Culling

Part II • Chapter XVIII

I wanted to forget that anything ever happened, and to go back to the way that things were before. I was tired. I knew that I didn't want to know, not yet. I didn't want this peace to end.

But, I wanted to remember as well.

I didn't know what to do, or how to feel.

However, surprisingly, anger was not one of the things I was experiencing, he had to know that. Why would he think I'd be angry?

Why wasn't I angry?

"I think," I tried to sort through my thoughts and emotions. "I think that if I had found earlier, before I used your ability, that we had known each other and you never told me... Or if you had just told me then... I would have wanted you to make me remember. If you had refused to do it..."

I paused, that was right. "I think then, that I would have been angry in either one of those cases. I would have wanted to know why you didn't trust me to make my own decisions. I would have been mad that you hid that from me, I might have thought you were trying to manipulate me."

Owen opened his mouth to say something, but I pushed a finger to his lips - silencing him. "I'm not angry, I'm not angry because I know that you are not guilty of either of those things. I don't remember what happened exactly, but you did promise me, right? You promised for a reason, it wasn't lightly given?" I asked him, and he nodded.

And here was the big question, "and you used your abilities on me before? That's why you made that promise, because I was scared of whatever it was that I remembered? It hurt me, somehow?"

A flash of something shot through Owen's eyes, and his mouth dipped downwards, but he nodded again. He remained silent in his communication, as he watched me.

"Thank you for keeping your promise." I said, honestly.

Then, I thought for another moment, before I asked - even though I already knew the answer. My voice shook, as something deep inside rebelled against even considering the possibility. Afraid that even voicing it would make me know more than I wanted to at the moment. "Do I want to remember, even if you just told me?"

"Dr Green and I can answer questions about what we know, but unfortunately it is not a lot." Owen said finally, knowing that I needed an answer to this question - and reassurance. "Generally speaking, that should be alright - as long as you don't force anything. That is, if you want."

Sean. He was one of them.

"-shut up Owen, you're such a jerk." An unfamiliar voice broke into my sleep induced haze. "All I said was that she's cute. She's not yours."

"You're being too loud," Owen hissed. "I'll hit you if you wake her up. She's sick, she needs to sleep."

I rolled to my side, facing the edge of the bed I was in, to see two boys standing alongside me. Owen smacked the blonde stranger on the back of the head. I was confused. What happened? I was in a bedroom now, and there was something beeping nearby. Something was on my arm - it itched. I reached to touch it, to get it off me.

"No, stop!" The new boy grabbed my hand. I didn't want to be touched by him. I tried to jerk away, but he wouldn't let go. "Stop moving, you are going to pull it out. If that happens you'll bleed. It's helping you."

Who was this person? Why was he touching me? Would he hurt me too? The beeping around me quickened, which made everything much scarier. What was happening?

Then Owen touched my arm, "It's alright, Sang. It's ok. This is my friend, Sean. His parents are here to help you, he won't hurt you."

I stopped fighting him and looked at him instead. Owen said he was his friend. Owen was my friend, and Owen was a good person. That made this person good too, right? Even though we had just became friends, I knew that I could believe in Owen.