I stare down at the note. The note from the not-so-dead Charlie. I'd forgotten about it until now, overwhelmed by everything else, but now that I have some time to my self, it's all I can think about. It's driving me insane. Sure, technically it no longer holds much value, seeing as it's little promise has been fufilled, but I can't help but wonder how it got into my rooms. I locked everything that day after finding out about the pranks. There's no way anyone could have gotten in unseen. 810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgWRieqsSpR
"A.I.?"
"Yes, Emberlyn of the Sapphires?"
"Show me the security cameras in front of my room from my third day here."
"Will do." A holo of right outside of my door appears, and I sit there for a few minutes watching people go by in time lapse.810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRDPL66BgBq
"Scan for anything unusual." The computer pauses the video and I wait.
"No abnormalities detected." I sigh, swiping away the image. I lay back, thinking. That's when I notice something odd. The tunnel through which I got here is slightly visible, even though it shouldn't be. It's open just a little. Jammed, possibly. I get off the bed and set down a sheet.
"Open the tunnel above my bed."810Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxP6554lq11
"Opening tunnel number 1." The ceiling opens up and I jump back in horror as a small caltrital falls through. Caltritals are forbidden. They're the weapon of the past. The weapon used by less than one percent of the population over 400 years ago until they were deemed too dangerous to be allowed on the Alkina. I take a hesitant step forward, picking it up off the sheet. I carefully cradle the small metal ball. The seemingly harmless object starts to emmit a purple light, and all I can hear is my heart beating rapidly. All I can see is that soft purple light and all I can feel is that cold metal pressed against my fingers.
"You don't seem so dangerous after all." I whisper, stroking it. The purple light intensifies and I smile, swaying back and forth. It's so pretty, almost hypnotising. I sit down on my bed, in a trance. Then I spot cracks starting to form in the Caltrital. They shine a soft green against the now harsh purple. My eyes. It matches my eyes. I trace the cracks, leaning closer. The cracks start to spread faster, crawling up my fingers and under my clothes and before I can register what's happening the tiny ball is gone and my skin is glowing green and purple. My mouth hangs open and I furrow my eyebrows, staring. The shining lines that crawl up my arms start to arange themselves in a pattern and I almost shreik as it dawns on me. It's too late. The Caltrital has latched on to me. It's imprinting as I think. There's nothing I can do but claw at my skin, hoping it will come leaking back out. Why would Charlie do this to me?
ns 15.158.61.23da2
