“No I didn’t.” I smile as I look into his eyes and watch them bulge as he struggles for air. His eyes shut, and I count, “One, two, three.”
I let go and step back as he falls to his knees and struggles for air. I know I shouldn’t take pleasure in this, but it’s only recently that I can beat him. I have endured countless beatings at his hands, so it feels good to be able to repay the favor.
I stick my hand out to help him to his feet. As he struggles to regain his senses, I can see his true age. Still, at over twice my supposed age, he is a worthy opponent.
“I’m proud of you.” He places his hand on my shoulder. “You used both physical and mental abilities to beat me. It’s important to remember that. A good plan will always take precedence over brute force.”
“Can we get out of the simulation?” I ask. Grant always preaches using both physical and mental prowess. I don’t mean to cut him off, but my mind has returned to the oddity of the drones not being around.
He snaps me back into the moment when he answers my question with one of his own. “Would you like to do the honors?”
I know that it’s a simple gesture, but I have wanted to do it since the simulation training began. I take a deep breath and say, “Apokalupto.”
He told me that the word means to reveal in Greek. I look around to see the desert landscape disappear around me. The dead trees turn into padded support beams. The rock formations turn into big stacks of mats and pads. I pick up the weighted ball closest to me and walk it over to the rack holding other weighted balls.
“What’s on your mind, kid?” Grant inquires. I guess it’s pretty obvious that my thoughts are elsewhere.
“I didn’t see any drones on my way down here,” I answer as I sit on a stack of mats.
“No you wouldn’t have.” He sits next to me. “You and Ev are meeting today, so there is no need for them to keep you from each other.”
“Why was it so important that we didn’t meet before now?” This question has always bothered me.
Grant leans back against the wall. “Dr. Anfang has his reasons. I know that he didn’t want either of you getting in the way of each other’s development. It was crucial that you both matured to a certain level before being exposed to each other.”
I have so many questions, but all that comes out of my mouth is, “Oh.”
I’m not sure I will ever get the answer I’m looking for. That might be because I’m not sure what answer I want to hear. I stand and walk toward the elevator door.
Grant follows me. He stops me just before the elevator. “Kid. You are very good at following your instincts. Always trust them. Just keep in mind, emotions are the fog that clouds your instincts.”
I push the button, and the elevator doors open. I walk in. As the doors close, I hear Grant add, “Make sure you shower before you meet her. She’s going to love you, but not if you smell.”
His laughter fades as I rise to the main floor. The doors open, and I step out. The halls are empty once again. I don’t like it. I can hear every step I take. I try to silence my feet as I walk, but it’s not working. I look around, and the hallway seems to be closing in on me. My heart races, and a lump rises in my throat. I struggle to breathe, and know I just have to get to my room, so I run. I speed down the hall, and when I get to my bedroom, I fly in and slam the door behind me. I fall onto my bed and shut my eyes.
For the first time in the two months I’ve been alive, I feel real and genuine fear. I’ve been scared before, but all those times, there was something tangible to which I was able to attach my fear. Right now, there is nothing. Just fear. Meeting Ev is going to change everything. I’m not sure how, but I know it will. Resentment begins to accompany the fear. I don’t want to, but in this moment, I hate her. As strong as those feelings are, it’s not fair to her that I feel this way, because I haven’t met her yet. I pick myself up and walk into the bathroom. Hopefully, a shower will calm me down. The way the hot water hits my back and neck always gets me to relax.
The shower must have put me in a trance, because I jump when I hear a pounding on the bathroom door. Through the fogged glass, I see two drones standing in my bedroom. They are here to take me to Ev. I’m not sure how long I’ve been in the shower, but the wrinkles on my fingers tell me it’s been a while. I shut the water off and towel myself dry.
“You need to get dressed quickly,” I hear one of the drones say. “Dr. Anfang is waiting.”
They move to the doorway of my bedroom as I dress. I don’t say a word to them. It’s not worth it. Their speech is always short and sounds well-rehearsed. You can never tell them apart, because they all look the same: black hair, black eyes, and pale skin. If I spoke with one, I would not know which one it was the next day.
I look down at my bed and see a pair of pants and a button-up shirt. Only the scientists wear these. I have only ever worn jumpsuits. Any nerves that I lost in the shower are now back.
The clothes feel very uncomfortable and restricting. They make
