

Sharks, Snakes, and Spiders

By: Rachaunn Ruffin

To my family I love you. To Katrina Bird, thank you. To the reader, enjoy.

CHAPTER 1

Cameras erupted like lightning, blinding her from every angle, and as she struggled to gain focus, a massive group of reporters gathered below her, pushing and shoving into each other, yelling at the top of their lungs for her attention. When the pandemonium settled, a reporter called to her.

"Stacey from WTX News 5! Mrs. Blue, why Dr. Rozen? Why now?" Mrs. Blue noticed the reporter jutting up from between the shoulders of two cops holding a microphone above her head. Mrs. Blue wanted to escape the mob below her, but Calvin, her lawyer, told her to remain outside until he arrived.

"One," Mrs. Blue sighed; she was getting tired of repeating the same statements, they were becoming numb inside her like ice on a wound. "He is a nice man," she continued. "And two, we are at his facility," she turned away from the crowd to stare at the massive, 11-story, glass building that hovered behind her. "I think he is more than qualified, or he wouldn't have made it this far in his career."

"Dr. John Gilcrest stated in a recent article of the NeuroWeekly, that the doctor handling your daughter is a narcissistic asshole whose theories are child's play. How does that make you feel?" Mrs. Blue turned away from the building to face the reporter.

"That was rude," she answered stiffly. "And why should I let someone's hollow opinion dictate my decision—"

"Dr. Gilcrest is the Chairman of the American Neurological Association."

"That has nothing to do with the treatment for my daug—"

"So you're saying your daughter needs treatment? What type of treatment? Prescriptions? Is she ill? Is there a virus?"

"She is not sick. My daughter is fine."

"But you just said she needed treatment."

"Yes, like therapy."

"Why would she need therapy? Has she lost her mind?"

"No, my daughter has not lost her—"

"She pleaded insanity, Mrs. Blue. Ela called herself crazy."

"Leave my daughter out of your fucking mouth!" Her lips had betrayed her and the damage was done. The crowd around her gasped, even some of the police stiffened.

"I think that's enough interviews for now," a deeper voice intervened. A tall, slim man wearing a charcoal Italian suit emerged from the crowd, placing his arm around the now petrified Mrs. Blue. "These are serious matters, and we'd appreciate it if you allow her to handle this in peace." He signaled to the cops surrounding the mob as he turned Mrs. Blue toward the doors.

"Alright, people, that's it! No more questions!" The crowd exploded in a frenzy.

"Mrs. Blue, over here!"

"Mrs. Blue, one last question!"

"Mrs. Blue, are you in denial?!"

"Enough people!" the cop shouted. Several officers quickly stood before Mrs. Blue, forming a wall that blocked the stampede of reporters. The slim man rushed Mrs. Blue to the double doors as she tried not to stumble on the steps.

"But she murdered him!"

A voice had somehow found its way through the cluster. The crowd went silent as Mrs. Blue turned to face them. Her face became cold and stiff; she made sure to project to everyone below her.

"My little girl would never in her life..." Her eyes rose to the grey sea above; she couldn't bring herself to utter the foul word. Calvin placed his arm around her shoulders once more, and pulled her inside. Cops formed a barrier at the entrance, holding off the frenzied horde.

"Tough crowd," he uttered as they walked down the dim marble hall.

"I need a smoke, Calvin," she mumbled. The two traveled through several glass doors until they were greeted by a large steel elevator. A security guard welcomed them and waved his hand to a camera that hung at the far end of the hallway. The steel doors crept open and the three stepped inside. Mrs. Blue studied the morose, metallic box.

"Jesus Christ," she cried while slumping against a wall of the elevator.

The elevator shot down, nearly lifting the small group from the floor. Mrs. Blue quickly burst from the doors as they opened on the bottom floor. The guard remained in the elevator as the quiet pair traveled down the hall studying the glass rooms lining the corridor. Every room was different in its own way: some were much darker than others were; some were filled with shelves and books; others had only a desk; one room in particular was plastered with grotesque 12th-century art. Mrs. Blue grew uneasy the more she saw. There was only one consistency; each room had a patient and a doctor.

Calvin halted in his tracks and placed his hands on a glass door to observe a patient sprinting in circles. "This place is fucked up," he said to Mrs. Blue. She didn't respond as she continued her journey down the hall. Calvin sighed heavily and caught up with her as they passed forty more rooms. A young lady in a red lab coat with a notepad in hand emerged from a door to their right and blocked them by standing in the middle of the hall.

"Mrs. Blue?" she queried as the two approached.

"That she is," Calvin responded. "And your name?"

The young lady smiled at Calvin. To him, she looked like more of a model than a doctor. His eyes scanned her figure from head to toe as he bit his lip, savoring the perversion as it washed over his taste buds.

"I'm Janet, Dr. Rozen's assistant," she answered.

"Where is she?" blurted Mrs. Blue.

"Um," the startled assistant answered, "your daughter is in good hands. She's in Dr. Rozen's study. The system is already connected to her conscious, and he is ready to begin with the operation."

"How long 'til it starts?" Calvin asked.

"It will begin in a few minutes. I'm here to escort you to the study." Calvin shot her a devilish smirk, but Janet recoiled in disgust. That went well, he thought.

"Follow me," Janet said.

The three continued down the hall passing through more doors, walking past more security guards, and observing more disconcerting studies in every room. They finally came to gray door, and followed Janet who led them to a vast, empty room. The only source of light came from an enclosed space on the far wall. Mrs. Blue walked over and placed her hands on the glass barrier, peering in at her daughter. She was astounded to see her hovering in mid-air, seemingly held up by magic.

"That can't be my little girl," whispered Mrs. Blue.

She reached into her purse, discovered a cigarette, and pulled it to her mouth. Before she could light the flame that would burn the ill curse in her lungs, Calvin grabbed the cigarette from her lips.

"Not in here," he said.

He drew away from her and positioned his hands on the chilled glass. Was this going to work? Calvin thought. It was definitely a gamble, but if it succeeded, this would solidify his legacy. He thought of the firm and how his clientele would increase exponentially overnight. If he could defend his client's daughter successfully, he could defend the devil himself.

"Dr. Rozen," Mrs. Blue gasped, snapping Calvin out of his train of thought.

"Good to see you two. Looks pretty nasty outside," Dr. Rozen said as he closed the doors behind him.

"The weather or the media?" Calvin asked.

"Both, I'm sure," the doctor laughed.

"I want to see my daughter, Doctor. I want to talk to her. How is she?" All three turned to the glass once more, seeing the majestic young girl floating lifelessly.

"Sound asleep, Mrs. Blue. We got her to say a few words earlier today, but that was it." He pulled his eyes from the girl to look at the mother. "And I'm afraid, we don't have time for you two to have a social call right now."

"Can you find the truth? Be honest." Mrs. Blue's words were turning into soft cries.

"I will. I wouldn't've interrupted your case if I couldn't."

Mrs. Blue sighed. "I can't take this anymore. The promises. The reporters outside my home. I can't eat in peace. I can't sleep."

"Mrs. Blue," interrupted Calvin.

"Not to mention," she pointed at the glass, "I can't even wrap my head around that shit over there. My daughter is literally floating off the ground!"

"Mrs. Blue, please. Please trust us," Calvin continued.

"I need you two to sit down," interrupted Dr. Rozen. His assistant placed two chairs behind Calvin and Mrs. Blue. Dr. Rozen raised his hand, and a monitor emerged from the dark ceiling and stopped close to his face. It was a quarter of the size of the wall, with the screen radiating a deep blue aura. "This," he pointed to the screen, "will show you her digitized consciousness and memory when I go in."

"Digitized consciousness?" Mrs. Blue questioned.

"A digital video of everything you could ever imagine of the human mind," he answered.

"Wait," Calvin stood from his chair, "what are you saying? We can see her thoughts?"

"Yes."

"What about her dreams?" asked Mrs. Blue.

"Yes."

"And her memories?" Calvin added.

"Yes, those too."

"So that picture that Calvin showed me yesterday in his office," her hands began to rattle violently as she closed her eyes, "was a picture of my daughter?" Dr. Rozen nodded.

"It was, Mrs. Blue. We captured that picture during my final drone run in her mind."

"That picture you gave me was not my daughter!" screeched Mrs. Blue, "It was...it was a monster." Dr. Rozen folded his arms together shaking his head at the irritating words.

"To you, Mrs. Blue. To you she is a monster. But that's her," he answered.

"That's not my daughter!"

"It is, Mrs. Blue. You just have to open your mind and stop seeing what you want to see."

"Our minds are a little more complicated than we think, Mrs. Blue," Calvin intervened.

"A lot more complicated," corrected Dr. Rozen.

"I just want my baby to be better."

Dr. Rozen removed his glasses, and wiped them with the edge of his red lab coat.

"This is a lot for you," said Dr. Rozen.

"I just..." the words crumbled from her lips like soft cookies.

"I have to get going. We're starting."

Dr. Rozen exited through the same doors that he had entered, leaving Mrs. Blue and Calvin alone. The tension in the spacious room grew as the two waited for the project to begin. Mrs. Blue crumpled into her chair, resting her head in her hands, while Calvin wandered to the glass window to study the room on the other side. It was slightly larger, with the walls and the floor covered in a milky-white coating. Dr. Rozen and Janet appeared through a door that wasn't there a moment before. The door was swallowed up just as quickly as it had appeared, and the two began to move about the room with purpose. A few minutes later, three technicians entered the same way and joined Dr. Rozen as he walked around and gestured to the hovering girl. After much discussion, the group finally dispersed, leaving Dr. Rozen alone with the patient. He removed his red coat, and threw it on the floor. He was wearing a one-piece synthetic suit, which gave off an aura of bright red as he walked closer to Ela. He closed his eyes once he was next her, and Calvin and Mrs. Blue watched as his body suddenly levitated from the floor and positioned itself parallel to Ela.

"What is he doing, Calvin?!" Mrs. Blue shrieked.

"I...I don't know."

"Test 1, Day 1. Connection is a go," a voice echoed from the ceiling. Dr. Rozen rested his head so his chin met his chest. The lights dimmed inside the colorless room, only Ela and the doctor were visible. A thunderous roar emanated from beneath Mrs. Blue and the lawyer, causing the floor to shake violently. Calvin felt his client's hands clench tightly around his arm as the monitor in front of them flickered to a pale white video feed. The lab was enveloped in darkness and Mrs. Blue lost sight of her daughter.
CHAPTER 2

The darkness was around him. Only his footsteps echoed. Dr. Rozen knew, however, that he was inside Ela's consciousness; he just had to wait for her mind to accept him.

His walk continued for several minutes, with his hands inside his coat, and only the sound of his breath for company. A flash erupted before him, blinding him with white light. He raised his arm over his face and, before he could locate the source of the flash, he was in the middle of a congested avenue. A cold wind greeted his fingertips and a chill ran up his spine. He inhaled deeply and the smell of the city entered his lungs. The sensations were real. He pinched his skin; it stung. A cab mashed on its brakes, honking at him. Dr. Rozen faced the disgruntled driver and waved the man off as he proceeded to the safety of the sidewalk.

It was time to check in.

"Alpha Control. Are you with me?" There was no answer on the comms, only the sound of the crowded city streets. He cursed under his breath in frustration. It was time to find her anyway; every second was dollars wasted. Dr. Rozen began his search down the street, observing the skyscrapers and small storefronts that were planted everywhere.

He bumped into a stranger.

"Excuse you," she said.

"I'm sorry. I'm looking for The Current. Any idea where I could find it?"

"You mean the massive building beside you?" Dr. Rozen turned to his right; a brick building loomed in front of him. When his eyes reached the pinnacle of the edifice, THE CURRENT was spelled out in gold lettering.

"Yes," he laughed.

"They're in there," she said lowly. Dr. Rozen met the woman's eyes, perceiving her distress, as if she were seriously ill.

"Who's in there?"

"It won't let you near her." She shoved him out of the way and hurried down the street, disappearing into the crowd.

Dr. Rozen stared up at the building once more. He hoped Alpha Control was getting this. He walked through the glass double doors and headed for the front desk.

"I'm looking for Ela Blue. It's an emergency and her phone is off. I'm her doctor." He flashed his badge, and the two clerks nodded.

"She's on the 8th floor." He nodded back.

"Hurry," the male clerk spoke. His tone was unsettling, like the woman from outside. Dr. Rozen didn't wait to process this; instead, he sprinted to the open elevator doors. Once inside, he smashed in the 8th floor button and began his ascent. Was her consciousness aware of his presence? If so, then the sickness was aware too. The elevator came to a stop, and when the doors opened, a nest the size of a city bus lay before him, covered in translucent spider webs. The threads were thick, and as his eyes adjusted to the darkness, snakes came into focus, swarming through the outermost layer of the nest. His hands reached for the cold rails behind him in the elevator. Fear had struck him like a bolt of lightning. The nest split in half, and the snakes rushed in his direction, hissing so loudly they sounded like human screams.

"Alpha Control!" he cried as he fell to the floor in terror. The hissing stopped, and when he gained the courage to look up, the horrific scene was replaced with workers and cubicles. He gathered himself, fixing his coat, and adjusting his glasses. His hands throbbed violently as if they were going to explode, a reminder of how hard he had fallen on them when seeing the horrendous creatures.

If these sensations are real, then I could die, Dr. Rozen thought.

"Are you lost, sir?"

Dr. Rozen came back to the reality before him and saw the beautiful Ela in front of him. Her smile was radiant, her eyes just as warm, and her posture was welcoming.

"Ela."

"How do you know my name?"

"I have to get you out of here."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm here to help you." A look of disgust crossed her face.

"The exit is behind you. Leave before I call security."

Dr. Rozen sighed heavily. Time was not on their side if she continued to resist. He grew desperate, and decided to attack her weakness.

"I know about Julius. I know about the story." Ela's expression went cold and she backed away from him. It grew difficult for Dr. Rozen to breathe; it felt like icicles were scratching the insides of his nostrils with each breath. "Alpha Control, are you getting this? The temperature is dropping around me. Her consciousness' environment changes due to the fluctuation of her emotions," he mumbled.

"Who are you talking to?" she blurted out. "And how do you know about Julius?" Before he could answer, static crackled in his right ear.

"Dr. Rozen, this is Alpha Control. Do you copy?"

"Alpha Control," he replied, as he looked away from Ela. It was good to know they had found him. "Yes, I've got her."

"Sir...it's..." the words were scrambled.

"It's what, Alpha?"

"You...Sir...It's here," the static ceased. The doctor turned back toward Ela and noticed the office had vanished; they were surrounded by a black oblivion. Ela was still in front of him, only now her hair had fallen in front of her face and she stared at the ground.

"Ela," he whispered as he edged closer to her. She didn't respond. Her chest rose in measured breaths.

"Ela," he whispered again. "It's me."

"I can't let it go," she whimpered.

Dr. Rozen went to move her, but she didn't budge. A small light appeared from above. He assumed it was the same light that'd blinded him earlier. The light grew brighter as it drew closer. When he looked directly into the light, he saw an eye three times the size of his own body glaring back at him. Dr. Rozen's breath rushed out in a soundless scream. It was mythical; it could devour him if it wanted. Dr. Rozen was frozen in its threatening stare as it rose high above him. Several hundred more eyes appeared within the giant eye when it finally blinked, and six towering spider limbs dropped down. He had found the sickness, or it had found him. His hands trembled, the hair on his arms rose, and his knees buckled, dropping him to the ground.

"Dr. Rozen, this is Alpha control! You need to leave now!"

Before he could react, an invisible force snatched him away from Ela like a slingshot, throwing him into the air and the darkness.

CHAPTER 3

The insanity that followed Dr. Rozen's disappearance from the screen was nearly cataclysmic. Mrs. Blue shouted in horror before passing out on the floor. Calvin remained fixated on the distorted black and white images on the screen. Janet and several technicians rushed inside where Calvin was holding the frantically shaking Mrs. Blue.

"They need to leave now," a technician interjected.

"I want to know what happened to Dr. Rozen," Calvin demanded. One of the technicians grabbed Calvin by the shoulder and pulled him away from the window. Calvin resisted, but couldn't shake the technician's grip. "Let me go!" he shouted. "What happened back there?!"

Another technician joined the battle, and the two of them heaved Calvin off his feet.

"Get the hell off me and tell me what is going on!"

Calvin's demands were ignored as he was escorted outside to the back of the facility where a large black SUV awaited his arrival. Calvin was exhausted at this point from struggling; his arms and legs felt like noodles, and he trotted in defeat to the one of the passenger doors in the back of the vehicle.

"What is this? Where are you taking me?!" He was shoved inside, nearly hitting his head on the door, and as he fell back, he felt the warm touch of a frail hand. As he gathered himself, he noticed Mrs. Mrs. Blue lying unconscious against the opposite window. Before Calvin could speak another word, the door was slammed shut and he was left in the backseat watching one of the technicians disappear back inside.

"To Mrs. Blue's place," the second technician fired at the driver before turning to Calvin and finally answering, "Dr. Rozen ordered this procedure in case of a drastic emergency." The technician slammed the door before Calvin could retaliate with another question.

The ride was long and the anxiety continued to weigh on Calvin. Mrs. Blue slowly regained consciousness and stared at Calvin. He felt her eyes on him, and turned to her.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Where are we going?"

"Your place."

"What happened back there?" she asked. He could hear the fear in her voice.

"I don't know," he answered.

"Calvin, I told you that was a fucking monster. And it snatched Dr. Rozen."

"I know..." his throat tightened, and the words left his mouth like a small cry. It was at this moment he realized he too had been in shock.

"Was that thing my daughter? Did my daughter kill him?!"

Calvin wanted to answer but the words were stuck in his throat. She was right; what was that thing? Was that monster controlling Ela? Or was Ela that monster? It couldn't be. Her eyes were so innocent when Dr. Rozen approached her. And if so, how was she in front of Dr. Rozen and behind him as that monster? Calvin thought. It didn't make any sense, but Dr. Rozen insisted they believe that monster was Ela, and it was shaped exactly like the picture Calvin had shown Mrs. Blue days before. Calvin didn't want to feed into the hysterical fantasy, so he drove his thoughts to comfortable reason. What if it was a malfunction of the system? That could explain the bad communication between Alpha Control and Dr. Rozen during the procedure. He tried holding onto that theory until he remembered the petrified expressions of the technicians who pulled him away.

"Answer me!" Mrs. Blue shouted, startling Calvin out of his petrified mind. Mrs. Blue was in tears, glaring at him. He inhaled deeply feeling the rocking of his heart inside his ribs.

"It was pretty eventful back there, and I have just as many questions as you, Mrs. Blue...But I believe they have it under control."

"Don't bullshit me!"

"They are experts at what they do. We hired them for a reason. They can handle this," he bluffed. Mrs. Blue relaxed back into the chair, but continued to glare at Calvin with distaste.

The quietness continued as they traveled through the city.

The car finally came to a halt in front of her apartment complex. Mrs. Blue stumbled out of the SUV without a word. But after a moment's hesitation, she ducked her head back in, looking at Calvin in despair.

"Should we be worried?" The final court date was approaching, and this had been their go-to plan.

"I'll let you know," he answered.

Mrs. Blue, disappointed by his words, gave him a look of disdain, and slammed the car's door. Calvin watched as she vanished into her building.

The driver sped off.

❖

Two days later, Calvin was seated at his desk staring at a blank computer screen. Piles of ripped paper lay scattered throughout his office. He noticed one half-crumpled paper in particular, the unsuccessful formulation of Ela's defense scrawled across the top line.

It read: "There is no hard evidence pointing to my client's complicity in the murder of Julius Holmes. First and foremost, the absence of a single eyewitness account..." It trailed off into an array of cuss words and scribbles.

Calvin sighed in defeat and closed his eyes, letting his head fall to the cold, aluminum surface of his desk. An army of rain drops descended upon his office, pounding on the window. A kingdom of grey clouds lay beyond, shrouding all but the tallest structures in the city. He groaned and turned over, whispering to himself like a madman. He began to resent his career as a defense lawyer; he should've pursued a less nerve-wracking occupation, like an auto mechanic. He was good with his hands and had always held a love for classic cars. There was nothing to worry about in that field. It was just a puzzle waiting to be deciphered, a systematic search eventually leading to an overpriced fix for an ignorant customer. Victory always came in the end.

This field, however, was not much different from gambling. Relying on external factors to form some base of an argument that may or may not persuade a collection of regular citizens. What was he thinking? Why in his right mind would he choose such an idiotic profession?

There was a knock at the door, and Calvin rose from the desk. His assistant, Abraham, stuck his head into the office and Calvin waved for Abraham to come all the way in.

"Yes?" Calvin said drearily.

"You have a call," Abraham replied.

"Who is it?"

"Dr. Rozen, sir." Calvin's heart nearly fell to the floor. He signaled for Abraham to leave and quickly picked up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Calvin, it's Rozen."

Calvin had never been so happy to hear a man's voice in his life.

"You're alive. H-how..."

"Come to the facility. There is much to explain."

"Now?"

"Yes, of course. Or you can wait until after the case."

"No," he answered. What a pretentious asshole. "I'm on my way."

"Oh, and Calvin?"

"Yes?"

"Congratulations on your victory."
CHAPTER 4

Calvin was back in Ela's observation room at the lab, only this time he was alone. He'd called Mrs. Blue but she wanted nothing to do with the facility. While standing by the only furniture in the room, a table and two chairs, he observed the watch on his right wrist in boredom. It was a gift he'd received many years ago, a memento from an old friend for serving as his best man. Simpler times.

Darkness lay beyond the glass wall today, and the monitor that had hung in front of them before was gone. His anxiety grew by the second. He had so many questions, but he was afraid of the answers that might follow. He heard the door open behind him and he turned to see Dr. Rozen enter the room. The two shook hands.

"Sit down," said Dr. Rozen. Calvin grabbed a chair at the long table and Dr. Rozen placed himself opposite the lawyer. "I know you must have a lot of questions."

"I do," Calvin responded.

"What was the last thing you saw?"

Calvin's mind flashed back to Dr. Rozen being snatched violently into the darkness by the mysterious creature.

"Probably the last thing everyone saw. You being thrown into the unknown." Dr. Rozen chuckled and repositioned himself in his chair.

"That was definitely unexpected."

Dr. Rozen's calm attitude confounded Calvin. How could he be so cavalier about this? Calvin wondered.

"So, what happened?"

"I don't know if the world is ready for this, but it most certainly needs it."

Seconds later, Janet appeared with two USB drives, one green and one yellow, as well as a laptop. Dr. Rozen whispered in her ear, and she left the two alone in the room. He placed the laptop on the stainless steel table and separated the two USBs, one in each hand.

"I was pulled into her stream of consciousness when that creature snatched me."

"What was that creature?" Calvin asked.

"I told you already, that creature is Ela."

"But she was standing in front of you."

"Yes, she was."

"So, how was she behind you?"

"I'm still trying to figure that out myself," said Dr. Rozen. Calvin leaned into the chair, clenching his fist, he did this only when he was nervous. The creature's horrendous eyes wandered in the back of his thoughts.

"It looked nothing like her," he quavered.

"I know, but I'm more than sure that the Ela I saw was the creature in her from. In fact I believe the creature is fighting to control Ela."

"How would you know doctor?" Calvin said skeptically.

"Because I saw everything that was Ela. In fact, I became Ela."

"If you became Ela, how the hell did you get back here?"

"It ended," Dr. Rozen answered disappointedly.

This wasn't making any sense; the more questions Dr. Rozen answered, the more questions emerged. He was like the fucking mythical hydra, only less threatening and full of needless ambiguity.

"Doctor, you're not making it easy for me to comprehend," said Calvin, frustrated by the conversation.

"This USB contains all the information needed to exonerate your client. It is quite a unique experience, Calvin." Dr. Rozen slid the green USB across the table.

"What should I expect to find?"

"Her life, from her perspective. What she thought, what she felt, every moment leading up to Julius' death."

"Did she kill him?" Calvin asked.

Dr. Rozen smirked; there was a palpable arrogance behind the gesture. It infuriated Calvin.

"Do you trust me?"

Calvin's patience was running thin and the doctor's condescending choice of words didn't help. He sighed, cracking his fingers to relieve the tension in his body.

"I trust you," Calvin answered calmly.

"Good. Now, let me tell you how this works. The laptop will wirelessly connect to the institution's main server after the USB is inserted into the laptop. From there, you will turn on these — let's call them headphones — to hear the sounds of her environment as well as her thoughts."

The headphones were small and transparent, but lit up in a bright red when Dr. Rozen attached them to the laptop.

"The brain emits its own form of electromagnetic radiation," continued Dr. Rozen. "These headphones will allow you to tap into this radiation, and sync your mind with the captured signal from Ela. You are no longer watching Ela at this point. You will be Ela, down to her emotions, her thoughts, and her memories." Dr. Rozen grinned from ear to ear as he finished speaking.

"What's the smile for?" Calvin asked in disgust.

"Let's just say it gets a little awkward when you encounter her intimate life."

Calvin's eyes widened. He had to change the subject before the reality of what Dr. Rozen implied made him nauseous.

"What about the other USB?" Dr. Rozen raised his right hand, revealing the yellow USB.

"This is Julius."

"Wait, doesn't the person have to be alive for you to get the data?" Calvin asked.

"The brain is the CPU, Calvin. His body was only the exterior that protected it. Fortunately, for us, there was no severe tissue damage and we were able to get to him in time. It was as simple as transferring data from a broken computer to an external hard drive. And it doesn't hurt to have the most advanced neurological research facility in human history at my disposal."

"So, why has Ela been on heavy drugs?"

"New experiences can change the brain's internal structure. We had to decrease that influence."

"So you made her brain-dead?"

"No, we made her a little...less coherent." Calvin's mind was congested by all the immoral information he was receiving from the doctor.

"This is illegal," he murmured.

"What is?"

"What you're doing."

"You mean discovery? Exploring the last great frontier of human biology?" Calvin didn't answer, but hung his head in chagrin. "So now it's illegal because you feel uncomfortable," Dr. Rozen continued.

"No, that's not what I mean."

