01
"I can’t believe you actually got it stuck inside you. Somehow, out of all the terrible outcomes I planned for, that was not one of them. What will I even do with you? You are a complete disaster, girl!"
The voice of the older woman was raspy and tired, making Melissa think she must be a smoker. Though, there was something eerie about her; she certainly looked like she was at least sixty, judging by her facial features and grey hair, but she spoke and acted as if she was just thirty.
Melissa heard of energetic old ladies, but this was a bit more than what one would expect. Especially paired with the whole deal with the ‘artifact’ and all the other creepy stuff that happened today, she would definitely believe if she was told this person was a witch or something crazy like that. Today… everything seemed possible. And even if the woman’s words hurt a bit, she decided to try and be friendly.
"Uhm – I didn’t catch your name. I’m Melissa."
"You can call me Pira, I suppose. – the woman sighed, looking Melissa up and down. It made the girl sort of uncomfortable, but she said nothing. – Do you even know what the name means?"
"What? It’s just a name…"
"Great, you don’t even know the meaning of your name. It is important to understand what your parents had in mind when they named you, and to choose to live by those wishes, or not. Considering what sort of artifact you've just stolen…"
"Hey! I didn’t steal anything! I didn’t even mean to get in this place, but the floorboards fell apart and I ended up here!"
"So, you swear you didn’t touch it?"
Melissa gulped, blushing in embarrassment.
"W-Well, I may have touched it, but I didn’t take it or anything! What happened next was out of my control!"
"It may be too late for such a lesson, but you shouldn’t touch things that are not yours, especially when you don’t know what they are. Are you even an adult, Melissa?"
"What sort of question is that?!"
"You act like a child, so I cannot be sure."
"Look, that thing looked pretty and I just wanted a closer look, so…"
A loud, annoyed sigh escaped Pira, making Melissa get quiet instantly. She didn’t want to anger this woman further, afraid of potential consequences. With no further comment, the older woman seemed to collect herself and then motion for the girl to follow her.
"You’re coming with me, little girl. We’re getting that artifact out of you, whether you want it or not. It does not belong to you, and you have no right to keep it."
"What? Wait! You’re not going to cut me open, are you?"
"Oh, dear Hera, why would you think that? Now, you’re being ridiculous. I don’t just cut open people I don’t like."
"Haha, you’re right, that’s silly of me… Wait a moment, you don’t like me? What have I done to you? It’s not my fault some stupid artifact decided to find its home inside of me!"
"…you have made my life a lot harder than it should be, Melissa. And, I am afraid, it is your fault, for you have chosen to touch and interact with the artifact. – Melissa pouted but didn’t react to those words, and Pira continued – Now, I don’t need to like you to respect you. And, respect is all I need to figure out our mutual problem. We are going to see Demeter first, as she is an old friend and may have a clue how to go about this situation."
"You’re saying not even you know how to fix this?"
"I do not understand the surprise in your voice. Let us just –"
"Hey, you said Demeter, didn’t you?"
"That I did. Again, you sound shocked. Care to explain what is so astonishing in my words?"
"Demeter, like the greek deity?"
"Yes?"
"So… greek gods and goddesses are… they are… real? They exist? Among us?"
"You’re so incredibly tiring, Melissa. Yes, they do. "
"Well, how could I know that?! I have never seen or –"
"Do you believe in Moon?"
"…what?"
"The Moon? Do you think it’s real?"
"Of course!"
"Have you actually been to Moon, or seen it up close?"
"… point taken."
"Wondrous, now let us focus on actually important things and leave behind all that blabber."
Melissa shrugged and was quiet for part of the way, but she just couldn’t keep silent forever. She kept thinking of what happened to her, and she really didn’t understand half of it. And nobody but Pira could have answers for her.
"Can I ask you something, Pira?"
"And the wonderful silence ends. – Pira looked over at her companion. – I suppose so, what is it that you want to know?"
"You really know how to be nice… Anyway, I still don’t fully understand what has transpired, Pira. Can you explain? You know more about this stuff than I do…"
"Not that I know exactly what happened to you, but I’d assume you have inherited some powers that resonated with that artifact, and because you never tried to control those powers they acted on their own. Absorbing the artifact."
