The Tides That Bind Us [AfroFuturism]

Liar Liar

Zaharah walked away from the clinic without a backwards glance and trudged through the tea garden. The micro metal clinked in their canisters and the case periodically bumped against her hip. Her eyes were on the geranium bushes lining the walkway, but her mind was still back in the suite. A fresh flash of anger fell over her as she recounted everything she'd learned.

Crushed by a creeper. Experimented on. Memories stolen. Lied to. Manipulated.

Skorpi beeped at her and she realised she was squeezing her long board tight enough to make it groan. She took a breath and set her mind ahead. Getting to the mainland was her biggest problem, followed by what would happen after.

The only way off of Denden was by Heli, and she didn't have one of those on standby. Depending on how far away they were from the mainland, swimming might be possible. But they'd need survival suits for that. Jumping into those filthy Atlantic waters without protection was ill-advised. On top of all the radiation that had leaked into water half a century ago, there was pollution from all the sunken cities tainting the ocean.

Skorpi beeped in her ear and she realised she'd stopped walking. Right in front of the lab. At this hour, Dwight and his team would be settling in. It was just a beta test. That was what he'd told her about the video. Those people are probably androids.

Zaharah didn't know what force compelled her forward, but she started towards the double doors. Skorpi beeped his protests, pointing her back towards the road, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. Long strides took her through the entrance and across the lobby to the lab in the back. Less than ten people occupied to the room, most lounging around the TV.

Her focus was on the far corner of the room, where Dwight sat hunched in front of his many screens. She crossed to his desk and stood there for goodness knew how long, her metal hand balled into a fist. She'd jokingly threatened to hit him with it so many times, but never felt the urge sincerely until this moment.

Dwight finally looked up at her, one eyebrow arched. "Did you not read my text? I said to come in at—"

"Shut the fuck up. You goddamn liar." Her voice wasn't loud, but it still caught the attention of the other techs. Their chatter died down and a dozen eyes lighted on her.

Dwight exhaled a sigh, like he was a parent dealing with a belligerent child. "What are you on about Za—"

"I know. I know what happened the night of the accident. I know that creeper shot at me and Jade. I know that video Cammi sent me was the truth." Her voice rose with every word, and by the end of it she was screaming loud enough for the whole building to hear.

Yet, Dwight's countenance didn't change. He took a long drag from his cigarette, but didn't try to refute her claims. Which only served to rile Zaharah up even more.

She wished he'd scream back, defend himself. Something. But he just sat there with that dumb, nonchalant look on his face.

"I called you my friend!" She slammed her metal arm into his desk on the final word. "But you're nothing but a fucking snake." And with that, she turned on her heel and marched out of the lab.

Zaharah waited until she was outside to let her tears fall. She'd ranted and raved for nothing;he didn't care. Of course. He'd lied to her so easily. Convinced her the video was fake, that Cammi was the one lying to her.

Fuck him. Fuck all of them. She was going to get her family off this cursed hunk of metal, find an apartment on the main land. It would be up to her and Markus to find work and get Jade into school. But they'd figure it out. They had to.

Zaharah swiped at her tears and dashed her anger aside along with them so determination could take hold. She'd need every ounce of it to survive the road ahead. She adjusted the bag on her shoulder and started for the ramp. Just as she was about the throw down her board, the beep of a horn caught her ear.