Chapter 6
Open up to me
Upon opening her eyes, Selena took some time to analyze her sensations. Tactile receptors were reporting that she stands leaning against the wall, eyes were showing a long corridor before her, and ears didn't hear anything. Even though all signals were clear, the girl felt a bit different than usual, and couldn't quite grasp why. The last thing Silver remembered, was Haurot pushing her behind the door. Then the memory gets blurry – something might've happen, but she could never tell. So, this corridor again... However, this time it was different in a small, but important way – doorplates have appeared on the doors.
Selena slowly walked, reading what they said. “Childhood Room”, “Not Quite Alone in the Dark”, “Testing of Muscles and Nerves”, “Desire Garden”. For some reason, Selena didn't have any doubt that these doors will open if she pushes them. But will it be possible to come back? Those names sound fishy... She has to pick a door that'll have something useful behind it – or at least something not mortally dangeous. Selena entered the room which said: “Memory Screen”, and, after some hesitation, closed the door behind her.
On the opposite side of this small room there was a tinted glass. On its right, built in a wall, a metal panel with an outline of a palm, vertical slot and a shutter that was covering a depression. The girl put her palm to the panel, and the shutter lifted. In a small hollow behind it, she saw a worn plastic token and a paper folded in half. When Silver took them out, shutter fell again. Token was decorated with some abstract pattern, without any inscriptions. On a paper, there were lines in terribly uneven handwriting:
“A small treat for passing the Room of Immersion. Just see what else will be in store! Keep your eyes peeled!”
Who could've written this? The girl shrugged, threw the note away and placed the token into the slot. The second she did it, tinted glass illuminated, showing a small gym with floor covered with mats. There was a coach with a group of teenage girls wearing blue uniform with green stripes. Students were practicing fighting techniques in pairs. One of the girls threw her partner on the floor with a rapid move, separated from the group and went to do pull-ups.
“Who allowed you to do that?” the coach yelled. Others giggled, some started to whisper to one another. Selena could hear a phrase: “Our scarecrow is acting up again...”
“I'm sick and tired,” she closed her eyes, still hanging on the bar.
“Cut the crap and take your place!”
The girl let go of the bar, opening her eyes when her feet touched the ground.
“You cut it. With this, if it's sharp enough for you,” she said in a low voice, sticking out her middle fingers. Other students didn't hold their laughter any longer. Young rebel was looking at them with hatred.
Suddenly, another vision appeared. The same girl, in her school uniform, was sitting in an empty class, with a sheet of paper and a pen lying before her on the desk. Now Selena could take a closer look at her. Deep-seated eyes, thin lips and other small details in the girl's appearance were turning her face from unremarkable into unattractive, and sour look on that face was only making matters worse. In her short blond hair, there were a few strings of gray – they didn't stand out all that much, but there were enough of them to notice.
“You're incorrigible,” a strident voice said, and a tall, slim woman entered the frame. Her back was so straight like there was a metal needele instead of a spine. “We would've turned a little filth like you out of the school long ago, if only you had where to go. It's hard to believe that you're a daughter of your parents... We're keeping you here only in respect of their memory – you realize it better than me, if you can still realize anything with your nut of a brain. If you'll try to run away again – help yourself, noone will be missing you,” woman pursed her lips and put an open book on the table. “Copy this chapter. And do it properly, or I'll take stricter measures,” giving the student a scornful look, she left. Selena heard a door closing, and a key turning.
“You can chock on your swagger and cold bile, I don't care,” teenager took the pen in her left hand and started scribbling slowly. It was obvious that writing with her left hand was unnatural. “Sick dogs, you can sit in your kernel, being bitches submissive to the biggest bitch of them all, and gnaw on each other's throats all you want... Me, now I have a place to go.”
After this, the woman that was scolding a student appeared sitting behind the desk in her office. She had a visitor – Orlando Kinsley.
“...Mrs. Richardstone, I came here to talk about one of your pupils, Deborah Cunningham. She turned sixteen two days ago. Now the rights to her parents', my clients' house, are fully inherited by her. May I talk to this young lady?”
“Mr. Kinsley,” the woman spoke gravely. “Cunningham kin was noble and respected once. The only thing that remains from them now is the family name and the family nest. Deborah has already ruined the name's reputation, what do you think this disaster of a teenager will do to the nest?”
“I understand, but rules are rules,” the lawyer replied firmly. “She is of age, and has a right to dispose of property as she wishes.”
Mrs. Richardstone sighed and shook her head:
“Deborah is not on premises right now. About half an hour ago she left to participate in a psychological correction group. That's a court order,” she gave Orlando an expressive look.
“In that case, I'll come back later,” lawyer calmly replied and got up.
The screen switched off. Selena was looking at the dark glas in perplexity, pondering over what she saw. What do memories have to do with this? She doesn't now neither this place nor those people! The only familiar face is Kinsley, but that doesn't make anything clear... Silver put her palm to the panel again, but it didn't have any effect. With a disappointed sigh, she turned to the door and pushed it. To her relief, it gave in.
