What May Seem

10/21/22

I am so stupid! Stupid for thinking that I wouldn't get caught breaking curfew. Stupid for thinking that I was going to get the answers I sought. Stupid for thinking that everything was going to be okay. That I was going to be okay. I'm the biggest idiot on the face of the Earth!

After my long series of adventures the other night I found myself sleep deprived and antsy the next day in the lab. Next thing I know I'm being asked to follow one of the assistants. Escorted through a series of hallways reminiscent of anthill tunnels the assistant leaves me in a large office with no windows and a middle aged man in a business suit sitting at a desk that marked his importance.

"Sit." He curtly orders me and I waste no time following his instruction. I also try really hard not to lose my cool since I know exactly who this man is. This is the man who belongs to the voice that was talking to Charles the other night. What does he want with me!?

"We have proof that you left your room during curfew last night. Don't try ot deny it. We have the video footage and our records indicate that your keycard was used to enter the lab. What I want to know is what you were doing in the lab so late?"

After a deep breath I started, "I left my palmi in the lab and I left it on. In order to get it charged so that I could log all my data the next day I had to retrieve it. That's all I did. I promise." Not the whole truth but not that hard to believe either. If just breaking curfew got me summoned to one of the higher ups, imagine what reprecussions I would've faced if they knew I forgot to wipe top secret information when they told me to! The man stared at me hard for a few minutes.

"Mhm" he responded while nodding, "Well miss Anya, you understand the strict guidelines we adhere to in The Company so you will have to be disciplined for your actions. Since you enjoy being out at night so much, you will be reassigned to the night shift. Your new hours of curfew are from 9 to 9 and you will begin your work at 10 pm. i hope you have learned your lesson young lady. Now before you go I have one more question for you. While you were breaking the rules did you happen to notice anything strange? Hear or see anything out of the ordinary? Anything at all? I need to know about it immediatly."

I stared at him calmly. There was no way I was going to admit to what I heard. After assuring him I had seen nothing, the assistant escorted me back to the lab for my last day shift. Once back in the lab a disturbing observation occured to me: I hadn't seen Charles all day. And he wasn't at his station.

I know now that I have to tread lighter than I ever have before.Working the nightshift shares me beyond belief but based on Charles' dissappearranceI know it can be worse. I have to go now for my nightshift. I must take care to hide this journal better from now on. If The Company gets ahold of it I WILL face the same fate as Charles.