"But why would that –"
"It’s a source of power and whatever talents you have, wanted to be enhanced, so they took that little boost."
"I don’t think I have such talents, though."
"If you didn’t the artifact would know resonate with you the way it did."
"No, really, I am the most mundane, average…"
"Melissa. – Pira’s voice was cold. – You don’t know what happened, so don’t argue about it. You asked what I knew, and I told you what I knew."
"R-Right…"
"Just.. let me get you to Demeter so we can figure out what to do."
Melissa nodded, not really eager to talk more with the grumpy old hag she had to follow. Part of her still thought she was going to wake up from this annoying dream at any moment… or, that she will be led to the slums, or wherever else, but that there was no Demeter, no gods, no artifacts –
The problem was, she saw it with her own eyes, felt it all and she knew something weird and impossible happened. It sounded so surreal, but it did happen, so maybe, really, she would actually meet Demeter… and who knows who else from the great Olimp.
02
How did I get myself involved in this, I kept thinking, feeling the cold of the chains around my wrists. Chained to the wall in some dark, gloomy place… I am not even sure where did they take me. An abandoned castle? It certainly smells like a rotten dungeon, at least…
I pulled on the chains for the hundredth time, probably, and nothing new happened.
Obviously, I knew that I couldn’t get myself out of this cell so easily, but the blind hope was still there. That was when I heard quiet footsteps.
Oh no, are the guards back to mock me?
But, to my surprise, the man that stopped at my cell did not look like a guard at all. A tall, tanned man with his shirt half-open looked down at me through the bars of my cell. Silently. As if he was observing me.
"What are you staring at?"
Not the nicest words I could say, but I never was good at being nice. A low whistle echoed in the gloomy dungeon, right before the stranger let out a laugh.
"They said you are a feisty lady, and I guess they were not wrong."
"Yes, they were wrong. Because I am not a lady."
"Is this how you talk with a potential savior, a knight coming to rescue you?"
"Savior my ass. Nobody does anything just to be kind these days. Everybody is looking for some sort of prize or reward for every little thing they do."
"Okay, okay. How about we slow down a little? I am not your enemy, Miss Dahlia."
"You know my name? Who the hell are you?"
The man sighed and run fingers through his hair. He was silent for quite a while, but I decided not to comment on that, either, because if he really was there to help me… a chance like that wouldn’t come a second time.
"How about that – I’ll tell you every detail of why I am here and how I know about you, but right now let’s focus on getting you out of here. We don’t have a lot of time, you know."
"Huh… that sounds like a trap. Or, like your way of dealing guard wasn’t ideal.Or lethal."
"You think I’d kill them?"
"I don’t know, but whatever you did I hoped they wouldn’t be able to come and interrupt you."
"Miss Dahlia, not everyone fixes their problems with violence like you do."
"They should! And, you said we are pressed for time, but you suddenly have the time to insult me?"
He rolled his eyes, then pulled out a small key from the back of his pants. The cell door swiftly opened and then he approached me, reaching for the chains.
"Call me Tony. A friend runs a local tavern, so that’s where we will go."
"That’s an utterly boring name, Tony."
"Boring means also nobody expects a Tony. A Tony hides in the crowd well. A Tony will not be remembered by his potential enemies."
"So, what, your mother expected you to be an assassin and decided to give you a fitting name?"
"That’s… quite the leap, Miss Dahlia."
The sounds of chains falling to the ground announced my freedom. Tony reached for my wrists now, to fully remove them, and I was once more free and unbothered. To be fair, I could probably outrun him if I wanted to. But, I had to admit, he did make me curious about the whole thing.
And, it would be better to know why exactly Tony was interested in me… or who he worked for. There were many questions that needed to be answered and running away seemed like a terrible way to go about that.
"I consider it just a bit of luck. - Tony continued. - A job like we do, is easier to perform when you can blend in, and yet, you like to stand out in the crowd."
"Because I am not an assassin, Tony. I just… help people, and kill the bad guys, you know."
"And when bad guys have connections to the royal family, you end up in jail."
"It was a badly executed plan, I admit that. I just didn’t expect – Actually, I don’t need to explain this to anyone, and especially a stranger."
