The Watch – Part 196:

(Amy’s perspective)

One second the field was there and then it was gone. I was standing in a glass box. At first I thought there were no sides and that I was standing on a platform, but I just caught my very faint reflection in the glass. On the other side, I was able to identify that it was a laboratory as it had the typical scientific equipment needed for accurately testing any experiments or theories the person in charge has, if there is a person in charge.

Tom was next door to me, but in his own glass box. We looked at each other both with the same expression: shock and scared. Because I wasn’t fully recovered yet, I was still sitting on the floor. My legs were just not strong enough to support my weight. I still had feeling in them, but if I tried to stand, I would fall flat on my back and because I couldn’t move, I was scared, terrified even, at what might happen next.

‘What happened?’ I asked Tom.

‘I don’t know,’ he said.

The question to whether there was a person in charge was answered when the door at the far end slid open to reveal a woman wearing the usual getup when working in a laboratory: A white long coat that was done up all the way and blue rubber gloves. The only thing that was missing to make her look complete was a blue mask to go over her face. Se was smiling as she walked into the room. She was light on her feet as she walking, practically skipping with delight for some reason.

‘Hello,’ she said cheerfully. ‘Oh, please don’t look so nervous, I’m not going to hurt you.’ She took off his rubber gloves and placed them on the long table that ran down the left hand side of the room. ‘Your expressions are telling me that you think I’m lying,’ she continued. ‘Well I can assure you that I have no intention of hurting you in anyway.’

‘Then why are we here?’ I demanded.

‘An excellent question,’ she said, skipping over to where I was sitting and explained. ‘I want answers. I know that I’m only creating more questions that anything else, but I’m sure that everything will be crystal clear by the end. Now, like I said, I want answers. I know who you are.’ She looked at Tom, ‘Tom,’ and then she looked back at me, ‘and Amy. The two sidekicks of the one and only, Sebastian Spencer, the owner of a device known by few as the Watch but known by many more as a story told by those who want attention – nothing more, nothing less. Now,’ she quickly moved on before we could react properly. She couldn’t be more delighted for what she has done.

‘My plan is, or rather my prediction is,’ and then she abruptly cut herself off mid-sentence and changed the subject in a single syllable, ‘but first I think I owe you an explanation as to how I know who you are. The simple answer is I didn’t. I truly didn’t know that you were you. All my sensors told me is that three unknown people had turned up out of nowhere. That seems to happen a lot around these parts,’ she then slid over to where Tom was and continued without missing a beat, ‘and so I set up this place with the sole principle of finding out how they are able to jump from one place to another.’ She then slid back over to where I was and continued. ‘Then, there were two people. I was a bit disappointed that I didn’t manage to capture all of you before one of you disappeared, but that doesn’t matter.’ She slid over to Tom. ‘Two were enough. So I captured you and I just couldn’t believe my eyes. I really couldn’t. Of all the people I had to capture, I captured you two.’ She slid back over to me. ‘Well that changes how the game works, doesn’t it? Oh, how excited to final meet you. There are so many stories. I really want to ask a tonne load of questions, but I’m afraid they’ll just have to wait for I have to get everything ready for when Sebastian comes back. I can’t let him take you away before I get the answers I’ve so patiently waited for, now can I.

‘What are you going to do to him?’ Tom shouted.

She slid over to where he was. ‘Yep, you’re defiantly you. Haven’t you been listening? I want answers. Just, innocent answers. Nothing more, nothing less.

‘Who are you?’ I asked

‘Another excellent question. You see, she’s her alright,’ she said to Tom before sliding back over to where I was. ‘The stories… no, the truths that you must have inside your head of yours.’ She looked at Tom, ‘and yours.’

She turned her back and skipped away. She was about to exit the room when she stopped, spun around on her heels and said. ‘My name. I’m so excited that I nearly forgot. Sorry. You can call me, Zyalor Vile,’ and she bowed. Then she straightened up, spun around again and walked out. The door slid shut… before immediately opening again.

‘Oh, and the oxygen is on a circulatory system that recycles all expelled carbon dioxide, so please don’t worry about suffocation,’ and then she was gone again…

‘Oh, and you can communicate between yourselves,’ and then she was gone once more. This time, not coming back.

Tom and I looked at each other with wide eyes. We both didn’t quite know what to say. Our wide eyes quickly changed to that of worry as it slowly sank in that we were standing in a glass box in a laboratory.

‘Are you alright?’ Tom asked me.

‘Are you?’ I asked back, equally as worried.

‘I am if you are,’ he said, truthfully.

‘I am,’ I said, but I knew that I wasn’t being honest. Who could blame me?

TO BE CONTINUED…

Thanks for reading

Antony Hudson

(TonyHadNouns)