"If it helps you sleep at night, we pulled a few strings to have the judge approve our examination."

"So he knows of this?" Calvin asked.

"He only knows that we examined Julius' brain. We didn't break any laws, Calvin. Relax."

"Consciousness may not be tangible, but it's still Ela's and Julius's. It's still private property. What are you going to do with all this data when the case is over?" asked Calvin, regaining his conviction.

Dr. Rozen leaned over the table and placed the laptop in front of Calvin. They were so close that Calvin could see his reflection in the doctor's glasses. "Watch the data. Do your job. Win the case."

"This doesn't feel right."

"Lawyers don't feel; they absolve by coercing those that do," Dr. Rozen sat back down, "I'm ecstatic for you, Calvin. You've won." Calvin met the doctor's eyes.

"Yeah, me too," Calvin smiled forcefully. Janet entered the room handing Calvin a suitcase with which to carry the equipment home. Dr. Rozen had already made his way out of the room by the time Calvin finished securing all the pieces inside the case.

"I was wondering if you—"

"I have a boyfriend," Janet interrupted.

"Could lead me out of here," he finished.

"Oh," she muttered. Calvin noticed her blush before she spun to face the door. "This way."

❖

On his way home, Calvin spoke with Mrs. Blue, updating her on the details of his encounter with Dr. Rozen.

"That's illegal, isn't it? Holding someone's memory," she cried through the phone.

"It's not illegal if the world doesn't know it exists yet. We'll cross that bridge when we get there. First, I have to vindicate your daughter."

"Just win this case, Calvin."

❖

Settled in the living room of his apartment with the laptop open and both USBs locked in, Calvin took a deep breath. He printed an instruction guide, informing him when to switch drives, and laid it beside him. He sighed heavily. This is ludicrous, there has to be another way, he thought. The headphones were already attached to his ears, but nothing played. Only the sound of his growing doubt reverberated through his mind. Where was this going to take him, and most importantly, was it worth it? The question continued to torment him. How far was he willing to go to win? His gut told him to destroy the technology that lay before him. Yet, the taste of imminent victory exceeded the force that directed his moral compass.

Fuck it, he thought. It is what it is at this point. He searched the drives on the computer until he landed on Ela's USB. He double clicked and his eyes instantly met an image of Ela lying on a bed, staring up at the ceiling. Someone else accompanied her, but they were buried under the covers.

"What should I do?" a soft voice appeared to the left of his ear. He took the headphones out, but no one was there. Ela remained still, studying the ceiling, twirling the curls in her hair with her fingers.

"That was Ela's thought," Calvin said aloud. He laughed. He had to give Dr. Rozen credit; his work was genius. Calvin placed the headphones back in his ears.
CHAPTER 5

USB Green: Ela Log Entry 1

The handsome co-worker who rested close by twitched in his slumber. His chest lifted as if a balloon expanded inside him, and dropped with a faint exhale from his nose. God, he was beautiful; perfect round eyes, clean cut hair, broad shoulders, strong back, and lips as soft as pillows. Ela imagined, after he'd carried her to his bed hours ago, that he looked like the Greek guy with the world on his back.

Last night was filled with sexual energy. From the moment they met at dinner through the walk back to his apartment. He was hardworking, ambitious, visionary, but also charming. Every quality that would make a woman propose to him. His gaze had never left her, and she felt as if she transcended everything in his world. Her emotions were running in circles. How was she going to tell Liz that love already conquered her? And after so few days.

She shook her head, trying to regain her composure. Lifting the covers quietly from the bed, Ela tiptoed to the shower. As the hot water ran down her back, she thought of what she might say to him before she left. It was the polite thing to do. This was their third encounter and he had treated her like a lady so far, she had to return the gesture. Maybe she should ask him if they could see each other again. The shampoo slipped from her hand, clattering to the floor, and she reached for it. No, she thought. It's just sex. That's all. But deep down she knew she was lying to herself. The pipes screeched when she turned the nozzle off. Okay. Just subtly ask where his head is.

When she got out of the shower, he was still laying on his back asleep. Ela dried herself and dressed in her work clothes from yesterday. No one would notice at her job; she was only an entry-level employee. She slid into her heels, and strutted to the side of his bed, kissing him softly on the cheek. His blue eyes opened and he grinned at the sight of her.

"Good morning, beautiful," he mumbled.

"Good morning, Chris," she answered.

He stretched out his arms and reached around her back, rubbing it gently. It took the world for her not to fall back into bed with him. She reciprocated his smile and ran her fingers through his hair.

"Last night," she started.

"Was amazing," he finished. "For me at least...I hope it was for you, too." She only grinned; had to keep him guessing.

"I have to go to work," she answered.

"So early?" He rose from underneath the sheets revealing more of his perfectly sculpted figure.

"Not all of us are head columnists. Us entry-level staff have to work our way up," she said. He laughed.

"It's not like that, Ela."

"It's fine." She had already walked across the wooden floors, and was near his door. This was the moment.

"Will I see you again?" he asked. It was like clockwork. Too easy.

"Other than work?" she responded, as if she didn't know what he was referring to. Chris laughed again, his voice bolstered with confidence and refinement.

"Yes, of course. Definitely outside work." Ela opened the door, and looked back at the eager Chris.

"I'll see you at work, Chris."

❖

Ela stood outside the building staring up at the large gold letters that were cemented on the brick surface, taking note of the color's symbolism. Gold was a reflection of making it to the top, being the best. At least, that was what she felt when she observed it. A few people walked by, asking her if she was lost. In a way, she was, engulfed in her own ambition; it pulled her away from home, from friends, everything she knew, and led her to this horrid, grey, concrete jungle. Other than the sun, the gold letters above her were the only sign of happiness in the form of a bright light. She sighed, fixed her dress, and finally walked through the double doors to work.

Her friend, Liz, was waiting at her desk when Ela got off the elevator. Ela placed her bags on the desk, pretending to ignore Liz. Liz's eyes followed her as Ela sat in her chair and logged onto the computer.

"So you're going to ignore me?" Liz finally blurted out. Ela smirked and continued to type in her login ID. Liz laughed, and sat on Ela's desk. "Where were you last night?"

"Nowhere," Ela quickly answered.

"Why didn't you answer my texts. I was looking for you."

"Oh, really?" Ela turned her head to face Liz, who glared at her with disbelief.

"You know it's impossible to lie me. Hispanic girls can smell lies a mile away."

"Is that a fact?" Ela was now grinning.

"Yup. Look it up."

"I'm sure I don't need to."

"It's in our genetic make-up, passed on by our mothers. A siren goes off in our heads every time we are lied to."

"Liz...Stop."

"Seriously. And it's pretty loud in my head right now."

"I think it's always loud in there," Ela laughed.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. What did you get into last night?"

Liz bent down next to Ela, and whispered in her ear, "Don't try to change the subject. I know you're sleeping with someone from the office." Ela twitched, making her seat squeak. Liz noticed the small burst of fright. "Like I said...Alarms."

Ela wasn't ready to spill the news, it just didn't feel right. This was something personal between her and Chris, and it could affect his work. He was much older, at least in his early thirties, it wouldn't look good at all. Not to mention that if she ever got a promotion, it would be questioned because she was sleeping with a senior columnist.

"I'm not ready to tell you," Ela said. "When I am, I'll tell you." Liz backed off, smiling at her.

"Sure," Liz mumbled. A man appeared beside the two; Ela looked up to see Chris.

"Ms. Blue." The two girls looked in his direction.

"Yes," Ela answered.

"You're needed in Ms. Shell's office."

Liz and Ela glanced at each other in shock. Ms. Shell was the president. Hardly anyone saw her unless they worked on her floor, which consisted mostly of her assistants and the head columnists.

"She sent you?" Liz interrupted. Chris locked eyes with Liz; his handsome glare turned her to stone.

"If you've gotta know, I was texting her on my way to the office, and she just asked me to grab Ms. Blue here on the way in. Does that work? Or am I interrupting something important?"

"Nothing important at all," Ela said and grabbed her notebook and her purse and began walking with Chris. She turned back towards the lonely Liz and signaled her to check her phone. "I'll call you when it's over," she mouthed. Liz nodded, and vanished to her desk.

❖

Ela and Chris slid through the busy hallways and onto the elevator. Chris moved to the back of the elevator and Ela stepped in front of him. They were accompanied by several other workers who greeted them with gentle smiles. Ela was still in disbelief from Ms. Shell's request. Why would she want to talk to her? Ela thought. Chris coughed behind her. Was it because of him? Had he put in a good word for her? The thought began to piss her off. She didn't want the easy way up. She wanted to make a name for herself off of her own hard work and intellect. That's how the greats build respect in the world; they do it themselves. If it was because of him, she was going to happily throw the opportunity back in his face.

The elevator came to a stop at the top floor and the two walked down the executive hallway.

"Congrats on this," Chris mumbled.

"Thanks," she replied.

The two continued walking. Ela noticed a small gap in the hallway that led to an emergency exit. She grabbed Chris by the arm and heaved him in the gap, through a door. He looked at her in bewilderment as the door slammed, the sound reverberating down the concrete stairwell.

"Ela, what are you doing?!" he gasped.

"Did you set this up?"

"Set what up?" She had him pinned against the door.

"Because if you did, I don't want it. I'll throw it right back in your face. I don't do handouts!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Calm down. Do you mean the meeting with Ms. Shell?"

"Yes," she replied. Chris sighed, relaxed his shoulders, and began to laugh. "So you did!"

"No!" he interjected, and continued laughing.

"It's not funny." Chris had his hands on his knees, trying to breathe through the laughter. Ela couldn't take it anymore, and grabbed him by the shoulders, pushing him against the door. Before his back landed, Chris managed to twist and use her momentum against her, pinning Ela against the door with both hands locked in his grasp. Their faces were intimately close, and they felt each other's heavy breath.

"Now you're just turning me on," he said deeply.

"I'm not playing," she cried.

Chris shook his head.

"No, I didn't, Ela. I was surprised myself."

"Surprised? What? You don't think I'm good enough for a promotion or whatever it is?!"

"No, Ela. I was surprised at the request itself. I've worked for, and alongside her, for almost a decade. I've never seen this happen." Ela broke eye contact with Chris and drifted into her thoughts. What was this for? What in the hell was going on? If he was telling the truth, then maybe the universe had conspired to give her this moment, a moment to finally become what she had always hoped. An icon.

"Um, Ela," Chris said.

"Yes," she snapped, coming out of her train of thought.

"I...I can feel the, um..."

"Feel what? Spit it out."

"The heat from between your legs," he finished. She turned her head away from him in embarrassment. "You're horny aren't you?" Ela glanced down; she could feel her legs trembling in pleasure and the heat that pulsated from beneath her skirt.

"I guess so," she conceded. Ela could feel Chris getting stiff, and he pressed against her so their lips were just centimeters away.

"How about now?" His cologne drifted through her nostrils as he slipped his hands behind her, cupping her butt. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head as her body cheered her on, telling her to do what nature intended her to. He pressed harder, and lifted her off her feet; she could feel his muscles harden beneath her hands.

"No, Chris." She opened her eyes and pushed him away.

"Are you sure?" he asked. She nodded. "I can make this quick." She laughed.

"That's not sexy at all. Don't say that again. Put me down." Chris lowered her gently and the two fixed their clothing. He grabbed her gently by the chin and eased his tongue through her lips, dancing around her mouth. Chris knew what he was doing. She almost fell to the ground as her knees weakened. He finally broke away from her and stroked one of her curls.

"Just to give you something to think about after this successful encounter with Ms. Shell." The two smiled, and he opened the door to the hallway.
CHAPTER 6

USB Green: Ela Log Entry 2

Ela and Chris stood outside the president's office staring at the ink colored door.

"You ready for this?" Chris asked while turning to her.

"Ready as I can be," she answered.

Chris flashed his handsome smile while knocking on the door. The two heard a click in the door handles, and he led her inside. The vivid lighting that occupied the workspace outside the office slowly vanished as the door closed behind them. Ela squinted as her eyes adjusted to the dim lamplight of the office. She studied her surroundings; the room was oval-shaped and covered in contoured wooden bookshelves that extended halfway up the wall. Perched on nearly every shelf were news articles methodically organized and color-coded. Marble statues were placed all around the room. She wanted to touch them, but resisted the urge.

"Wait here," Chris whispered. Ela's eyes followed him as he walked towards the large desk at the end of the room. As Chris got closer to the desk, she caught a glimpse of a female figure sitting behind an array of computer screens.

"Ms. Shell," Ela muttered to herself. Chris approached the desk and bowed to the president of the company.

"Good morning, Chris," she welcomed. It was low, but still soothing, like sweet thunder; enough to scare you and woo you simultaneously.

"Ms. Shell," he responded. "I saw your message this morning. I've brought your special guest." The woman stood up from her dark leather throne, her heels striking the marble floor percussively as she did so. Ela was transfixed by her hourglass figure. Ms. Shell had been with The Current for over thirty years and Ela guessed that she had to be at least in her fifties, but there were no signs of aging.

"Thank you, my dear Chris," she spoke. The power of her voice rattled Ela's chest.

"I'll leave you ladies be," Chris said charmingly. "Go easy on her, Ms. Shell, she's special." Ela's eyes were still captivated by the divine form of the goddess before her.

"We'll see about that," Ms. Shell answered.

Chris started walking towards Ela, breaking her tunnel vision. As he drew closer, their eyes met and Chris winked in encouragement. He shut the door behind him, leaving a comforting trace of cologne. Ela walked nervously toward her boss. Ms. Shell broke the silence by clapping her hands, instantly making the room brighter. Ela finally saw a clear image of Ms. Shell and her unique beauty amazed Ela. Ms. Shell's eyes were big and round like a child's, black as the night sky. Her face was chiseled to perfection, as was the rest of her body. Ela had never felt such a mix of intimidation and admiration before.

"It is an honor to meet you," Ela said softly as she reached the other side of the room. "I've read all about your work with The Current, your achievements as a journalist. I admire everything you stand for and hope to be as celebrated as you have been. To follow in your footsteps and write the difficult stories when no one else will, that's all I've ever wanted." The words spewed out of her mouth like running water. "Also when you spoke up against inequality in the work—"

"Young lady, you flatter me more than my ex-husband ever did in our twenty years of marriage," Ms. Shell laughed as she sat back down. Her voice resonated around the room with an air of divinity. Ela couldn't decide if she wanted to join in her laughter or stay silent. Ms. Shell motioned from behind the organized piles of paper that sat on her desk like soldiers waiting to be deployed. "Come sit, young lady," she said as she turned toward the computer screen on her left.

Ela sat herself directly in front of Ms. Shell, praying that the shortness of her skirt wasn't too slutty. Ms. Shell's eyes glowed from the light of the display; they scanned rapidly from left to right. She hummed to herself as she manipulated the mouse.

"You went to school for journalism?" she asked.

"Yes," Ela answered quickly. "With a minor in anthropology. Human culture fascinates me." Ms. Shell's dark eyes landed on Ela. Ela saw that Ms. Shell's face had suddenly become stern. It was unnaturally cold to the core, like a demon in human form.

"Cute," she uttered. Ela sunk deep into the chair, trying to hide her discomfort, weighed down by Ms. Shell's disdain. Ms. Shell continued to read what Ela assumed was Ela's own resume. After what felt like an eternity, Ms. Shell's gaze left the computer screen and she leaned over her desk, planting her elbows firmly on the walnut surface and interlocking her fingers. Ela kept still, making sure her breath wasn't a distraction or available for harsh criticism. "So, tell me...why come to The Current? And why are you still here after a year and a half?" Ela swallowed the anxiety that ballooned in her throat. This was her only chance to impress her personal hero.

"Everything that The Current stands for I believe in wholeheartedly. It was established in the early sixties as an alternative to the mainstream media and this has always been a place where individuals could read honest material with objective points of view, an unbiased analysis of human dilemmas. What I admire even more is the agency's ability to hold on to that integrity. To me that is so inspiring. And I honestly believe that, when I come into work every day, I'm working for a cause greater than myself and preserving an endangered philosophy." Nailed it, Ela thought. Ms. Shell continued to study the slightly more confident Ela.

"Is that your honest answer?" she asked. Ela's anxiety returned in force; she could feel the sweat spring from her palms.

"Yes, ma'am, it is."

Ms. Shell sighed heavily and turned back to the computer screen.

"That's enough. You can leave now," she commanded. Ela froze in her chair as her hands clasped tightly onto her skirt. Had she said something wrong? Was it her skirt? Was it her resume? Did she know about Chris? Ms. Shell's stoic attitude was torturing her.

"O-Okay," Ela stammered as she slowly rose from her chair. She journeyed back to the door, lost in a storm of confusion. For over a year, she had ass-kissed, budgeted relentlessly, battled other employees for position, and deprived herself of a social life. Leaving without some sort of explanation from Ms. Shell was a self-betrayal.

"Ms. Shell," Ela croaked as if she was dehydrated. The president glanced up, her face smeared with annoyance.

"Yes," she said irritably.

"I just want to know..." Ela said. Don't stop, this is going to be tough but you have to say it. "I want to know where I stand with you after this conversation."

Ms. Shell turned away from Ela once more.

"Oh, you're fired," she answered indifferently. Ela's heart plummeted and her nervous system went haywire.

"Ex-excuse me?" she whimpered. Ms. Shell was already typing vigorously on her computer.

"You're fired."

"I don't understand."

"Are you deaf? Or just stupid?"

"No...I just want to understand why..."

"You young kids nowadays."

"If you could just—"

"This conversation is over, young lady," Ms. Shell interrupted sternly.

This is un-fucking-believable, Ela thought. The more she tried to resolve the situation, the worse her circumstances grew.

"What did I do? I could fix it."

"LEAVE!" Ms. Shell erupted. Ela turned quickly and walked out the door. When she was outside, everyone in the surrounding cubicles must've heard Ms. Shell yell because they all glared at her. She was completely embarrassed and heart broken. All the hard work, all the time spent, it was all gone in an instant. A year and half's dedication, gone in just two words. The pack of staring eyes made her feel like a zoo animal; she wouldn't allow them to ridicule her in silence.

"What?!" she exclaimed loudly, and everyone turned away, pretending to go back to work. Ela bit her lip, taking a moment to process the situation. Trying to rationalize every second that led to her current predicament. None of it made sense. She hadn't said or done anything wrong or distasteful. There was no way she could've insulted Ms. Shell, or disrespected her in some manner. Her notions were bullshit, bigotry almost. And the more she analyzed it, the angrier she became. Not after all this, not after all the work I put in. Screw that. Ela huffed loudly and reopened the door.

Ms. Shell was still sitting at her desk as Ela strode defiantly towards her.

"I thought I told you, you are fi—" Ela slammed her hands on the sturdy wooden desk, issuing a thunderous boom throughout the oval room.

"I've given my life to this place!"

"You're point being?" Ms. Shell countered rudely.

"I've slaved too many hours for this company, too many days, just to keep an entry-level position. Pushing papers! Losing sleep!"

"And so did the hundreds of other workers before you. And so will the hundreds after you. What makes you so special?" Ela didn't have an answer. "Exactly. You're just an entitled little girl. Grow up. Now leave."

"I'm not leaving," Ela answered obstinately.

"Then I will have to call security."

"Call them. I'm not leaving."

Ms. Shell raised her phone to her ear. "There's a threat in my room and I am terrified, please call the cops now," Ms. Shell said, calmly maintaining eye contact with Ela all the while.

"How could you just throw away someone's dreams so easily?!" Ela demanded. Ms. Shell wasn't moved by Ela's plea. "You're vicious. You're a monster!"

"The world couldn't give two shits about your story."

The cops burst through the door and grabbed Ela by both arms, dragging her out of the room.

"FUCK YOU," she yelled. "I will be here tomorrow! And the next day!" The cops continued to drag her away. "And the next fucking day! You will have to send me to fuckin' prison! You hear me!"

The door finally shut.
CHAPTER 7

USB Green: Ela Log Entry 3

Jail wasn't as bad as she thought it would be. The holding cell was pretty clean and the other females kept to themselves. There were a few inmates that shouted and cursed at random moments of silence, but they weren't directed towards anyone in particular. Ela was at the corner of the cell, resting on the cold concrete floor with her knees to her face. She had her arms wrapped tightly around her legs; her head buried in the dark crevices of her legs.

Life had somehow spiraled downward. Her dream had always been to make her way up the ranks at The Current; to be fired so suddenly felt like a betrayal from the universe. There had to be some sort of glitch in her karma, she wasn't supposed to be here. Someone reckless or someone dumb, a person with no investment in their future should be here, not her.

An inmate screamed at the top of her lungs, cursing at "Jack" for being a "fucking narc." The woman rushed to the cell bars yelling at the guards to get their attention, but they ignored her.

What am I going to do now? Ela thought. The world already felt like it was moving on without her. Another girl with a prettier smile and brighter intellect had already filled her shoes. Ela pictured the girl moving up the company ranks faster than she ever could. Liz, Chris, and Ms. Shell would like her more and Ela would fade into a distant memory. How was she going to find work after this? Who would want to hire her? Ela could feel the tears building up on her warm skin. She was alone, isolated in this unjust nightmare.

"Ela Blue. You're free to go." A guard's voice broke through her worries. She lifted her eyes and saw Ms. Shell standing beside the guard.

"Care for a walk?" Ms. Shell said coolly.

Contempt rose quickly within Ela as she stared up at the beautiful figure between the bars. Is she serious? The guard unlocked the cell and opened the metal bars. Ela dried her tears as she rose to her feet and exited the cell. The three walked in silence down the cellblock corridor, ignoring the hysteria that occupied every lockup they passed.

The paperwork didn't take long and Ela and Ms. Shell were walking on the city sidewalk in minutes, side by side. Ela had nothing to say. Not only was she confused by the fact that her persecutor was now her savior, but she thought that if she said something, she'd likely regret it.

"How are you?" Ms. Shell asked, making it sound more like a demand than a question.

"Fine," Ela responded bitterly.

"Good," Ms. Shell stopped in front of Ela, glaring at her like a drill sergeant. Ela felt like the scum on the bottom of someone's shoe. "I don't have time to waste. So, I'll get right to it." Ela didn't move and kept her eyes locked with the stern woman's.

"You have the job," said Ms. Shell matter-of-factly.

"What job? You just fired me. Do you mean my old job?"

"Yes, I did and, no, I don't." Ela's knees threatened to buckle; this was too much to handle in one day.

"Wait, I'm confused." She rubbed her fingers over her temples, trying to release the tension.

"Take it or leave it," Ms. Shell commanded.

"I want to know what I'm taking!" Ela shouted. Ms. Shell's dark eyes widened and a smile appeared on her face.

"It's been a long time since I've seen that kind of fire. You remind me of my younger self."

Ela wondered, Is that a good thing?

"My fondest moments in journalism were in my youth. When I wasn't behind that desk, I was a fire-cracker like yourself." Ela finally felt relieved for once.

"Th-thank you, Ms. Shell," Ela said with surprise.

"To be honest, your resume is sub-par. But Chris referred you, so I gave you a chance." Ela scolded Chris in her head. She was going to have a word with him next time they saw each other. "And when I saw you," Ms. Shell continued. "I could see the unbridled ambition in your eyes. The thing about unbridled ambition..." Ms. Shell broke off and gazed up at the night sky. "It makes you narrow-minded. And sometimes you end up in a place you never thought you'd be, a place that's no good for you." Ms. Shell's voice was much softer now and Ela's contempt for the woman slipped. She's talking about herself, Ela thought.

"So, you fired me because I looked...ambitious?" Ms. Shell looked back at Ela.

"No, I didn't fire you for that. I had no reason to fire you," she laughed. Ela grew irritated once more.

"Then why fire me?"

"I wanted to see what you were made of. You weren't the first candidate to take this test." Does that mean Chris lied to me about never bringing someone to this woman's office before? Has he ever told me the truth?

"It was a test?" Ela asked incredulously.

"Yes, and everyone before you left without a word, following command without reason. You are the only one who wanted to know more when things didn't add up, asking questions in the hope of getting a logical explanation. That right there, that's the soul of journalism; that is how you get to the heart of any story." Ela shook her head in disbelief; this woman's methods were way beyond her. "How do we get the real stories behind corrupt governments, unethical banking systems, parasitic religions, and all the other dishonorable organizations? We ask the tough questions! The journalist who creates a better-informed world is the one who refuses to take no for an answer until he or she is satisfied by the reason. Do you remember what you did after I told you 'no'?"

Ela felt embarrassed as she looked back on her behavior. "I refused to leave."

"Exactly. You told me you would be at my office the next day, and the next day, and the next day. Even when security was dragging you out! That is journalism through and through, young lady!" Ms. Shell laughed loudly. Her goddess-like voice spread across the streets like a warm wind, blanketing those around her.

"I guess so," Ela sighed.

"The candidates that left before you were only at The Current to make some decent money or build their résumé. Maybe they lost sight of their dream, or perhaps they never had one to begin with. I don't know and I don't care. They will never be true journalists. It angers me to the core to see our youth walk away from their superiors without challenging us. I could be a corrupt bitch and they would never know it. But you would. Because the desire to find the answers burns inside you." Ms. Shell's finger pressed lightly on Ela's chest as she finished this last thought. The smile disappeared from her face. "I will see you at work tomorrow, young lady." Ms. Shell walked off into the tumult of the city, leaving Ela alone on the pavement.

The sound of the city mixed with the stampede of thoughts running through her mind. Ela was trapped in an inferno of fear and hope. Was she officially a journalist? What would her task be? Would she remain in the country? Ela ran after Ms. Shell.

"Hey!" Ela shouted. Ms. Shell's figure turned to face her in the distance.

"Yes," she answered as Ela came closer.

"Why was I still put in jail if it was a test?"

Ms. Shell began to laugh again.

"That was a holding cell, dear. A little scare tactic, you did nothing wrong."

"Oh," Ela gasped.

"I do have some advice for you, young lady."

"Yes?"