In just a few meters, Selena couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the plate saying: “Shwuggering Shmug”. Even though the girl used that expression before, she didn't actually envision anything in detail. Will there be an illustration? Communicating with a shmug might be bad for the mental balance, though... But curiosity took over, and Selena entered. The door was a bit tough to open, as if it wasn't on usual hinges, but on pneumatic ones that slowly close automatically.
There was another door in front of her. On its right, a young man was sitting, his feet placed on the desk. Not paying any attention to the person that entered, he was pushing the buttons of a small rectangular device in his hands. His stature and haircut were making him resemble Kevin Evanford a little bit. Desk plate was saying: “1st Secretary”.
“Is shwuggering shmug at his place?” she came up to the secretary and looked behind his shoulder. As it turned out, he was playing on his cellphone, but Selena has never seen such an advanced one: not just colorful, but with incredibly realistic graphics. “I'll go see him...”
The guy waved his hand without even looking. A bit surprised, Silver walked to the door. It was even harder to open than the first one.
The room appeared to be the same, but there was a woman behind the desk, glancing at the sample and writing something. “Main Secretary”, the plate said. She was resembling the teacher from that memory clip – hair is in a tight ponytail, eyes are drilling through the glasses, sits very straight. But this woman looked even more severe. She also didn't look at the visitor, and Selena decided to just walk by, even though something was telling her that it wouldn't work. The girl was about to pull the handle when a harsh voice made her flinch:
“Where do you think you're going?”
Instinctively drawing her head into her shoulders, Selena turned around and was cut with a pejorative look. It seemed like an invisible but powerful laser was directed at her, making her burn with shame. For a moment, Silver felt herself like a bug being fried under the magnifying glass, but quickly came to her senses. This is exactly the feeling that shwuggering shmugs try to evoke, consciously or not. Some of them actually
have an advantage and are boasting because of it, and more primitive ones just make themselves look higher at the expense of the others. In either case, one mustn't give in. She didn't even meet the biggest shmug yet – if nothing else, she must save her nerves for him.
“I'm going to visit your boss,” Selena turned the handle, but to no avail.
“By appointment only,” her voice was almost triumphant. “Did you write an appointment request?” she pointed at the sample.
Selena felt like she's having enough of it already, but her curiosity about the pureblooded shwuggering shmug was still prevailing. There were no more chairs, so she had to bend over the table in an uncomfortable position. When Silver took a pen, secretary shouted into her ear:
“No! Write with your left hand!”
Gritting her teeth, the girl obliged. This woman really looks like the one in the vision... But what's the connection? After a few minutes of scribbling, she was about to put the pen down, was stopped by another shout:
“Two copies!”
Dense anger was boiling up inside Selena. Pushing the pen into the paper, she was thinking of how she'd rather pierce the woman's throat with it, to keep her from making any more of those ugly noises. Those fantasies were somewhat helpful in letting off steam. Upon finishing, Silver wanted to throw the paper into secretary's face, but the woman was quick to take the sheets herself, and started reading them, silently moving her lips. In half a minute, Selena was about to burst and get the hell away. She already opened her mouth to say the last juicy goodbye, but once again, the secretary was a split second faster:
“You may pass,” she crumpled both sheets and went on writing.
Almost chocking at her own words, Selena opened the door. She wanted to slam it as loud as possible, but it was resisting, closing even slower than the previous two. With a grunt, Silver let the door go, turned around and froze, staggered by the view.
On the walls of a hall before her, there were huge paintings, tapestries and carpets. All of them were featuring the same man – either his portrait or him surrounded by faceless extras; in various situations, in costumes of various periods. On one painting, he was riding a horse in full armor, fighting a dragon. On another, his bloated body was covered with nothing but a loincloth, lying on a lake bank, surrounded by dozen of nubile women – they were dancing, splashing about in the lake, and feeding the shmug with grapes. Though he didn't even seem to notice them, absorbed with himself. Yes, this was The Shwuggering Shmug, in flesh. The one who wasn't convinced by paintings could read the golden plate on his desk. There were also three mirrors – in front and at the corners.
“Do you know why the doors are so tough?” he honored Selena by talking to her first. “So that it'd be impossible to slam it.”
“To drive people even crazier?” Silver specified.
“I look especially good there, ain't I?” Smug pointed at the painting where he was tearing the lion's head off with his bare hands.
“Well... As good as on the others,” the girl replied evasively. He nodded with satisfaction, and it looked like his chest has inflated a bit more. Looking at himself in the mirror, Shwuggering spoke again:
“Did you grasp the ideas of my work 'Transcendental axis of realism through the prism of hedonistic views of ancient murianders?' Did you understand my witty references to the sources, especially on page 496? Or at least on 351?”
“No, and I'm not going to,” she said harshly and muttered: “Now I get whose ravings there were in that book...”
