Glitches

Chapter 32 - A polite approach

The drive felt much longer than the first time. Probably because I didn't sleep as a way to kill it this time. Not that I didn't want to, but my mind was filled with too many thoughts that sleep seemed to be miles away. This seemed so unreal. Only two days ago, I lived a normal live with normal people. And now, I was on my way out to try to save my friend, even though I would probably die in the progress. But I had to do this for Eve.

No.

I had to do this for myself.

Leaving Sam and the others behind was hard, but this was bigger than them. I wanted so bad to just leave with them and forget about the past. But I knew that the past won't let you forget it easily. The past isn't something you can ignore. No one can. It won't let you.

I had to meet Eve. I had to understand what was going on. If Alan had spoken the truth, Eve was like me. But apparently, she hadn't met up at RTI in the first place.

So, how did she get there now? Why didn't she tell me about it?

Vickie hadn't been the only one lying to me. My best friend had too.

The thought made my chest ache, and I squeezed my eyes shot. Vickie and Eve. I needed to talk to the both of them when I got there. I needed answers if I wanted to start over.

Yes. That was the real reason that I leaved the others behind. I needed answers before I could continue down the road with them. With Sam.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when Ralph stopped the car. He turned around in his seat, his face dull.

"This is where I drop you off My lady," he said, turning back in his seat again.

"Thank you, Ralph," I mumbled, trying to keep my face neutral as I got out of the car and walked up beside the driver window, which he had rolled down.

"Give the others a hug from me, yeah?"

"Will do," he smiled, sticking his arm out of the window to give my shoulder a squeeze.

"I have to leave now. Take care of yourself."

I nodded, stepping back so he could drive away.

"Oh, and Stephanie?" Ralph said, making me turn to him.

"Yeah?"

"I hope you get what you're looking for."

And with that he drove away, leaving me alone.

It was when I turned around my eyes widened in confusion.

This was where we'd been yesterday. I knew it. The trees were the same. And Ralph had said that he knew the road to the place perfectly in his head.

But when I turned around I wasn't looking at a tall intimidating building, which seemed completely out of place compared to its surroundings.

Instead, my eyes fell on nothing. The only thing around me was endless fields. There was no sign of a big building or anything like that. Only the trees and a few large rocks sticking up as small warts in the grass.

An uneasiness fell over my body as I stared at the empty space where the building should have been. They couldn't have removed it within 12 hours. That's impossible. And yet, it wasn't there.

It must be a trick. An illusion of some kind. It's there, but I can't see it.

I stepped closer to the spot where my body would've collided with a wall or some kind of entrance. But nothing stopped me as I walked into the middle of the square were RTI's building had stood yesterday. I tried to walk in a bigger square, but still, nothing happened. The building was truly gone.