Unison (The Spheral) (24 page)

I slowly maneuvered myself towards Flora, and she took a step back.

“If you’re that woman I described, the one who thinks for herself and hates being told what to do, then you know we’re on the same side.”

“Come back with me then,” Flora said in a shaky voice.

“If I’m right, whoever shot you and pushed you over the ridge followed you here.”

“I came alone.”

“Are you certain?”

“Certain that you need to return to Unity soon. I never witnessed anyone in such a late stage of the scourge.”

“I’m
not
sick!” I threw my hands in the air. “Everything I told you happened.”

“It seems that way because you can’t tell between fantasy and reality.”

“I’m here, you’re here, and someone wants to kill you. Death will soon be your reality if you don’t listen to me.”

“If we never met before today, that makes everything you’re telling me false,” Flora said.

“Play along a while longer. If I’m wrong, I’ll agree with your diagnosis.”

“You’ll return to Unity?”

“I said I’d agree. I’d rather plummet to my death again than go back to Dome Dungeon.”

Flora looked at me strangely and then shook her head.

“Are you remembering something?”

“What you just said—it sounded familiar to me.”

I snapped my finger. “I think I said something similar to you in my last incarnation.”

“Feeling as if you’ve had the same conversation before isn’t unusual,” Flora said.

“It is when two people are recalling the same one.”

I heard Shisa barking and let her in. I left the door open for Flora. “You’re free to leave if you still think I’m delusional.”

Flora placed one of her hands on her hip. “You’re delusional, but I’ll play along.”

“Why?”

“Because I want to hear you admit you’re wrong,” she said.

“This is starting to sound like one of our old arguments.”

“Did we have many?”

“Not enough.”

I locked Flora’s plazer in my desk drawer along with mine.

“Is that smart? If someone is coming to kill me, we’ll need those.”

“It’ll be easier for us to talk without a plazer between us.” I pointed at the holoscreens. “When the intruder arrives at the middle ridge, her face will be on one of these three screens.”

“Her?”

I smiled. “Keep watching. When
whoever
arrives, it will prove you were tracked by your implant. The towers don’t transmit this far out, and the whole cabin is impervious to scanners.”

“The implant isn’t a tracking device.”

“Go on believing that if it makes you feel better.”

Flora stared at the holoscreens. “If what you say is true, then why are you packing?”

“In case I’m wrong about all of this.”

“Paranoia is another symptom of the—”

I waved my finger in front of Flora’s face. “If you insist on staying, kindly censor out all references relating to the scourge.”

Flora shrugged her shoulders and examined the Ganesha statue.

“You never told me about the accusation against me?” I asked.

“How did you know there was an accusation? I never even mentioned it.”

“The same way I knew you interrupted my induction.” I slapped my head. “My mistake. I forgot everything I said was
false
. Maybe you have a better explanation?”

Flora rolled her eyes and put the Ganesha back on the shelf. “They say you assassinated the Overseer.”

“I haven’t been to Unity since I left four years ago.”

I went into the kitchenette and opened two overhead cabinets.

“You were identified.” Flora leaned her elbows on the counter.

“By whom?” I removed two lanterns and a spare battery pack.

“Only a confessor has that information.”

I attached the lanterns to my backpack. “What did they tell you about me?”

“You’ve allied yourself with the Outsiders and want to overthrow the Overseer, so you can take his place.”

“That’s not all together a lie. I had the aspiration to be Overseer two incarnations ago, and I stood a good chance because of my success with Har—”

A plazer blast forced open the door, and I positioned myself in front of Flora to shield her.

“Your motion sensors don’t seem to be working very well,” Flora said.

Kai entered the cabin pointing his plazer at me. “Even with your Outsider appearance, the ladies still can’t seem to resist you.”

Flora pushed past me and walked towards Kai. “What are you doing here? Did you follow—”

Kai slapped Flora across the face. “Address me by my title when you speak to me.”

“Why are you here, Kai?” I asked. “Purple sleeves don’t usually go on security assignments.”

“A herd of cows gaze in a pasture with two of them farther away from the farmhouse. When the farmer approaches, the cows fear he’s going to pick one of them for slaughter. One of the two cows returns to the herd. The farmer chooses the one who stands alone.” Kai pushed Flora to the floor.

I charged Kai, and he shot me in the stomach. I grabbed my abdomen and fell to the floor.

“You were never good at blending in with your environment.” He pointed the plazer toward me again.

Flora got onto her knees and cried. “I’m loyal only to you, Master Kai. I was close to his capture.”

“You never showed me respect since you began your assignment. Why should I believe you now?”

Kai pointed his plazer towards Flora and smiled at her.

I glared at Kai. “During the time of the Ancients, there was a mythological beast known as a vampire,” I said. “Sleeping in a wooden crate by day, he waited until night to come out and feed on the blood of the frightened villagers.”

“With stories like that, no wonder the Ancients were so violent.”

“Vampires are real, and I’m looking at one now. You drain the life out of your victims by feeding off their continual suffering.”

Kai relaxed his aim, and Flora sighed in relief. “Suffering leads to rebellion and revolution. It’s loyalty that nourishes us and keeps us in power.” Kai looked down at Flora. “Would you go with me to Damon’s bedroom and show me how loyal you are?”