"Security will always win in a physical fight. Trust me, I know." Ela smiled as she watched Ms. Shell disappear around the corner.
CHAPTER 8

USB Green: Ela Log Entry 4

It was time to party. Ela couldn't care less if she had work in the morning; she needed to celebrate. Ela called Liz to catch her up on the entire situation, and when she suggested they hit one of the local clubs, Liz couldn't say no. They agreed to meet inside Astro's Bar, one of their regular spots. Ela wasted no time getting ready and, within an hour, she had dressed, caught a taxi, and arrived on 14th Street.

The line extended around the block; Ela hoped Liz had remembered to give her name to the bouncers at the front door. Liz had connections at most of the bars but she could be a little loopy when it came to remembering plans. Ela walked casually to the entrance, acting as though she didn't notice the hundred or so people waiting patiently to get in. The two stout bouncers looked unamused as she approached them.

"Excuse me," she spoke. One of the large men focused his attention on her and she smiled, hoping to beguile the man. The guard didn't respond, so she continued, "My name is Ela Blue; I'm on the reserve list." The bouncer was still unresponsive, but his buddy began scanning a clipboard. After a few seconds, the clipboard bouncer signaled his partner to let her in. The two moved aside, revealing the entryway.

"Yo, pretty girl! Red top! Black skirt!"

Ela glanced to her right, seeing an excited crowd of younger boys staring at her. They could only be 21 at the most; it was questionable if a few of them would be allowed in the bar. Ela composed herself and walked over to them, their mouths drooling as they eyed her figure. There was no better feeling than being wanted. Her intentions were to be entertained by them; she had no desire to get intimate.

"Was that directed at me?" she asked softly. The group of boys snickered among themselves, and all nodded.

"You must know important people to skip this line," one of them asked, stepping forward.

He was taller than the others, skinnier too, but definitely the best looking. His eyes were big and pure. Unlike his other friends, who wore hats and baggy clothes, his attire fit him perfectly from head to toe, and his smile was endlessly charming. This could be interesting, Ela thought.

"Maybe I do. Maybe I don't," she answered.

"Or are you the important individual?" he asked.

Ela chuckled. He's got some wit; I'll give him that, she thought.

The leader glanced at his companions and they all eyed him like they knew something that she didn't. Ela thought it was cute how they all looked to him as the leader. She would give him her number and never answer his texts. But...the way he looked at her made her feel as though he was truly amazed by her. Maybe this guy deserved more than a brush off.

"I could be," she smiled.

"I think you are. Mind if I join you inside? Maybe I'll see all the famous people you know."

The boy was so forward that she could hardly resist him.

"Sure, if you can keep up."

The boy walked closer, her senses attacked by his cologne and slender physique. He lowered his head as if to kiss her on the cheek, but he stopped just short.

"Only if you want me to," he whispered in her ear.

He had her full attention now, until Chris crept into the back of her mind. Ela's conscience prodded her. Is this wrong? It felt like betrayal. Maybe, she thought, she hadn't spoken to Chris since meeting Ms. Shell, and he was suddenly burning in her mind. But she remembered that their relationship was causal. His phone never stopped vibrating during their late night pillow talk. When she caught a glimpse of the screen, it was shamelessly plastered with female names. She wasn't stupid. Although, she often wondered if their connection was real or not. I'm not just one more girl on his list, she thought.

"I think I do," she finally answered, her mind made up. Chris could be talking to one of those girls right now, she justified to herself silently. The boy reached out his hand and the two locked fingers, grinning to each other as they walked into the club.

They made their way across the dance floor, wedging themselves between the throng of dancers, thunderous booms emanating from all directions in electrifying quarter notes. The ceiling erupted in colorful flashes, flickering like strikes of lightning. She pulled him into the center of the dance floor, turned around seductively and watched as his eyes traveled over her body, devouring what she was putting out. The music was stirring the recklessness inside her. You know what? Screw Chris. I'm the new protégé of The Current's President. The boy drew close to her, grabbing her waist and pressing his lips against her neck. I can do what I want. I work hard. The boy eased his hands around her stomach.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered. She turned to face him.

"You like what you see?"

"I swear I'm falling in love with you," he responded. The words wrapped around her like a warm blanket. The two embraced, moving together to the beat of the music, smiling as the sexual energy escalated. She ran her fingers through his hair and lowered his head to her neck, his tongue glided from her neck to her ear, sending a rush of pleasure down her spine. In that same moment, she caught sight of Liz across the room. She was standing by the bar, flirting with a guy Ela didn't recognize. The two met eyes and Liz shaped her right hand into a circle, pierced the invisible hole with her left pointer finger, and tilted her head to the oblivious guy talking to her. Just go easy on him, Liz, Ela thought.

Ela closed her eyes as she and the boy intertwined with the rhythm of the music; her shaking, him grabbing, her twisting, him holding. He was good; many guys couldn't keep up with her.

"My turn to lead," he whispered. Ela couldn't help but follow him to a large concrete pillar in the middle of the floor. The two began to kiss fiercely, as if some source of life was inside the other's mouth and the only way to survive was to keep kissing, deeper and deeper. The energy dragged them from the dance floor somehow, down a hallway, to the back door, and into an alleyway. The pace grew like wildfire until he began to get too frisky, too excited, rushing his hands up her skirt and clawing her back. Each move he made turned her off more and more, making her feel self-conscious. The thought of sex disappeared from her mind as quickly as it had appeared, the playful mood killed by his excited hands.

"Unzip my pants," he said hastily. Before Ela could deny him, she felt the tip of his penis on her skirt. She shoved him away, snorting in disgust.

"What!?" he shouted disappointedly.

"No," she answered. "It was cool at first. But I don't want to."

"What? Why?" he sounded as if he wanted to cry.

"It's just...I don't know," she couldn't explain it, but the mood had just vanished into thin air. Her desire to be carefree gone in a flash.

"I don't get it," he said, shaking his head.

"You don't need to get it," Ela responded. "I think I'm going inside." He grunted in disappointment. "And could you put your penis away, please?"

The boy glanced down having forgotten that he was still exposed. Ela made for the door, but the boy grabbed her by the arm before she could leave.

"No," he said. The air grew tense.

"Let me go," she said forcefully.

"No," he repeated. He tightened his grip on her wrist and pulled her close to him. "I don't get you girls. You want one thing; and then when it's not going the way you want it to...you stop." Ela struggled to release herself from his grasp, breathing deeply to keep her cool.

"That sounds like a personal problem," Ela said spitefully.

"But it's not!" he shouted. He shoved her against the wall; his charming smile replaced with devilish hostility.

"Stop it, NOW!"

"This is what you wanted at first, right? To fuck?"

"No," she squirmed, his breath all over her face. "It was a sexual moment, but that doesn't mean sex. It was just fun."

"That's not fair," he responded.

"I'm sorry if I misled you but you've gotta stop now. This isn't right..." she squeaked.

He pressed his hand firmly against her breast, and then reached underneath her skirt. Enough, she thought, and kicked him backwards. He stumbled trying to regain his balance, but before he could gather himself, Ela kicked him in the crotch and crumpled onto the cold concrete. The young boy squealed like a child, and she watched as he suffered immensely.

"I could call the cops on you," she said, "but I won't." Then she knelt down close to his face. "Instead, if I see you again, I will electrocute your balls to a crisp, you piece of shit!"

Ela walked back into the building, bumping into the wild clubbers, and saw Liz was still at the bar. Liz's guy was drawing close to kiss her, but before the two could lock lips, Ela interrupted them, pulling Liz away by her shirt.

"One sec," Ela yelled to the guy, and he stood back in shock.

"Ela, what the fuck?" Liz shouted.

"My bad. Just letting you know I'm heading home. You got enough money to get you back?" A look of confusion flashed across Liz's face but she nodded in confirmation.

"What happened to that young cutie?" Liz asked. Tears started forming in Ela's eyes. She bit her lip to subdue the pain, but that only made it worse.

"He tried to rape me."

"Oh my god! Ela!"

"No." Ela placed her hands on Liz's shoulders. "It's cool," she lied. Ela couldn't take any more attention being brought to her. She wanted to escape the club, and go home.

"I can't leave you by yourself!"

"It's fine, trust me!" Ela shouted. "I should've known he was a jerk from the start." She reimagined him squirming on the concrete after she kneed him in the privates. "I made him regret his actions anyway."

"Ela..." Liz cried.

"I don't want to talk about it anymore." Ela could feel her emotions waiting to erupt like a bomb inside. She would melt down right there if the conversation continued. "I'm heading home. I just need some time alone." Liz continued to stare in astonishment at Ela. It helped a bit for Ela to know she had such a loyal friend. "I'm fine, Liz." She kissed her on the cheek and pushed Liz and the handsome guy back together, before she walked to the door.

Ela reached the outside and made her way down the street. There were a few catcalls as she passed the line, but she ignored them. The night had gone to complete shit. She was so disappointed in herself; all she had wanted was a little celebratory fun. Ela wondered why she hadn't broken into tears. I guess I'm a pretty fucking strong woman, she thought. She hoped in her heart that the kid had somehow learned his lesson, and the feeling of worry and dreadfulness slowly left as she smiled remembering how she threatened him. Resolve emerged inside her when she continued to think of the boy's fear as she had hovered over him. The feeling was identical to the moment she had stood up to Ms. Shell in the office. Something inside her was fueling her independence. Screw that guy, she thought. I won't let him ruin my momentum.

Her phone vibrated Chris's name appeared on the screen. She opened her inbox and read his text: "Heard about your crazy day with the president. Sorry and congratulations! Thinking of you."

Ela scowled at his text. She began to contemplate if she should go see him tonight. It might help erase some of the disgust she was feeling, wipe away the memories of the past hour. But if she called, he would think she was clinging to him, like all the other girls that text him at night, stroking his ego. But she couldn't help deny the loneliness she felt deep down. As she listened to the sound of her heels striking the sidewalk, a sudden feeling of insignificance invaded her consciousness. The city grew bigger and she felt like a single, meaningless ant in a giant colony. She didn't want to spend tonight alone, especially after what just happened. Ela pulled her phone out again and just as she pressed the call button, a stranger bumped into her. The phone fell to the ground and it cracked at the top right corner on impact.

"Fuck!" she gasped.

"I'm sorry!" the stranger blurted.

"Its fine," she answered, and went to reach for the phone. The guy was quicker than her and scooped it up. The two rose from their knees and met eyes. For a split second, Ela felt as if she'd seen the brightest stars in the universe explode into a cascade of supernovae. He had a soft smile that instantly put her at ease. They didn't move, but stood entranced.

"Hey," he finally spoke.

"Hey," she answered. Silence lingered, but a strange force was pulling her close to him. Why was her heart racing all of a sudden? Why had her breath become so short? What was he doing to her?

"Julius," he said, breaking the silence.

"Ela," she answered.
CHAPTER 9

Calvin removed the headset and closed the laptop. The sunlight had disappeared from his window, leaving his living room in near darkness; the only light source was his TV, layering the opposite wall in shades of blue and yellow. When did I turn on the television? His memories were a blur from the emotions and thoughts of Ela. He checked his watch; several hours had passed since he'd descended into Ela's memories. He had several missed calls from his assistant during that time. He tossed his phone on the couch and let out a long sigh; his body ached from sitting still for so long. Business could be handled later; he trusted Abraham to carry the weight.

Calvin left the couch and strolled into his kitchen, searching for a bottle of merlot that he'd opened the night before. As the sanguine liquid fell into the glass, he looked back over his shoulder at the alien technology on the couch. Dr. Rozen had created a future that Calvin could never have dreamed of, and the equipment Calvin had was probably just a prototype. Calvin assumed he was just a pawn in Dr. Rozen's grand scheme, a scheme he was too stressed to try and understand. The glass overflowed and the liquid ran down his fingers, and onto the counter. He hastily pulled the wine bottle away from the glass. Calvin didn't bother to clean up the mess, and fell back into his thoughts. This entire process, however brilliant, was extremely terrifying. It introduced an entirely new method of surveillance. The doctor could make a fortune from clandestine organizations hoping to invade the memories of unsuspecting individuals or engage in intellectual theft. He put the glass to his lips and guzzled the red liquid until the glass was empty, his insides filled with warmth.

He could be reading into it too much. Dr. Rozen could be a good man. Maybe Calvin's long career as a defense attorney had left him more cynical than Calvin had thought. The phone on the couch buzzed. He walked over to pick it up and saw that a colleague had sent him a text: "Your case is going national. Check CBC Now."

Calvin tossed his phone on the couch once more and grabbed his remote. He collapsed on the couch and switched to the appropriate channel. An image of Ela occupied the top left corner of the screen as two anchors were reporting the story. The picture had been taken the day she was arrested, the day after Julius' death. Her eyes were blood red, her hair was tangled, and her skin, normally a rich brown, was ghostly pale. She wasn't far from looking like an extra in a zombie film. He turned the volume up, his curiosity overwhelming him.

"...you haven't heard recently, there's a case of murder and insanity going on in that's quite interesting," said the male reporter.

"Yes, indeed," his female partner added. "The case centers on a 24-year-old woman by the name of Ela Blue." As she spoke, Ela's photo grew larger to fill the entire screen. "She has been charged with first-degree murder. The woman has pled insanity, stating she is neither guilty nor not guilty."

"That's new," the male anchor chuckled. "Neither guilty nor not guilty. So which is she, Alyssa?"

"Terrence, I wish I had the answer to that. The victim was 27-year-old Julius Holmes." The screen switched to a picture of a young, handsome man, smiling in front of an old brick building with a large, colorful mural painted on it. "He was...get this...the anonymous street artist who caused all that national stir last year." Terrence's eyes widened as if he was surprised to hear the information.

"Wait, the guy that created The Shark, The Snake, and The Spider? That's him?" he said incredulously.

"I know," Alyssa confirmed. "I never understood why he shied away from taking credit for the paintings. It's sad to see that he died so young."

"Which brings us to the case itself," Terrence segued. "Mrs. Blue, the mother of the suspect, believes her daughter to be innocent. Along with the suspect's lawyer, naturally," Terrence added. A video of Mrs. Blue and Calvin traversing a mob of reporters appeared on the television. "Sources with intimate knowledge of the case have told us that there is significant evidence pointing to Ela as being the last person to see Julius that fateful day, and apparently DNA has confirmed that his blood was found on her clothing."

"Maybe she did kill him," Alyssa chimed in.

"Maybe, we don't know, but this case is getting more and more intriguing by the second. Mrs. Blue has hired renowned psychiatrist, Dr. Rozen, to evaluate her daughter's psyche in an attempt to bolster her plea of insanity. They aim to prove that her state of mind was not that of murderous intent."

"Well, I don't see how you can prove that," Alyssa blurted out.

"Of course you don't," Calvin whispered as he turned off the TV. He glanced down at the equipment on his couch, and picked up the headset, deciding to delve in once more. This time, he inserted Julius's USB into the laptop, watching as the uplink to the main server was approved. He took one last sip of wine before clicking the sync button. "I didn't either."
CHAPTER 10

USB Yellow: Julius Log Entry 1

Julius was leaning on the edge of the bar, with a small glass of dark liquor dangling from his right hand.

"The secret to managing your staff is to have a perfect balance between sternness and kindness. Yelling gets you nowhere, and it will decrease productivity, primarily because they will hate you for it," he said.

"I don't see how you do it," said Jeff, the hotel's bartender.

"It's not difficult, you just have to find that string where fear and empathy align, and draw a line straight down the middle. Much like the beginning sketches of a painting." Julius glanced up at the bartender, and the older man shook his head in confusion as he wiped another mug clean. "You don't understand what I'm saying, do you?"

"No fucking clue," Jeff answered.

"Okay, see that kid over there?" The two looked over at a young waiter fiddling with his cellphone, while gently wiping a table off.

"Yeah," the bartender answered.

"What's he doing?"

"Looks like he's half-assing it to me."

"I'll show you what I mean, how to motivate him to "full-ass" it...for a free drink."

The bartender paused at the challenge, and then placed a mug onto the counter. "And if it doesn't work?"

Julius threw a confident smile at the question. "It'll work, Jeff."

Julius slalomed between the tables towards the young waiter. When he arrived, he placed his arm around the waiter, shocking him. The two began to talk, and Julius pointed at the phone, and then to the young waiter's chest. After a strong pat on the back, the waiter began wiping his table vigorously. Julius smiled at the bartender as he made his way back toward the bar.

He sat on a chair and, just as he began to speak, the bartender interjected.

"You scared the shit out of the poor kid. Doesn't count."

"Hold on," Julius said with a grin. "We're not done." The waiter finished the table and ran over to Julius.

"Thank you so much," he shouted. "You're the best, Jules!" Then he disappeared out the back entrance.

"What was that?" Jeff asked.

"Appreciation."

"What'd you tell him?"

"He was texting another employee. Serena."

The bartender smirked as he continued organizing the freshly cleaned glasses. "She's up here all the time," he said. "Such a nice girl."

"Apparently they have a huge crush on each other. Told him if he works hard, I'll pair them up on the same shifts," Julius finished.

"That sounds like politicking to me," Jeff said. Julius's mouth formed into a mischievous smile as he pushed his glass down the bar to Jeff.

"I'm glad I'm not young and dumb anymore," Jeff sighed, and poured a glass of dark liquor and coke for Julius, then slid it back down to his clever companion. The two smiled and Julius sipped on the cocktail until it was empty.

"Well, I'm off. Something special is brewing down at Oscar's tonight."

"I love Oscar's," Jeff said enthused.

"You're not supposed to say that," Julius replied. "You're supposed to love it here...Good old fashioned, overpriced, International Ross Hotel." The two laughed once more.

"I met my wife there," said Jeff, once the laughter died down.

"Maybe I can meet mine," Julius joked.

"Doubt it," Jeff blurted. Julius spun around in his stool to face the bartender.

"I'm appalled," he exaggerated. "What makes you say that?"

"You're too mysterious."

"Girls love a mysterious man."

"Women don't," he grunted.

"Touché," Julius said softly. The two shook hands and Julius leaped from the stool. "See you tomorrow afternoon, Jeff!" he shouted, exiting the double doors.

"See ya, Jules."

Julius made sure to take his time as he walked through the city. He enjoyed watching the life around him form its own story. In front of him was an arguing couple, glaring at each other, the female beginning to cry as the male stared off into the universe. To the left of Julius, a cat had just run across the street, jumping onto a taxi driver's car. The driver was in mid conversation with a co-worker and they both watched as the cat purred and rolled over on his back. The two laughed as it rested on the hood of the car. The taxi driver offered it a piece of bread. It snatched the food from his hand and disappeared into the nearest alleyway. To Julius' right, two officers eyed him suspiciously. He was used to it; he threw them a smile and waved. The mysterious thing doesn't always work in his favor. The cops rolled their eyes and continued their conversation. He felt like he was in the middle of it all: the good, the bad, the new, the old, every color of life appeared before him. He soaked it all in until he arrived at his apartment.

Inside the building, he greeted the doorman like usual and took the elevator to his place. He wasted no time once he was inside the apartment, rushing to his bedroom to change clothes. As he walked past his phone, he stopped, noticing the red light indicating a new voicemail message. He pressed the button and continued on his way to his room.

"Julius, it's ya auntie. Just calling to see how you're doing. Love your gifts you sent." The sound of ruffling paper echoed down the hallway to Julius's room, where he was throwing on his jacket. "The ladies at my job think it's my new boyfriend." She laughed, and Julius joined in quietly as he tightened the belt around his black pants. "Anyway, people miss you down here...I miss you, nephew. I'm always thinking of you. I know you're in the big city, pursuing your big dreams and all, but come visit me when you can. I'd love to make you something sometime, Julius..." There was a longer pause from his aunt. Julius traveled to the study beside his bedroom and opened the door, but chose not to turn the light on. His eyes roamed the darkness and he bit his bottom lip, knowing what was inside, but refusing to confront it. "Anyway..." Julius shut the door and checked to make sure he had everything he needed. "Call me sometime, nephew. I love you. I love you." The recording ended.

"I love you, too, Aunt Amy," he whispered, and shut the front door behind him.

He traveled back down the elevator and entered the city once more. He hailed a taxi, and after the ride he began to walk towards Oscar's when realized he was a block short. He shrugged and started walking down the noisy streets. Julius kept his head low, drifting deeper into the underlying depths of his consciousness with each thump of his shoes on the concrete. He was a consummate daydreamer, thinking of random people, objects, colors, and sceneries surrounding him. He often did this without realizing it. Got him into trouble at work, but it was essential to his creativity. However, there were times when his mind moved to places within his memory that he wished he hadn't gone, like the moment he'd come face to face with death. In that moment, he was completely enveloped by all he had experienced in life, drifting between the past and present.

The yelling and shouting of a youthful crowd on the street was replaced with the rising sound of crashing waves and singing seagulls. The cold sea air that he inhaled was quickly overcome by a strong stench of death. His mind was taking him into the memory he tirelessly tried to avoid. He saw himself in a much younger state; skinnier, more naïve, and weak to the world. An alarm rung above his head and when he looked at his hands, a pistol issuing smoke formed miraculously in his palm. He was breathing more heavily and below him, resting by his feet, was a man in a militant suit screaming in agony. His heart swelled with rage and he didn't know why, but he wanted to shoot this mysterious man again.

"Nothing was going to stop this day. God made this day for me..."

These words incited more anger and he pointed the gun down towards the villainous face. His finger pulled the trigger, and the sound of broken glass rattled in his ears.

"Fuck," a voice blurted.

He shook his head and saw he was back in the city. A girl in a sexy outfit was staring at the ground, her phone tumbling over the concrete. He must've bumped into her without realizing it.

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine," she answered, and as she moved to grab the phone, he knelt quickly and picked it up before she had a chance, hoping to make up for his blunder. He met her eyes; it was as if he saw all the light in universe, every nebula and every star, reflecting back at him. A rush of warmth filled his chest, and his heart pounded with anxiety.

"Hey," he finally spoke. Maybe she was feeling the same thing, because she stared at him as if he were an alien.

"Hey," she said back.

"Julius."

"Ela."
CHAPTER 11

USB Green: Ela Log Entry 5

The two strangers remained motionless as the world turned around them. People passed by, bumping shoulders and grunting as they dodged, but the two held each other's gaze. Had they met each other before? It seemed as though some powerful and mysterious force pulled them closer.

"You look cold," Julius spoke. Ela looked down disappointedly at her thin attire.

"I am," she answered, looking back up, "I should go get out of the col—"

"Here, use my coat," Julius interjected. He hastily tore his coat off and offered it to Ela. She blushed at his act of chivalry.

"Thanks, but that's alright..." she said looking down at the ground, too shy to show her face. "I have to get going."

Julius sighed in disappointment and threw the coat over his shoulder.

"I understand. Are you far?"

Ela nodded her head. "A few miles from here."

"Okay. One second." Julius walked onto the street and began waving his hand. Ela's brow rose in curiosity.

"What are you doing?" she asked. Julius glanced back at her with a warm smile. Her soul was set ablaze when she saw it.

"Calling you a cab."

"Oh no, that's fine."

"It's the least I can do," he continued waving.

"But I haven't done anything for you," she said.

"To me you have."

Ela wrapped her arms around herself, trying to warm her cold body. "Is this how you get all your girls?" she asked sarcastically. Julius continued peering out into the street.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"C'mon... I'm not stupid. This gentleman act..."

"It's not an act."

"It has to be. Why else would you do it?" Julius waved towards an incoming cab and the cab flashed its lights in recognition. He walked back onto the sidewalk as the cab pulled up beside them.

"Because I want to," he answered confidently. His voice reminded her of the comfort of warm covers on a cold winter morning. Covers she heartily wished she had at that moment as a cool wind brushed against her skin. He knocked on the passenger window and the driver rolled it down. "Wherever she needs to go," he told the cabbie, and pulled a fifty-dollar bill from the pocket of his coat.

"Stop. I can't let you do this." Ela grabbed his arm before the cabbie could take the cash and pulled it down to his side. Julius turned from the driver and locked eyes with her, the intimate atmosphere that surrounded them in the beginning forming once more. She coughed nervously and continued, "I'm not some damsel in distress. I can handle myself." Julius's eyes observed her—all of her—making Ela feel even more uncomfortable. Most men carried a sluggish Neanderthal gaze, with the lower lip hanging freely and the eyes rigid in movement. He was different; his eyes darted all around, from her to whatever was behind her. He wasn't staring but studying.

"I believe you," he answered. "I just want to make sure you get home safe."

"I can get home just fine without your help," she walked to the window, and waved for the taxi driver to leave.

"Are you sure?" the driver yelled.

"I'm sure," she answered. "Sorry."

The man grunted and cussed at the strange couple as he sped off.

"I'll call my own taxi," she finished.

Julius watched as she walked into the street waving her hand. He laughed to himself, grinning in defeat. Ela continued waving her hand in the air, trying to catch a passing cab. Without her noticing, Julius had walked up behind her to block the cold air, and then placed his coat over her, filling her with warmth. She gasped, and turned her head in his direction. His hands were on her shoulders, as if he was holding the world's most valuable possession. She felt the sincerity in his fingers, and wanted to fall into his chest. He smiled once more before stepping backwards with his hands up in surrender.

"I know you can handle yourself. Just do it warm." He placed his hands in his pockets, spun around, and trotted in the direction of Oscar's. She watched as he walked further and further from her. His cologne rose from the fabric of the coat, dancing inside her nostrils. Her body thanked her for gaining victory over the cold, while her mind fought her for letting it happen. A taxi pulled up beside her, but Ela kept watching Julius. The passenger window opened and taxi driver yelled to her.

"Just a sec," she answered quickly, as she watched Julius become a dot in the distance. She opened the back door and started to sit. What am I doing? she thought. Why do I want to see this guy? She wanted to be near him again, she wanted to feel the warmth and the butterflies. The sensation was like a drug and it baffled her, her chest roared for more. "I should go home," she whispered, "I was literally just violated from head to toe at the club." She raised her hand to close the door, but the strange desire grew immensely.