“Is that so?” Shmug perched his spectacles on the end of his nose and gave the visitor a sullen look. It occurred to Selena that, if the Main Secretary's eyesight could've got worse from all the paperwork, this character only needs glasses to look over them. After a pause, the man said: “How can one be so uncouth? If you didn't even understand my masterpiece, who are you to evaluate my paintings?”
“Emm... Me...” she was baffled by the way he put that question. Nevertheless, Selena didn't hold any grudge at Shwuggering. His ego is so huge that getting angry with him was like biting a balloon. From inside. She didn't know what to say, so replied simply: “I'm Selena Silver.”
“But indeed, I know nothing about you,” Shmug suddenly changed his tone. “For example, have you already heard the song 'The one who scored the most'?”
“I don't want to hear it,” the girl tried to protest, but he ignored her and started spitting out the lines, flapping the desk with his plump palms, completely out of step:
“I'm the one who scored the most,
I was gaining where everyone lost,
And the one who doesn't admit it
Should just suck it up or go eat it,
They know pretty well what they should eat,” he flapped harder, making the finishing accent of the verse. Selena was too shocked to interrupt him. Shwuggering went on:
“In their lives, I shine like the Sun,
And for all the cool things I have done
The world owes me one,
A really, really big one,
A huge one, even,” he flapped harder again.
“All right, that's enough, enough!” Selena shouted. “I get it!” she couldn't stand another second in the same room with this man. Silver dashed for the exit, opening the door just so she could barely slip through, and ran on. Behind the slowly closing door, Shwuggering continued his song. Selena ran out into the corridor, and slowered her pace only after turning a couple of corners. Shortly after, she stopped, seeing the door that said: “Jeremy Lace. Psychiatrist.”
Everything in the office was the same as before, except for one detail – instead of the curtains, there were dense blinds.
“Welcome,” greeted the psychiatrist. “Do you want to take some anger management classes?”
“And do you want to finish me off completely?” she collapsed on the couch.
“Well, as long as you're sitting on my couch, I have to help you,” Jeremy said. However, his grin was telling Selena that he wouldn't have said anything to them the last time, even if Kevin and her would've lied on the couch together. “Just take into account that I'm much better at analyzing the past and showing the present than in predicting the future. You can say that I live in the past... But now I'd like to talk over something that happened recently. Do you remember how you got here?”
“Sure,” Silver shrugged. “Haurot pushed me behind the door.”
“But there is a blank there, isn't it?” Lace winked. “Lie down and close your eyes.”
Selena reluctantly obliged. The psychiatrist spoke:
“Relax. Imagine yourself lying on a bed covered with silk sheets. You're getting up and look closer at intricate fretwork on the back. It's a royal bed, and you're in a royal palace. But where's the owner? You leave the room and go searching for him. A long corridor... A staircase... And there he is, your prince. You go down to him...”
“Oh hell!” the girl gasped, her eyes open wide. Gems on her rings have flashed in Selena's mind, elegant corridor lights have illuminated her memory... And the steep staircase she was about to step on. Silver looked at her left palm – not a scratch.
“What's the matter?” Jeremy smirked. “Don't you want to listen till the happy ending?”
“Where am I?” she asked in horror. Instead of answering, Lace clapped his hands, and the blinds on the right window lifted. Selena saw a hospital ward, from the angle of someone lying on the bed. Evanford was sitting there, looking giant from that perspective, deep in his thoughts.
…Kevin was blankly staring at the window, trying to figure what to do now. He spent more than two hours in the hospital, and this was very depressing. But he couldn't bring himself to leave just yet, realizing that if he'll do it, he never comes back. This “game”, as it is called for some reason, touches upon some things he's interested in, but it's too dangerous to play. Professor's nephew wanted to give up on it long ago, but each time something was pulling him further. Or someone... He won't go on with this craz
y story, especially not alone. Selena could spend years in this condition. On the other hand, she was helping him, so Kevin felt obliged to do something in return. Visiting her? It won't do any good to either of them. Though what else could he do in those conditions? The book crossed his mind. Of course, it might give an answer, but at what cost? How much is he willing to give up to bring the girl back?
As if hearing his thoughts, Selena opened one eye.
Evanford was watching, stunned, as her right eyelid slowly lifted exposing the dilated pupil. Kevin bent, waved his hand before Silver's face and saw his reflection in her motionless eye doing the same.
“Kevin! Can you hear me?!” Selena leaped up and started pounding on the glass like crazy. Jeremy observed her futile attempts for a few seconds, then snapped his fingers. Blinds fell back, hitting Silver's hands.
The eye suddenly closed, but Kevin stared at it for another half a minute in shock, then grabbed the book. When Evanford opened “The Door” in the middle, a dried-out red leaf fell on his lap. He cautiously took it and examined. There was nothing unusual about the leaf itself, but, as soon as young man touched it, everything around him started to change, to wither. Walls were cracking and decaying before his eyes, cobwebs were spreading. Instead of the girl, there now was a petrified mummy on the bed.