"I am not just a stranger, I am your savior."
"God, you are so unbearable, Tony."
"Thanks, that is my specialty. Now, how about we scram from here before the guards actually notice that something amiss?"
"What even did you do to them? I mean, usually, someone would be on watch…"
"If you ask nicely, maybe I’ll tell you. Or, maybe not. Cannot give out my secrets so easily."
"No, thanks, I am not that interested."
At least I am out of the cell, but listening to him talk seems even worse than the chains that bruised my wrists…
I let Tony lead me out of the dungeons through his own secret path. It did involve plenty of unpleasant things like slipping through cracks in the walls or crawling through suspicious openings, not to mention the smell in some of those places… but he did get me out to the surface eventually and with guards completely unaware…
Or that is what we thought until we heard someone ring the alarm bells.
"Oh, I think that’s for me. Wow, that’s really loud, right? I mean we are so far at this point, and –"
"What are you waiting for? Let’s run into the woods before they see you!"
"Right!"
We both run as fast as we could into the forest, deeper and deeper inside. Considering guards didn’t notice us, they wouldn’t know to follow us here, and the forest allows many hiding places. Without them actually knowing which way we went, it was impossible for them to find us. Still, we didn’t stop until we reached the heart of the forest.
"So – I panted out. - Do you know how we get to that tavern or wherever it was supposed to be?"
"You already forgot? It’s a tavern."
"I just don’t care. And why you don’t look tired? I am coughing up my lungs here, we must have run for ten minutes straight!"
"We had to stray from the way to the tavern, but we still should make it before sunset."
"That’s some good news. Lead the way."
"Of course, milady."
"Please, do not give me more reasons to smack you…"
He avoided answering my question. Interesting. I won’t bug him now, but I should observe him. He might be hiding more things than one could expect…
***
By the time tavern comes into view, the sun was setting. Though, I suppose we did make it before the night has fallen upon us, as Tony was saying. He opened the door for me, and as I walk in, I realize the place seems… empty. And, suspicious. I suddenly regret ever trusting a stranger to let me out of my prison. I should have trusted my gut.
The owner looks at me as if he was expecting me.
"Good evening. Name’s Gary. And you must be Miss Dahlia, right?"
"Correct. Just call me Dahlia."
"Understood."
He returned to cleaning up his glasses as if this wasn’t about organizing my escape for some, still unknown to me, reason. As if I just came to have a drink and a meal. With how relaxed Gary was and how silent Tony has became, things almost felt… eerie. I definitely did not enjoy the atmosphere at all.
"So, uhm, I suppose I should thank… you? Or was it just Tony’s idea to get me out of there?"
"No, no. Tony was just a useful tool, that’s all."
"Tool?"
I raised my brow at the wording Gary used, but Tony was still silent. He did not seem pleased, though, crossing his arms and looking at the owner with daggers in his eyes. Not that Gary cared, though.
"So - Gary continued. - We require somebody of your talents, and considering how you ended up in that prison, I understand you do not have qualms about killing certain… characters. Unfortunately, most people we contacted for this job were a little more… afraid of making the wrong people upset."
"Man, you make it sound as if I have no moral code. But I suppose I am not afraid to get rid of those who hurt others, no matter what their position is."
"Exactly, that’s what I need. Someone as dedicated as you."
"That being said you have to convince me your case is worth it and you’re not just another bad guy I should get the world rid of. As I said, I don’t just kill anyone, I specifically focus on getting the world free of the bad apples, you know?"
Tony in the back chuckled and Gary did not look pleased. I still wasn’t sure what to make out of those two but I wasn’t going to just help somebody I don’t know without knowing what I am getting into. And, from Gary’s reaction, it feels it might not be as… genuine as he tried to make it sound. It seems he just hoped I care about nothing but money.
"Hey now. - The owner stopped doing whatever he was doing before, focusing fully on me. - We saved you from a possible death sentence. Does our kindness count for nothing?"
"If you saved me just so I can fulfill your bidding, then that’s not really kind. You did it for your own personal gain, nothing more, huh? That’s more like… taking advantage of my situation, honestly."