"Uggh." She hit her head with her palm. "Okay, just for a few seconds." She leaped out of the taxi and closed the door behind her. Ela turned to say sorry to the driver but he'd already sped off. She swung back around and shouted, "Julius!" That was stupid. He's several blocks away from me by now. She started walking in his direction, moving from a slow trot to a quick jog, through the crowd of oncoming walkers. What was this feeling that compelled her to chase someone she knew nothing about? The image of his smile became a top priority as she dashed in his direction. She crashed carelessly into people, shouting "sorry" whenever she could, but it was pointless after a while. Where was he going? Maybe I lost him? The crowd began to dissipate in front of her, but there was still no sign of him. She stopped in her tracks, gasping for whatever breath was available. He was gone.

"Fuck," she whispered, disappointed at her failed effort. Her body was annoyed with her now, her legs aching from exertion. "Whatever," she mumbled. "Waste of time."

"What is?" She raised her head and saw him smiling down at her from a landing on a set of concrete steps, his arms resting on the bannister. A sudden rush of happiness swept through every vein and artery in her body, but she tried not to show it.

"Um...giving you your coat back?" Ela drew the coat off her and stuck it out to Julius.

"You ran two blocks to give me my coat back?"

"Yeah," she bluffed.

No, she didn't, he thought.

No, I didn't, she thought.

Julius walked casually down the steps to her and took the coat.

"Oscar's is across the street. You ever been there?"

"No," she responded.

"It's been awhile since I've been out, and I was nervous going in by myself, being around so many people. My anxiety sort of overwhelmed me and I stopped on these steps, but now...you're here," Julius extended his hand to her. "You're more than welcome to join me." Ela bit her lip nervously.

"I mean, I don't know." Why the hell am I so nervous all of a sudden?

"C'mon, Ela." The way he said her name was so perfect. The two gazed at one another, just as they had during their first encounter. Come with me, he thought, please come.

What is this? her eyes said.

I don't know, his eyes responded.

Ela finally regained her confidence.

"Okay," she said, and the two began their walk. They crossed the street quietly, drawing attention from those that passed by. They were undoubtedly a beautiful pair; Ela, a humble creature, even with her natural gifts of beauty, and Julius, reserved in his towering stature. The physical attraction was at an all-time high, as evidenced by their blushing and soft laughs. They reached the entrance and the bouncer opened the doors as if they were royalty. This is different, she thought. Instead of the loud thumps from the club, the space was filled with crisp echoes from live musicians. They passed the round cloth-covered tables and stood near the stage, observing the band as it played energetically for the crowd.

"I'll be right back," Julius whispered in her ear. "You'll be okay?" She nodded and watched as he disappeared into the crowd behind her. Ela noticed that her body reacted differently to this type music; she swayed instead of popping up and down, and she didn't have to pay attention to the rhythm. Somehow, the musicians did it for her. She closed her eyes and drifted into the recesses of her mind as the drummer exploded into an unmistakable jazz-styled solo. Each note was different from the one it followed, and unlike the mindless rhythm of Astro's Bar, she could tell when the artist wanted her to feel certain parts of the song.

"This is raw," she whispered. The other band members joined in to wrap the song up, ending in perfect harmony. Ela came out of her trance and clapped excitedly along with the crowd. As the band broke down some of its instruments, a man appeared on stage just as Julius reappeared behind her, rubbing her back.

"You like the music so far?" Julius whispered in her ear and Ela nodded her head.

The man on stage held the mic high and nodded his head.

"Okay, for our intermission, we have the spoken word. While the next band preps themselves, we'll bring an old vet back to the stage." The crowd started to laugh as a second man appeared from behind. "He decided to stop by tonight and give us a little something for our ears to hear. Now, if you don't know this man, prepare yourselves." Ela glanced in Julius's direction; he shrugged in confusion. "Without further ado, Mr. Daniels." The crowd clapped as the two men shook hands. The lights dimmed once more. Mr. Daniels cleared his throat into the mic several times.

"You guys can hear me?" His voice was powerful, the crowd responded by clapping. "Alright, good," he coughed once more. "This poem was inspired by the paintings at the Galleria. You know the Shark, the Snake, and the Spider. If you haven't seen them, you should definitely check them out. They do something strange to you."The man reached in his pocket and pulled out a thin sheet of paper. He looked up at the crowd:

What do you do

When the monsters in your head

Dance around you in your sleep

Leaving footprints in your bed?

I was told I was crazy

Because I saw sharks in my dreams.

I was told I needed help

When the snake in my nightmare took hold of me.

Little do they know

There's more to the naked eye.

We're all trapped here on earth

In a web full of lies.

He closed the paper, and walked off the stage. The audience was silent, and Ela could see others with expressions of confusion. Ela looked at Julius and saw his eyes were fixated on the empty stage.

"That was depressing," she said.

"You'd have to lose your mind to understand," he responded. Ela looked away, lowering her eyes. Lose my mind? Who is this man?

"What do you mean lose my mind?" she asked. Julius looked at her, his stare intense like that of a bull.

"It's something about that web full of lies," he said. "It says it all." Julius' words made no sense to Ela so she stayed quiet. Once the crowd settled, Julius grabbed Ela by the hands. "I'm heading home. Walk with me to the club's entrance?" She nodded instantly and he took her lightly by the forearm, leading her to the front.

"Well, it was a pleasure, Ms. Ela." She reached out and shook his hand. They stood there for a minute, savoring the small connection. Julius finally pulled away.

"Here." He removed his long coat and quickly threw it around her. "Trust me, I know. Independent. Strong. No pity. But just keep it tonight and throw it away when you're done." Ela didn't say anything, only buried herself deeper into his coat. Julius walked onto the street and waved for a taxi, Ela following behind. One came instantly and the two looked at each other in surprise.

"Wow," she laughed.

"Yeah...wow," he responded. He opened the cab's back door and handed money to the driver. "Wherever she needs to go." Ela surprised, walked to the cab, she thought he was calling himself a cab home. The taxi driver nodded and reset the meter. Julius turned back to Ela and gazed down at her. "Did you have fun tonight?"

"At first no..." Ela said, thinking of the evil boy from earlier. "But later...yes."

"Good," he smiled. Ela noticed he wasn't looking directly at her, but slightly upward instead.

"Is everything okay?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know...I thought you were looking at me, but really you were looking sort of past me." Julius' expression changed from happiness to worry.

"Oh, it's a thing I do," he said as he rubbed his eyes and laughed. "Don't worry."

"Okay," she muttered, as she lowered her head and thought to herself, Is he gonna ask me for my number? I hope he doesn't come in to kiss me. I don't understand why guys always think they have to kiss a girl after a time well spent. It's just a good time.

"Goodbye, Ela."

"What?" she mumbled. Julius had already begun to walk away from her and was out of arm's reach before she fully realized what had happened. She waited a few seconds to see if he was going to turn back, but he never did. Instead, he sailed gently down the sea of concrete, narrowly dodging the other boats that passed him. She sighed to herself and sunk into the cab, closing the door behind her.

"Upper Ave," she said to the driver as he pulled away from the curb.

Ela's taxi passed by and she caught a glimpse of the handsome daydreamer.

"Why didn't you chase him?" the driver burst out. She looked up to see the bearded man watching her from the rearview mirror. She almost cussed him out for butting in on her business, but his question resonated deep within her.

"I don't know," she answered softly. The cab made a left and carried her home.
CHAPTER 12

Calvin placed the headset onto the table, and stood up from his couch. As he stretched, he felt his stomach rumble, and his back crack in several different places.

"Alright," he mumbled, "I'll get you something to eat." Calvin grabbed his phone. Once again, his screen was filled with messages. Most were from his law school friends, who congratulated him on his case. Others were from reporters who were requesting an interview with him or Mrs. Blue. He didn't respond to any of the texts, until he noticed the message from his assistant.

Abraham: The office is under control, and your client list is doubling every day.

Calvin: Keep it up. I'll be in soon.

Calvin smiled, comforted that his assistance could handle the chaotic firm on his own.

"I'm going to promote him when all of this is done. But first, I need something to eat." Calvin ordered General's Chicken from his favorite restaurant down the street, and while it was on its way, he took a shower and straightened up the apartment. Forty minutes later, the food arrived. Calvin tipped the delivery guy and placed the hot food on the coffee table in front of the couch.

In a matter of minutes, he devoured most of his meal like a barbarian, and threw out the rest in the kitchen. When he sat back onto the couch, he thought of Julius and Ela, and his insides filled with joy. How could she have killed him? Calvin wondered. Their chemistry was so natural. Julius seemed like a kind-hearted person, who would never push anyone past their limit. Ela was just another ambitious young woman fighting her way into the real world. He couldn't find a scent of wrongdoing in her. The way they gazed at each other, it was innocent young love. He shut his eyes, and the monster that snatched Dr. Rozen appeared before him. Its grotesque features made Calvin jump up from his couch in fright. He held his thumping heart, and glanced at the equipment. The story wasn't finished, and he would skip sleeping to find out what happened.

❖  
USB Green: Ela Log Entry 6

It was late afternoon when she passed through the Parisian style doors. Inside, the marble walls seemed to greet her like she was royalty, and the velvet drapes were straight out of a fairy tale. She passed by small crowds of well-dressed individuals, conversing happily on things that were of little consequence to Ela. After talking to the clerk in the middle of the chamber, she was escorted through a series of hallways toward the room of interest.

She was asked to wait by the entrance. The clerk told her that security would call for her when it was her turn to view the pieces. She decided to give Liz a call while she waited. Liz picked up immediately.

"You just caught me on my lunch break. How's the investigation going, detective?"

"I have to wait fifteen minutes for a five-minute viewing."

"That's lame."

"I know. So distract me. How's work at the office?"

"Pretty shitty. Doing bullshit editing for Chris."

"Chris has you doing editing?" That was my responsibility, thought Ela. That's how Chris and I got close. What is he up to? Ela shook her head. It didn't matter, this investigation was more important.

"Yeah. It's pretty boring; something about city policy and the corrupt nature of this politician and that politician. Nothing new."

"I know," Ela mumbled. "That's why I'm here."

"Yeah, I can't wait to see how this turns out." A rush of worry ran through Ela's body, she was beginning to have doubts about her idea. If this didn't play out well, she would fail Ms. Shell and her life would be ruined.

"You really think this is a good idea?"

"Ela, are you serious? I love this idea. It's so mysterious! I'm surprised no one has tried already."

"Me too," she answered. "Guess I lucked out by being the only one crazy enough to try."

"Trust me, you got this girl."

"Thank you," she whispered. Ela hadn't realized how much she needed to hear that from someone until Liz said it. "You're my best friend, Liz. I appreciate everything." There was a short period of silence on the line.

"Don't get all gushy on me." The two laughed. "By the way, whatever happened that night we went to Astro's Club, when you left early? I was waiting for a text or something in the morning, but I never heard from you." That shocked Ela's memory and she recalled a few nights back when she ran into Julius.

"Oh," she said, grinning to herself. Thank god Liz wasn't there to see her.

"'Oh' what!?" Liz shouted.

Damn, that girl is psychic, thought Ela.

"Liz..."

"Don't 'Liz' me. I know that tone. Something good had to have happened." The thought of that night excited Ela, and she tried to calm herself down. She also wondered why Julius hadn't asked her for her number. Was he not attracted to her? He had to be. Especially judging from the way he looked at her, and the way he smiled at her when they were standing next to each other at Oscar's. She wasn't crazy; something was there. "Earth to Ela!" Liz burst, snapping Ela out of her trance.

"Okay," she giggled. "I met this guy."

"You met another guy?! I thought, after what happened with—"

"I know," Ela cut her off. "I felt the same way. But this was an accident."

"Really?" Liz answered sarcastically. "An accident?"

"It was. Trust me. I was walking away from the club infuriated, obviously—"

"Scumbag," Liz interjected.

"Yeah," Ela sighed. "Scumbag...and I don't know why I was walking. I should've caught a cab, but I guess I needed to get the anger out of my system. Then out of nowhere, I bumped into this guy and my phone dropped. He picked it up and apologized, and then we locked eyes."

"Was he good-looking?"

"No...he was...fucking exotic."

"Ohh," Liz laughed.

"It was like I was staring at a man with caramel diamonds for eyes."

"Shit."

"His face was perfect. I mean, God really took his time with this one."

"He's making me weak now," Liz added.

"His shoulders were broad and his smile was fucking...oh my..."

"Go on, go on."

Ela couldn't help but gush about the handsome young man.

"His smile...I've never seen a smile so warm in my life. And that's how he got my attention."

"What happened next?" Ela went on to tell her the rest, ending with how they split afterwards when he called her a taxi. Liz's disappointment was palpable, even over the phone. "He didn't ask you for your number?"

"No, he didn't," Ela sighed.

"Why didn't you ask for his?"

The question caught Ela off guard. "What?"

"Girl, this is the new era. Not the 1950s. Women are doing what they want, when they want. That includes getting the men they have their eyes on."

"But I thought that the guy was supposed to—"

"Let me tell you something. Picture that man with someone else and doing all the things he did with you."

Ela didn't last ten seconds, the visualization searing her mind.

"I can't..."

"Then next time you see him—IF you see him—catch him. Otherwise another girl will."

"You're right."

"I know I am. But I gotta get back to work." The two said their goodbyes just as the guard signaled Ela to come to the entrance of the room with the paintings. All her items were taken from her, and she was finally directed inside. There was a small hall that led to a bigger opening. Once inside, she was greeted by a bright light which illuminated the three massive pieces. Only the blank back side could be seen as she entered. She had to walk to the other side to see the actual art. The paintings were incredibly huge, like multiple flags sewn together. She finally reached the front and her eyes landed on the three pieces.

Her knees grew weak, her head grew heavy, her fingers twitched. She was short of breath, and her chest felt like it had collapsed; she understood why no one cared about the artist. The pieces were incomprehensible. Was it even possible that a human made them? Ela fell to her knees and then sat on her rear, not moving, her breathe so faint it was if she wasn't breathing.
CHAPTER 13

Calvin had to see it for himself.

Ela's reaction to the paintings made his insides turn. He checked his watch. It was eight in the evening, and the Galleria closed around 9:00 p.m. depending on the amount of viewers inside. He placed the equipment on the table, and rushed to his car. He called Abraham.

Abraham: Yes sir. Everything okay?

Calvin: Give me a briefing on the paintings of the Shark, Snake, and Spider at the Galleria. I know Julius is connected to him.

Abraham: Yes sir he is the painter.

Calvin: I know that much, but what else. Before we found out he was the painter responsible, were there any reports about the paintings earlier? Were there any articles? TV time?

Abraham: One second....

Calvin could hear Abraham typing vigorously in the background.

Abraham: I found a link to an article from the Sun Times. Maybe this could help. I'm sending it to you now.

The two hung up, and Calvin opened the text message from Abraham, and began to the article.

John Diggs: Senior Columnist of the Sun Times

A muralist had somehow managed to paint the city's capitol building's wall with a detailed portrayal of pigs eating a small-scale city full of people in a trough. It made the local news, but didn't receive national attention. Several weeks later, a mural of a three-headed monster covered the entire west wall of the city's largest investment firm. No more than a week after that, a mural of a black cat was painted on the city's oldest church. This time, the unknown muralist was talked about throughout the state. It became clear that this wasn't the work of some low level street artist because all three locations were guarded heavily by security. There were imitators, but the artist's style was too unique to duplicate. Through the use of multiple mediums and myriad colors, the artist was able to create a life-like texture in his work. It was easy to spot a counterfeit.

Several months later, after the initial fascination wore off, three massive paintings showed up at the Circle Galleria. They were enormous pieces, 20 feet by 30 feet. News organizations and enthusiasts alike swarmed outside the Galleria. The owner of the building was hesitant to let the public view them, due to the peculiar sensation he felt when observing the trio of paintings. Some mysterious energy seemed to occupy the space around them. But, after enough pressure from the media, he allowed a select group of journalists in for a private viewing. The resulting articles were flooded with praise and undeniable fascination. The curator opened the private section of the gallery to the public soon after, and it drew worldwide attention. Thus, the phenomenon of The Shark, The Snake, and The Spider was born.

People from all walks of life flocked to observe the paintings. However, any type of recording equipment was prohibited, which intensified the demand to see the pieces. There was even a time limit to observe them. The mania carried on for a while, but there was never a strong focus on discovering perhaps the most important thing, the painter. Who created the pieces? Was it a man or a woman? Someone young? Old? What was the inspiration behind it? As the momentum grows in the mystery, we can't help but be in awe by the visionary pieces, and the hype built around them.

Calvin closed his phone, he was at the Galleria, and there was a small group exiting the building. He pulled up to a couple who had strayed away from the rest, while rolling his window down.

"Excuse me!" Calvin shouted, the pair turned in his direction. The man put his hand on the woman's waist, and moved in front of her.

"Yes?" he yelled back.

"Is the Galleria closing?"

"You got about thirty minutes, bud! I would hurry if I were you!"

Calvin waved thanks to the man, but suddenly remembered Ela's expression at the paintings.

"Last thing!" The couple turned once more. "Did you guys view the three paintings by Julius Holmes?" The woman moved in front of the man this time.

"You mean The Shark, The Snake, and The Spider?" she responded.

"Yes!"

"What do you want to know?"

"How are they? What do you think of them?" Calvin studied the woman's expression as she looked to the man beside her. The two laughed, smiling in excitement. Their reaction was completely contradictory to Ela's.

What was going on here, thought Calvin.

"They're...I can't...like my husband said, I'd hurry if I were you," she finally answered, and the two continued their journey down the street.

What did that mean? Were they terrifying? Were they inspiring? Were they God awful? What was it about these paintings that made people speechless for a simple answer? Calvin didn't waste any more time, and parked in front of the Galleria. A security guard appeared beside Calvin's door as he went to open it.

"Excuse me, sir, I need to get out of my car," said Calvin.

"It's illegal to park here, sir."

Calvin pushed his sleeve back, noting the time on his watch. He only had about 20 minutes left.

"I just need several minutes. I have to see the three paintings inside."

"Well, sir, you are going to have to use the parking garage like everyone else."

"And where would that be?" Calvin was growing frustrated.

"About two blocks from here, sir."

Calvin's blood felt like it was boiling as he tried to remain calm.

"Why would you make people park two blocks away?"

"If you have a problem with it, sir, you can go online and file a complaint." Calvin had had enough, reaching his breaking point, with the pressure of the case getting to him, as well as his curiosity about the paintings. He pushed his door opened, sending the security guard back a few steps, and before the guard could react, Calvin was in his face.

"I need to explain something to you. So, please, listen carefully. Those paintings in there are a part of my case."

"Case?" the security guard asked.

"Yes, my case. I am defending Ela Blue's plea of insanity to the court and I need to see those paintings because she saw them."

The guard's stern expression suddenly morphed to a smile.

"Oh, I thought I recognized you! You're that lawyer guy who's with the old, crazy, black woman." Calvin wanted to beat the man senseless, but he kept his cool.

"Congratu-fucking-lations!" he sarcastically barked. "If you don't let me park my car here, I promise you, it will be a long shitty night for you."

The guard hesitantly stood away from Calvin.

"I'll watch your car for you," he mumbled.

"I'd appreciate that."

Calvin left the guard and sprinted inside. The place was covered in marble, like a Roman coliseum. The walls were covered in a milky coating, massive columns spread throughout the room. He collided with the crowd that was heading to the entrance of the Galleria, pushing through until he finally reached a clerk at a desk in the middle of the floor.

"I'm looking for the pieces by Julius Holmes," he spoke, cutting off her attempt to greet him. He could see she didn't like the rushed greeting but he had no time for pleasantries. The urge to see the paintings grew within him.

"Directly behind us. But you only have ten minutes until it closes."

Calvin sped off passing the crowd pushing towards the front door like a blur. When the case had begun, his assistant mentioned the pieces to him, but he had dismissed their importance to the case. He cursed himself for his arrogance; he should always investigate anything that could help.

He finally came to a halt when a security guard blocked his entrance to what Calvin could only assume was The Room.

"The Galleria prohibits any sharing of the pieces inside. All items must be confiscated."

Calvin handed everything from his pockets to the security guard.

"Five minutes," the guard said.

Once he was in, Calvin was greeted by a massive space of wooden floor, and a high ceiling. Dangling from the ceilings were the three paintings that swayed slowly back and forth, only leaving their backs visible to him, just as they had been in Ela's memory. This was it; he hadn't felt this excited in a long time. He caught his breath, and walked in front of the pieces.

His eyes landed on the left, then the middle, and then the right.

"You have to be kidding me," he whispered. "This isn't real." Everyone was right. The pieces before him were as magnificent as the aura of the sky during a sunset, but yet just as petrifying as the sight of lifeless bodies from the aftermath of war. This wasn't art. This was the purest form of human expression, and every emotion a human could ever feel was conveyed through the lines and colors of these pieces. Julius' work felt like it was made from an angel of God. Calvin gathered himself, left the room, and grabbed his things from the security guard, rushing back to his car. He had more work to do.
CHAPTER 14

USB Yellow: Julius Log Entry 2

Just behind the closet doors was the mystery of darkness that had haunted him every night since he was a child. He couldn't tell what was inside, but he knew, there was a presence and it wanted him. Every night Julius rested on the edge of his bed staring at his closet entranced by the darkness between the doors. One night, a voice reached out to him. He thought he was crazy, but the voice continued to speak to him growing louder with every call.

"Julius," it said. "Julius, come to me."

Julius finally stood up, walking slowly to the darkness. He was an arm's length away from the closet doors, staring at the abyss.

"Julius," the soft voice whispered, a hand appeared from the darkness caressing his face. Julius jumped back tripping over his own feet and fell to the floor. The hand continued to extend out of the darkness until the figure of a young, beautiful woman appear. He rubbed his eyes, shocked by what he saw in front of him.

"How—" he asked.

"Come with me," she spoke gently.

"This isn't real."

"It doesn't need to be," she smiled. Julius rose to his feet. His heart flooded with terror, his mind overflowing with thoughts. However, there was one thought that scared him the most, something that he was afraid to admit to himself.

"Come with me," she spoke again.

"I," he paused. Deep down Julius was more scared of being in his own skin, so he began to walk to the entity. He extended his hand to touch hers. Their fingers locked and she pulled him close holding him tight.

"Say it to yourself," she said in his ear. Julius closed his eyes.

"Say it to yourself," she said to him again.

"I've been waiting for you," he said to her. He wasn't fooled. He knew that it wasn't Nia. He would never truly know what was pulling him back into the darkness of his closet, but what he did know was that he wanted to go to it. So it finally took him back through the closest doors. Her body disappeared and he felt that part of his soul, his consciousness, the thing that made him certain of his existence, tear away from him.

❖

That dream again.

The red light from the voicemail flickered like an S.O.S. signal across the dark room. Julius lay between the door of the study and the space that led to the dining room. His head was throbbing as he glanced to his left, noticing the half-finished bottle of liquor. He laughed to himself as he rolled onto his back. "That thing packs a punch."

He needed to get up. He let out a deep grunt of frustration but remained still; this was going to take a while. Julius inhaled in defeat and closed his eyes once more. An image of the girl he had met a few nights back appeared in his mind's eye. She was so beautiful. What was her name again, he thought. He was shitty at remembering names, but his memory of her facial features and her majestic figure remained vivid. He wondered why he hadn't asked to see her again. "Maybe the note thing in the pocket was too corny," he mumbled, as he rubbed his hands over his face.

Just before the two had parted ways, Julius had slipped a piece of paper with his number in the pocket of his trench coat, hoping she would find it. He suddenly imagined her tossing his number and coat on the concrete or in a nearby trashcan. He had told her to chuck it when he first gave her the coat. Embarrassment sprouted in his core and made him feel sicker than the liquor in his stomach. "Idiot," he mumbled. "Idiot." He doubted that he would ever see her again, but if he did...his imagination manifested an image of him kissing her. How would her lips feel? They looked deliciously soft, like two pillows covered in warm, melted chocolate. Maybe he should paint that next—

"Julius! Julius! I know you're there!" Julius opened his eyes and rolled over onto his side in the direction of the familiar voice. "I'm not hanging up!" It was coming from his voicemail machine. "You're probably drunk again...passed out on the floor. What time is it?"

Another voice chimed in, "8:30?"

The original accuser continued on, "Oh, this is happy hour for you, Jules...wake the fuck up." Julius grabbed the bottle beside him and inhaled the fire down his throat. "Julius." He finally pushed himself off the floor and stumbled to the kitchen. He had to take his time, the hangover was still in full effect.

"Jules."

"Yo."

"Ohhh, there you are," the voice lightened its tone. Julius carried the phone with him to the sink and began pouring water into a glass he hoped was clean. "Were you drinking?"

"What do you think, Jeff?" Julius bluntly responded.

"Yeah, I figured. You're an asshole when you drink." There was more shuffling in the background and Julius could hear the breathing on the other line become much heavier. This worried Julius.

"Did you go to the doctor?"

"Yes," Jeff answered.

"What'd he say?"

"She...not good. I gotta lose more weight if I want my blood pressure to drop."

"I told you," Julius exhaled as the water dripped down his lips.

"I know..."

"What do I always say?"

"Black don't crack."

"But..."

"Black get fat."

"Soul food in moderation."

"I know...I know...enough about me. What's up with you?"

Julius was silent, leaning on the kitchen sink still thinking about the girl.

"I met someone," he finally answered.

"You met someone?"

"Yeah, a few nights back. When I went to Oscar's."

"I told you Oscar's is a special place!"

Julius smiled. "Yeah, it is...I made a painting, Jeff." There was a moment of silence and Julius could hear the shutting of several doors. He knew Jeff was excited as he waited anxiously for a response.

"Julius, I just left the bar. If this is a joke..."

"It's not."

"Julius, you better not fuck with my blood pressure."

"I'm not," he laughed.

Julius left the kitchen, walked back into the study, and turned the light on. In front of him was a floor covered with plastic sheeting and dozens of unfinished canvasses lining the walls. As he walked further into the room, he approached a finished painting that replicated the dream he'd just had; the dream he'd had many times before. The colors were in sync with the insanity that he felt in that last second of the dream; his small body descending from the manufactured universe down to the earth. It captured it perfectly.

"I'm not," he repeated, "I want you to see it, Jeff."

