weight
Vivian was putting behind the pipe. Camilla happened to look over
her shoulder and spy something moving in the dark.
“ Break it down
now! ”
“ What?”
“ There’s something creeping
up behind us in the dark!”
She knew it was the man she saw in the
gallery returning to conquer his prey. His breathing became more
pronounced and visceral as he covered the distance in long, lanky
strides. Vivian’s arms ached but she more than doubled her effort
when she imagined the tortures in store for them if she
failed.
Her foot barreled into the door,
snapping cleaning it off the hinges. They rushed into the streets
as their pursuer screamed in fury. The shattering of glass pealed
behind them as if the ceiling was coming undone in one final
magnificent showing of self-destruction. When the Black Atrium was
several blocks behind them, they slumped to the streets.
Vivian’s voice came out in a hoarse
whisper.
“ Is that the man you saw
looking through your window?”
Camilla looked to the rotting dome
simmering in discontent.
“ No, definitely not. I
would remember that face.”
Or better yet, she would remember if
he lacked a face.
FIVE
Vivian barely slept after she escaped
the Black Atrium with Camilla. The morbid discoveries lingered in
her thoughts as she shuffled through clinicals the next day. If she
wasn’t contemplating the umbilical cord in the art gallery, she was
surely thinking of the man who almost removed her head.
Too many questions remained unanswered
about the encounter. Who was stalking Camilla and why? And what was
this nonsense about her origins? Was it possible that someone in
the Vesely family was still alive?
She was so preoccupied in her waking
nightmares that she collided with someone in the hall.
“ Oh God, I’m
sorry!”
She locked eyes with Milo,
the handsome technician from the blood lab. It was embarrassing
enough to walk into someone, but why did it have to be him?
He laughed as she furiously tried to
keep the blush out of her cheeks.
“ No harm done. Hold on a
second, we met a few days ago, didn’t we? Your name is…
Vivian?”
“ Good memory. And I
remember you well, Milo.”
“ Oh no, is it because of
the vaccine? Do I hear a grudge in your voice?”
“ No, nothing like that.
There’s not much you can do about it if I bear you a grudge anyway.
Well, since I have your attention, hopefully you don’t mind strange
questions but…”
“ I’ve had my
share.”
“… where can I look up
someone’s family history to see a possible list of living
relatives?”
“ Are you using a blood
sample?”
“ No.” She paused. “It’s an
umbilical cord.”
Milo looked at her
quizzically.
Oh God, I’m freaking him
out. Yeah, he definitely thinks I’m weird now.
“ Is this your umbilical
cord?”
“ No, it’s for my friend
Camilla. Let’s just say she came into possession of it somehow.
It’s complicated.”
Milo stared at her as if trying to
make sense of this enigmatic woman. Perhaps there was something
more to that vacant expression.
“ I can’t say I have
experience with that,” he chuckled at length. “Blood borne
illnesses are my specialty, not genealogy. You may have better luck
asking a family historian.”
“ Thanks for pointing me in
the right direction. Well, you certainly won’t have any shortage of
weird questions with me around.”
Well, that settles it. I
can check him off the list of potential boyfriends. Damn it,
Camilla!
Milo smirked and sauntered off to the
cold depths of his blood lab. Vivian didn’t know any genealogists
but she knew the second best thing: Gavin. Formerly her anatomy
professor, he worked the bar at the Toxic Mistress. The cybergoth
hotspot was notorious for orgies, drugs, and underground trade in
the VIP rooms. Smuggling an umbilical cord inside seemed harmless
in comparison.
With a sigh, Vivian checked her
clinical schedule for today. She was scheduled to help with
transport in
Vivian was putting behind the pipe. Camilla happened to look over
her shoulder and spy something moving in the dark.
“ Break it down
now! ”
“ What?”
“ There’s something creeping
up behind us in the dark!”
She knew it was the man she saw in the
gallery returning to conquer his prey. His breathing became more
pronounced and visceral as he covered the distance in long, lanky
strides. Vivian’s arms ached but she more than doubled her effort
when she imagined the tortures in store for them if she
failed.
Her foot barreled into the door,
snapping cleaning it off the hinges. They rushed into the streets
as their pursuer screamed in fury. The shattering of glass pealed
behind them as if the ceiling was coming undone in one final
magnificent showing of self-destruction. When the Black Atrium was
several blocks behind them, they slumped to the streets.
Vivian’s voice came out in a hoarse
whisper.
“ Is that the man you saw
looking through your window?”
Camilla looked to the rotting dome
simmering in discontent.
“ No, definitely not. I
would remember that face.”
Or better yet, she would remember if
he lacked a face.
FIVE
Vivian barely slept after she escaped
the Black Atrium with Camilla. The morbid discoveries lingered in
her thoughts as she shuffled through clinicals the next day. If she
wasn’t contemplating the umbilical cord in the art gallery, she was
surely thinking of the man who almost removed her head.
Too many questions remained unanswered
about the encounter. Who was stalking Camilla and why? And what was
this nonsense about her origins? Was it possible that someone in
the Vesely family was still alive?
She was so preoccupied in her waking
nightmares that she collided with someone in the hall.
“ Oh God, I’m
sorry!”
She locked eyes with Milo,
the handsome technician from the blood lab. It was embarrassing
enough to walk into someone, but why did it have to be him?
He laughed as she furiously tried to
keep the blush out of her cheeks.
“ No harm done. Hold on a
second, we met a few days ago, didn’t we? Your name is…
Vivian?”
“ Good memory. And I
remember you well, Milo.”
“ Oh no, is it because of
the vaccine? Do I hear a grudge in your voice?”
“ No, nothing like that.
There’s not much you can do about it if I bear you a grudge anyway.
Well, since I have your attention, hopefully you don’t mind strange
questions but…”
“ I’ve had my
share.”
“… where can I look up
someone’s family history to see a possible list of living
relatives?”
“ Are you using a blood
sample?”
“ No.” She paused. “It’s an
umbilical cord.”
Milo looked at her
quizzically.
Oh God, I’m freaking him
out. Yeah, he definitely thinks I’m weird now.
“ Is this your umbilical
cord?”
“ No, it’s for my friend
Camilla. Let’s just say she came into possession of it somehow.
It’s complicated.”
Milo stared at her as if trying to
make sense of this enigmatic woman. Perhaps there was something
more to that vacant expression.
“ I can’t say I have
experience with that,” he chuckled at length. “Blood borne
illnesses are my specialty, not genealogy. You may have better luck
asking a family historian.”
“ Thanks for pointing me in
the right direction. Well, you certainly won’t have any shortage of
weird questions with me around.”
Well, that settles it. I
can check him off the list of potential boyfriends. Damn it,
Camilla!
Milo smirked and sauntered off to the
cold depths of his blood lab. Vivian didn’t know any genealogists
but she knew the second best thing: Gavin. Formerly her anatomy
professor, he worked the bar at the Toxic Mistress. The cybergoth
hotspot was notorious for orgies, drugs, and underground trade in
the VIP rooms. Smuggling an umbilical cord inside seemed harmless
in comparison.
With a sigh, Vivian checked her
clinical schedule for today. She was scheduled to help with
transport in
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