Flora looked towards me and then back at Kai. “You’re my mentor. If that’s what you wish, I must comply.”

Kai smiled at me. “I think I’ve proven my point.” Kai pointed his plazer towards Flora. “Only you were always above submission, which is why it hurts to see you sink so low to save yourself.” Flora’s eyes widened in terror as Kai moved the barrel closer to her head. “Your brand of loyalty is unappetizing. I’d rather go hungry.” He shot Flora, and she fell backwards, dying instantly.

Shisa nudged the door open from inside my bedroom.

“Since when did you turn into an executioner?” I asked.

Kai aimed his plazer towards me. “A green is a nonessential, and your return isn’t advantageous to...”

Shisa growled and Kai turned around. I grabbed him by his legs and pulled him down. We both struggled for control of the weapon. Shisa bit Kai’s arm, forcing him to release the plazer. I grabbed it, forced Kai on to his back and shot him. Shisa came to my side as I rolled on to my back. “Next time, try to wake up
before
we get shot.” Shisa lay beside me, and I petted her until I lost my awareness of my third incarnation.

HOWLS IN THE TUNNEL

FOURTH INCARNATION

A
dense fog engulfed the desolate wooded path to the old tunnel. I had to keep calling out to Shisa to ensure she hadn’t ventured too far ahead. After the fog cleared, we stopped near a brook where we caught some fish for lunch. As Shisa finished up her portion, I removed my trout from the fire and placed it on a dish to cool. Shisa licked her lips as I sliced off a piece of flesh. “If you want more, you’ll have to catch another one yourself.”

She rested her head on her paws and softly whimpered.

I cut a small piece and tossed it to her. “Only because you reminded me I’m human.” I pointed my finger towards her. “I doubted it until you showed up.”

Shisa finished eating, looked at my plate and barked.

“I couldn’t leave you all alone, and that’s when I knew a heart still beat inside me.” I cut another sliver of meat, took a bite and spoke with my mouth full, something I hadn’t done since childhood. “Wade and Old Woman almost had me convinced I lost my humanity…until I realized they believed in an illusion.” I laughed. “Idealism is the scourge, but they couldn’t see it because they were in the late stages.” I tossed Shisa another piece of fish. “They tried to infect me, but I was immune to their influence. That’s why I’m still alive, and I plan on staying that way for a long time.” I bit into another piece of warm flesh. “From today onward, I’m going to live only for myself.” I spit out some bone that got caught between my teeth. I stood up and yelled. “I’m free!” I howled loudly. “If I want to act like a wild dog, no one can stop me!”

Shisa stood and cocked her head to the side.

I tilted my own head in response. “Are you with me?” I howled again to motivate her.

Shisa barked.

“Glad you agree. You wouldn’t have wanted to be around me when I was loyal to the Sacred Oath; it made me boring and predictable.”

Shisa barked again.

“Not sure of what I am now, but acting like a dog is a lot more fun.” I howled, and Shisa joined in. After several more howls and barks, I felt less anxious and thought I stumbled upon an innovative style of therapy. That made me laugh even harder.
You left Unity, you slock. From now on, the only patient you’ll be treating is yourself, and what you have is incurable. Get used to laughing at yourself because you’re nothing but a joke.
I laughed again because I felt like one.

We made it to the old tunnel before nightfall and stopped at the trainlets. Sephroy’s body odor nauseated me, and I wanted nothing to do with him, even after the COR alarm went off. I wanted to forget about everything that reminded me of Unity, especially my work. I paid Sephroy, entered my room, and liberated myself from the weight of my backpack. The fish I cooked up for Shisa and myself digested hours ago. I had some nuts and dried fruit that I gave to her. She ate the meager portion in one bite and looked at me as though expecting more. “That’s the last of it. We’ll need to find some more food when we get out of the tunnel. My humanity won’t do us any good if we starve to death.”

I uncapped my spare canteen, which now belonged to Shisa, and gave her some water. I then got out Old Woman’s holologue and started reading her journal. One of the entries familiarized me with Torrin. He studied at the New Athenia University and traveled further east visiting ancient territories that used to have exotic names like China and India. They were called “countries,” and many more existed during the forgotten times. Such colossal territories were unheard of after the Great Cataclysm due to dwindling fuel resources. I continued reading Torrin’s words.

We’re more like the Ancients than the Corporate Hierarchy dares to admit. Shortly before the Great Cataclysm, countries shared a common bond of greed, power, and dominance. Most citizens blamed their leaders, but they all played a part in the eventual downfall of civilization. The more everyone had, the more they wanted. Even as their cities crumbled, they couldn’t stop from gorging on every commodity they could steal or go to war over. When resources were depleted, they fed off each other. The inertia of greed made turning back impossible. What’s most disquieting to me is they were in the midst of collapse before the Great Cataclysm. There existed within them a self-destructive mechanism. On their ascent towards their greatest accomplishments, they were destined to fall to their deaths before reaching the apex of their successes. This was repeated through every age, and no leader seemed to learn from his or her predecessor. This same destructive mechanism still exists in us today, and I look upon it as a good omen. Unity will fall. I hope to live long enough to witness the dome crack and see all my Unitian brothers and sisters free from oppression.