"I could come now if you need me to!"

"No, not yet. I want this moment to sink in; I haven't felt like this in so long."

"What made you...you know...want to paint again?"

The pretty-lipped girl flickered in Julius' mind, as did the image of the two holding hands as he pulled her from the crowd.

"It was the girl I met."

"A fuckin' girl," Jeff sighed. "Out of all the rehabs, churches, focus groups, documentaries...a girl inspires you."

"I know," Julius chuckled. "I know."

"What was so special about this girl?"

Julius remembered back to when he'd bumped into her, meeting eyes while handing over her phone. He could've stood there for centuries staring into her eyes.

"It was her—"

"Hold that thought. We'll talk later."

"Sure," Julius answered, slightly disappointed.

"I'm glad your back, Picasso."

"Not yet," Julius responded, and the two hung up. He walked back to the kitchen and placed the phone on the counter and began searching through the cabinets for food to cook. Nearly every compartment of his kitchen was empty. He shook his head as he thought about how his aunt would fuss at him for not cooking enough. Cooking is good for the soul, she would say. Reminds you of the reward of preparation and patience. He stretched his arms high. God, he wanted a plate of her home-cooked food so bad. Maybe he'd visit. He wanted to visit. But he was still too afraid. Too much history was back there, so much so that she wasn't enough for him to go back. He knew he was selfish and he knew he was being weak, but he hoped that she would understand. He thought of her and how much she preached for him to come home. Maybe, Auntie, maybe. The phone rang and Julius left his heavy thoughts to answer it.

"Leave me alone Jeff! Don't you have a life!"

There was a silence on the line, save for some faint breathing.

"Hello?" said Julius. The breathing stopped. "Hello?" he repeated.

"It's me," a voice responded. He recognized it almost instantly and nearly fell to the floor.

"You called..." He was more surprised than ever.

"Yeah, I guess I did." The sound of her voice was much softer over the phone. The two didn't say anything. Shocked by each other just like the first time. "Do you remember me? Or I guess you do since—"

"How could I not," he interrupted. There was a gentle laugh through the speaker. The feeling of fire emerged again inside of him, and he could feel her warmth pulsing through the phone. The girl who made him feel the universe again had found him. After a few awkward seconds of silence, Julius decided to break it.

"How are you?" he asked.

"I hate that question," she uttered.

"Okay..." He didn't know how to respond to that.

"I'm sorry, that has nothing to do with you. It's just the question."

"What's so bad about the question?"

"It doesn't apply to someone like me. Well, to anyone really."

"Why not?"

She sighed heavily through the phone as if she had explained this a hundred times before.

"You sure you want to travel down this rabbit hole?"

"Yes," Julius laughed. "I do."

There was one last sigh and she began.

"I, like most people, have long days with a bajillion things all happening at once. And, as a result, my emotions and my psychological state change like a gazillion times. This excludes the emotions and all the other shit that happened the day before. They do carry over, you know. That whole 'it's a new day' restart thing is bullshit. It takes time to remove, or even forget, what you've been through the day before. So you can't even fathom the infinite changes of state within the last 72 hours of my life. And since it's such a simple, three-word question, there is an expectation for a simple, three-word answer like 'I am fine...I am sad...I am happy... I am mad.' First of all, we need to re-evaluate our entire vocabulary for expressing emotion. Happy, or sad, or mad, it's such....UGGHH, fucking bullshit. There is so much more to it than that. Say something like... lulu lala lulu lala."

"Is that a new language?" Julius laughed.

"No, it's a new form of expression. Do you get it?"

"Surprisingly, I do," Julius chuckled. Someone else might not get the nonsense words she had just uttered but he completely understood what was at the heart of what she was saying. They both enjoyed the moment, the companionship, reveling in their connection until Ela changed the subject.

"That coat thing was corny. You could've just asked me for my number," she said.

"Come on. That was original."

"How do I know that you haven't used it on another girl?"

"Guess you'll never know."

"I don't like that," she scolded.

"Such is life," he responded.

"Why did you give me your number?"

"The same reason why you called."

"You're a smart aleck."

"Smart enough." He walked to the window of his apartment, glancing out at the ink blotched night sky. He wasn't too far from the park. It was late, but a night walk would be good. "How far are you from Tompkins Park?"

"Not far at all."

"Would you like to take a walk with me?"

"Walking with strangers at night is dangerous," she answered.

He laughed at the idea that they were strangers to each other, even though they had only met once.

"I'll be at the center where the benches meet the pond. I'll wait for you."

"How do you know I won't leave you hanging?"

"Guess I'll have to trust that you want to see me again like I want to see you again. You've been in my thoughts every day. Seeing you would be like lulu lala lulu to me." He could hear her laugh. "See you soon, Ela."

"Good bye."
CHAPTER 15

Calvin activated Ela's USB when he clicked onto her file, both Julius and Ela's memories merged into one. He could hear their thoughts, and feel their emotions. His eyelids felt heavy but he was too intrigued to stop.

❖

USB Green and Yellow: Ela and Julius Log Entry 1

Julius strolled through the quiet park with his hands in his pockets, oblivious to the people who walked by him. The wind caressed his cheek and whispered its gentle thoughts in his ears. He would wait all night for her, even if it were fruitless. He caught sight of a bench under one of the many lamps lining the path.

"Perfect," he mumbled, and strolled in its direction. With a heavy sigh he sat down, surveying his surroundings in anticipation of Ela's arrival. Seconds passed by like minutes; he figured he'd been there for at least an hour because the rate of people passing by gradually lessened. He grew tired and placed his head in the palms of his hands, vanishing into the darkness of his thoughts. With each breath he slowly separated from reality and slipped into a memory surrounded by the sound of crashing waves. The salt from the sea crowded his nostrils and, like the opening act of a play, the ocean materialized in front of him, bestowing its infinite plane of blue.

Julius was much younger, and the long stylish coat and slim-fit pants he current self was wearing were replaced with a dingy t-shirt and shorts that stopped above his knees. During his youthful years, he'd worked at a hotel near the beach in Miami. It felt like ages since he'd been there; he wanted to remain there as long as his mind allowed it. A voice came from his right. He wasn't sure it was real at first, but it grew louder with each repetition.

"Julius," it whispered. "Julius. Julius." There was a pause. He wasn't ready to turn to it. The sunlight reflecting off the crashing waves was too mesmerizing. "Julius!" He felt a thud on the back of his head and he shot up from the bench and saw a frustrated Ela. He stood up, looking down at her, and produced his charming, bright smile. She couldn't help but soften her eyes at the sight of it, her blushing cheeks revealing her happiness.

"Sorry...just night dreaming."

"Night dreaming?" she asked. "You mean sleeping?"

"No—night dreaming. It's like daydreaming, but only at night."

"I think that's called sleeping," she laughed.

"Yeah, okay. I was sleeping," he responded, embarrassed.

Ela laughed at that and it was so infectious that Julius couldn't help but join her. Eventually they both had to stop to catch their breath and it gave Julius a chance to study her, admiring her from the bottom up. She knew exactly what to wear, revealing just enough to stimulate his imagination, and matching the sequence of color just right to keep his subconscious in a daze.

"So what now?" he finally asked.

"I don't know," she answered. "You asked me here."

"Walk?"

"Sure." The two began their journey around the park and moved slowly. Julius broke the silence.

"Long commute for you?"

"No, not really. About half an hour. How about you?"

"Same. I guess we met in the middle."

"Yeah," she smiled. "I guess we did."

"You look nice," he added. There was a sign of shyness in his tone.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

The two continued along, gliding through the sea of oaks and pines teeming with wildlife, allowing the world to talk for them. Ela was in her head, and she had somehow drifted back to the night she discovered Julius' phone number in his coat pocket. His creativity in contacting her after their night baffled her. Something inside edged her to believe it wasn't a spontaneous attempt, it was a tactical move to bait her. Ela had quite a few dates under her belt, and Julius was just too original.

"That thing you did...with the number in the coat," she finally spoke up. Julius laughed as they continued walking.

"Yeah. What about it?"

"How many girls have you used that on? I'm curious."

"You asked me this on the phone, remember?"

"I did."

"Was my answer not good enough for you?"

"It wasn't bad," Ela countered. "It was too perfect." Julius was taken aback by the remark.

"What are you trying to say?" he asked.

Ela rolled her eyes. "I'm just saying. The way you did it, it was so perfect. It feels like you had to have done this before. No one does that."

"Based off of what evidence?"

"Stop being an ass," she blurted out, her quick temper rising to the surface. Julius' face remained stoic in his calmness.

"I don't get what you are trying to say," he said. "Was I supposed to sound nervous or something?"

"I don't know, maybe...it would sound more authentic."

"But I was nervous when I did it. The entire time. I'm kinda nervous no—"

"I doubt it." Her skeptical inner voice had taken full control. Julius slowed his pace and looked disapprovingly at her.

"What is your problem?" he asked.

"My problem?" she spat back at him.

"Yeah, your problem. You're crucifying me for some bullshit reason."

Ela began to laugh, "I'm not."

"But you are. What's with your attitude?"

"You think this is an attitude? Honey, then you have no idea what an attitude is."

Julius shook his head, and started walking away, waving his hand in frustration, Ela was left standing in the darkness between two street lamps. She fiddled with her fingers and watched as he grew smaller.

"Whatever," she whispered. Her inner consciousness was screaming at her because of her stubbornness. Stop being like this and call him back! "Screw him," she answered to it.

Julius had kept his hands in his pockets, as he walked further from her. "What a waste," he muttered. He wasn't mad. He'd encountered women like that before, so he wasn't new to the whole "Blame everything on you because I'm insecure" complex. He just thought this girl was different. The connection he had felt wasn't bullshit though. He was sure of that but, then again, maybe it was. After all, here he was walking away from her. "I guess I dodged a bullet."

Stop him. Stop him. Stop him, her thoughts shouted.

"No, it's too late. He's long gone," she answered to it. Shout his name, trust me, he will hear you. She stomped her foot on the ground, and placed her hand over her face in embarrassment for what she was about to do. Stop him! It roared again. "Okay!" she blurted to the birds in the tree next to her. She gathered her breath and shouted his name as loud as she could as she started walking briskly in his direction. There was no sign of him so she shouted again, her voice traveled down the dark concrete. He didn't show. She had blown it, but she kept walking.

"Why did I act so stupid?" she gasped. Her head was hung low, gazing at her feet, It distracted her from her shame. There was no thought for where she was heading; she just needed to find a street, and she could head home. She kept going until she ran into what felt like a wall. She glanced up and saw Julius staring down at her.

"Are you okay? I thought you were in trouble or something." She never felt so glad to see someone in her entire life. It took her a moment to gather her breath, but once she did, she stood back so he could see her clearly.

"I'm sorry about earlier. That...that was uncalled for and stupid." Julius didn't respond. His stare remained cold. Ela anxiously bit her lip. His stare made her feel even dumber than before. Her shoulders rose from the tension.

"This is really awkward." Julius rolled his eyes and looked up at the night sky. Ela hunched over slightly, feeling more invisible than ever before. "Julius? This is Earth. Can you hear us?" she laughed nervously. He slowly looked down from the stars and met her eyes.

"What is your problem?" he asked plainly.

"I mean, you were literally spaced out," Ela stuttered. This was getting worse. "It was just a joke."

"No, not that," he shook his head. "Earlier. You being so insecure." That struck a nerve she didn't like.

"I'm not insecure," she barked.

"Yeah, you kinda are."

"Who are you to tell me what I am and how I feel? What gives you the right?"

"I'm only telling you how you were behaving towards me."

"That doesn't mean I'm insecure."

"With me you are," he said, so calmly it scared her. "Even in this moment. You think I'm accusing you." His eyes were concerned and not angry, his shoulders were relaxed. Everything about his energy told her that once again he was sincere in reaching out to her.

"Okay...so what if I am. You act like you're not." Julius chuckled. "That's not funny," she cried.

"You don't think I'm insecure?"

Ela eyed him from his overpriced shoes to his clean haircut, and tilted her head. "You act like you're not."

"Well, you're wrong."

"Okay, so why are you criticizing me?"

"Because you're accusing me of being this player/douche kind of guy that I'm not." Ela turned away; his statement was so accurate she couldn't even look at him anymore.

"So, what are we going to do? Continue to blame each other?"

"No..." Julius stood in front of her and the dismay that had been plastered across her face disappeared. "How about we start over?" he smiled. Ela couldn't help but giggle, his smile was so cute. He stuck his hand out. "What do you think?"

Ela closed her eyes and acted as though she had to think real hard about accepting his offer, then opened her eyes and shook his hand in agreement. The two continued to watch each other, and the mysterious infatuation that seemed to always wait in the wings, formed around them again. This time was going to be different; the two felt it in their hearts.
CHAPTER 16

USB Green and Yellow: Ela and Julius Log Entry 2

The echoes of their footsteps carried the conversation as they walked through the various paths of the park. A homeless man leaning on a rail spotted the two, and extended his empty palm as they slowly passed by. Julius stopped and Ela watched as he reached in his pocket. The man drew closer to the two; the smell of alcohol was so strong that it burnt her nostrils. She wiped her eyes and turned her head in the opposite direction to breathe fresh air.

"Thank you, young man," the vagrant said. Julius nodded; Ela couldn't help but flinch when she saw the dirt from the man's fingers touch the dollar bill. The homeless man met Ela's eyes and smiled. She smiled back, but felt unsettled inside. "Lovely girlfriend," the man said. Julius hadn't noticed that Ela was standing behind him and glanced back in her direction. He saw her staring up at him like a puppy.

"Oh, that thing?" Ela smirked and punched him in the back. Julius grinned at the homeless man. "I guess she's alright." The homeless man bowed in gratitude and walked back to the rail. The two continued their journey, staying silent for a while.

"Why did you give him money?" Ela eventually asked.

Julius faced her and shrugged. "He needed it."

Ela shook her head in disagreement. "You didn't smell the alcohol?"

"Yeah, I did."

"You don't think he'll use it for alcohol?"

"It's up to him."

"But you're not solving the problem." Julius finally halted and sighed as if he had heard this before.

"Who says I wanted to solve the problem?" Ela's eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Isn't that why you gave him the money? To help him?"

"Yes, to help him."

"But that didn't really help him..."

"Says who...you?"

"Not just me, but anyone who would've seen that."

"How do you know if he'll use that for alcohol again?"

Ela laughed. "Ummm. I don't know. Because he smelt like alcohol?"

"Okay, and..."

"And?"

"Yeah...that doesn't prove anything."

"That proves everything. You're an idiot if you don't see that!" Ela composed herself. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to call you an idiot."

"It's fine," Julius responded. "Insults aren't facts. They're just emotions." He signaled for her to resume walking, and they continued their journey. The thought wouldn't leave her mind; she didn't know why, but it was prodding her brain to reconcile it in some way.

"I just don't get how you believe that didn't make his situation worse."

"I don't see how you believe it'll be worse."

"It's just common sense."

"You just assume you know what's best for everyone, huh?"

"Excuse me?"

"What gives you the right to assume that this man will do the same things? The alcohol, the uncleanliness?"

"Well..."

"You don't actually know. You want to know why?" Ela nodded her head like a curious student.

"Because he has a choice!" Julius' hands had left his pockets and his face resembled an angry bull. "I helped him because he asked for money. That's it! I gave him what he needed. Secretly, I hope he makes a better decision. But if he doesn't, that's okay because he's a free man and it's his choice. Do you understand now?" Ela nodded slowly, she was engulfed by his passion and she secretly loved it. "So, instead of having these incredible expectations of people you don't know that you decide to help or give yourself to, just give to give, and that's it! Have expectations for the President, or judges, or cops, or lawyers, even bankers. They sign contracts and swear oaths."

Silence settled over them as Julius regained his breath. Ela couldn't help herself; his masculinity overwhelmed her like a stampede. She placed her hand on his cheek, her fingers traveled down his firm skin until she reached the back of his neck. With a tight grip, she pulled him close and met his lips with hers, like two converging clouds.

He was hesitant at first, but his shoulders relaxed and he pulled her closer, reciprocating the passion. What a bold woman, he thought. Their lips danced together, perfectly in sync, sending signals of pleasure to their brain in volatile frequencies. His tongue touched hers softly, never overbearing, and retreated when it knew it was close to wearing out its welcome. Every single hair on her body was on end, catching whatever energy Julius let off. Ela left the Earth and descended into her soul. Every memory she had accumulated this far in life swarmed around her. She no longer felt her body, only the energy of her consciousness. I want to fall for this guy. I want to give myself to him, she thought. I will give myself—

"Ela," Julius called. She opened her eyes and realized she was still wrapped in his arms. She backed away from him, and the two faced each other, amazed. Julius pulled his sleeve up and glanced down at his watch, then back to her. "It's 11:30; I'm going to call a cab. You're more than welcome to come over to my place...if that's what you want." She nodded; she wanted more of him, to be inside his arms again. What was he doing to her? He reached his hand out and she slowly drew near to him, sliding her fingers in between his. The two met eyes once more, this time knowing the other more deeply, recognizing all the goodness and warmth that rested in the other's heart.
CHAPTER 17

USB Green and Yellow: Ela and Julius Log Entry 3

"Fifteen minutes," shouted the taxi driver through the half-opened car window. Julius nodded in unison with Ela and they eased into the backseat of the cab. They sat quietly on separate sides, looking at each other in turns but never at the same time, pretending not to notice the other's gaze.

"What do you do for a living?" he finally asked Ela. It was out of the blue, but she appreciated the question.

"I'm an intern for this company." She didn't want to get to into the specifics, knowing she might not be with the magazine much longer. Her inability to bring anything creative to the table would have her kicked out soon. And for real this time. "And I mainly work on editing op-eds and columns written by my co-workers."

"Oh, so like administrative work?" he asked with interest.

"Yeah, something like that," she said and turned to the window, the lights from the passing buildings reminding her that she needed to find a story to pitch to Ms. Shell. She turned back to Julius.

"You enjoy it?" he asked when she was facing him again.

Julius' question only caused her anxiety, the more she thought of her current position with Ms. Shell, the greater her anxiety grew. Why was she even out? She should be researching a topic tonight. Was she acting reckless with her unique opportunity by being out with him tonight?

"Yeah, for the most part," she lied. "Enough about me. What do you do?" She had to take the attention away from herself.

"Manager at a hotel. Specifically, the serving section."

Ela was surprised. The way he carried himself, especially the way he spoke, gave off the impression that he was a lawyer, or a financier of some sort, but she was learning that quick assumptions based on appearance alone were going to get her nowhere, especially with him.

"Do you enjoy your work?"

"Yeah," he laughed. "Actually, I do. Keeps my mind off a lot of things."

"Things like what?" She wanted to pick his brain. His smile grew brighter.

"I don't know if I'd be able tell you."

"Why? You think I wouldn't understand?"

"No...I think I'm just scared. It's been a while since I opened up to someone in here." He hit his chest mimicking the rhythm of his pounding heart.

She'd never met someone so upfront before. "You don't have to," she said softly.

"The thing is...I want to," he said. Ela's heart fluttered.

"I'm listening," she said comfortingly. Julius took a deep breath and exhaled loudly, shaking his shoulders. He turned to her and smiled once more.

"The manager thing is on the side, a hobby. The hotel industry was one of my first jobs, so I stick with it to keep me grounded, to keep me mindful of my beginnings."

"What do you do now?" The taxicab came to a halt in front of a large apartment complex. They were on the wealthier side of the city, she could tell from the cleaner roads and well-designed buildings.

"I'd rather show you than tell you," Julius said as he got out of the cab, holding his hand out for her. Ela slipped her hand into his, amazed at the tingles that shot through her body at the touch of his skin. The two entered the luxurious apartment complex. Marble floors, white ceilings, and an attractive front desk assistant occupied the lobby; Julius was living well. They walked into the elevator and waited in silence as they traveled to the upper floors. She was tempted to ask what his monthly rent payment was, but thought better of it.

When the elevator doors opened, they traveled down a small hallway and finally came to his apartment. "You can place your things in the kitchen," he mumbled as they walked inside, then he disappeared past the kitchen and into a bedroom.

Ela dumped her things on the kitchen counter and took her shoes off. She walked across the cold wooden floor and studied the refrigerator. She noticed several pictures of a younger Julius hanging out with guys and girls around his age. There were three pictures in particular that stood out from the rest. One was a picture of him and a shorter, darker-skinned boy whose smile was bigger than Julius'. The boy's arms wrapped around Julius' neck. There was a beach behind them. Sand covered their feet. The other two pictures were both of youthful females; on the left was a shot of a beautiful, chocolate-skinned girl with her hand covering half of the frame. She was laughing and her pose was nearly perfect, along with the curvature of her hips and petite figure.

The girl in the other picture was of an opposite aura; she was lying in a bed, her long blonde hair and cold blue eyes captured in stark contrast to the navy blue sheets she lay on top of. Her hands were behind her head, and she carried a subtle but powerful grin. She was equal in beauty to the first girl. She's white, Ela thought. Ela felt her skin tightened from the anxiety that sparked in her head. Julius didn't seem the type to date outside his race. Ela edged closer to the photo, observing the subtle smile on the white girl's face; she wasn't looking into the camera, she was looking at the person who took it.

"Over here," Julius' voice interrupted her snooping. Ela quickly turned and saw him standing in the middle of the spacious living room. "I want to show you what I do."

Ela walked over to Julius and he led her down the hallway to the opening of a dark room.

Man, I really hope she likes this, he thought.

"You ready?"

She glanced at him and nodded. They walked inside the dark room and he flicked the light on. Her hands covered her mouth, as her eyes studied the overwhelmingly beautiful pieces of art that surrounded her.

"Oh my god," she whispered.

"C'mon, follow me," he continued.

The two walked further into his private studio, down the aisle of abstract canvasses. Each painting had its own life. Some spoke to her, some yelled, some cried out. When they reached the end, she noticed a painting of a small figure descending down from the universe to the Earth. The universe and the Earth were completely distinct, occupying the top and the bottom of the painting, respectively. But the middle was mixed with colors and symbols that represented both entities. She understood what it was saying to her, and she focused on what she guessed was Julius' body, floating in the middle of it all.

"This is amazing."

"Thank you."

"How...why..." she couldn't articulate her thoughts.

"You." He looked to her. "You did that to me."

"H-how could I have?"

"The way you make me feel."

"I don't understand."

"You will."

She continued to stare at the familiar textures of his work. She spun her head around and noticed a similar pattern and texture, unique to his paintings. She'd seen them before, she just couldn't remember where.

"I see things," he continued. "But I only see them when I feel them, so I guess you could say that these are my feelings."

Ela shook her head in amazement and touched several paintings with her fingertips. She instantly remembered that her touch could damage his work, pulling her fingers back from the canvas, but when she looked back at Julius, he was smiling. The strokes were soft; showing no signs of aging. She walked back over to the original piece of art.

"What do you call this?"

"A Stroke of the Universe."

"My god, this is so good. I just—" A realization suddenly hit her right in the temple, so hard she thought someone had actually slapped her.

"You okay?" he asked, noticing the sudden change in her body language. She felt so stupid, why hadn't she seen it the moment she walked in the room?

"Um...I'm just so shocked." Was it him? The painter from the Galleria? Julius extended his hand towards the door, leading her out of the studio. As they walked pasted the paintings, Ela's mind went wild. Why had he shown her his work? Did he know that people were willing to pay a fortune for it now that he's been absent for so long? Does he even care? Is this on purpose? And, most importantly, why her? Did he assume she wouldn't recognize his work? But if he did, then why still show her? What the hell was he thinking? Without remembering how they got there, Ela realized they were sitting on his large, leather couch overlooking the city as the lights flashed from all directions through the large glass wall.

"I'm glad you like it."

Ela grinned, but it was forced; she was still lost in a storm of thought. Where was this going? What was his plan?

"Something to drink?" he asked.

"Sure," she answered, and watched as he left the couch and walked to the kitchen. She waited quietly as he pulled out two glasses.

"Water? Wine? Liquor?"

"Wine is good."

"Red? White?"

"Red."

"Red it is," Julius said and pulled a bottle from a wine rack, uncorked it with ease, and filled both glasses. He sat back down, handing a glass to Ela.

"I still don't get it," she said.

"I know..." He placed his glass onto the coffee table in front them. "Can I tell you a story?" It was unexpected, but Ela didn't plan on leaving anytime soon. "I think if I tell you, it'll make more sense." Ela placed her glass onto the table next to his.

"Sure, I'm all ears."

Julius took a deep breath and rubbed his hands together. "This may take a while."

"I'm not going anywhere."

Julius laughed; he always seemed to laugh when he knew something the other person didn't know.

"Okay...here goes nothing," he said as he turned to her. She noticed that he'd dropped his voice slightly, erasing the tension that had been present in his voice earlier.

The light was dimmed perfectly, allowing her to relax. She was ready to go wherever he was going to take her.

"When I was in high school---,"

"Wait, where did you grow up?"

"Miami," he said smiling. Ela quickly pictured the bright beaches, the warm sand, and the half-naked people sitting in the sun.

"I guess you hate the weather up here. It's always so cold," said Ela.

"It is," Julius laughed.

"Were you popular? I know the girls went crazy for you."

"No--," Julius sinking further into the couch, spinning the red liquid in the glass, "I didn't, but I did have one girl, and she inspired me to paint." Ela couldn't help but feel jealous, she already hated the girl, and he hadn't started his conversation yet.

"Oh," she said, "How?"

"Well the story is pretty crazy, but it really happened," his eyes lit up, "It wasn't her that made me pursue my painting further, it was her father." He took another sip of his glass.

"This story already sounds crazy," Ela giggled.

"It is, but all of it's true.
CHAPTER 18

Calvin quickly removed the equipment, and rushed to the bathroom, no longer able to ignore the signals his body was sending him. As he stood over the toilet relieving himself, he was wrapped in a feeling of joy, the chemistry between Ela and Julius were rubbing off on him. He felt like he was reliving his first interactions with his crush back in high school. Every word or gesture spoken by her made him feel like he could change the world.

Young love.

