They're Watching

Chapter 5 - Curiosity

I didn’t remember falling asleep, but I found myself opening my eyes and in my bed, the cotton sheets hugging me in a warm embrace. I little voice in my head repeated over and over three days left, like a siren in the night. I blocked it out and emptied my mind.

I closed my eyes and concentrated on the sound around me. There was silence except for Max’s light snoring.

Max. The name sued him, I can’t really describe it, but he just looks like he should be called Max.

Although he did have a habit of annoying me, it was true that he has made the days more entertaining then they have ever been.

Before I would just be left to my own thoughts day in, day out; most of the time I would just stare into space and think of nothing. There were times where everything seemed boring, even sleeping. I yearned for excitement and adventure that was out of my reach. I would usually imagine myself breaking free from this building and being free. But the picture would get hazy when it came to getting outside, I had no idea what the outside would look like, or were the daydream will lead to after I got outside, so I would just go back to the beginning of the daydream and replay it.

Every time I imagined the outside, it looked like the long corridor outside my room but filled with bright, vibrant colours. All over the walls, there were delicate patterns painted in cyan, cerulean, green, magenta, rose, red, yellow, orange, purple, gold, silver.

I had seen colours before in Education; it was a very long time ago but the memory has been etched onto my mind. We were learning the colours when I was five and a half. We were sent into a compact white room, once everyone was in the space, the door smoothly closed and the room will fill with one colour; a metallic voice would name the colour and ask for us to repeat it. If we said it right, the colour would morph into the next, if we one person said it wrong the voice would repeat.

I remember my eyes bulging out of my little head as I gazed open mouthed at the room, from the ceiling to the ground and everywhere in between. All of it vivid, almost glowing before my eyes.

I start to feel conscious of Natasha’s diary under my belt; I feel the fabric pressing into my skin, imprinting its shape onto me. I feel the sudden urge to remove it from its hiding place and read it over and over again, filling my head with its wisdom and secrets.

I lay motionless a strained my ears to hear Max’s soft snores. For a split second I thought he had woken up but then I hear it faintly. I wait until I hear the set pattern and then quietly try to make my way to the bathroom, away from Max and the security cameras. I try to minimise the rustling on the duvet and I walk bare footed to the bathroom so my footstep will not be heard against the cold concrete.

When I’m safely inside the room, I sit behind the door and pull out the diary. It has been a while since I last read it. I opened it to the first page. I took a deep inhalation, taking in the comforting smell of the book.

I looked through the book, already anticipating the next word. I had read the diary so many times I knew it of by heart, but I liked reading the curved handwritten characters. The pages were warn and tired, creased and crumpled at the edges and appeared to have a yellow tinge. I got the last line: It's a sacrifice I'm willing to take. Humanity will be lost if I fail and we will be forced into chaos.

I felt fear build up inside me but a thought popped into me head. This is the adventure you were waiting for.

I had to explanation to why this though came to mind, and although it scared me, I was right. This is what I was waiting for, a bit excitement, rebellion. To stand up to the Superior and show them that they can’t control me or anyone else for that matter; I am my own person, and I will do what I want to.

I was about to close the small book when I realised the last page was thicker than the rest. Intrigued I started picking at the corner with my short nails. When I was about to lose hope the corner split into three. There were three pages stuck together. Natasha had written more and I had never noticed.

I carefully started peeling the first of the stuck pages apart, desperate to see what lay within. I was cautious not to rip the pages. The crackling sound echoed around the room, but I ignored it, focusing all my attention on the pages. I ran my finger between the pages and glided along the paper. Victory rushed though me as the first page separated. I spread the pages wide ready to read.

“Natasha?” I jumped and my heart skipped a beat at the sound of Max’s voice speaking my name. I could feel his presents only centimetres away on the other side of the door. I dropped the book onto the floor. The book landed with a loud thump.

“Natasha?” Max was now knocking on the door, his voice full of concern and worry. I swiftly grabbed the small leather bound book, shoved it under my belt and opened the door.

“Are you alright? What happened?” He rushed into the room and looked round to room.

“I came in to have a shower.” I lied smoothly.

“I heard something.”

“I fell.” I caught a glance at my poker face in the glass that surrounded the sonic shower. I had always been a good liar, it’s not something I’m proud of but it has helped me in the past.

“Are you hurt?” Max continued his interrogation, his eyes filled with anxiety.

“No.”

Max looked down at the floor in embarrassment. “Right…well sport is starting in five minutes so I would hurry up if I were you...hey are you okay?”

He looked deep into my eyes searching for the answer. For a crazy moment I considered telling him the truth, showing him the diary, but I hastily push the thought away. To spot him from asking more questions on my wellbeing, I forced a smile onto my face.

“Of course I’m okay, now hurry up or we’re going to be late.” I gave my toothiest grin, pushed him jokily and ran for the door, laughing when I heard his hurried footsteps following.