I sat in one of Aris's rock-hard brown chairs. I was staring at the groves of my hands, waiting for Aris to come into his office. Ever since I've woken up, all I've seen was Oblivion and the Star Path. Those images had yet to stop replying in my mind, they kept me from sleeping.
Aris pushed the door open and he strode into the room. His clothes were wrinkled, his eyes were shrunken into his skull, like he hasn't slept in days. He took a seat at his desk.
We were silent for what felt like ages and it was Aris who spoke first, "What happened the other day in the Testing, Addieca?"
I shook my head, "I – I don't know. I wish I did."
Aris sighed, "I think you're lying to me, Addieca. I think you saw something in the simulation and I think that the simulation saw something in you."
"I'm sorry but I didn't see anything." I said firmly, trying to make myself sound more confident than I felt.
He was starting to get more and more irritated as time went by.
"Addieca, it's not a surprise that the simulation chose you. We specifically formatted the simulation to follow you." Aris told me, he couldn't look me in the eye.
"You did what?" something angry sparked in my chest and I stood up from my chair.
"What do you mean you formatted the simulation to target me?"
Aris didn't seem at all surprised by my outburst because he replied calmly, "Just that I had some people set up the simulation to target you. I had a theory – a feeling that you would be the one to find what we've been searching for, but I had to make sure, so I took a risk." He paused for a moment before saying, "I'm sorry, Addieca."
I could feel my face growing hot and red with anger. I slammed my hands against his desk.
"A risk? What if you had been wrong?" I yelled at him, tears pricked my eyes but they didn't fall.
I saw Aris's jaw work, his eyes looked everywhere but my own.
"But Addieca, was I wrong?"
I fell silent, he was right. I waited too long to tell him otherwise because a wry smile pulled to his lips.
"Why don't you sit down and tell me what you saw."
Glaring at him, I sat back down in the chair.
"I saw what you are looking for." I told him simply, my arms crossed over my chest.
Aris leaned back in his chair, "And what do you think we're looking for?"
"Oblivion."