He desperately wanted to know Julius' past, and he also wanted to know why Julius risked his anonymity for someone he barely knew. He could feel Ela's rush of emotions throughout the observation, but it was harder to understand Julius'. When he thought of Julius' emotions, it made him feel like he was sinking into nothingness, a mush of feelings so condensed it was beyond his comprehension. Yet Julius found some way to express them to reality. That amazed Calvin. When he finished, he ran back to the couch and placed the headset to his ear.

❖

USB Yellow: Julius Log Entry 3

"I love you, Julius."

Her tender words were always whispered so softly; a crying newborn would instantly fall asleep to them. Then there was her touch. The embrace of her soft fingertips would soothe even the foulest of moods. She was a magician, a mind controller, and a soothsayer. A triple threat that would drive any decent young man wild. Julius was one of those decent young men, but, unlike the others that ran from her spells, he welcomed them.

"I love you, too," he answered and their lips met. This was round two, or three, or four. He had forgotten hours and climaxes long ago. The more they slid between each other's arms and legs, kissing, licking, and biting like animals, the more he lost a sense of time and where his place was in it. He didn't want it to end; he could do this forever. Suddenly, Nia stopped and shoved Julius away.

"Julius?"

"Yes?" Her face was half lit by the window's moonlight. She looked worried and her shoulders were tense.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

This was the sixth time tonight, and about the twentieth or thirtieth time this week. Julius rolled away from her and onto his stomach, groaning in frustration.

"Yeah, I am sure. What's with you?"

"I don't know," she said. "Sometimes I just get scared." She tried pulling him back to her, but he was much bigger and wouldn't budge an inch.

"Of what?" he murmured.

"Losing you."

Julius turned his head to face her, but remained on his stomach to illustrate his frustration.

"Why would you lose me?"

"I don't know."

"What do you know?" he blurted irritably.

She jumped back a little, not out of fear, but with uneasiness.

"I know that I love you," she purred.

"Then love me."

Nia crawled on top of Julius as he lay with his face in the sheets. Her fingers traveled over the ridges on his thick, sculpted back, and when she'd had enough fun, she leaned herself over the back of his neck and kissed him softly.

"I'm sorry I'm making this difficult, Julius."

"Yeah, you are," he responded rudely. She playfully slapped his back, like a cracking whip.

"I'm trying to be nice. You're making it hard for me." She continued trailing kisses all over his back, his neck, and then she moaned making her voice sound sweet as honey, trying to turn him on again. Julius tried to ignore her, but his urges subdued his stubborn nature, so he flipped her over, sheltering her under his upper body.

"Why do you worry so much?"

Nia stared at him, infatuated with his every word.

"I just don't want to lose you because of, you know...my father."

Julius clenched her tighter between his legs. "I see...well, don't worry about things that haven't happened yet. Okay?"

"Okay," she whispered. The two continued kissing, tangling, grabbing, and moaning softly under Nia's thick sheets.

"What time..." Julius asked, pausing after every few words to kiss her. "Is your...mom...coming home?"

Nia continued biting his bottom lip, ignoring his question.

"Nia?" he asked again.

"I don't know," she blurted out. "She won't be home for at least anoth—"

The distinct sound of a door opening rose from downstairs. They stared at each other frantically. Several muffled male voices were heard on the floor below them and then, after a few seconds, the muffled sounds turned to random bursts of shouting.

"I thought you said your mom wasn't coming home for a while?" Julius asked, now panicked.

"She's wasn't supposed to! I don't know who that is."

More voices rose from below mixing with the random screams and yells.

"It sounds like a freakin' mob down there," Julius said.

"Shit," she whispered.

Julius turned to her, scared out of his mind.

"'Shit' what, Nia?"

"You need to hide NOW," she said fearfully.

They were out from under the covers by this time, and when he saw her eyes, it looked as though she'd seen a ghost. Julius searched frantically for his underwear; he found them at the foot of the bed, wrapped in the silk sheets. He started looking for his jeans, but to no avail.

"Hide!" she whispered, trying to straighten her room. "Hide, Julius!"

"Where?!" he cried. Her room was pretty large, but there wasn't much in it, and not many objects for him to hide under or behind. Nia ran and gathered clothes from all sides of the room, and piled them up in a corner. She had a ton of clothes, a symptom of being one of the wealthiest girls in town, so when she was done, the pile was quite massive.

"Hide under the clothes," she ordered.

"What? Are you serious?" Footsteps could be heard traveling up the stairs, closing in on her door. Julius jumped into the pile clothes, throwing whatever he could find over him.

"Nia! Ya, uncle's here! I want to see you now. Where are you?" Nia glanced back at the pile of clothes, hoping Julius had vanished completely. There were various items from her wardrobe burying him in complete obscurity, now all he had to do was remain silent. Nia's door shook suddenly with the violent impact of a fist hitting the wood.

"Nia!" her uncle shouted. She hurried to the door, opening it slowly. There was a moment of silence has she stared out into the darkness. "Hey, little girl!" A tall, thin man rushed into her room rubbing the top of her head. "I missed ya! It's been about a year since I've seen you." Julius took a peak out of the clothes, and saw a man holding Nia tight. "Ya miss me?" Nia nodded her head, forcing a smile across her face. The man wore dirty jeans and a shirt two sizes too big, a red bandanna tied tightly around the top of his head.

"You've gotten so big." The skinny man turned her around, checking her out as if she were a girl on the street. It was disgusting, and he looked disgusting. His face was dirty and his skin was dry; he resembled a walking coal-colored zombie. The man turned his back to Julius, who noticed a high-caliber gun protruding out of the back of the man's jeans. It had an extended magazine on it that appeared to be fully loaded.

Holy shit, Julius thought. I'm dead, I'm fucking dead.

"I swear if you weren't my niece I'd..." Julius couldn't contain his disgust for her uncle's detestable morals. He flinched unwillingly, wanting to jump at the man, causing a small shirt to fall from the pile. The uncle's eyes darted suspiciously in his direction, but Nia distracted him by pulling his arm.

"That's funny, Uncle," she laughed emptily as the skinny zombie's gaze left the massive heap of clothes.

"Blood only means so much," her uncle said as his hands rubbed across her soft shoulders, squeezing her tender skin. Nia brushed them off faintly. "No one has to know," he continued, touching her in places that he was not welcome to.

"C'mon, Uncle," she uttered. "Stop."

Julius boiled in wrath, but he knew it was pointless. Not only was he half-naked, but he was completely defenseless; there was no way that man would be intimidated by him. Nia finally slapped her uncle's arm off her.

"Okay, okay, I get it," he mumbled.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Your father...he wants to rest here, the government has been on his trail." The government? Julius wanted to cry inside the clothes pile. This was getting worse by the second. Why didn't he listen to his friends?

"I see," she answered.

"He wants to see you."

"Can you tell him to give me a minute? I want to straighten my room."

Her uncle smiled, revealing a multitude of missing teeth.

"Sure, gal."

Nia forced another smile, and her uncle left the room. She closed the door and leaned her back against the wood, relieved. Julius emerged from under the pile and started searching for the rest of his clothes, now hidden in the pile that Nia had created.

"Julius," she whispered. "Are you okay?"

He didn't answer. He found his socks, and started putting them on his feet.

"Julius, I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

He continued ignoring her, hastily searching the room for his pants.

"Why aren't you talking to me?" She stepped in front of him, placing her hand on his chest. She could feel his heart pounding through his rib cage.

"Let me go, Nia," he said drily.

"I'm trying to help."

"Help me find my clothes." The two continued searching the room, she tossed him his jeans, and he slid into them. He had to get out fast. The gun on her uncle's hip could split him in half if he was shot. His eyes searched frantically across the room for his shirt until he saw Nia crying on the floor.

He tried ignoring her, but her whimpers made his heart weak.

"What?" he asked. "Why are you crying?" Nia wiped her eyes, shaking her head. Julius sighed, and moved closer to her.

"Don't worry about it. We have to get you out of here before my uncle comes up for me again," she fretted. Julius hesitated before answering. "It's okay," she finished. "I'm just going to miss you, Julius. You're so different." Julius's eyes widened, surprised by her statement. "You're the only person who actually listens to me, and the only one who I was able to have wonderful conversations with." She hurried to the end of the room. "Keep searching for your shirt."

When she came back to him, she held a frame that was half her size. A smile was plastered on her face. "Before you go, I just have to say that this is the most beautiful thing I've ever been given. I still can't believe you painted this." Julius studied the painting he'd created for her. His eyes followed the trail of cerulean streaks, his mind remembered the small brushstrokes that had created them.

A yell came from downstairs, startling them back into their search. Julius walked to her milky colored bed to a look under. Where in the hell could his shirt have gone?

"Where is your shirt, Julius?" she whispered.

"I don't know," he answered.

BOOM. The door crashed open and her uncle walked in.

"Hey, Nia how long are you going to be—" He froze seeing the two of them standing in front of the bed. Too late, Julius recalled Nia not locking the door behind her uncle, and he bit his lip fearfully. Shit, he thought. I'm really dead.

"Unc—"

Before she could finish, her uncle had rushed over to her, and slapped her so hard she fell to the floor. As she tried to regain her composure, he pointed the large gun at Julius' face.

"I'm going to blast the back of your fuckin head open, boy," he shouted, and Julius could see the flare of hatred in his eyes. "Move," he yelled, pointing the gun in the direction of the door.

Nia was still on the floor crying, trying to collect herself.

"Move," he yelled again, kicking Julius in his stomach. Julius was forced back by the blow, as he doubled over in pain and shock.

"Don't kill me," Julius whispered to the man as he turned around and walked towards the door. "I would never harm your niece."

"Shut the fuck up," Nia's uncle yelled, slapping Julius in the back of the head. The two walked slowly out of the room and, just before Julius disappeared, he locked eyes with Nia as she stared at him in pain. Though she didn't say it, her eyes conveyed how sorry she was, and how everything in the coming moments was in God's hands. Someone, help me, Julius thought. God help me.
CHAPTER 19

USB Yellow: Julius Log Entry 4

Julius was shoved through a dark hallway. The howling and cheering from below made him quiver in fear; they sounded like a pack of wild animals. When they finally reached the main living room, Julius found himself surrounded by zombie-like men carrying sub-machine guns, seemingly stripped of all that had once made them appear human. All conversations ceased abruptly as the men stared at the Julius and Nia's uncle. A few stood up glaring at Julius. He tried not to look, but he couldn't help but notice their unsightly and sinister appearance. He was in a den full of lions.

"Go on...move!" Julius was shoved from behind to keep moving past the men.

The living room was incredibly large and well decorated, as was the kitchen that lay just a few steps further through an arched entryway. At the far end of the kitchen, at a circular glass table, sat an unusually well-dressed man; he was drinking wine as he talked on the phone. His appearance, along with his aura, was completely different than the other men in the room. He caught a glimpse of the Julius and Nia's uncle and lifted his eyebrow in curiosity, but never broke his conversation. His suit was navy blue accented with a pink tie. Julius found it slightly ironic that the boss would wear pink in front of a bunch of men. When they finally reached him, he waved the uncle off as he studied the half-naked Julius, who was shaking in fear.

"Can I give you a call back, Santiago? I have quite a surprise standing in front of me." His voice was heavy, yet gentle. There was a moment of silence.

"No no no, trust me. I promise you the territory will be secured tomorrow morning. Just send the money to the account by midnight. I'll handle it from there. Tell your wife I said hello, and maybe we can meet up sometime for some drinks. I know how much you love your rum." A man laughed on the other side of the line.

"Okay, talk to you soon. Good bye, friend." He placed the phone in his pocket and looked Julius up and down once more.

"What do we have here?" he asked gently. He rose from his chair, brushing his suit off, and walked slowly towards Julius. While the other men seemed to be stripped of all their humanity, this man was different. Not because of his attire, but because of his eyes. There was no light in them, completely soulless. Julius remembered feeling the hatred, or the confusion, or the ferocity from the other ruffians, but he didn't feel anything from this man, just complete emptiness.

"Please tell me this has nothing to do with my daughter." He was gazing into Julius' eyes, pulling the fears from within him, and smearing them all across Julius' body.

"It does," the uncle yelled joyfully. "They were fucking," The man quickly grabbed the uncle by the throat, lifting from the floor.

"I will end you if I ever hear those words come out of your mouth again...You hear me? You piece of shit." The uncle nodded, holding desperately onto the man's forearm. He let go, and the uncle fell to the floor coughing.

"I'm sorry, young man, forgive this horrible introduction. I think you're smart enough to see that the people around you in this house are not like your everyday Floridians," he laughed, "Nor am I. You can say I'm like the new Scarface, just a little darker. I'm sure you've seen enough gang movies to understand that you are in a scary place right now...So trying to scare you is---- a waste of my time and yours. How about I to stick a formal introduction, my name is King David," he said with a slight bow. "But you can call me King"

King? Julius thought. Kind of weird, but then again, this house was like a castle, and he was surrounded by armed men.

"Do you have a name, boy?"

"Julius, sir," he responded fearfully.

"Julius," King repeated to himself. King walked close to Julius meeting him eye to eye. "How do you know my daughter?"

"We go to the same school," Julius answered. King smiled, his teeth so perfectly straight it was frightening.

"I see," he responded. "I knew this day would come sooner or later, I just didn't know when." King let out a heavy sigh.

"Are you going to kill me?" The question just erupted from Julius's core. He was surprised the words left his mouth, and King smirked once again.

"That depends...a few questions first." King grabbed a small hand gun from under his shirt, and unleashed several shots into the floor. King walked up to Julius and pressed the gun to his stomach. Julius winced from the burning of the nozzle against his bare skin, and fell to the floor.

"Get up, boy, get up. Be a man." Julius struggled but finally stood straight up. "These next shots may go through your skull if I don't like your answers." Julius went crossed-eye trying to watch as the dark nozzle hovered directly in the middle of his forehead. He couldn't think straight, let alone breathe. Things like this only happen in the movies. "Why were you with my daughter?"

"Uhh..." He couldn't summon the strength to answer.

"Don't stutter, your life depends on it." King pressed the nozzle harder into Julius' head.

Julius took a deep breath, and tried to relax his brain. Be honest, he thought, just be you.

"I think she's beautiful."

"Everyone thinks she's beautiful." Julius felt a drop of sweat slither on to the warm gun.

"I think she's been misjudged in school."

King raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"At our school, there are rumors about her that make people scared of her."

"Why would anyone fear my daughter?" King pressed the gun tighter to Julius' skin. "The girl is sweeter than anything I know." The calm, elegant front was disappearing from his voice. "Are you trying to insult her?!" he shouted.

"No, sir, I'm not! It's not her...it's...um..."

"Go on, young man! Spit it out, before my gun spits your brain from your skull."

"It's you, sir," Julius answered.

"Me?" King asked, surprised.

"Yes. No one talks to her because they are afraid of you."

"What of me?

"Well...uhhh...doing this right now, sir...ummm...this is what scares people."

King's face relaxed from his angry stare, and he grinned at Julius' response.

"Interesting you stare at the face of the death, yet you remain true to the core." He leaned closer to Julius, so close that Julius could see his reflection through the man's corneas.

"So why did you talk to her? To prove your bravery to your boys?"

"No, sir," Julius said and took a deep breath. "I told you I think she's beautiful...Physically and as a person."

King closed his eyes, and sighed in disappointment at Julius' answer.

"That's so shallow, young man. That's not good enough for my daughter, and that's not good enough to save your life." He cocked the gun and stood back. This is it, Julius thought, I don't want to die. He searched the room, facing the other men. He saw his death living on through stories told at school, but eventually lost in time. King tightened his grip, and steadied his hand on the trigger. Not now, Julius thought, not right here. His heart thumped rapidly as his eyes wandered sporadically. What do I do, he thought. Not right here. King's finger pressed the trigger.

"Not right here!" he shouted. He managed to somehow slap the gun towards the ceiling, and was beneath King. King, just like everyone else in the room, was shocked at Julius' quickness. Before he could react, Julius had already starting dashing past the men and in the direction of Nia's room.

"No," King shouted while in stride. "He's mine!" Julius saw Nia waiting for him in the hallway, and she turned around to run with him up the stairs. The two sprinted upward, and finally burst through her door into her bedroom. Nia slammed the door panting, gazing at Julius.

"Out the window, Julius!" she yelled. "You might still make it!"

But Julius didn't budge as he searched the room looking for something to help him.

"No," he answered. "Your father would find me regardless. I have to show him."

"Show him what?" The door burst open once again, and Nia fell to her back. King glared at her angrily.

"Where?" he shouted. Nia didn't move; she was frozen with fear. King saw the window and peaked out, searching the night. "Is he out there?" he screeched. Nia clenched her fist as tears fell from her eyes. "Answer me!"

"Right here, sir," Julius answered.

King glanced up and saw Julius standing behind the painting Julius had given to his daughter. King's expression suddenly changed to astonishment, and his hand relaxed on the trigger. He was motionless, but his eyes screamed to his brain of the colors and streaks and swipes as his daughter was in mid-stride manifesting the terrain which was Julius's soul. The skies were the colors of the earth, and the earth was the color of distant stars. Julius had recreated her face perfectly with every feature.

"Everyone warned me about your daughter. Even your daughter." King noticed his daughter whimpering in fear. "I knew the consequences; behind her was you. I mean look at my situation now." Julius had taken King's full attention. When Julius spoke, he could still see the effect Nia had on him in his head. "But your daughter went inside my heart, and threw every color of my soul into the air, creating this world where she roams endlessly through my emotions..."

King's eyes left Julius, and he saw his daughter balled up on the floor, shaking with fear. King grunted, but it was more of a laugh then a grunt, and dropped the gun onto the floor.
CHAPTER 20

USB Green: Ela Log Entry 7

Ela let her face drop to the desk, weary from the long night. Her mind was still on the story Julius had told her. This man was...it hurt that she couldn't find the words to describe him. His presence was so powerful that she still felt like he was near. His smile, his thoughts, his expressions verbally and artistically were like nothing she'd ever experienced before. There were handsome men, with gorgeous bodies, and charming smiles, but there was always something lacking; they had no substance, no conversation, no depth. Those that did weren't sexually appealing. If they did see the world deeper than most, their execution was weak, with too much emotion, or arrogance.

But this guy...he was everything, and not only was he attractive, his physical presence was like gravity, pulling her in. The depth with which he saw the world wasn't deep; it was different than deep. It was his own world, and that blew her mind. Not to mention his story. It seemed so unlikely that it didn't feel real. Almost as if he was bullshitting her. He could be. But if he was, it was a really good job, and she didn't care, she wanted to believe.

It was the first time in her life that the world didn't feel predictable. This was an uneasy sensation in her stomach, and at times she wanted to throw up in front of him. What was this? Fear? Happiness? Love?

"Hey, wake up."

Liz approached from behind, patting her on the back. Ela slowly lifted her head from the desk, and turned in her direction.

"My God, you look hideous," Liz laughed. "Put your head back down, I'm afraid I'm going to get uglier just by looking at you."

"Shut up," Ela mumbled, and placed her head back on the desk.

"What happened to you last night?"

"Everything," Ela uttered.

Liz pulled up a neighboring chair, and sat beside her. "Everything?" she laughed. "Talk to me, chica."

Ela finally lifted her head from under her fortress. "I don't know how to tell you."

"Take your time."

"I..." Ela paused. "I think..." She couldn't get any of her thoughts from her brain. "Um..." The harder she tried to pull them from her mind, the more they resisted, as if they would lose their essence if she spoke.

"What's going on?"

"I met him," she whispered.

"Met who?"

Ela signaled for her to come close. "You can't tell anyone."

"I won't," Liz giggled. "You know I love a good secret."

Ela grabbed her by the shoulders and pressed her fingers into Liz's skin. "I'm serious," she said, her stare cold.

"Okay," Liz pushed her off gently. "You really mean business. No need to give me bruises. What's up?"

Ela pulled her in close again. "I met the painter."

"Painter? What painter?"

"The painter, you know...The Shark, The Snake, and The Spider? The guy who created them after his murals and then just vanished in thin air. That painter."

"It's a him?"

"More than a him."

Liz crossed her arms. "I was hoping it'd be girl for some reason. But go on."

"He's amazing. To the point that he's not real."

Liz didn't seem phased by Ela's discovery.

"How do you know if it's really him?"

Ela pressed a finger to her lips.

"Something about the texture of each of his pieces, they have the same theme." Liz continued watching her as she thought. "Majestic...dark."

Liz leaned back into her chair, and pulled her hair between her fingers. "If you didn't look so serious, I would be laughing my ass off right now. But something tells me, you're serious." Liz watched as Ela's face glazed over in thought.

"Ladies." Chris had appeared from behind having noticed Ela's state of oblivion. He looked to Liz and she shook her head. "Ela?"

She turned around.

"Oh, Chris," she responded nonchalantly.

"Oh, Ela," he answered sarcastically, troubled by her dull response. "Haven't heard from you in a few days. Thought we could catch up."

Ela knew what he meant. Catch up meant sex, and just sex. That formula wasn't attractive to her in this current state.

"Maybe," she responded.

"Maybe?" he laughed.

Liz was startled herself. Ela was subtly rejecting the hottest, and one of the most powerful, people in the company. Chris couldn't stop himself from laughing.

"Are you sure you—" Chris started to say.

"Just been busy trying to get this report done. I'm pretty far behind," Ela lied.

"Of course. That does come first."

Ela finally gave him a soft smile. He winced at her lack of interest.

"We'll catch up, Chris," Ela said as she stood up and gave him a hug. She had felt so bad seeing the disappointment on his face that she felt she had to give him something. Her sudden affection threw him off so much he blushed.

"Okay," he answered. "Guess we will."

Ela broke the embrace, and returned to her chair.

"I'll see you two later," Chris said. Before he started walking away, Ela noticed out of the corner of her eye Chris and Liz staring at each other. Liz winked at Chris as she sat back down. Chris reciprocated and was gone in seconds, as Liz pulled her chair close to Ela's. It made Ela feel uncomfortable momentarily, but she put it behind her. She was firm in her belief that Chris was her past. Julius was the focus now.

"I think you should take advantage of this moment," Liz spoke.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, do the report on him. That's what you initially wanted right? To expose the mysterious talent."

"I did. But it feels wrong."

"What do you owe this guy, Ela?"

"Um..."

"Nothing. You don't owe him anything. This is the opportunity you've been waiting for. Take advantage of it, that's how I see it."

"He's not just some guy."

"Sure he's not; he's an infamous painter according to you. And you're not just some girl. You want to be a top columnist at The Current, America's number one magazine." Liz threw her hands in the air, indicating the whole building to emphasize the company's prestige.

"It's not that simple, Liz."

"Sure it is."

"No, it isn't."

Liz edged forward and spun Ela around to her face. "Why isn't it?"

"There's sort of a conflict of interest?"

"Conflict of interest?" Liz stared closely into Ela's eyes. "Wait...You like him?" Ela didn't respond. "Whoa whoa whoa. Are you serious?" Ela turned back to her desk. "Get the fuck outta here," Liz mumbled. "Since when does Ela Blue fall for a man?"

Ela continued staring at the black screen of her monitor.

"Look," Liz said. "Even if he is amazing, forget about it."

Liz's cold solution hurt Ela. How could Liz advise her to dismiss him so easily? Liz herself had just said that Ela wasn't the sort of person to show such interest in a man.

"Ela, he may be something, but you might not get this opportunity for an amazing story again. Who knows what will happen after you publish this. You worked hard for this moment, Ela, don't give it away for some butterflies." Liz placed her hands on Ela's shoulders, forcing her to look at Liz. "Record him. Get his story any way possible and write it. Kill this." Her hands fell away as she stood up and left Ela at her desk.

❖

Later that day, Ela went to Ms. Shell's office, and told her of the possible intel on the painter. It was the first time she ever a ghost of a smile on Ms. Shell's face.

"Give me some evidence, like a close up of one his paintings. Snap it on your phone somehow, or get me a recorded confession that he is the vanished painter. Either one will do."

Ela felt disgusted, but still nodded in confirmation. Her cellphone began ringing as she walked to the end of the room. Her screen read 'Julius'.

"And keep me updated at all times," Ms. Shell demanded.

"Okay," Ela answered, while trying to rush out the door.

"Oh and Ela?"

Ela turned back to the President's desk.

"You got this." And with that, Ms. Shell waved Ela out.

This had to be the worst feeling in the world. Her phone vibrated again, and it showed that there was a voicemail. Ela walked to an empty spot in the hallway and pressed play on the message, turning her volume down so no one could overhear it.

"Hey, Ela. It's Julius. I was wondering if you wanted to stop by my job today, so I could see you after we're both off work. Just let me know. I work at International Rest Hotels just off 15th Street. You can't miss it." There was a pause and only the sound of his breathing. "I couldn't get you out of my head." And the message ended, silence reverberating through Ela's mind. Ela placed the phone in her pocket, and slid down to the floor. This was going to suck immensely.
CHAPTER 21

USB Green and Yellow: Ela and Julius Log Entry 4

As the taxi driver veered through traffic honking and yelling, Ela struggled to untangle the knots of guilt that she felt inside. Why am I the only one uncomfortable about this, she thought. Liz had sent several texts reminding her to nail the undercover interview with Julius. Ela wondered if Liz was heartless, or if she, herself, was just weak-minded. Julius expressed an interest in her, and she happily reciprocated. There was a warmth that enveloped her chest when she saw him, and his charm and soothing laughter made time fly by. She wanted more of him, but not like this.

How was she going to fake herself in front of him? How was she going to be able to stomach the lies that would spill from her mouth? Her head grew tense from the overwhelming guilt.

"You okay back there?" the driver asked. Ela opened her eyes; she was on the floor in the back of the car.

"I...I..." Her words were caught in her throat. "How did I end up here?" she asked. The car came to a halt, rocking her back and forth.

"You were mumbling to yourself, and then you just collapsed," the taxi driver answered. The two met eyes in his rearview mirror. "Should I go to the hospital?"

"No, I'm fine," she answered. She could see they had reached the hotel. It was as a massive building, the letters that spelled the hotel's name was displayed directly in the center of the building. Ela got out of the backseat, and shut the door. The taxi sped off, and she faced forward preparing herself to face Julius.