Kevin realized that those are nothing but hallucinations, but there was nothing he could do. It seemed like his body didn't belong to him. Dry leaf pulled Evanford to the exit. He went out into the corridor with dark green walls and white and brown tiles covering the floor. Selena was walking towards him. Her hair was rapidly changing their color and length – from white to black, from long to short. An unpleasant grimace was appearing and disappearing from her face. The girl pushed Kevin and said something, but he didn't catch it. Then Henry Evanford passed him from the back.
“We have a meet-up today, remember? Come on time!” professor said friendly and disappeared behind the corner.
The leaf was pulling Kevin further. He also turned the corner, came up to one of the doors and turned the handle...
Evanford suddenly realized that he's sitting beside Selena's bed with a closed book in his hands. The ward looked normal again, and no trace of a red dry leaf. He glanced at the watch – it looks like no more than a minute has passed. He had a great urge to shove “The Door” as far as possible and forget about it forever, but one look at Selena's face made him realize that he can't avoid reading after all. Feeling doomed, Kevin opened the book.
This time, lines were printed in large font on every second page – obviously so that one could see as little text as possible at any given moment. Kevin forced himself to read, but after the first couple of lines he himself didn't want to miss a single detail.
The girl turned away from the closed window, piercing Lace with her look.
“Don't worry, your friend figured it out,” the psychiatrist spoke. “If it wasn't for what he's doing now, I wouldn't have answered a question this vague... You're asking where you are? This place is called The Pocket. The pocket in space and time.”
“What?!” Selena was more than baffled.
“This place exists outside the regular physical reality, and time here flows differently,” he looked at the stopped clock. “Everything that gets here is conserved. Objects don't change with time, fruits always remain fresh, but you don't have a need to eat or sleep. People don't get old... But this place would've been especially sought out by those who suffer from diseases that don't have a cure yet. You can exit into the nearest future from The Pocket. And even travel back into the past, but no farther than half an hour before the moment you've entered. However, this is random, noone can determine which time they will exit into. Well, almost noone... Nevertheless, anyone can shift through Pocket into the key points, especially if they posess Any Key.”
“What key points?” the girl frowned. “And will just any key help here?”
“You won't hear about the key points from me,” Jeremy was looking serious. “As for Any Key, it's a very powerful artefact. It can open any door, not just in The Pocket, but in the regular world, too. On the other hand, it's a tool for cheating, working around the key rules of the game. That's why using Any Key has a penalty – it equals reading ten thousand letters from 'The Door'.”
“It just gets more and more confusing,” Silver pouted her lips.
“Well, I hope that at least for you my words didn't go in vain,” Lace said, almost inaudibly.
...Kevin raised his eyebrow in surprise. Was this man talking to him?..
“What are you muttering there? You'd rather tell me how to get out,” Silver gave him a sulky look.
“It's almost impossible to do without external help. But your buddy is by your side... Do you think Kevin will have the guts to employ the Sleeping Beauty method?” Jeremy winked.
“No, he'll never think of anything like that,” Selena sighed. “He's not actully that shy, but he seems to be almost disgusted of touching people.”
Evanford wanted to continue reading, but there were nothing but fragments:
Won't have the guts... He doesn't feel anything... Runs like a coward... He'll never touch... He couldn't....
Kevin shifted his gaze to Silver. It looks like he has to do it, and he didn't have any particular reason not to... Evanford bent over and briefly touched Selena's lips. Nothing happened. He pressed his lips harder – again, no reaction. Frowning, he picked the book. The text has changed:
“And it won't help anyway,” Lace noted.
Kevin was a bit frustrated, but thought that there's no reason to get angry. Even though this action didn't yield any result, it didn't take much effort, so there's nothing to regret.
“By the way, I haven't told you yet about the most curious feature of The Pocket that you'll have to take into consideration,” the psychiatrist continued. “This place unites physical and mental worlds. You basically enter into your own head. Theoretically, your friend can visit you here and even interact with you, but he won't get you out – only something that came from the physical world can leave The Pocket.”
“That explains some things... But everything feels so real...” the girl ran her hand over the table surface.
“In The Pocket, everything does become real,” Jeremy replied. “You can meet your fears in flesh. But regular weapons are of no use for fighting them. What's important is understanding the strategy.”
“Why fears? Can't I meet my fantasies?” Selena said discontentedly.
“Actually, you can run into anything, but this place wasn't designed to be a carefree vacation spot,” Lace responded dryly. “Those who come here, come to fight... And to win, if they can. To get to the finish line successfully, you'll have to face your phobias and get away alive.”
“And what do I do now?” Silver quietly asked. After a pause, Jeremy answered:
“I've got an option for you. You see, I'm stuck in this office...”
“Why stuck? Are you afraid of the door?” the visitor interrupted him.
“No, but...” he couldn't finish that sentence – Selena grabbed his hand and pulled him to the exit. Jeremy didn't resist. When they went out into the corridor, Selena tried to yank the nearest door open, but it didn't.
