Righteous Indignation - RF! Welcome Home

Chapter 20 - Return

You still did your job, to Wally's frustration. You walked through the halls of the facility, you could hear an angry voice.

Out of curiosity, you stopped to listen.

"Walden, you can't just let them suffer slowly like this! You're torturing them!"

"But I can't just let them go!"

"And why is that, Walden?"

There was a pause. Wally was talking to someone? They were familiar, feminine.

Oh, shit. That's Julianne.

"I fucking knew it, Walden. How could you?  Forget about me, about Ophelia-"

"Don't you talk about my fucking daughter like that! You have no right to use her to manipulate me!"

Wally shouted at her, and you tried not to gasp in shock. He had a daughter? He never told you this. You realized you looked suspicious and could be found at the doorway any second, so you creeped away slowly, still listening in on the conversation.

"Neighbor can't feel anything back. I hope you know that."

"But once they're in their right head-"

"No, Walden! They won't feel anything for you, I hope you know that. You're a total fucking dick to them twenty-four seven! And you know it! You're fucking lucky you ever got married to me in the first place, being such an asshole."

You stopped in your tracks, feeling as if the silence was important. You weren't all that scared, more curious.

"Don't speak to me again, Julianne. Not after what you said about Ophelia."

Damn. You began to walk away, turning over in your head what you heard. A daughter named Ophelia. A bitchy ex-wife. Maybe not totally bitchy, he is kind of an asshole, she's right about that.

You left swiftly after that, pretending to be on your way to get some coffee. You changed your mind to actually get some coffee instead of just pretending, and it was quite refreshing.

Then, after that, you had to go down to Wally's lab for your second greyscaling treatment, to get your happiness reintroduced, and go through the damned Spectra overdose suppression. That was an ordeal and a half. On the way, you ran into Wally, who looked quite stressed.

"What the hell- oh. Neighbor. Hello. Walking to the lab, are we?" He asked, and part of you didn't want to speak for fear of being monotone, but you did anyway, trying to seem happy and chipper.

"Why, yes! And I suppose you're going the same way?" You forced a smile, and Wally shook his head at you.

"Don't fake the emotion we're going to fix. Actually, scratch that, don't fake emotion in general. It makes my job easier." He said, and you noticed he sounded just as flat and emotionless as you did. Damn.

Arriving at the lab, you sat upon his little operating table, swinging your legs as he prepared the treatment. It had a slight yellowish tinge.

Then, you watched him prepare the really fucked up one. The overdose suppression. That fucker's needle was long and scary-looking.

"Alright, roll up your sleeve for me, would you?" He asked politely, and you did so. He immediately stuck you, not giving you any warning at all. You yelped in equal surprise and pain, and that coaxed no apology from the man in front of you.

"How do you feel?" He asked you, and as you made unbroken eye contact, examining his crimson irises as you analyzed how you felt.

His eyes were a nice shade of red.

You felt your face light up as you realized it's back! Your happiness is back!

You hopped off his operating table, hugging him tightly. You heard him gasp, reciprocating the embrace as he stumbled back a bit.

"I'm back, Mr. Darling, it's me, I'm feeling amazing," You said, rapid fire as you held onto him like nothing else. At your words, his grip on you tightened, his head bowing to rest on your shoulder.

"It's amazing to see you again, Neighbor. Don't you fucking scare me like that again."

He said, but you could tell he had no room to be angry in this moment.

He had missed you too much.