Blinding Light (BLS Book 1)

Karen

Pastime…

Her sobbing figure remains shaking before me.

So long have I wanted to see her grow. So damn long. It even brought tears to my eyes earlier. I loved everything.

But now? It’s like looking at a weakling.

I’ve done my part, and I’ll get to see Wrenzo again. Maybe my selfish needs were above me. But I wasn’t willing to sacrifice anything more for my daughter in trade. The deal was already made. It’s sealed by blood and life.

“Au revoir (goodbye), Mila.”

She looks up at me for the first time, as if she’s seeing through her own eyes for the first time. In a way, she is.

“W-wait! Are you who I think you are?”

“And who do you think I am?” I ask her, narrowing my eyes.

“Are you my mother?” I lean in closer to her figure. My finger traces her tear-stained cheek.

“Yes,” I reply and she gasps.

“Then why? How could you do this to me? To your own daughter?”

“I don’t have to explain myself to you, weakling,” I say, my blood turning cold.

How dare she accuse me of her life problems. She’s the reason Wrenzo got taken away from me.

And the deal has been made. A life for a life.

“As I said before, au revoir.”

“What do you mean au revoir?!” She cries, her hands trembling, “How could you leave me hanging like this? How could you dare say goodbye?!”

“Goodbye is goodbye.”

No words can describe how cold and lifeless I feel right now. It’s been so long since I’ve seen him. The splitting image of him in front of me, just warming my soul before destroying it.

She is the reason he’s gone.

That voice returns—the mental battle I’ve had so long with myself. The longingness to be in his arms again—even if that’s in hell. I’ve done some terrible things. it wouldn’t be a surprise if I did end up there. I sigh and press into my earpiece.

“Indra, bring me out.”

“Of course, darling. You did great.”

“I don’t need your pity, just get me the hell out of here.” I snarl, keeping my voice low.

“Wait—” Mila’s voice cut out as I’m taken out of the simulation.

Then there’s that feeling again, the feeling that I’m almost sucked into space—with my oxygen sucked right out of my lungs, then rushes back in like a heatwave, at the speed of light.

***

Present time…

My eyes open to the white ceiling of the APT room. I pull the wires off my head and rip out the syringe from the back of my hand. I don’t care if I’m dripping blood. I want my end of the bargain.

“I’ve done my side of the deal,” I say, staring at Indra straight in the face. Her blue eyes gaze boringly into mine.

She sighs, “Ah, you could’ve helped much more, Karen.”

“Cut the crap. You promised that I would see him again.”

“Yes, I did,” she says, turning away from me. She grabs something from the Project table—a silver gleaming surgery knife.

“I never said I was the one to help you with that,” she says, smirking.

“Then who helps me?” I ask, still keeping my gaze on her.

“Only your daughter can help you with that,” I frown. I didn’t want anything to do with her after this. Hell, I never want to see her again.

“You said—”

“I lied,” Indra smirks, raising one eyebrow. Before I could react, she’s before me in an instant, and a sharp pain fills my neck.

I gurgle as the blood spurts out and I collapse onto the floor.

This is how it’s going to end, isn’t it?

Karma slits my throat.

I land on my back, clutching my throat as I bleed out. My brain powers down, and my heartbeat slows. My hands slowly fall limp and slide down, losing their connection.

I guess all desires, comes with costs.

“What’s the word?” she smiles before me, “Oh yes. Retrouve en enfer (see you in hell).”

Nolan

Indra’s temper isn’t helping us. I say it’s harming us because she just murdered Karen in front of all of us.

“Clean this up,” she motions to Asher, who’s trying hard not to barf. The metallic stench of blood fills my nostrils, and I feel like I’m also going to throw up.

“May I be excused?” I try not to look at the bloody mess that Indra now ordered Asher to clean up.

“No, you may not,” Indra answers. I force the urge to groan and just walk out of here.

“You need to check on the host.”

“No need,” Sira chimes in. “I’ve created a hologram that represents Mr. Quinn, which will help us monitor the host’s status easier.”

At that, she smiles. It’s a sinister one with a hint of planning behind her bright blue eyes.