“Don't forget to close the previous one,” Lace reminded. After she did that, the other door gave in... Revealing the psychiatrist's office. The girl shook her head in disbelief and checked a few other doors – regardless of what their plates said, there was the same room behind each of them.
“Now you see?” he pulled his hand out of Selena's weakened grip and came back into the office. “As I said, I'm stuck here. There's another way out, but I wasn't desperate enough to use it yet. This way, you can get out much faster, and I'll show it to you, if you promise to do something I ask,” he looked at the girl expectantly.
“Do what?” she asked with suspicion.
“Find AT-75. Tell him I'm sorry and I deeply regret everything that happened,” Jeremy stooped h
is head.
“But who or what it is? Where am I supposed to be looking for him?”
“By the book, I can't tell you anything else,” the psychiatrist shook his head. “You've got the task, and whether you accept it or not is your choice.”
“All right, I'll try,” Silver shrugged. “But what will happen if I couldn't complete it?”
“Accepting the task doesn't bind you, it just opens you a new route and gives you an idea of what you have to do. But if you won't complete it, your being there won't have any sense, an you won't be able to come back the same way. In that part of The Pocket, even the doors are hard to come by. Though, if you love books, you'll surely have something to entertain yourself, but I suppose you weren't going to spend the remaining part of eternity reading.”
“I see,” Selena bit her lip nervously. Her chances don't look that bright, but wandering aimlessly is even worse of an option. “Well, where's your passageway?” she looked around the office.
Jeremy Lace opened the glass door of a bookcase and began pulling out the multivolumed set of the book named “Everything about psychology”. Ten thick, tall volumes were filling not just the width, but also the height the lower shelf. Lace pulled out a couple of books, and the light stroke through the opening. Silver peeped there in surprise and saw that behind this row of books, there was another one, with the books turned into the opposite direction, their backs facing a huge empty space behind them. The psychiatrist took half of the volumes out and started on the second row, opening a well about ten meters in diameter, its walls covered with bookshelves. Illumination here was brighter than in the corridor, but there was a thick fog a few meters above and below, so it was impossible to tell the height of the well. The girl looked around the shaft and declared resolutely:
“I'm not going there.”
“There's no way back,” Lace made a helpless gesture. “You've agreed to my conditions, opened the entrance to the next level, and now the door back is simply closed.”
“You could've warned me before,” she said morosely, looking down. Her feet were already turning to jelly. “What is with that fog?”
“It's a shoud of the unknown. It symbolizes the limitations of your knowledge. Reading new books, you broaden your field of vision, but at the same time you realize that you don't possess even one billionth of human knowledge. That's why the fog never clears... And here's a piece of advise – first of all, decide where you want to go – up or down.”
“Up... Going down is always easier, I can do it later,” Silver closed her eyes and tried to enjoy the last moments of stability. She put her legs through the opening, laid onto her stomach and slowly crawled out, trying to find support for her feet. There was some space between the books and the edges of the shelves, and those small ledges were barely enough to stand on and to grab. Lace waved his hand goodbye and began to put the books back. It felt like he was laying the last bricks into the wall of her crypt.
The girl glanced down and almost fell from the dizziness that ensued. Few meters that were separating her from the fog seemed like an awfully long distance. And who knows how far the bottom actually is... With a nervous gulp, Selena clutched at the shelves, fixing her glance at the books before her, restoring the equilibrium. Trying to keep her hands from shaking, Silver climbed up a couple of shelves, and fear paralyzed her completely. Climbing isn't easy, and who knows how far she'll have to get... She'll get exhausted and fall eventually, so what's the point of delaying the inevitable?..
Kevin took his eyes away from the book and looked at the girl. Her face was absolutely calm, readings on the equipment were also stable. Is she really living through all of this? Evanford didn't want her demise to be on his conscience – if there's any way he can help, he should at least try.
“Hold on,” Kevin said. After some consideration, to be even more convincing, he touched her hand and added: “I'm with you.”
In a few moments her weakness passed. The one who's born to drown won't be hanged; even if she's destined to fall, she didn't want to bring this moment any closer. Sucking it up, Selena started to climb.
She was glancing at the backs of the books as she was passing them. Various branches of science, genres of literature and many other informative and entertaining titles. Some of them seemed interesting, but the girl didn't stop – even eternity won't be enough to read everything curious that there is. Selena was successfully ignoring the books until a certain title caught her eye: “Marco Tarnivale: a flash in the sky”. He was one of her favorite actors, but she didn't know much about his biography. She couldn't just pass on something like that. She'll just page through it, a few minutes spent here won't hurt... Selena pushed the surrounding books into the abyss below. Rustling their pages, they disappeared in the fog, but she never heard the sound of them hitting he bottom. She put Marco's story into an emptied space and started reading.
Evanford put the book down – he wasn't interested in some actor's life story that followed. He has already swallowed so much text that he probably won't even be able to exit the ward. But if he stops now, this sacrifice will be in vain. Everything possible must be done to help her get out.