❖

Julius was talking to a server when he saw Ela walk in through the double doors. She came, he thought. He watched her as she smiled at the antique paintings, and ivory towered columns that surrounded the space. He walked between two tables, meeting her halfway through the room. Her smile was as bright as the chandeliers above.

"Is this a hotel or a palace?" she asked.

"It's a palace now," he answered looking directly into her eyes.

"Ohhh," she laughed nervously, lowering her eyes to the floor. "Sooo, can I afford to eat here? I'm starving." Julius grinned.

"Dinner's on me," he said.

"I like the sound of that!" she chirped.

"But before we start, I do have some bad news."

"What is it?"

"I'm a little backed up on work," he said. "So it might be a bit of a wait."

Ela scanned the tables surrounding them. Each one of them was filled with the clutter of unfinished plates and drinks.

"I could help," she said.

"No, no you don't have to," Julius responded.

"I want to," she answered. I'll have to go above and beyond to gain his trust, she thought.

"You sure?"

"I am," she nodded. "Go ahead and grab me some supplies." Julius hesitated, so she pushed him away. "Go!" she laughed. Julius trotted to the bar catching Jeff just has was wiping the last bit of mess from his table.

"That girl over there, is that the one from Oscar's?" Jeff asked.

"Yeah." The two watched her as she paced around one of the tables.

"She's beautiful."

"I know."

"Then why are you over here? I can handle the rest of the tables." Julius pulled his gaze from Ela, and glanced at Jeff.

"She wants to help."

"Help with what?"

"She wants to clean the tables with me."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah," Julius chuckled.

"Holy shit," Jeff whispered. Julius walked behind the bar, grabbing an extra apron, towel, and spray bottle. When he returned to Ela, his face had a confused look still plastered on it.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked.

"Yes for the billionth time! C'mon!" she said, while smiling at him. The two split up, and when Ela was by herself she looked grudgingly at the first table that awaited her. What am I doing, she thought. All this for a fucking story. She could feel Julius's eyes on her, so she began to wipe the table. This is going to be worth it in the end. It has to be.

Her work continued for another ten tables, and in between breaks she could see Julius scrubbing just as hard as she was. His concentration was fierce, with his eyes only directed at the spot he wanted to diminish. His towel glided swiftly over the crevices of each table like it was a brush on a new canvass. His craftsmanship was obvious to her, especially in comparison to how rigid her hands rubbed at her tables. Watching Julius work made her desire for him blossom, but she had to remember that she was on a mission, and that any potential feelings could ruin her opportunities for success with this story. They finally met at the last table, in the middle of the room.

"Last one to go," he said.

"Yup. Let's do it together," she replied. They stood side by side removing the plates, folding the napkins, and scrubbing up the spilled drinks. When they were finished, he took the towel and the apron from her.

"The bathroom is to your left down the hallway once you get outside this room. I'll have the food coming to us when you get back."

"Good plan," she answered, and she started toward the hallway. Julius called to her once more.

"Ela."

"Yes," she answered turning to him. Julius's heart rattled when she met his eyes. His fingers tingled, and short pulses spread through his back. Her brown eyes were filled with chocolate, her hair thick and curly, as if waves of black oil splashed in it. His heart screamed for her. She was so beautiful, but he had to control his emotions. It was only an infatuation; he had to get a hold of himself.

"Thanks," he finally said.

"Don't worry about it. It helped me in the end somehow," she said and disappeared into the grand hallway. Julius signaled to Jeff, and the two went behind the bar to the kitchen.

Ela stepped into the dim lit bathroom, passing three stalls that resided within an inch of each other, and faced the mirror that extended almost the width of the room.

Her makeup and her hair were in good shape. She just needed to add a little fluff to her bangs. She turned the nob, and placed her hands under the warm water, humming a tune she'd known since she was five, and studying the filth that washed away from her palms.

Unknowingly, Julius had provided her with the perfect opportunity to review her plan, especially now that she knew how the evening was going to play out. She had decided that she would interview Julius by using a voice recorder function on her phone. She would place it casually beside her once dinner began, and start her investigation. A jolt of excitement rushed through her and she felt like a spy preparing for an undercover mission. Ela turned the water off and reached for a paper towel. Time to go to work, she thought. As she threw the towel in the trash, the middle stall rattled. She froze. It rattled again.

"Ela," a voice emerged. It was soft, almost a whisper, and it echoed around her. She quickly glanced up seeing the shaking stall in the mirror. One by one, several massive spider legs crept from out of the middle stall, stretching to the corners of the room, and the abdomen rose to the ceiling. A dozen glowing eyes blinked simultaneously, and its mouth opened, revealing the creature's fangs. "The more you lie, the more I have you," it hissed, its voice making the bathroom quake.

Fear blew its breath down her back, rendering her body useless. The monster eased closer to her. Why can't I move, she thought, why can't I fucking move? Her eyes found the exit, she could make it; freedom was only a few steps away. Its body rose from inside the stall breaking the stall door in half. God help me, she thought, gathering whatever courage she had, and dashed out of the bathroom. She pushed through the door hitting the wall in the hallway and falling to the floor. She turned herself around, staring at the bathroom, waiting for the monster to chase her. Her pounding heart felt like it was going to rip through her ribcage; she didn't want to die.

Her phone went off in her left pocket. Ela pulled it out and, seeing Liz's name on the screen, Ela answered, panting, studying the bathroom door in shock.

"Hey, chica!" Liz shouted. "How's my private investigator?" Ela trembled in fear, tears falling down her cheeks. The horror was growing with every passing second. "Ela?" Liz called. "Ela, you alright?"

Ela didn't know how to respond. What was that thing, and how could it speak, and why did it speak to her? Liz kept saying Ela's name and, and Ela finally managed to respond.

"Liz...I'm so scared right now," she whispered.

"It'll be fine, Ela. Just put on your bullshit face like you do at work every day."

"No, Liz, it's not that. Listen to me. I saw something," Ela said, her eyes never leaving the door to the restroom.

"What are you talking about, Ela? What did you see?"

"It was huge, it took up the entire room and it wanted me." Her chest was caving in, the fear was sucking the energy out of her. "It doesn't want me to do this."

"Listen to me. What are you talking about? Do I need to come to you?"

"I'm scared Liz...I'm so scared."
CHAPTER 22

This isn't real, that video was tampered with, Calvin thought. He was sitting on his couch, staring in disbelief at the monster that was displayed on the laptop in front of him. He was on his third nail, and he pulled the tasteless nub from his finger, and spit it into the darkness. There was a reasonable explanation for what just happened. There had to be. And he had to find one, and find it fast, before the reality of fear consumed his soul. He made his way to the kitchen, finding a glass, and a wine bottle, and poured himself some of the warm liquid. He wrapped his fingers around the top of the glass, and consumed the entire drink in one gulp. His insides filled with butterflies, easing the tension around his shoulders, and he slouched over onto his kitchen counter. Okay, Calvin, think. What are the odds of that creature existing? Slim to none. Okay, so that means it wasn't real.

He continued consoling himself, pulling whatever source of logic he could find to ease his sanity, but his attempts were useless, his common sense was like a rock being thrown at a steel wall of fear. He needed help dealing with this. He pushed himself away from the counter and went to grab his phone from the couch before returning to the kitchen. Before he knew it, Calvin was dialing Dr. Rozen's office, and filling the glass with another round of wine. A woman picked up just before he could dive into his second drink.

"Dr. Rozen's office. How may I help you?"

"Put Dr. Rozen on the phone."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Put Dr. Rozen on the phone."

"Sir, I need your name."

"Who am I talking to?"

"I am Dr. Janet, his executive assistant." Calvin remembered the stunning young female in the coat that had led him to Dr. Rozen awhile back.

"Who am I speaking with?"

"It's Calvin. Ela's lawyer. We saw each other at your headquarters. Dr. Rozen is part of my case." There was a moment of silence.

"Yes, sir, I remember now. What do you need?" she asked.

"I told you. I need to speak with Dr. Rozen."

"He's occupied at the moment. May I leave a message for him?"

"Make time—"

"Sir, Dr. Rozen is busy—"

"Or I will come up there." His weary tone disappeared, and from beneath it there came forth a much darker and sinister attitude.

"One moment."

The phone went silent and Calvin grabbed the bottle of liquor, instead of his glass, and chugged it until he couldn't breathe.

"Calvin, what can I do for you?" Dr. Rozen's voice came through the phone. Calvin slammed the wine bottle onto the counter, wiping the liquid from his mouth.

"That thing, that monster, was it real?"

"Of course it was real," Dr. Rozen answered. "To her at least."

"What was that thing?"

"It was her. I've already told you."

"That's not her!" he shouted. Dr. Rozen sighed heavily on the other side of the phone.

"You sound like Mrs. Blue. I thought you understood that this is a complex process."

"I know what I said! I'm not an idiot! But that...That creature! I can't." Calvin was shaking at this point.

"You sound like you need some sleep. You should take a break from the equipment."

"How can you be so calm when you've seen this thing?" Calvin could hear Dr. Rozen's soft, even breathing through the phone. He wanted to scream so he could get a human reaction from the man, but Calvin waited patiently instead.

"Because I don't underestimate the power of human emotion, and what it does to the human mind. Anything is possible when we allow ourselves to let our emotions to live our reality." The doctor's words weren't registering with Calvin, and he was infuriated by the confusing speech.

"What does that even mean, Dr. Rozen?!"

"Trust the process, watch it through, and it will make sense in the end."

"I have more questions!" Calvin shouted.

"I have to go, you will thank me later."

"Dr. Rozen!" Calvin shouted but the dial tone sang in his ear. Calvin stood at the kitchen table, grabbed the wine bottle, and placed the opening in his mouth. Nothing came out. He peaked through the hole, seeing only a diluted color of light at the base of the battle. "Asshole," he mumbled to himself. He walked to the couch, and repositioned himself for the next entry.

❖

USB Green: Ela Log Entry 8

There was a tap on her shoulder. Ela looked away from the bathroom door, and noticed Julius hovering over her. His smile was bright, heavenly, comforting, she almost forgot about the monster.

"You okay?" he asked. Ela turned away from him, and stared back at the door, Julius followed suit. "Is there something in there?" Julius asked as he started walking to the door.

"No! Don't go in there!" Julius spun around.

Liz was still yelling through the phone at Ela, and Julius noticed the muffled sounds.

"You have someone on the line still," he said. Ela grabbed her phone and placed it to her ear.

"I'll call you back," she said and hung the phone up. Despite her legs feeling like noodles, Ela rose from the ground. Julius moved closer to her, his eyes roaming her face. He was studying her again. "I think I left something in there. Give me one second," she said. Julius nodded and stood back.

"Okay," he said skeptically. "I'll be out here." Ela put on the fakest smile she could summon, and walked back through the door. Her head peaked around the corner, her heart racing once more, hating her for putting it through the trauma. If it attacked her, she would book it. She saw that the three stalls were still there unmoved, the monster was gone. She exhaled in relief, closing her eyes.

"Get it together Ela," she whispered. She bit her lip, using the pain to relieve her anxiety. She walked back out to Julius, who was leaning against the wall with a worried look on his face.

"Everything fine?" he asked.

"Yeah," she answered. "Let's eat." The two traveled down the hall, with Ela looking back once more at the bathroom door, secretly hoping that the monster wouldn't leave the stall, and smash through the wall.

When they finally reached their table, the eating area was much darker, with only two candles on the middle table burning brightly. As they sat, her mouth watered from the pleasant scent of the food that lay before her.

"Nothing crazy, just pasta and chicken," Julius said.

"It smells incredible."

They eased their chairs closer together, smiling at each other.

"Whenever you're ready," he said.

"Now," she exclaimed, and the two dug into their dishes. Twenty minutes passed and their only communication was from the funny faces they made at each other causing one another to break into laughter. There was a lot of slurping of the noodles, chumping of the chicken, and gulping of the drink beside them. The food was therapy to her, and her taste buds rejoiced from the enriching flavors that surfed in her mouth. Ela broke the silence.

"Tell me what happened afterwards," she said and Julius looked up from his plate. "After the, you know...King and Nia thing."

Julius stopped munching on his food, and stared at her blankly. Ela grew nervous, afraid that she had blown her cover. Was this it?

"Sure," he added. "I'm surprised you want to know." Ela relaxed and continued swallowing her mouthful. She grabbed the phone inside the pocket of her outfit, and flicked through the screens.

"Hold on," she whispered. "Gotta check the time."

Ela found the right app and pressed the start button. She put it back in her pocket and smiled at him.

"Okay...what happened afterwards? That's right, I met June. If it weren't for her, my work wouldn't be what it is today."

"What was so special about her?"

"She taught me...well, she taught me about me," Julius chuckled.
CHAPTER 23

USB Yellow: Julius Log Entry 5

Julius observed the painting in front of him; it was shit. Every stroke on the large, white canvas felt empty. He dipped his brush deeper into the blue paint, letting it saturate the bristles while he contemplated his flawed work. I've got this, he thought, trying to motivate himself. His forearm soared across the canvas, creating a replica of the azure sea just outside his home. He darkened the waves, and brushed gently between them. He took a second to study his work; the ocean was coming out sloppy, and not as crisp as he wanted. Julius threw the paintbrush in the bucket and cursed loudly.

If only he could feel that moment of bliss that had enveloped him when he painted Nia. He thought of her often. After that night, thank god, her father had let him off easy. Julius tore the sheet off the easel. Leaving with his life came at a price; he was banned from seeing Nia ever again. Her father should've just killed him that night. The ache he'd felt from her absence had slowly chipped away at his insides, leaving a bottomless void he felt would always be with him, never repaired.

The fumes from the room were clouding his mind. He needed fresh air. He opened the window and wind rushed inside, grazing his ears as it passed along the walls of his bedroom. He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes as he savored the salty breeze. If only he could hold her once more. He turned from the window to check the clock at the foot of his bed. It was noon, and that meant his shift at the hotel started in an hour.

He had started working at the hotel several weeks after school ended; it was the only thing he could do to keep his mind off of Nia. The hotel was the latest attraction in recent years, and Isaac, Julius' best friend, had an older brother who was the operation's manager there and able to get Isaac Julius a job as a concierge. Julius' duties were to fulfill the needs of the tourists lounging by the pool or the middle beach area just outside the hotel. This meant he had to do a ton of walking, but on some days he was lucky and the hotel would be relatively empty, giving Julius time to stare out onto the Atlantic's endless expanse. Julius envied Isaac; he had the same position as Julius, but his jurisdiction was inside the hotel. As a result, Isaac didn't have to move around as much. Whenever they crossed paths, Isaac would immediately yell to Julius about how dark he was getting.

❖

Julius wandered along the beach asking families if they needed assistance. Fortunately, most of them rejected his offer, allowing him more time to think of Nia. He wondered if she still thought about him, or if she still believed in him. The painting was the only thing that connected them physically, and he hoped that she thought of him every time it found its way into her busy schedule, like a portal to a better moment in time.

He sighed, and turned his attention to the ripples of water that approached his bare feet. He walked further into the sea, where the ebbing waves reached his ankles. There had to be more out there for him, and the vast sea represented his massive longing. Before he turned back to work, he noticed a strange white blur floating in the distance. He'd never seen anything like it before, so he decided to walk further into the water. The shape wasn't revealing itself, and by this time the water was at his knees.

"What" he asked himself, "is that?" The shape continued to drift out toward the horizon until a larger wave tossed it above the current. Two arms, two legs, and a long length of hair rushed briefly to the sky, then vanished below the waves. Julius clenched his jaw in utter shock at the realization. Fuck. There was no time to call for help, so he ripped off his shirt and rushed into the sea. The breakers smashed into him mercilessly. Julius continued sprinting until the water got too high. Then he took a deep breath and plunged under the water, swimming in the general direction of the body. He had to pace himself when he came up for air, or he would lose control of his sense of space. If he failed, the floating body wouldn't be the only one needing rescue. He was getting closer, but he was losing energy at an unsustainable rate. A massive wave formed above him and he held his breath as he dived into the cold sea. He heard the crashing of the wave above him, and immediately breached the water gasping for air. The sea calmed itself momentarily, allowing him a moment to realize how far from the shore he had swam. His eyes glanced everywhere. Where is it?

His arms began to burn, and the salt water was clogging his nostrils. The body appeared again to his left, and he swam quickly towards it. He dug under the water and, when he came up, the body was right there in front of him and he wrapped his left arm around the chest of the body.

He felt a soft breast slide across his forearm. It's a girl. He reached a little higher to her shoulders. There wasn't enough time to see if she was alive, as his fatigued muscles threatened to betray him. He rode the waves back to shore as best as he could, using their momentum to push him faster, but his vision was getting blurry. He continued pushing with his one free arm and kicking his legs as best he could. His body screamed in agony, and he realized that he had to hope that the current alone would push him to shore. He pulled the girl close and held his breath as a wave smashed at his back, causing him to tumble and turn under water. Shells cut into his legs, but he held on firmly until they rolled onto the soft sand.

His sinuses were filled with seawater, and once they were free of the waves, he coughed up whatever was in him. The girl, he remembered, and turned to find her lying on her side. He flipped her onto her back, and placed his ear over her heart. Her body was still warm, but her heartbeat was faint. There was still hope.

Julius glanced at her face and saw she was around the same age as him. She was stunning; her lips were full and her eyebrows were as brilliant as her brown hair. She had such an enigmatic beauty that it made him feel uncomfortable. He lowered her jaw with his hand and blew as much air as he could into her body, then he immediately pressed onto her chest. God, I hope this works. Julius had no idea what he was doing, only having seen CPR performed on TV shows. He repeated the motions rhythmically, but she didn't respond. He made sure to give the next try everything he had, and blew with all his might into her mouth. Come back, don't leave.

The girl finally started to cough, and water rushed from her mouth almost hitting Julius in the face. He turned her on her side so she could expel all the salt water from her lungs. As he did so, a family appeared in the distance and Julius yelled to them. The father heard his voice, and hastily ran over to the two of them.

"What happened?" the father asked frantically.

"I think...she almost...drowned but I...got her," Julius panted, out of breath from the swim and forcing air into the girl's lungs.

"Shit," the father yelled. "I'll go alert the front desk to send help and call the paramedics."

Julius nodded his thanks and the man ran back to his family. Julius watched them hold their hands over their mouths in terror as the father told them what happened, while they vanished into the building. The girl continued coughing, but he could feel her heart beat getting stronger. Just a few moments later she had partially convalesced and regained full control of her senses. He watched her as she studied the world around her, as if she had been transported to an alternate reality. Her green eyes traveled from the sea to her body and then to Julius, piecing the puzzle together.

The two remained silent, locked in a mystified gaze.

"I tried to end it," she finally whispered. Julius had no response to this revelation. They looked away from each other, their eyes travelling back to the perilous blue landscape from which they had just barely escaped.
CHAPTER 24

USB Green: Ela Log Entry 9

Ela had her hands clasped to her cheeks, and her jaw hung so low it looked like it might actually hit the table.

"Julius," she gasped.  
"I know," he answered. "Crazy, right?"

"Life changing."

The warm flame from the candles had settled to a flicker, the plates in front of them were licked clean; the waiters and the other workers from the floor had left. Jeff had disappeared mid-way through Julius' storytelling, leaving the couple alone in the dining area. Only a security guard remained, and he roamed in and out of their sight every ten minutes.

"What else happened?" she asked excitedly. "Did she thank you? If she didn't, that would be selfish. Did she fall in love with you? I would have, I mean you risked your life for her." Ela bombarded Julius with questions, preventing him from getting a word in. Julius chuckled, his smile intensifying her infatuation with him.

"It's getting pretty late. Don't you have work in the morning?" he asked, evading all of her questions.

"I do," she sulked. Technically, she was working now, and her phone was still recording their conversation. "But I don't want to leave," she whimpered, frowning like a sad child. Julius smiled, and got up from his chair to stand beside her.

"C'mon. I'll walk you outside." Ela knew that she had worn out her welcome, and so she let him lead her out of the luxurious dining area.

The night air was crisp, and the wind pricked at every pore of her exposed skin. Ela buried her neck as far she could under her wool scarf.

"I hope I can visit again," she whispered, trying to delay her departure.

"As a waiter or a customer?" he laughed and she punched his shoulder.

"Both."

Her heart was screaming for him, pumping emotions that she couldn't control, but she had to maintain her composure. She didn't want to give off the slightest hint that she was secretly using him. Julius hurried out into the street waving in the darkness, until a taxi finally approached them. He greeted the driver from the passenger window, and opened the back door for her. She strolled to the car and slid onto the seat, and Julius shut the door, leaning down to the already open window.

"I hope you had fun tonight," he said.

"More than you can imagine," she replied as her heart was beckoning for her to speak its truth. "Um, when can I see you again?"

"I don't know. When do you want to see me?" Ela drew her hand away from the door and thought of a date. She had to appear busy to him, being undercover made her conscious of every action displayed to him, one slip up could ruin it all, he was her main priority. Without her noticing, Julius had already placed his head fully inside the car interrupting her train of thought with his nose grazing hers. Ela kept herself so still, holding her breath as he eased his lips upon hers. He pecked her lips three times, each touch pulled her unconsciously closer to him. Julius finally pulled away from her, and pulled his head just outside the car window.

"I'm sorry. I'm supposed to warn you before the kiss," Julius said.

Ela kept quiet, and without restraint, pulled him close again kissing him with the same soft touch. Their tongues met and retreated, he was finding her rhythm, timing his lips to touch hers perfectly when she wanted. He knew how to take control without demanding it, and she couldn't maintain her resistance when he did. He pulled away once more, startling her.

"What?" she asked.

"The driver," he answered.

"Oh," she giggled. "Completely forgot about him."

"Yup, I'm still here," the driver muttered.

The two laughed.

"How about we see each other soon?" he said.

Ela happily nodded in agreement. Julius moved away from the car and waved as the taxi driver pulled off. Ela turned around when she thought she was far enough for him not to see her, and obsessively stared as he remained alone in front of the luxurious building. She took a deep breath, reality was sitting in, and compressing her now wild emotions. On one hand, she was proud that she succeeded in her private investigation for her story, but on the other, her desires for him were growing out of control. The more she thought of how he made her feel, the more she began to like him, the more she wanted to love him. He was so gentle, and patient in how he handled his time with her, paying full attention to every word, even if it was about nothing, and deep inside, she wanted to give him the same.

She thought of Chris and how he romanced her when it was convenient for him. Julius was different, he was making time for her, and it made her feel uncomfortable in many ways. When she would first lock eyes with Chris, he stared at her with such lust, and in the beginning it was fine. The lust was empowering because he was like a dog at her whim, but eventually it made her feel like she was only entertainment for him. Julius however studied her like a prized piece, but not in a trophy way. It felt more like sheer excitement, like a child receiving a birthday present.

She scrolled through her phone, and replayed their entire conversation out loud in the cab.

"What am I doing?" she whispered to herself as the guilt throbbed in her chest. What if he found out she was using him? It hurt to think about the disgust with which he would look at her. There was a part of her that did not want to continue the betrayal, but she buried it under the opportunity of having a great repertoire with Ms. Shell, if this were to be successfully executed.

There was one question that still roamed in the crevices of her brain from earlier in the day, and it had appeared in that moment again. Why her? Why would he open himself to her? If he was the famous painter that she assumed him to be, why would he suddenly just spill his soul out? He opened himself so quickly to her that she was beginning to wonder if he knew something that she didn't. What was his end game? Was this just for fun? Was he some serial killer pretending to be a genius painter? Her mind was going crazy with theories. Why don't you ask him? said the little voice in her head.

"That's too easy," she responded. Plus, it might blow her cover. She had to continue to play it cool. Something was behind his motivation to reveal himself to her, and she was going to find out, but first, Ela decided to call Liz. She needed someone to clear her head. She grabbed her phone, and dialed Liz's number, waiting as the phone rang several times.

"Are you okay?!" Liz shouted. Her screech startled Ela, as she had forgotten their last conversation was just after the monster incident. The vision of the monster came to her again, but she violently shook her head to break its picture from her mind.

"I'm fine now," she answered. There was a muffled noise in the background, and she could hear Liz whispering to someone. A low voice mumbled words back, and Liz laughed. "Am I calling at a bad time?" Ela asked. The deep voice laughed again, and Liz came back to the phone.

"Sorry. You're not, love. What happened?"

"What are you doing?" Ela asked. The question came off as a demand.

"With some company," Liz answered defensively.

"Where are you?"

"Just hanging with a friend."

"Who's the friend?"

"No one."

"Sounded like a guy to me."

"And if it was?"

"You should've told me."

"Hold on!" Liz burst.

"I'm just making sure you're okay."

"Relax," Liz laughed. "I'm not the one who was freaking out a few hours ago."

Ela accepted her defeat, and abandoned her aggressive attitude.

"You got time to spare?" Ela asked.

"Sure I do...Do I need to come over?" And just like that, the fight was forgotten and Liz was like a mother to her, saying the perfect things at the perfect time.

"Yes. Can you? I don't want to ruin what you have going on with the guy."

"No problem. I'll be over."

"I'll order some pizza for you."

"Ohhh. What has you in the giving mood?!"

"No particular reason. Just glad to have such a great best friend."

"Probably your only friend, chica," Liz chuckled.

That jab didn't sit well with Ela. It hadn't occurred to her until that moment that she didn't have that many friends in the city.

"I'll see you soon, Liz."

"Bye, beautiful," Liz answered. "Oh, what happened with mystery man?"

"I'll tell you when you get over," Ela said, and hung up the phone.
CHAPTER 25

USB Green: Ela Log Entry10

He was lucky to find love, in a nation full of turmoil, with a girl who is loved by the most feared in their land. If it weren't for his painting, he would've never made it out of his close call with the Gorilla King. If it weren't for his feelings for her, pressing with each swipe on the canvas, his outcome would've been just another story of a child lost in chaos. However, he found a way to express himself, conveying his message in such a powerful way, that it changed a monster, and made it forgive. My experience with him as I sat and listened to him tell this amazing story so naturally dumbfounded me that I was able to hear the beginning of a true genius.