"Tony! I told you to talk with her! What’s going on!?"
"Now, Gary. - Tony finally spoke up. - Firstly, she’s not exactly wrong. Secondly, I did talk with her, you know, the usual chit-chat… I mean, you never specified what to talk about… Just said to make her understand but didn’t specify what to understand, so…"
"Tony…"
"…and finally, thirdly, you could just explain things to the lady and ask her nicely, instead of getting angry, right? She seems quite open to listening. She might see your point."
"Tony, I told you not to play games with me."
Now, the owner looked really pissed, and suddenly, I felt Tony grabbing my arm. ‘Get ready to run again’ I barely heard that whisper, but I was not going to question that right now. I trusted Tony a lot more than I trusted Gary, after all.
I should have just run away from both Tony and the guards when I had a chance…
03
It has been exactly four months and twenty-three days since Anabelle began working for The Clinic. Name was quite ridiculous, and she still wondered how did they manage to get it patented. Especially, since it was not an actual clinic at all; it was a company that specialized in producing all sorts of drugs, as well as running a few innovative programs.
Those programs usually revolved around diagnostics for the patient and how to make it easier without making it less effective. A lot of those were not very successful as the goals of The Clinic often reached too far ahead, and there was no knowledge or technology that allowed them to succeed. However, The Clinic had the budget to ‘waste’ on these programs and usually was able to back off when all signs showed that once more, it will be nothing but a failure.
Of course, the public did hate the company at all. You could see it on their social media a lot; at this point, one could wonder why even run social media if it’s going to be littered with terrible comments like that.
“Another program? It’s going to be another fluke. Just focus on what you’re good at.”
“I stopped buying drugs they produce. With all those failed programs, can we really trust them with making medication?”
“Hey, this article mentions some leaked info… is that info legit? You need to confirm or deny, don’t you?”
Anabelle read thousands of those comments when she was in her final year at the MedUni. Mainly, because MedUni worked with The Clinic to offer a lucrative position for a student that does best in their studies… for the new program the company was working on. The university did present it as the greatest possibility for the young person just starting off their career and yet… Company’s reputation could also ruin anyone that ever worked there.
Right?
With her worries, Anabelle decided to talk with one of her professors and follow their advice. She didn’t want to regret her choices, no matter what she would do, and she figured the professor wouldn’t lie to her. Or at least, she hoped he would be as honest as one could be…
***
"I am not sure why are you so suspicious about this offer, Ms. Miller. The University would not work with The Clinic without proper research into the company. "
"I… I understand, but still… from all that I read about the company, and how the previous programs have ended…"
"I know it might be a little confusing, but a few bad programs don’t mean the company is bad. Their main focus is on the production of medication and they make one of the best meds out there, Ms. Miller!"
"I-I heard about that, but, still…"
"No matter what is the reputation of the company, getting work experience at any facility like that will be amazing for your career. And considering how good your grades are, I think you should try to get on that program."
"But, won’t the company’s bad reputation –"
"Stop thinking about it. I heard The Clinic got rid of a lot of people that were pulling them down. You know? They are building a more reliable team now. That’s why they reached out to Universities, like ours."
"Is that so? Really? And you think –"
"I believe the young talent is going to be the start of something amazing at The Clinic. You could be involved in an amazing change for the future!"
"You think so, Professor?"
"I know it! I told you, the University did research and questioned The Clinic representatives to ensure this opportunity would only help our students. Our students are so very important for…"
Unfortunately, the Professor was quite wrong…
Anabelle felt lied to and stuck in here. Now, she wasn’t too sure what to do anymore. But she felt she had to stay here until the end of the project itself – or until it fails.
***
Anabelle sighed in relief. It was finally the end of her shift, and she could go home, and relax for the limited time she had before it would be time to return to the madness of this place. The goals company set were unrealistic and the results of the project were not very satisfactory, so she feared where this will end.
As she was packing her few things, she heard the sound of footsteps. It was surprising as at this time of the day there wouldn’t be many people around. Either a co-worker who forgot something, or… a manager, and when managers came around it was never good news. She turned around to see none other but the very lead of the project, Christopher Johnson. A shiver went down her spine and anxiety instantly spiked up.