“Please, come to your senses,” Kevin took Selena's hand again. “You have to move on!” he squeezzed the girl's hand. Until recently, Evanford was calm and dispassionate within, no matter what happened around him. But with everything that occured, his indifference slowly began to crumble. He couldn't tell if it was bad or not. Once Kevin was actually somewhat concerned that he looks at the world with the eyes of a person who doesn't belong to this world any more.
...Upon finishing the first page, Selena was about to turn it and read on, but suddenly it dawned on her that if she'll end up staying here reading his bio, she'll never see any more her favorite actor's movies, and her own life story will end before even beginning! Silver started climbing with determination, trying not to pay attention to the book titles.
It was impossible to tell how much time has passed – besides, time didn't mean anything here. Her arms and legs didn't get tired, but her mind was getting more and more bored and numb, even despite the colorful book backs floating by and the everpresent risk of falling. Selena was mechanically moving her limbs, just staring blankly in front of her. That's why it was a surprise when suddenly her fingers touched metal instead of wood. Looking up, the girl saw that the fog above was gone – there were metal bookracks, similar to those she saw in the university library. In a couple of meters above, there was a grate serving as the floor for the second level of bookracks. A few more could be seen through it, and it was impossible to tell how many there are overall.
Selena climbed up, gave the well a farewell look and walked the narrow aisle. Her heels were clicking the metal floor, but the sound was immediately muffled by the mass of books. Bookracks weren't tall – she didn't even have to stretch her hand to push her fingers through the grate above. Fortunately, the mesh here was much smaller than in that Submersion room, or Immersion, or what did they call it. But still, it'll be pretty uncomfortable to walk – why does she have to wear heels even inside her own head? Silver closed her eyes and tried to conjure up some comfortable shoes with a sheer power of will, but it didn't work. It wasn't the first time that heels were causing trouble, and Selena was pretty sick of them already. She probably won't wear them for a while after this is over... If this will ever be over.
...Evanford put the book away and got up. It seems that the events there aren't bound to the flow of time here, but are happening as he reads about them. So, he can take a break and go out to realize the idea that he had just now. Besides, it's vitally important for him to be outside the hospital at least for a short while.
Nothing impeded Kevin from leaving. He came back in an hour and opened the book. Action took off from where he left it.
...Beside books, there were also folders and magazines. Everything looked older and bleaker than in the well. Pieces of cardboard with letters and numbers were sticking here and th
ere between the books. Numbers were written in ascending order, each with a combinations of letters, but Selena couldn't see any pattern with the letters themselves. Will she have to wander around cluelessly, just hoping she'll run into the right shelf? But this library is enormous, and who knows how many floors there are...
Her thoughts were interrupted with some sound. Selena froze and strained her ears: someone ran by not far from her. Light steps were heard again, but this time the girl caught a glimpse of a yellow dress on the second floor.
“Hey! Wait!” she shouted and threw herself up the nearby staircase. Those steep, almost vertical staircases with narrow metal steps were at almost every corner. Running against the bookracks and getting her stilettos stuck in the grating, Silver was cursing, but running in the direction of the sound.
At some point, she couldn't hear the sound any longer. The girl stopped in hesitation and turned around. Selena was at about the fourth floor, and couldn't even tell which direction she came from and where the well is supposed to be. She couldn't come back even if she wanted to – so, in some sense, does that mean that the door behind is closed, and a new one has to appear? But where is the one she was chasing, and what was that person up to?
Suddenly something hit the grating next to her foot, bounced off and fell down. It looked like a small stone... Silver looked up and saw her twin. The girl with golden hair was looking from behind the bookrack a few meters away. Selena could see the grudge in her eyes, even though her lips were stretched in half-grin. In a couple of seconds she disappeared without a sound. Selena rushed after her, but stopped at the place where her double was standing. Cardboard pieces on the bookrack were labeled AT.
There were mostly files that had the line “Human Resources' Limits” written on them. What could that mean? Ok, here's AT-75... Only after pulling out the file Selena noticed the stamp “Top Secret” at the bottom. Inside, there was a dossier on a middle-aged man that she've never seen before, judging by the photo. But her eyes rounded when Silver read his name:
Henry Evanford.
Date and place of birth: January 12 1954. Giddenspot, district Zitane.
Current status: deceased.
Date and cause of death: August 9 1993. An accident during the HRL experiment.
Supervisors: Leona Trammin, Jeremy Lace.
It was followed with pages of reports. Selena re-read the form. Jeremy Lace... He must've been responsible for that man and guilty of his death, so now he's asking for forgiveness. But what does it have to do with Henry Evanford? What experiment was it? Silver couldn't come up with any coherent idea, so she gave up and decided to just retell the psychiatrist's words:
“Umm... Jeremy Lace wanted to tell you something,” she felt silly talking to the picture. “He regrets what happened...”
“And since when are you talking to imaginary friends?” someone suddenly asked.
