Chapter 32
Stephanie’s smile is undeterred as I stare at her without being able to produce a single sound.
“Come, I have something in store for you”, she says, the positive timbre in her voice completely out of context
I am as roped down onto my seat, and I keep staring at her, motionless. I’m no longer scared and I’m not thinking, it is as if I’ve been knocked down so hard I can’t feel or understand external inputs
“We don’t intend to hurt anyone, you can trust me”, she insists
The statement is hypocrite enough to shake me out of the hebetude. I look at Ronny’s collapsed body, then turn my head back to Stephanie.
“Really. I’m sure I can trust you”, I reply, dropping the words with slow irony
“He’s not dead”, Stephanie says, pointing at Ronny
I bug my eyes, I don’t understand. I step out of the car and go to the driver’s side. Stephanie just stands there, observing me. I am afraid to touch Ronny, but then I brush his arm just slightly. He doesn’t move.
Of course he doesn’t. What game are they playing with me?
“Cut it off!”, I scream
“Use your intelligence, Iris. You know what I am talking about”, Stephanie says, her voice calm but the smile blanked out from her face
I observe Stephanie, trying to grasp her meaning.
“Come with me and you’ll understand”, she says
“I don’t have a choice anyways, so why put up this show?”, I snap
“Things are much more complex than you imagine them. We’re not simply amusing ourselves with you”, Stephanie tells me
“You have a higher purpose, of course. I suggest that you become part of…of the experiment, how you call it, for the sake of your higher purpose. Sure, let’s go, I don’t want to take time away from the cause”, I say, feeling abraded and abrasive
But I also want to know what lies beyond my imagination.
“I mean it, show me the things I need to understand”, I say, my eyes defiantly transfixed into Stephanie’s
“Come”, she repeats, touching my hand ever so lightly
And a buzzing drizzle runs through me. It’s settle and strong at once, it fills me completely. The light is blinding, I close my eyes but it filters through my eyelids and draws me in.
For an instant I am aware that there’s a mask on my face.
Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out. I can hear myself doing so.
“Good, relax now”, I hear Stephanie say
My eyes are wide open, and I am peaceful.