“By that, I have to mention. At first, the host seemed to have forgotten about the murder until the mother has brought up the fact that the barrier is still up. Now it has been taken down; I believe we need to monitor her body. Her abilities levels are inclining steadily.”

I wanted to ask, but Asher beats me there.

“Really? The Project is working?”

“Yes,” Sira smiles.

“We’re going to be saved?” I ask breathlessly.

“Yes, we are,” Sira’s answer and her sincere smile fuel my nerves. I’m so filled with joy that I bring Indra into a big hug.

“Oh, Nolan. We did it,” she smiles. This time, she looks so much like the woman I used to know.

“I believe we have,” I smile back. Just then, my father walks in.

“What’s all this commotion?”

“Phase three took an unexpected turn. Turns out…” Indra nudges Sira, “This big brain here just saved us all.”

“You’re joking.”

“Nope!” She grinned from ear to ear and did something more unexpected. She stood on her tip-toes, grabbed my father’s collar, and their lips connected.

My eyes must be as wide as a walnut right now. And so is Asher’s. He’s staring at them, dumbfounded just like I am. Since we’re not related in any sort, seeing our parents kiss may just bring some strange future on—now that there is one.

When their lips finally pull apart, Indra is blushing, and my father is smiling.

“Please, everyone, let’s take an official break,” Indra says, still blushing.

“Here, here!” I say, laughing. Just then, Asher grabs my arm and pulls me out of the room.

“Nolan, what the hell just happened?”

“What are you talking about? Oh…the kiss? I swear I didn’t know.”

“No! Not that! I’m well aware that our Project was a success. Of course, I’m joyful to see that this project is a success.”

I narrow my eyes, “Where are you going with this? Are you not happy to celebrate with us, Moore?”

“That’s not the point. I’m saying that this Project has permanently damaged all of us.”

“What are you talking about?” I ask, raising my eyebrows.

“Did you completely forget Nolan? My mother just killed someone. You don’t consider that to be wrong? To be completely wrong, and so much more that we are celebrating over a dead body? Did you not even consider the fact that there’s a dead body bleeding out right next to us—about how inhumane that is?!”

I think for a moment. I’ll admit, when Sira told us that our project was a success, I was so overjoyed that I felt as if that was the only feeling that I could handle. But I didn’t care.

“Asher. Come on. We worked so hard to get here. Our tech can only help so much. And taking forty years wasn’t enough suffering for you?”

“That’s not—”

“Stop,” I hold up a hand, silencing him. “We took forty years of our precious lives and rewinded it, preserving what we can. You’re saying that because of one small sacrifice, we don’t deserve to celebrate?”

“No, you’re missing the point! That’s called murder. Something we never bargained for!” He says, raising his voice, “Something changed, Nolan. Why can’t you see that?”

“No, nothing’s changed,” I say, my voice cold. “The Project has been a success, and we get to live the rest of our lives instead of one month. Half a month even!”

The feeling of joy now evaporates, and the only thing that lingers is darkness. It’s a desperate call into the nothingness that can only be heard by rage.

“Why can’t you just get over your stupid feelings about her and just…just…be there at the moment?!”

“I am there at the moment!” He yells, voicing his desperation. “But don’t you see how much this Project has cost our humanity?!” He exclaims.

I was about to argue when the whole building shakes violently.

“What was that?” Asher asks, looking around.

“That…can’t be an earthquake,” I say as I take off toward the APT room, with Asher’s hot on my tail.

I open the door to find a panicked Sira and Silas.

“Go get Indra!” Sira yells at Silas, who runs out the door immediately.

“What? Why? What happened?”

“After that experiment, we decided, or Indra decided that it would be best to keep the host’s body in the simulation room.”

“And?”

“And…we took the barrier off to reveal the truth. And the failsafe must’ve been activated by then.”

“Sira, just spit it out; what the hell happened?!” Asher grabs her by the shoulders, trying not to scream in her face.

“The barrier is broken.” My heart drops.

“The host…she’s awake.”

Want more chapters quicker? This book is available on amazon! Just click on the SUPPORT ME button on my profile!

Like ❃ Comment ❃ Share

Thanks, with lots of smiles

☆•Yiona•☆