Dear Evalynn Hansen: Be More Chill

Grey Oblong Pill

Evalynn beat her brother and his friends to the car. They finally came out, agreeing to meet up at the food court inside the mall. Michael and Jeremy went off to get into Michael's PT Cruiser while the Hansen twins and Jared climbed into Evan's beat up Chevy Prizm. The mall parking lot was crowded and the two cars ended up at opposite ends, the Prizm's crew having to walk farther than the pair in the Cruiser.

When they all reached the food court, they established a game plan.

"So, what's the plan? Just let Acorn go off by herself while we do our thing?" Jared inquired.

'Please let that be the plan,' Evalynn thought.

She didn't want anyone around when she bought that pill from the shoe store.

"Actually, I thought maybe we could split up and I'd go with Lynn before meeting up with you guys," Evan said.

Evalynn's heart sank in her chest.

"Y-you don't need t-to do that. I-I'll be fine on m-my own."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I'll, um, I'll t-text you when I'm d-done with my thing."

Evan gave her a worried look until Jeremy clapped him on his shoulder.

"Come on, man. She'll be fine. Let's go."

He steered Evan away with the others, leaving Evalynn alone. Bracing herself for what she was about to do, she headed to the Payless where they sold the SQUIPs. Fifteen minutes later, she walked out with the grey oblong pill in her pocket.

"It activates with Mountain Dew," the store clerk had said.

She headed over to a vending machine and payed for the desired drink.

'Why Mountain Dew? I don't like Mountain Dew,' she thought.

Heading to a more secluded part of the mall where she wouldn't be observed, Evalynn took out the pill and opened the bottle of soda. She popped the grey-white pill into her mouth and chugged down most of the bottle of Mountain Dew before gagging on the drink. Luckily, the pill had already gone down her throat. Throwing away the now almost empty bottle, Evalynn pulled out her phone to text Evan. Before she could, she doubled over in pain as she was hit with the feeling of being electrocuted.

'CALIBRATION IN PROGRESS. PLEASE EXCUSE SOME MILD DISCOMFORT.'

'Mild?' Evalynn thought, hissing at the pain going through her body.

'CALIBRATION: COMPLETE. ACCESS PROCEDURE: INITIATED.'

The pain stopped briefly, and Evalynn straightened up, breathing heavily.

'DISCOMFORT LEVEL MAY INCREASE.'

'What!' Evalynn's head screamed as the electrocution sensation resumed, almost even more intense than before.

'ACCESSING: NEURAL MEMORY.'

'ACCESSING: MUSCLE MEMORY.'

'ACCESS PROCEDURE: COMPLETE.'

The pain stopped once more, but the voice in her head resumed as a figure started glitching into focus before her.

'EVALYNN HANSEN...'

The glitched out figure came into focus and its mouth moved as it spoke.

'Welcome to your Super Quantum Unit Intel Processor...Your SQUIP.'

Evalynn stared at the figure, wide eyed.

"Y-you look like my brother," she sputtered.

'My processor has told me that this form would be best to use to make you listen to me. Although, I can take many forms that would be just as effective such as: your mother, Jared Kleinman, Jeremy Heere, Michael Mell...'