Social Conundrums Part XXXII

Anne

A sudden burst of painful clarity ripped my mind from oblivion to the present. Glancing around I found myself once again in Felix's laboratory, still in the body he forced upon me. A sword in my hands, the same weapon he showed me when I first arrived. As my awareness descended I did my best to avoid Felix's golden eyes while tightly gripping the hilt.  My flat Oped nose began to flare, an instinctive reaction to stress, quickly I took a deep breath hoping Felix wouldn't notice. This is the fourth time I managed to regain consciousness from whatever he was doing to this body.

"Anne do you understand what I told you to do?" Felix suddenly asked a note of suspicion in his voice. This wasn't a good sign.

I couldn't recall his instructions, but I could figure them out easily enough. An Oped stood before me a glassy eyed look upon its face. Like me a moment ago it was a helpless victim unable to do anything except what Felix ordered. Based on how I stood, I was within easy distance of decapitating it with my sword. Although my memories were fuzzy, a sickening feeling that I had already killed several other Opeds in this fashion descended.

In the most neutral voice I could muster I answered. "I am to kill the Oped."

"Yes," Felix said. "Now do it."

Slowly I lifted the sword to allay suspicions but then I turned and ran. My body recklessly running through whatever lay in my path. I heard items crashing to the ground as I knocked over tables, equipment and shoved away any Opeds in my path.

"I keep telling you Anne. You can't escape," Felix said in a weary voice.

Ignoring him I continued my destructive rampage. Giving up wasn't an option! Based on my previous attempts I knew a locked door prevented my escape from this room. The only way to win was to somehow reach my Little Dragon self! It was still there I knew it because I couldn't keep breaking free from Felix's control if it wasn't. Thus far I had been unsuccessful at reaching it but maybe this time I could do it! Summoning every ounce of strength I possessed I closed my eyes willing it to come forth! A weightless feeling then assaulted me, and I knew I had lost again!

Helpless, I drifted towards a familiar table. The same one I was always strapped onto when I regained my memory. The sword left my hands going back to Felix as I struggled. I knew it was useless but it was better than just submitting! Tears falling down my face as I was once again tied down, and I saw an Oped filling a long needle with the solution that would send me back to that terrible sense of oblivion.

"Everyone leave!" Felix suddenly shouted while moving his large scaly Little Dragon body towards the table. The Oped holding the syringe placed it on a nearby flat surface and left with the others. Soon it was just Felix and me.

"This isn't working," he said as he stared directly at me, "We are running out of time."

A surge of hope came unbidden was he thinking about letting me go? Even as I thought it I knew it was a foolish inclination. Still he hadn't injected me with anything yet. As the silence wore on, I finally found the courage to ask him, "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know!" he fumed. "You are as close to an Oped as I can make you without you being an actual one, so why can't I control you like the others?"

"Genetics can't be just willed away because they are inconvenient," I said. "Release me, and maybe we can find another way to fulfill your goals," I of course had no intention of ever helping him but if I could just get free!

His golden eyes became fixed on my own as a look of astonishment crossed his facial features. "You are right Anne! I have been doing this all wrong. Even though you resemble an Oped, I can't ignore your heritage. I must treat you first as a Little Dragon."

He wasn't doing what I wanted. "That doesn't mean I can't help you," I said wincing at how desperate I now sounded.

"There is no need," he said his eyes and the sword suddenly became so bright I had to close mine. Something deep inside of me also grew brighter and then vanished. Gasping at the loss I glanced around my eyes glistening with moisture. "It is done," Felix said. "Now we can continue."

I instantly knew he had won. My Oped body no longer felt like a form, it was mine. It was all I had. All I would ever have. Anguished I struggled even harder at my restraints, "Why are you doing this to me!" I screamed.

Felix gave me a pitying glance. "You were never supposed to know. I felt it was better, less cruel for you to remain ignorant but things haven't been going according to plan. If your last wish is to know everything before I start the procedure again, I will honor it." He then became quiet waiting for my choice.

He was right I would get no comfort from the knowledge. Listening to him would buy me time, which was better than forgetting again, so I nodded my head for him to proceed.

That ends Social Conundrums, Part XXXII. Next month is Social Conundrums, Part XXXIII. Learn more about the Little Dragons by reading the earlier blog post series titled Humanity's Evolution.

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Click Here for Social Conundrums Part XXXIII