.

By the look at her face, I saw Alex's limp body in front of me. Her empty dead eyes staring at nothing.

"Stephanie!? What are you doing here? You can't..."

"Why did you do it?" I interrupted coldly, slowly getting closer.

"I... I don't know what you mean." She stepped back, until the wall stopped her.

"Let him shot down Alex," I took another step. Tears threatened to spill over.

"Stephanie," she sighed, giving me an apologetic look. "I couldn't have done anything."

"Don't say that!" I snapped, stepping even closer, my face only inches from hers. I could smell her perfume. It smelled like seawater and flowers.

I remembered using to like that smell.

Now it made me want to vomit.

"You didn't even tried. You just stood there, while your boss killed an innocent girl, who hadn't done anything wrong!"

Her voice was shaking as she spoke.

"Stephanie, listen. If it was you, I promise I would have tried, but..."

"And why would it make a difference if it was me?" I hissed.

She gently laid her right hand on my cheek, tears running down her own.