《Petrichor: Act One》17. Chris III: Howling 404

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Chris III

Would you believe me if I told you this day would come? That I felt the universe pull me towards this direction? I’ve always known, just never when. But it’s here now. Every day has been leading up to this. There’s no word or phrase to describe it but it’s been driving me mad. Why here?

Today is the day I meet Lyle.

The Ghost.

The boogeyman.

I walk beside Andrew, Lyle, and four other people in a long hallway at an industrial warehouse just outside of Seattle. I have no idea why I’m here or what Lyle wants with me but I do know he wants to use me just as he uses Andrew.

Lyle is a very charming man, I can see how he so easily can influence everyone around him. Everyone respects him. Out of the group of four or what seems like bodyguards, Lyle himself is the most intimidating. It’s an interesting dynamic.

The room we enter is a lab. I immediately know what I’m doing here now. I watch as all the chemists turn their attention to us, but that’s not what I pay attention to. At a table near the far back of the lab sits a woman with white hair. She’s staring at me.

It’s the same.

The drum beat in my heart begins again. It starts to suffocate me again.

Do you know who she is?

Why is her presence so strong?

Lyle is in the middle of explaining what I’m doing here, but none of that matters. I point to the angel white woman and ask, “Who is she?”

“Uh? Sorry?”

“To the woman with the white hair, who is she?”

Lyle laughs and signals the woman to come towards us. As she does, it becomes clear she’s not a woman, but a young girl, barely any older than us.

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Everything about her is white. She is so pale, paler than Lyle as if she’s made of porcelain. The only color she has is her black pupils, even her iris’ are white. She has her perfectly white hair in a ponytail with bangs that cover her forehead, but I spot a small scar in the middle of her hair as it moves walking toward us. She’s quite literally a ghost. Her existence should be impossible.

“This is Sessions, why the interest?”

Her eyes do not waver from mine. The intimidation that Lyle possesses disappears, overtaken by the presence of this girl. It’s not malice, not even pressure. It’s the pull of the universe again. I’m meant to meet her.

“Why is she here?”

“I’m giving you the offer of a lifetime and this is what you focus on? Man, Andrew, you weren’t kidding when you said he’s weird.”

She doesn’t say anything either. Her eyes dart to Lyle and she smiles.

“Sessions is my partner, my right-hand girl. Seems you have a good eye or sense or whatever. She’s mute so don’t freak out when she never says anything. Sesh, want to introduce yourself?”

Her eyes meet mine again and they pierce me as if they were Cody’s. She signs, “It’s pleasure to finally meet you. I’ve been waiting. My name is Marina Lightyear, thanks for coming.”

“Through your phone dummy, no one here knows how to sign.”

If she knows that, why did she bother? Does she know that I know American Sign Language? Is that why she gave me her name? What does she mean? She’s been waiting? This is all too much for me. The pull of the universe is telling me she’s my fate.

What do you think? Are you just as confused as I am? You, the observer, do you know who Marina is? She shouldn’t exist. The universe tells me this, it's why it’s been pulling us together. But why?

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“Don’t think about it too much,” she signs.

Can she read my mind? Is she an observer just like you?

I turn to Lyle, “I’ll do it. I’ll perfect your Winter. I can make it pure again.”

Lyle laughs, “Looks like you have someone crushing on you, Sesh.”

Marina finally pulls out her phone and writes down, “It’s nice to meet you,” on the notepad app.

-

On the drive back home, I ask Andrew, “What do you know about her?”

He laughs, “Don’t tell me you actually want to hit that. Don’t get me wrong, she’s fine as hell but she’s a freak mute.” Andrew pauses. “Hmm, maybe you two are perfect for each other.”

“Answer the question.”

“I don’t know anything about her. She’s like the co-boss. When Lyle isn’t around she runs the show. She’s nice enough I guess, more chill than Lyle.”

“How did Lyle know about me?”

“Beats me.”

It's her. She told him. She’s been looking for me.

“You should come back to school. Stop involving yourself with them.”

“Bit hypocritical after you just agreed to reverse engineer Winter for them. Besides, the fun’s barely starting, no?”

Making Winter isn’t my intention. I know far too well how dangerous the drug can be. There’s a reason why it’s been nearly wiped from existence. Only fake knockoffs remain with very few real vials left.

No, what I want is to get close to Marina. It’s almost as if she isn’t human. Everything about her screams at me. Or maybe it’s screaming at me because I am infatuated with her. I never had those feelings towards someone. It’s something I would like to investigate.

For the first time in my life, I recognize the emotion of excitement.

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