Remember

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Everything was dark and Colette was getting used to the feeling of losing consciousness. She groaned, still too groggy to put in the effort of opening her eyes to figure out where and when she was. Her thigh was throbbing from where the tranquilizer dart had made it's home in her skin and she could feel something hard digging into her entire back. When she tried to move she found that her torso and her hands were tied around what seemed to be a tree.

"I'm sorry. I had to make sure you weren't going to kill me before I can say what I need to say." Colette could hear Nurse Garner shuffle around and make her way to where Colette was tied up. She finally managed to open her eyes to see that it was still fairly dark outside and that she was still deep in the woods, away from the village.

She tried to look around to see if there was anyone else -- a Govie or multiple to be more specific -- but her body felt too heavy to make too many movements. The last thing she needed was to cause another attack on the village.

"I came alone." Nurse Garner crouched down and grabbed Colette's chin, forcing her to look at the nurse or whoever she actually was. "You have caused me so much trouble."

Colette tried to jerk away from Mrs.Garner's grip to no avail. Luckily, the woman decided to let go anyways. "If you're going to kill me just do it now." She paused. "I don't care anymore." Colette managed to squeeze the words out but talking felt more like trying to wade through a pool of thick syrup.

Mrs.Garner snorted. "I don't want to kill you. I want to destroy the government just as much as you do."

Colette didn't understand. Not after knowing the woman had been assigned to watch her in Paradisium, not after the woman led her Govie bodyguards to the village and killed people. "And why... should I believe you." The words slurred tiredly out of her mouth as she tried her hardest to fight away the drugs that flooded her system.

"You shouldn't." Garner walked over to take a seat next to Colette against the tree. "But that's why I'm here. To convince you to let me help. Convince you I'm not a threat anymore."

"Go to hell."

Mrs.Garner sighed. "You should at least listen to what I have to say." Colette wanted to spit more indecencies out but she was too tired to try and force the words to form in her mouth. Garner took her silence as cue to continue. "I know you feel betrayed." That was an understatement. "We -- the government have done some terrible things. They... we have killed and lied and made up excuses to keep ourselves safe all while putting the rest of the world in danger." Colette scoffed to herself. Suddenly they feel bad for what they did? "There are things you don't understand. There are secrets that are far too deadly to be revealed... or at least that's what we have been taught. I don't even know what these secrets are."

"Go away. Just leave me here." Colette didn't want to listen to the pathetic woman tell her things she already knew. She didn't want t listen to to her talk in circles and still not give her any actual answers.

"We both know you don't actually want that."

"You don't know what I want."

"I know you want to save everyone."

"I just want this thing out of my system."

"That may be partially true. And if you'd let me help you, we can get rid of that thing for good."

Colette thought for a moment. The drugs seeming to finally lessen in her system. "What makes you think you know everything about me."

"I don't but I know when you're lying and when you're not. Even the government workers have powers."

"So you're all just a bunch of communist hypocrites." How could these people trap everyone in a fake world while they were still running free with their own powers?

"This is so much bigger than just powers Colette. The government has a bad history with that thing inside you. You're the key to ending this." It wouldn't be the first time someone had told her that and she had the feeling it wasn't going to be the last.

"I don't even know what that means anymore." Silence. "And I guess you don't either." Colette let out a breathy laugh and rested her head against the tree trunk. "What makes you think you can help then?"

"I may not know what the thing inside you is or what it wants or why the government is so scared of it but I know what the government plans to do next and it's not pretty." Colette was beginning to get tired of never getting any real answers. Maybe she should just let the thing inside her have its way. Perhaps it had a good reasoning for wanting whatever it wanted.

"I still don't trust you."

There was another shuffling of movement from Mrs.Garner as she disappeared behind the tree. Suddenly, the rope around Colette's torso and wrists began to loosen until they were completely gone and Colette could finally stretch herself out.

She rubbed her wrists, wincing at the raw skin that was beginning to form from the harsh rope. As she attempted to stand up she found the drugs were still prevalent and ended up falling roughly back onto the forest floor with an oomph.

"Let me help you." Mrs.Garner appeared back in front of Colette, holding out a hand to help her up. Colette was hesitant at first but took it after realizing she wasn't getting anywhere without help. Mrs.Garner hoisted her up and put her arm around her waist and began walking her back towards the village.

After a few steps, Colette finally gained enough strength to walk by herself but Mrs.Garner still left her arm around Colette's waist for support.

"They'll kill you on sight, you know." Colette finally said.

"Not if you tell them I'm there to help."

Colette started laughing again. "You still haven't told me how you think you're going to help. Just because you decided to untie me and help me up doesn't mean I suddenly trust you."

"Then I guess you should shut up and listen to me." Colette didn't have the energy to argue and let the the government traitor explain herself.