"Oh… Good evening, doctor Johnson. I didn’t expect you to be here at this hour. Is there anything I can help you with?"
"Mhmm. You are the only one left for the night?"
"Ah, yes. I have just finished, and – Anabelle checked the time – the lab will be closing in twenty minutes, I believe."
"Right. - The man came over closer and put a folder on the desk next to Anabelle. - I need you to do a correction on your last report."
Now, anxiety was really hitting her. Did she make a mistake? Working here was terrible but getting fired would look even worse on her resume. Nervously, she reached for the folder and began going through the pages.
"I am sorry… Did I get something wrong? I am usually really focused when I write…"
"Hmm, I wouldn’t call it a mistake. Rather, you were a little too honest."
"Too… honest? – Anabelle looked up from the papers up at her Lead. She really did not understand what that meant."
"Yes, I made a few corrections over there. Look – He reached to move a few pages over where sentences were scribbled out and notes were written in red pen. Anabelle began reading and her eyes widened."
"Wait… Doctor, that’s –"
"Now, I know this might be a bit more vague language, but we need to give a little hope to our team, don’t you think?"
"I thought, I was supposed to be detailed, and –"
"Usually, yes, of course, but you agree that the team is not well motivated if we are getting results that we do, right?"
"I mean, I am not sure if the motivation is what we’re lacking, judging by the results –"
"See? You can see it too, Ms. Anabelle. "
"What? I just…"
"Trust me, that is the right thing to do. One thing we need to do to save this project. You wouldn’t want to be part of a failing project, now, would you?"
Of course she didn’t, but at this point, she didn’t believe this project had any chance of success. At the same time, Doctor was very demanding and she didn’t want to imagine what happens if she directly defies him. She tried to explain herself, but it didn’t seem to work, and there was no way she could stand up to her boss more than she already did.
"I, well, if you believe this is the best course of action…"
"Of course. I would not lead you astray, Ms. Anabelle. I worked the whole day on those corrections. Just make sure to re-write them so they sound natural. "
"Right… right."
"I’ll let people know the lab will be open for a bit longer so that you can finish this tonight."
"Mhm… Of course, Doc."
And with that he left, and Anabelle sighed, feeling as if she was doing something terrible… but at the same time, feeling as if she had no other way. I just hope this won’t lead to any tragedy… well… I’ll just have to make sure everyone is still following the protocol. I am sure it will be fine…
04
Entering the cafe, I could see that Mary was already there. Checking the time, it was just about ten minutes past our agreed time. I winced, knowing Mary will certainly be upset that I was late again.
"Hey. - I smile as I walk over. - Sorry for being late, Mary. But, it’s great to see you. You look stunning."
"Not a problem… got used to you being late all the time."
"Oh, please, don’t give me that look, I just…"
"I know, I know."
I sighed, sitting down and looking at her sheepishly. I could say sorry again but what would it change, really?
"It’s just ten minutes this time, at least, so I’d say that’s progress."
She smiled at me and I chuckled.
"I’d say I am not even meeting the bare minimum, but… thank you for saying that. You… do deserve better, though."
"Then be better."
She was still smiling. Sometimes, I wondered when did I get so lucky. I really need to get better, for her, so that I am exactly what she deserves.
"Anyway, Mary, do you know what you want to order?"
"Oh! - she reached for the menu. - I heard their pasta dishes are really great. What do you think? There are even ones that are spicy, and I know you do like chilis a lot, don’t you?"
I grab a menu of my own to see what she was talking about. Indeed, there were quite a variety of dishes with pasta dishes, and some of them sounded interesting.
"Chili Garlic Butter Pasta… Huh, I never had anything like that."
"Perfect opportunity to try something new! I think it has a lot of ingredients that you like. I mean, don’t you just love garlic?"
"Haha, that I do. Well, you always know how to find a perfect meal for me, so I’ll trust you this time as well."
"Hehe. I think I’ll just have some Pesto Penne Pasta. It’s been so long since I had pesto."
"Really? I thought you were crazy about it. You seemed to always mention it whenever you ordered anything with pesto."
"I am still definitely crazy over pesto. That’s why I am having this pasta today!"
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