“Professor?!” Selena almost dropped the file. The girl shoved it back between the others and ran up to Evanford. “How did you get here? Did you see my twin? How do I get out?”
“You always like overwhelming people with your questions,” Henry replied softly. “I'd gladly help you, but I'm just a prisoner, a loser. I don't even have functions, let alone abilities. Nevertheless, I'll lead you to the door. But I must warn, even Any Key can't open it...”
“All right, we'll see,” Silver said impatiently. Evanford nodded and moved down the isle – it was too o narrow to walk side by side, so she had to follow him. Piercing his back with her glance, Selena spoke: “Professor, with all due respect, I'd like to know: will you also play dumb and keep me on the rack like Sputkee or that Lace guy, or will you answer my questions after all?”
“I'll try the latter,” he replied without turning back.
“Why did you do what you did? Was it the book that influenced you? By the way, why does it constantly change? Where did you get it?” as long as she couldn't hold the torrent of questions, Selena was at least trying to keep them on the same subject.
“I love books and enrich my collection from time to time, I fancy the unusual and rare ones... One day I was working at my library, and one of the book suddenly caught my eye. There wasn't anything special about it, but it seemed strange to me that I can't recall any of its contents, so I decided to refresh my memory. When I took it out, a trinket squeezed between the pages fell out... The book opened my eyes, but when I realized how dangerous it is, it was too late. Of course, it wasn't the regular paper edition. One could compare it to the glass of a giant washing machine where our fears, problems, hopes and pieces of the future and the past twist and turn, become interwined... You can only see a small portion of them behind the glass. Everything else whirls somewhere deep, where eye can't see. Haurot Sputkee was the only one capable of creating an object like that. Everything you see around you is also his creation,” Henry passed his hand across the books. “This individual has enormous powers and capabilities... But, in the same time, some sides of his are no less defective than of any single person who got involved in this game.”
“Why does everyone talk about some game?” the girl frowned. “Is it just a figure of speech, or is there something in particular...”
“There was a man, a fan of computer games and programming...” professor began.
“Proggod?” Selena interrupted him.
“Yes, you've already met,” Evanford turned back for a second, the corner of his mouth twitching in a grin. “He was obsessed with the idea of making a perfect computer game...” Henry abruptly stopped talking and walking. Silver cautiously looked behind his shoulder. Bookracks have suddenly ended. The aisle has lead them to a room with low ceiling. On the opposite side of the room, there was a corridor that turned left almost immediately.
“Go, quick,” Evanford let her pass in front of him while nervously glancing around. The same second a man emerged from an aisle a few meters away. It was a person from the picture. He was looking in their direction attentively, without blinking, but he didn't seem aggressive. “I'll deal with him,” the girl heard something cracking. She turned back and recoiled in fear. Professor's eyes were flaming with hatred and he was holding something in his hand... Looking like an electric shocker. Where could he get it from?
“You again?” Evanford whispered with spite.
Silver stood there dumbfounded. She had no idea of what's going on, but she just knew that it's only going to get worse from there. It is indeed wise to get out of here, but first she should keep her promise and pass the psychiatrist's words.
“Jeremy Lace says he's sorry!” Selena blurted out. “He looked very upset... Whatever happened, it's eating him up...” stranger's unblinking gaze was confusing the girl, making her say things that Jeremy never told. “Anyway, I hope you'll forgive him,” with this, she hared off into the corridor.
They were silent for a while. Man took a few steps in professor's direction, piercing Henry with his stare.
“She's right,” professor said without looking at his opponent. He jerked his arm as if he was going to throw the electroshocker away, but the device remained in his hand after all. Professor gave the patient a heavy look: “It's hard for me to overcome my weakness. I can admit that much. To run or to fight? The answer isn't obvious even when there's no way back...” he turned away and spoke, as if addressing to someone who wasn't in that room: “Now she's walking towards the door that she won't be able to open – there's no handle. You could help her... You realize what is going on now, don't you. I understand, and you can see for yourself – sometimes it's hard to express what you feel. But now you must do your best. Don't leave her alone, Kevin.”
...Young man read those words in surprise, but when he saw the next paragraph, his eyes grew even wider. He never said things like that – his mind didn't even work this way. But he'll obviously have to read it out loud now. Holding the girl's hand for the greater effect, Kevin spoke:
“Don't let my behavior upset you. I'm rarely getting attached to anything,
but you've found a place in my heart – like a flower that took root in dry soil,” he cringed at this phrasing, but read it. Suddenly he noticed some change in the monitor readings. Kevin put his finger to Selena's wrist and felt the rapid pulse, though she looked just as lifeless as before. Keeping an eye on her face and the monitors, he went on:
“I understand, it's hard for you to believe, you have doubts. It's hard for me to admit, too, but I really need you. Come back. Please.”
Cardiogram was twitching; some light started blinking, indicating the increased activity. Silver's eyelashes twitched, her hand squeezed Kevin's for a brief moment. He put the book aside and leaned over Selena.
