Sight Seers by P.S. Singleton (Sample Chapters)

Chapter 5: Quantum Entanglement

In my carelessness, the uncovered tip touched me, resulting in a light shock. I quickly whipped my hand back. In the process, I smacked Captain in the nose. That set him off with a loud bark. The rat leaped away among the chaos. I yanked Captain's collar to keep him from going after the rodent. After bonking my head on the bottom of the table, I found my way to the sink. Frowning, I found my hands.

            "Ally..."

            Soft pink lips flashed.

            "Ally... Can you hear me?"

            Warm cheeks. Bouncy blond curls. I couldn't make out her face.

            "Ah, dang, this was a bad idea." The world around me glitched. Blurry images flew past my vision. Voices. Mumbles. A gate. "For all I know, it's not even you."

            "Just wait right here." A different voice from the first one. A grown man.

            A scream pierced the air. Crying. "Abort! Abort!"

            These voices came foggier than the girl's defined tone.

            The girl's voice returned. "There's something else here. Someone..."

            Fire. So much fire. Glowing. Bright yellow.

            "Lee!" Another alien voice.

            "Oh shoot." Trampling footsteps followed the girl's voice.

            The world shifted to black. Eyes, peering through. The knocking. Remmutants.

            "I'll be back. Please, just hang on till then." Everything went still, all except an eerie ringing. "Please."

            "Lee!"

            Ashton's laughter filled the space. Disappearing as soon as it came.

            "Well... You're in good hands. I'll see you again... I promise."

            Quiet. A void. The water rippled in the center. Drip. Drop. Drip.

            Drop.

I gasped and woke up from my nap on the couch. Groaning, I rubbed my face with my palm. Weird dream.

Even weirder was how I could see right now.

I stopped, the thought connecting. My whole body was fixed visible from a distance. I double-checked to make sure I wasn't touching anything that could give me sight. Someone else's view took over mine without making contact.

A yellow sticky note stuck to my forehead. In Ashton's scribbly handwriting, it read, Sweet dreams, dork! See you after work! How long was I asleep?

Shoving the note in my pocket, I focused. I must find who I was seeing through. From under... the coffee table. Captain? The low angle exhibited the scene in color, canceling out the option. I glanced down toward my watcher's feet. Toothy toes and chubby legs moved toward dark fur and metal plating.

My eyes widened. The rat from earlier. My mind was swarmed with several different thoughts. 1, gross, 2, how, and 3, why! Peeking around the coffee table leg, I searched for Captain. He lay curled up on his bed, by the stairs. Probably for the best, lest he scares away the rodent. I needed to find out how I could see through the rat's eyes.

Before I could, the rat took control again. It darted across the floor and squeezed under the closet door beneath the stairs. I moved to get up off the couch but decided against it. After all, a strange cyborg rat would certainly have interesting places to go. He could take the lead for a while.

A misplaced sense of freedom fell over me.

Climbing up a broom handle, the rat made his way up into the roof vents. He had a route already planned out, but there had to be someone who had programmed it into him. Who could it be?

After the rat reached the end of the vents, he climbed downward, landing in the kitchen walls. He scampered out from a hole and made his way into the outside light. The grass padded his soft steps. He reached the end of the concrete sidewalk, before pausing. His head turned back at the house, nose twitching in thoughts. His will stood strong.

Some more nudging from me, and the rat moved. Going as fast as his tiny rat body would take him, he finally reached the end of the street. Attempting to cross the road, he took a step forward.

Dark red letters rolled across my view. It only served to worsen my confusion until I remembered the rat's goggles. Glitch detected. Return to Cleo's lab. The rat retracted his arm, moving back onto the sidewalk. He raced uphill, crossing the road to the right.

Cleo. That name was mentioned in the video I had seen on Ashton's computer had mentioned someone. Who were they?

Finding this rat had not been a coincidence. I clicked my tongue, thinking.

"What's up, Ally-gator!"

I flinched, startled at the sound of Ashton's voice. The world went dark, disconnecting from the rat. "No," I yelped under my breath.

"Ally?" I felt his hand on my shoulders.

"Ashton, you're back. Hey." I gave a smile, trying to sound enthusiastic.

"Okay, weirdo." He ruffled my hair and moved on.

I pulled myself up from the couch. "Hey, Ashton?" I needed to ask him at least one of my questions. I genuinely considered, but couldn't bring myself to trust him entirely. If I asked, I didn't think he would tell me the truth. About any of it.

"Yeah?"

"Maybe... tonight we could just hang out? We could play a board game or something." An honest diversion. He said he was my brother, but I knew so little about him. Maybe some quality time would rid me of trust issues. Then I could hopefully have the guts to ask him anything I wanted.

"Yeah, I'd like that." Warmness lingered in his voice. Maybe he felt the same way.