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Turning Point

Would you have done anything different?

"I don't think much could have been done differently. Aside from sidestepping that whole ordeal."

So you're satisfied as you are now and don't regret ever partaking in that experiment?

"I never said that, but thinking about what I would change in my life would just send a butterfly effect through my entire existence, its hard to say what would have stayed the same, what would have been different and even if it changes. Would I crave this life more than the life I could have had? Or is this already my best life?"

Then indulge me, what would be one and only thing you would change?

"The end of this road." My vision was blurry, again we were traveling to a different memory. "Is it you doing it? Or do you still claim that you've lost control? It's hard to say if you're a passenger of your own fabrication."

I can attest that you've made me lose control. The blending of our perspective and you killing my ego made me lose any kind of control I was able to exert. I'm as much a passenger as you are.

"Terrific."

My vision returned to a world washed in a faint gray filter. I rubbed my clenched fists, but the haze didn't fade. The world was different—the sound distorted, lips no longer in sync with the words they've spoked.

You think we've develped to deep? 

"Good question, it is questionable if we have or haven't, but until now we weren't able to navigate on our own, only places as most and this one is as bas as the last one". 

Are we somewhere else? This is still an Facility of the Technocrats´.

"I can't deny it, we're still at the same place. Maybe a couple days or weeks later." Weve ventured to the run down facility, the walls and ceilings suffered deep carve-ins like cancerous growth they've extended over the walls and ceilings. 

This place is run down, I can't imagine the Technocrats would let it become like that.

"They wouldn't."

You think something is wrong with your memory?

"No, my memory is clear, I still know what I'm going to do over the course of the next couple of days."

We went through another hallway until we found the common rooms for us non-Technocrats. "Hey Kyle, also you were captivated by that Technocrat?" At last we found the room young me and his compatriots were residing.

A smile crept up and they erupted in a loud cheer rubbing my shoulder and pushing me slightly around. 

Who are those people, you seem way too cozy around them. How come I don't see them in your more recent memories?

"Theyre dead men, and Chloe." 

Curious. 

"Guys, do you think she took a liking to Kyle?"

"Yeah, she always phan other him with, 'impresiv' or 'astonishing'" 

"Like damn, has anyone ever seen Kyle routine training? I've seen him tied up to the ceiling with one leg, assembling and reassembling his weapon and loading in shells by hand into his magazine, and he keeps doing that even if his nose starts to bleed." 

"I know that some Special forces shit, you think Kyle is going to get to the point where most of his service record will be black inked and redacted?"

"You mean with Shadow Company? You know those guys who are literally dunking all of their mission reports into tanks of blank inc?"

"Well rumors have it they manually cross out all lines themselves, apparently they have to be that secretive."

"Hey Chloe? Do you think that's why Missie took a liking to Kyle? Since he's special grade stuff? You should know that, you're also a woman?"

"Refraim from calling me a woman, im still a young lady and you'll treat me like that." 

"Yeah, yeah I'm sorry I get that. Anyway would you also have a liking for Kyle with information like that?"

"I could have a liking for Kyle but for different reasons?"

"Ohh!" The chorus of boys and girls voiced.

"You gotta tell us, Kyle is dying to know why you could like him!"

"He's German with a clear line of descent, I couldn't care more about his service records. Its questionable if he wants to join the navy or armed forces. What is he going to do? Train to be some elite boarding crew only for the war he's been preparing for never to happen? Yeah he can sign up to be frozen forever until the Directorate needs him but I see him die like any german, on the soil which bore him."

"Hey, that's offensive! Look at me, I'm mostly part German! At somepoint… Even if my genetic history doesn't suggest that I heired from there at some point! Or at least my blood line!" 

"Yeah Chloe! You can't judge people by their heritage!" 

"Youre only butt hurt because you're a directoree. Your heritage is lost to time over the generations. Even with genetic tests you come all over the place." 

The door opened dramatically with her in the doorway. "Oh I see it's quite lively in here already, have I interrupted anything? I can step outside if you need some time." 

"No miss!" All of us expect Chloe hurried to their feet. "We were just talking about you…" 

"Lovely." 

"DO YOU LIKE KYLE!" 

Her Emerald green eyes shined with something which I couldn't lay my fingers on. She collapsed her hand over her face and a rosy red flushed over her cheeks. She turned her face slightly away and blushed. "Yes." came her answer slow and meager. 

The Chorus of boys and girls erupted in cheers after the confession and we followed her after we packed up.

She was an expert. I don't think you can count anyone accountable for trusting her. She has quite the soothing presence. 

"Its stupid that we died that way, all of them could have strived for so much more than to end up as an unwarranted lab experiment." 

I see… 

We followed them through the facility until we reached the heavy containment areas. It was unsettling for most of them but after another round of assurances and praises we fell back into step. The world became more and more fragmented and damaged as we came closer. 

I think this is it for me. You have to continue on this path without me.

"How come? Are you able to go outside and wake me up?"

Not that, you know the feeling before an operation that one misstep could kill you? I feel the same now. One more step towards those blast doors and I'm a goner.

"You want me to wait or will you remain behind?"

Let's take this step as one, one last time. 

And we did, I took that step which she fore bore and an unpleasant noise echoed behind me through the halfway and blood pooling at my feet. I crouched down and put my hand at her neck. "I never knew you but I thank you for going this far with me." 

The world began to break apart as I delved deeper on my own. The lack of her presence felt unnerving. To my left and right parts of the wall ripped out and fell into the void. The group of fools in front of me remained ignorant from the fact that reality was falling apart around them. 

"This is stupid. Is there even one reason for me to stick with any of this? I don't even want to stay in the militia and join the military." 

"Everything is happening on a consensual basis, miss Albrecht you may leave now or at any point during our trials." Chloe turned around and walked past me. Such a simple moment of momentarily genius saved her life. Or indifference. 

The world shook violently now, like an attempt to deter me from reaching the end of this road. More and more of the ground fell into the void, I had to jump and leap now to carve my way forward. The conversations were so distorted and bleeded into each other that I couldn't make out the words anymore they were saying it didn't matter. We were in the high security areas of the heavy containment part.

I fixed my gaze forward, past the next set of opened blast doors shadows loomed. An unpierceable veil of shadows filled the contents behind those security measures. I gauged the distance next to the floating piece of flor. No good I cant jump that far. I shifted my weight around and passed on the small island I was standing upon. Gauging if I could get enough momentum to jump forward. 

An unbearable amount of dread began to build up. I looked forward into those chambers and it looked back at me, and a red and purple eye out of the darkness looked at me and I at it.