“I know you can make it. Wake up. I'm asking this personally,” he squeezed her hand tight.
…Selena has already lost count of how many corners she turned while walking this corridor. There was no particular reason to worry, but the girl was feeling more and more uneasy – heart beating faster, head spinning. At some point Silver even had to lean against the wall, being afraid that she's about to fall. Whatever causes this weakness, she should hurry, or she won't make it to the end of this corridor. Selena broke into a run... And rammed into a door that was just behind the next corner. Something poked her stomach. Silver looked down and jumped back in disgust – instead of a handle, a human hand was sticking out.
Judging by its shape and skin condition, the hand belonged to a young man. Selena reluctantly stepped closer and touched the hand – it was hanging still. She clasped her fingers around it and pulled, but the door didn't budge. Clenching her teeth, Selena cautiously put her palm into it and squeezed slightly. The hand tightened its grip, making the girl freak out and jump away again. In a few moments she calmed down and tried to shake the hand a couple more times – it didn't try to hold her in its clutches, letting go the second Selena was releasing her grip. Selena finally pulled herself together, grabbed the hand as tight as she could and tugged the door open.
…The girl jerked her hand so hard that Kevin lost his balance and fell on her. Eyes wide open, Selena looked around and finally focused on Evanford's face.
“What's happened?” a second ago, she was standing before the door, and now she's on the bed in some hospital ward. Sense of nausea was even stronger now.
“You fell down the staircase,” Kevin replied, clumsily getting up.
“I remember,” Selena tried to rise on her elbows, but dropped back immediately. She looked at her left palm to check if the scar is still there, and saw her hand in plaster cast. “And what the hell is that?!”
“You broke your hand when you fell. Got away easy, I must say,” he decided to point out the bright side.
“You surely know how to cheer up,” she rolled her eyes, exhausted. “I felt from the very beginning that this staircase of yours... But oh, whatever. Did I lose my shoe there by chance?” Selena recalled her fairy-tale halluscination, Kevin as a prince, and grinned slightly.
“No,” Evanford didn't get why she asks. “By the way, regarding shoes. I know that when you're in the hospital it feels nice when someone is visiting you and brings small gifts... This is for you,” professor's nephew presented her the box that he bought in the nearest shop when having a walk.
“Thanks,” Silver smiled. “That's my size, and I like the style, too... It's good that they've got no heels, I just thought...”
“I know. I've read about all of this,” Kevin pointed at the book.
“What?!” her heart started racing again. “Really? About everything that's happened to me?”
“After the point when you've opened your eye in the psychiatrist's office. And did you hear or feel anything?” he inquired cautiously.
“No, nothing,” Selena shrugged. “So, you haven't read about Shwuggering Shmug?”
“No, though it sounds familiar,” he was going to ask about other characters, but the girl was too eager to share her impressions:
“See, I'm walking down this corridor, and one door says: Shwuggering Shmug. Of course, I entered – who could've known what's gonna be there! In the first room, there was a guy – he was resembling you a bit, by the way...”
She was chattering, waving her hands, puffing out her cheeks, impersonating everyone she met. Paying no attention to Evanford's impassive face, Selena merrily went on with her story. Probably because they were in the hospital, everything, even someone else's mood was contagious – in a few minutes, Kevin smiled, then broke into laughter. Inspired by his reaction, the girl got carried away and started to make things up as she spoke, so the story turned out to be quite long. As she was telling it, the pair forgot about the book, about their situation, even forgot where they are. Young people were laughing, imagining what would've happened if Shmug entered the room of distorting mirrors, or how the classes would go in the Shwuggering Shmug department in a university.
“And the prom would've lasted a few days. Every single one of them would go on stage, get some statuette award, and, in their farewell acceptment speech, would list every good and average mark they got since the beginning of studies. But finding a partner to go to the prom won't be a problem – everyone would just dance and kiss with the mirror,” Selena was a bit tired already, so she stopped talking and looked at Kevin reflectively. “But actually, shmugs are no fun, of course. There's no way I'm going to visit this Shwuggering again. Come to think of it, I'd give a lot to never get into the Pocket altogether...”
“We'll solve problems at they come,” Evanford was cool and collected again. “But it's late now, I'll be going home. I'll visit you tomorrow.”
“What? Are you going to just leave me here?!” Silver almost shouted. “I'm going with you! To your place. Until it's all over, it's better for us to stick together...”
Kevin replied after a short pause:
“Don't you have to lie down for a while? You didn't just take a nap, coma is no joke. You can't just open your eyes and run about your business. Doctors won't discharge you just like that.”
“I'm all right,” the girl spoke through her teeth as she was taking the sitting position. Selena actually did feel herself better with each passing minute, though she was still quite weak. “I'll deal with the doctors somehow. It's not the biggest problem there is right now. So, are we going?” she got up, but immediately staggered and grabbed Kevin's shoulder. He wrapped his arm around Selena's waist to support her, and they went out.