The closing statement of her draft report could've been stronger, but it had a nice punch with the "true genius" line. It took forever to transcribe Julius's words from the recording onto the laptop, and even longer to add her journalistic flavor to it. The joints in her fingers ached, the muscles in her back were stiff, and her knees throbbed with pain. It was undergrad all over again, but this time with a greater sense of satisfaction. This wasn't for a grade, or a university application. This was a creation that no one had forced her to manifest, and she would soon give the world a chance to read it. If Ms. Shell published it, of course. In which case, Ela's life would be complete. The pain she felt was transient; her will was too strong to pay it any mind for more than a moment. The time on her laptop read 3:00 a.m., and Liz still hadn't shown up. She was already on hour five with her work. That was unusual for Liz. Was she still with that guy? If Liz had bailed on her for a random guy, Ela wouldn't let her live a month without reigning guilt upon her every day.

"Whatever," she mumbled, and her eyes shut unwillingly. She forced them open as quickly as she could, believing only seconds had passed. When she glanced at the clock, the time read 3:30 a.m. The lack of sleep from the last two days was catching up to her. Come to think of it, she had only napped a few times over the last few days; her body yearned for a full night's rest.

Time to shower then, she thought as she hopped up from her chair.

She stumbled the few steps into the bathroom and spun the knobs in the shower. It took a moment for the water to heat up, but soon the bathroom was clouded in steam. Ela stepped into the shower, closing her eyes as the water rejuvenated her, inside and out.

Julius' story ran through her mind, and she couldn't help but admire his courage as a teenager. Standing up to a mob king and selflessly rescuing a girl from the sea. She never imagined life could be experienced the way he'd experienced it. It made sense to her that he would confide in his work, and it made his paintings more alive to her. It was intoxicating just to look at, seeing him infused with such passion and life.

What if I'm his next work of art? It was a little self-centered, but maybe he was opening up because of his infatuation with her. He had said that he hadn't felt that way in a long time, and he'd shown her a piece of work that she had inspired him to make. That confused her still. She hadn't done anything special to lead him into the feelings he has for her now. Her shoulders began to relax, and the heat from the water was loosening the muscles on her back and neck. What does he want from me? His smile appeared in her thoughts, and then his stare came after. He'd shown her his home, he was telling her about his life, but she still felt like there was something else to him that he was hiding. She could feel it, and he had hinted it to her whenever they studied each other. It felt like a game to her and she relished the challenge.

The suds fell from her skin to the drain, and she spun the nozzles closed. Steam rose from the surface of her skin, eliminating the tension that had filled her body moments ago. She placed her leg onto the top of the toilet, and began to dry herself off with her towel.

Her chest rushed with a warm pleasure, so strong that it made her close her eyes.

Julius invaded her mind once more; she pictured only his smile, it was hard to resist the thought of him, as her body yearned to be near him again. Ela opened her eyes, realizing that she still had one leg placed on the toilet, and the towel wrapped closely around her breast.

What the hell am I doing, she thought, removing her leg from the toilet. She wiped the fog from the mirror and noticed that her eyes still looked tired, even though she felt refreshed. Her hands wiped away more of the fog, and her body revealed itself in the cleared reflection. If it had a voice, it would've screamed, "touch me, kiss me, lick me, bite me, love me."

She touched the tip of her breast, circling her finger around the peak. Her eyes rolled back in her head. When she opened her eyes again, she quickly withdrew her hands.

This is weird.

She left the lights off when she entered her bedroom. Liz was a no show tonight, and Liz never stood her up. Something had to be going on for her to flake. This 'friend' was clearly more than just a friend.

"It's a good thing I waited to order that pizza," Ela said out loud. Whatever. Ela was already on her back, buried in her covers and gazing at the ceiling. A heavy yawn escaped her, and her body cheered as it finally relaxed, sinking into the mattress. She closed her eyes and drifted back into her thoughts.

Ms. Shell was in front of her, applauding her as she handed her the final transcript of the story. The normally dim office was much brighter, as if it was lit only for her. Ms. Shell disappeared, and Liz materialized in front of her, kissing her cheek as the club whirled around them. She didn't know why or how she got there, but it felt natural to dance along with Liz. The two interlocked their fingers, singing along to a song that Ela was unfamiliar with.

"Hold on, chica. I'll be right back!" Liz kissed her cheek again, and disappeared into the blurred mass of humanity. Ela watched as Liz became one with the sea of party goers, and for some reason it felt like Liz was leaving her life. Ela began to feel uneasy and started to follow after her, but just as she did so, a hand grabbed her shoulder. It was Julius.

"Hey," he smiled. Her heart instantly raced. Where had he come from?

"Hey," she finally answered. The two laughed, like they always did when they saw each other.

"I'm working on another piece. I'd love for you to see it."

"I'd love to," she quickly answered. Julius reached for her hand and pulled her through the crowd, stepping over a translucent threshold into his study room. Ela glanced back. How did we just...

"Check this out," Julius said. Ela turned to see Julius standing in front of his new piece. It was a young woman in a red trench coat standing near a park bench illuminated by a street lamp. The piece incorporated various dark pigments, blending so well with each other that it was difficult for her to tell the difference between the night sky and the concrete. The only part of the painting that stood out was the bright light, and the red coat; the obvious focal point. She couldn't keep her eyes off the woman's figure, as the coat left little to the imagination.

"This is so good, Julius," she spoke.

"It's you."

Her eyes met his.

"You shouldn't have," she whispered. She walked closer to his creation, desiring to touch it.

"Wait," he said.

She turned to him, and he was already in her face, his lips approaching hers, and his arms wrapping around her waist. She didn't resist, and he pulled her close, kissing her. The two merged together; he lifted her from the floor, and she felt like she was flying. He gently placed her on a bed that formed behind her. She fell unquestioningly into the soft sheets, noticing the room disappearing around them, replaced by darkness. Small stars emerged from above as he gingerly tasted her neck with the tip of his tongue. Her emotions compounded inside her, stacking like bricks, making her weak. She wanted more of him, so she grabbed his face and pulled him closer. He stared, not smiling, only searching her soul. Both of them breathing in the air that the other exhaled. Then his face disappeared below. She was ready for him to do whatever he wanted to her, secretly hoping he'd bite her neck, but his lips didn't touch her skin. His body went stiff, and she felt his muscles smush her against the bed.

"You lied to me" he whispered in her ear.

"What?"

"You're lying to me," he continued, pressing into her, and she tried to push him away, but he was starting to suffocate her.

"Julius, stop."

"It wants you. It will have you."

"What?" she gasped.

He was freaking her out, and his grip was too tight for her to break free. She tried scratching his face but he was unfazed. The two wrestled in the sheets as his hands gripped her forearms tighter. Was he going to rape her?

"Julius, stop!" she yelled.

Julius eased his grip.

"What the fuck is wrong with y—"

A force from above snatched Julius off of her. She lost track of him, and when her eyes landed on the ceiling, Julius was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the body of a spider with an abdomen as big as her bed lowered into the room, its legs extending to each corners of Julius' study as it awaited her. It lowered its head, displaying an army of eyes, and the hairs from its legs began to leak tinier spiders upon the bed. She swatted away the first few that landed on her face, but soon a rainstorm of spiders enveloped her. She screamed as they swarmed up and down her skin, too many to escape.

Ela scurried to the head of the bed, throwing whatever creatures she could touch off of her, and accidentally, her head smashed against the frame.

"Fuck," she screamed, and when she opened her eyes she was back in her room. She checked herself, and then her bed, but no spiders were in sight. She glanced at the ceiling, the monster was no more.

It was just a dream.
CHAPTER 26

Calvin only wanted to take a nap, but 10 hours passed before he came to. He was slumped over on his couch and outside his window, the sky had gone from a comforting powder blue to a city-lit black. Calvin grabbed his phone and began checking emails from his assistant. There were no serious alerts and, surprisingly, Mrs. Blue hadn't contacted him. He ordered a thin crust pepperoni pizza from a local Italian restaurant, and cleaned himself up. When the food arrived, he sat on his couch and ate in silence. His thoughts and emotions were stirring inside him like a hurricane, but he ignored their call, instead focusing his energy on completing the videos. The image of the monster crawled to the front of his mind. It was the hardest to shake off, its presence growing in him.

"It's not real," he mumbled. "It's not fucking real." He promised himself to say it out loud as many times as he needed until the words became truth. After his last bite, he grabbed the laptop and attached the headset.

USB Yellow: Julius Log Entry 6

The taste of cold liquor diluted his senses, brewing a silent flame inside his chest with each sip. Talking to Ela about his past caused unwanted emotions to rise that he had buried a long time ago. The nostalgia of his friends, the passion of his lovers, the comfort of his aunt. He wanted to go home, but was too afraid to move. A picture of his aunt, with her gentle smile, heavy nurturing figure, and powerful glare appeared in his head as he imagined himself walking to her home.

Julius pressed his lips to the glass, slipping even more into the past. He was virtually hallucinating; the sound of the beach approached him, along with the joyful shouts of families. He was slouched on his stool, in his study, right in front of the piece he had displayed to Ela. He was frightened as his mind traveled recklessly into the dark depths of his repressed memories.

He thought of Deuce, Isaac's older brother, who had such fearless ambition. Ela carried that same aura, and he knew she was hiding something important about herself, he just didn't know what. But the more he showed himself to her, the closer she drew to him. She had been defensive when they first met, watchful of every word that came out of his mouth. When he told her about Nia, a vulnerability he was surprised he had revealed, she reciprocated with intimate kisses and affection.

Fuck it. He knew the risk of telling more of himself, his true identity, but it meant nothing to him at this point. He was tired of finding solace in his routine at the hotel, or his paintings. It was so much easier to share it with a human being, even if it was a stranger. He downed the last bit of liquor in his glass and, just as he did so, the world spun in circles as his consciousness drifted into the past.

❖

The nearly-drowned girl's family had lost her an hour before her attempt to escape into the sea. Julius waited with her in the hotel's main lobby; he felt it appropriate to start a conversation, but he had no idea what to say to her. He watched as she shivered from the air conditioning, her skin pale, and he could see her veins pulsating in her thighs and arms. Her hair was tangled like seaweed, and the salt water continued to drip from the ends. She turned to him. Her eyes were large, almost alien, but they were absolutely perfect in context with the rest of her features. Julius was struck by how oddly beautiful she was. Just as she opened her mouth to speak to him, her mother and father appeared at her side. As the parents talked over each other pulling the story from the girl, Julius heard another voice behind him.

"Julius."

Julius turned to find Deuce. Unlike Isaac, who was short and stocky in size like a rugby player, Deuce was tall and slender. Every shirt he wore hung off his body like a baggy sweater two sizes too big, and the belts he wore never seemed to hold up his pants properly. He towered over Julius when they stood side by side. "What happened?"

"I was taking a break and I noticed her body floating out at sea, so I swam out and grabbed her." Deuce studied the family in front of them with raised eyebrows.

"Shit, there should've been a lifeguard nearby," Deuce muttered as he smashed his palm into his head, his fingers spreading across his entire forehead. "Why on this weekend? Just not this weekend."

"What's happening this weekend?" Julius asked.

"A conference to merge three manufacturing companies. Representatives from Germany, the United States, and France are going to be here."

"Why would they come here? It's dangerous. The only thing we have is hotels on our strip." Deuce turned back to him.

"How the hell do you think we got those hotels?"

"I don't know." Julius was completely oblivious to what the answer might be, and he could see that Deuce was disappointed.

"Investments from private companies and our government. They want to rebuild our town. This conference will be the birth of it all. In fact, these three companies formed the International Hotels"

"Wow. I didn't know that." Julius didn't really care about any of it; this was a summer gig until he found something else to do while school was out.

"Of course you didn't," Deuce said, rolling his eyes in condescension. "We don't need young white girls drowning days before the event," Deuce said and he left Julius standing alone as he walked towards the family.

The father pointed at Julius, and Deuce signaled him to come over. Julius walked over to the smiling parents. The daughter maintained a stoic expression; clearly she wasn't pleased with her situation. The father stepped forward and stuck his hand out.

"Thank you so much," the man said.

Julius glanced at Deuce, who kept up his fake demeanor by smiling at the family.

"No problem," Julius answered, and shook the father's hand.

"We were worried about her all morning. We know she loves to swim in the ocean and told her to be careful not to go too far out or she might drown. She almost would have if it wasn't for you."

"It was nothing," Julius said. Was the father still oblivious that his daughter had tried to commit suicide? The father edged his daughter towards Julius with a light nudge. She stuck her hand out.

"Thank you," she said, her voice much softer than when they had spoken before. Maybe she was nervous. He reached out in kind and their hands met, completing some unexplainable circuit that allowed energy to flow between them. They both felt it.

"Your name, sir?" the father asked.

Despite the request, Julius and the girl never stopped looking at each other, and he couldn't pinpoint the sensation inside him. It wasn't infatuation, or curiosity. It was just...different. Parallel to better, but never above or below.

"Julius," he finally answered. He saw in her curious eyes that she was feeling the same thing, and that made him draw closer to her somehow. Deuce interrupted the moment by coughing and then stepping between the two, breaking their hands apart.

"Well, we can call for medical treatment if you like."

"No no no. I think she'll be okay. Just a bad scare," the father responded.

"Okay," Deuce replied. "If you need anything, just let us know."

The family said their last thank you, and walked towards the hallway that led to the rooms. Before they vanished around the corner, the girl glanced back at Julius once more, a subtle smile on her face that he returned before she disappeared. Muffled static rose from Deuce's walkie-talkie, and he brought it to his mouth.

"I'll be there in thirty seconds," Deuce said into the walkie-talkie. He turned to Julius with a face flushed with anger. "We will discuss this later." Deuce hurried away, heading towards the doors that led outside. Julius scratched his head sighing at the moment of relief.

"What was that all about?"

Julius turned to see who had asked the question and saw that Isaac was standing next to him. Julius was glad to see Isaac after everything that had happened and he wrapped his arm around his friend's shoulder.

"Where you'd come from?" Julius asked.

"Break. Saw you all when I was coming up. Everything cool?"

"I guess, I think Deuce is mad about that girl almost drowning at the beach."

"Why would he be mad about that? The family seemed in good spirits."

"That's what I thought. I saw the girl, saved her from drowning. But your brother thinks this will ruin the hotels reputation."

"Reputation?"

"Yeah, big companies are supposed to be coming here in a few days, and he thinks this might mess up the image."

Isaac bit his lip, and signaled Julius to follow him outside. The two opened the doors, enjoying the warm air.

"Don't worry about Deuce; he's not mad. He's just nervous." The two traveled past the pool, dodging the children that attacked them with water guns, made it to beach, and sat on abandoned towels.

Julius looked at Isaac and said, "You sure? He seemed pretty mad to me."

"Yeah, he's just a wuss," Isaac answered. He smiled, revealing his big teeth and Julius returned the smile. Isaac's grin was contagious; he always made things feel much easier to Julius when he smiled. They observed the massive blue abyss in front of them for the next half hour. They didn't say much, both lost in their own thoughts. They occasionally threw pieces of shells and pointed at the beautiful women that roamed the beach.

One of the women noticed the two boys staring and whispered to the other girls in the group. They laughed, and waved to the boys. Julius and Isaac looked at each other dumbfounded, and waved back. The women blew kisses making the eager boys fall back onto the towels.

"God was an amazing architect when he built women," Isaac spoke.

The boys sat back up and watched as the women disappeared down the shore. They were quiet for a little longer, but Isaac soon got up.

"Gotta go, man," he said. Julius nodded, and they shook hands again. "Yo, Deuce and a couple of the workers are throwing a hotel party tonight. You wanna join?"

Julius pondered the offer. There wasn't much to do back at home.

"Yeah, I should be good, just gotta let my aunt know."

Isaac nodded and left him on the beach. Julius didn't move, only thinking of random things. Like Nia, and how much he missed her. God, he longed to see her, and hold her once more. He couldn't hear the silence of the universe without her speaking to him. I miss you, Nia. I miss you so—

Julius woke up. His head throbbed and his eyes cleared up enough to see that he had fallen off the stool. The bottle had rolled to the other side of the room. Damn, I need to get my shit together.

Maybe he should call Ela to see what she was up to. Her eyes weren't Nia's, but they were beautiful all the same, and he longed for them. He rolled over onto his back, smiling at the ceiling.

"I'm a fucking mess," he mumbled.
CHAPTER 27

USB Green: Ela Log Entry 11

Ela awoke to a pounding heart and instantly turned to face the ceiling, but the monster wasn't there. It had just been a nightmare. Her nerves were running wild and she couldn't convince them to have the same faith. Ela searched through her phone, checking the internet to see whatever dream interpretations she could find on spiders. That made it worse. Some pages insisted she was falling into a trap, or creating a trap that she would soon be the victim of. Out of the ten sites she found, none of them gave her good feedback.

Who could she call? And if they did answer, who would believe her? Ela buried herself inside the covers, but the instant she felt her eyes close, she pricked herself with her nails. This torture lasted until sunrise, and by the time the sun's rays had crept through her window, her sanity was halfway gone.

The warm light touched her skin through the covers. What to do now? She could walk around the city, explore a few cultural events or festivals, to help keep her mind off the nightmare. The wind's howl scratched at her windows, and reminded her of the chilly air that awaited her outside if she explored. She could call Chris. They hadn't spoken in a while, primarily because of her, and she began to wonder if he had started to move on. The idea of seeing him woo another woman made her slightly jealous, her curiosity burning to the point that she decided to make a surprise visit. Her body escaped from her covers and she stretched her arms to the ceiling.

I should text him. She grabbed her phone, and found his number.

Ela: Thinking of you...

She sent the text and placed the phone beside her. He didn't take long to answer her.

Chris: Where have you been?

Ela: Busy with the report for Ms. Shell.

Chris: You can't be too busy not to call.

Ela: Are you mad at me?

Chris: Why would I be mad?

Ela: I don't know...can I see you?

Chris: I'm at work.

Ela: I could see you there. Please.

The urge for his attention erupted from within her, was he moving on without her? Why did she care now?

Chris: Sure.

Ela: See you soon.

Chris: Yeah.

Ela worried that Chris didn't seem too interested in seeing her but she ignored that feeling and tossed the phone beside her on the bed. She could also see what Liz was up to at work, and why she had stood her up last night. Ela got up and walked into her closet. Her eyes landed on her one-shoulder dress. The fabric wrapped around her hips perfectly, and the lonely right strap kept her breasts still. She slid herself into the dress, and found her pale blue trench coat to throw over the dress. Next came the black heels that her feet so easily slipped into, and she strutted to the bathroom. Make-up wasn't necessary, and all she needed to do was fluff her hair and clean her face. When she was done, Ela couldn't keep herself from spinning like a ballerina, smiling as her outfit fluttered in the air. This is what sexy is supposed to feel like.

❖

When Ela arrived at the office, she could feel eyes following her from all directions. It was the first time she didn't have to wear her bland corporate attire and clearly people were noticing the difference. Walking in her true colors only solidified her ambitions to nail this private interview with Julius and get the story of the year. She passed the main hallways, taking the elevator to Liz's floor. Once she got off, she saw Liz on the other side of the room buried in her cubicle, typing away at her screen. Ela snuck up behind her and spun Liz around to face her. Liz eyes widened and her mouth broke into a huge grin, creating little wrinkles near the edges of her eyes.

"Damn, chica! Sexy panther today."

"Thank you," Ela smiled as she grabbed a chair and sat in front of Liz. "Why didn't you show up las—"

Liz thrust her hand in front of Ela's face.

"I know, I know, I screwed up. Things got a little hectic, and by the time I was finished doing what I had to do, I'd figured it was too late to show up at your place."

That felt like a vague excuse to Ela. What was this thing that she just had to do? Liz was hiding something from her, she could tell, and she couldn't have been more obvious about it as she tried to avoid looking at Ela.

"Bullshit," Ela said.

"I'm serious, Ela. Last night was a little rough."

"Then you definitely should've come over. I'm here for you." Liz looked down at her hands, the desk, over her shoulder. Anywhere but at Ela. "Liz, I may not be Hispanic, but I can still smell bullshit from my best friend."

"I'm not bullshitting. Let's end this topic now," Liz barked.

"Fine," Ela said, while thinking it was anything but fine.

The silence stretched between the two of them until Liz finally turned to her.

"How's the dream guy?"

An overwhelming sensation of guilt clouded over Ela. She tried to wash it away with other thoughts, but it refused to leave. How was it that she felt so much confidence just a minute ago, but the moment Julius was mentioned, it was all buried with insecurity?

"I feel like I'm lying to him," Ela answered.

Liz sighed like a frustrated parent repeating the same lesson to their hard-headed child.

"Ela, you got this. I know it's a lot, but if there is anyone who can handle this, it's you."

"That means a lot, but is this journalism or cutthroat tactics?"

"Both," Liz chuckled.

Ela sat upright forcing herself to gaining control of her emotions. It was just stress, and she was cracking from it. She'd been through worse in life, like the time her car broke down, and she walked two miles for an interview, or the time she had three exams in one day and night shift during finals. This moment was only a stepping stone to a bigger career. Liz gave her a devilish glare.

"You guys fuck yet?"

"No," Ela shook her head. "Definitely not."

"Definitely not? I'm disappointed."

"Disappointed? Why would you be disappointed?"

"You're doing this all wrong, Ela. Let me break it down for you. Fucking a guy is more emotional to him than it is a woman. Especially if you're good. He already likes you—"

"Now that's just evil," Ela interrupted.

"No. That's business. You need a story."

"That's not how you get a story, Liz. Or that's not how I get a story, anyways. I already feel bad enough for secretly interviewing him just on a platonic level."

"Platonic!" Liz burst out. "This is far from platonic. The guy just showed you his heart with his paintings, and took you to dinner. Any guy that CONSTANTLY chases you wants one of two things. To love you or fuck you. That's it. And this guy is a painter who is opening his life, as well as his art, to you. That's not fucking, Ela. That's loving. This is prime opportunity."

Ela backed her chair away from Liz, and fiddled with her hair. How deep was this getting? And how oblivious had she been to his emotions? She knew he was interested in her, but to emotionally invest himself in her was another thing. She couldn't read his gestures, because she had never allowed a relationship to reach this point. Ela had only viewed the emotions between the two from her perspective.

"Fuck him. Get that info. And turn in a pre-report to Ms. Shell," Liz demanded.

Ela remained still, lost in the war of her thoughts. Was it really worth destroying the trust and kindness of a gentle person? But what about her? What about her struggle? An opportunity like this wouldn't just throw itself in front of her again. It was either this or stay at entry-level work.

"Liz, I think I'll tell him the truth before I turn in the report."

"Do what you will after the report is done. Just make sure it's done. And don't forget about the little people like me," Liz said with a wink.

Ela smiled and hugged Liz. She stood up and gathered herself emotionally.

"Thanks again, Liz."

"No probs. Did you just stop in to see me? Are you about to see him?"

"I'm quite sure I'll see him tonight or sometime soon. But I'm going to stop by to see Ms. Shell, maybe Chris as well."

Liz slid back to her desk, a scowl forming on her face, as she turned herself to the computer screen without saying bye.  
"Liz, are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine, my workload is piling up. We'll catch up more another time."

Ela stood up and backed away, unnerved by Liz's sudden change of attitude and negative energy.

"Oh, okay...I'll text you, I guess."

"Sure, yeah. See ya, chica."

Ela slowly turned around and walked to the elevator. She couldn't worry about Liz and her weird moods too much right now. She had to focus on what she was going to say to Ms. Shell. And to Chris.
CHAPTER 28

USB Green: Ela Log Entry 12

She was losing her battle against the fatigue that grew in her as the elevator ascended to the top floor. Despite the exhaustion, Ela couldn't help but worry about Liz's abnormal attitude at the end of their short get-together. Was Liz keeping something from her? She said it wasn't important and to let it go, but her body language told a different story. And why would she hide it from her? Friends don't do that. The mystery was killing Ela.

With each ring of a passing floor, Ela's eyes grew heavier as if bricks hung from them by a thin thread. She faked a few smiles at the oncoming passengers, but made sure to stay in the corner so no one would notice her. Without knowing, she drifted into sleep, falling into the darkness of her conscious.

Eight spider legs appeared in front of her spreading further and further into the abyss with no signs of ending. The abdomen was next, covered in hairs, and within the hairs, smaller spiders dashing up and down the ends. Her skin crawled, her neck twitched. She couldn't tell if she was falling into it, or if it was falling into her, but when they got close, its eyes met hers, studying her.

Please leave me alone, she cried softly. The monster didn't answer. It raised its front legs ready to attack, opening its mouth, closing in on her.

Kill me, she thought.

The elevator halted, ringing its tune as the doors slid open. Ela nearly collapsed to the floor, but she caught herself, startled to see that she was the only one left in the elevator. As she tried to make her legs stop shaking, a man walked through the elevator doors and noticed her struggling to regain her composure.

"Excuse me, miss," he said as he grabbed her shoulder, steadying her on her feet. "Are you okay?" She looked up at him, but his face looked like blotted spots. Ela couldn't tell where his eyes or nose lay on his face. She leaned in closer, and his features began to appear. What was going on?

"I'm fine," she answered, leaving him in the elevator. Her confidence that had supported her earlier celebrity-like entrance had vanished, making Ela hurry pass the cubicles. She didn't want to draw any more attention yet she could feel more and more eyes boring into her. In the distance were the double doors to Ms. Shell's office but she needed to see Chris. With barely a thought about it, she turned herself in the direction of Chris's office just a few doors down.

His door was open and he was typing, barely visible behind his monitor, unaware that she had entered the office. His room had only one window, which was half the size of the far wall, perfectly framing him and the city below them. She knocked on the door, and his gaze lingered on the screen before slowly looking towards her. When Chris realized it was Ela, he stood up quickly.

"Ela," he said.

"Chris."

She wanted to close the door, to escape the noise from the outside world.

"Come in," he said.

With that invitation, she shut the door, and he left his mahogany desk and walked towards the couch; Ela met him there and they sat next to each other. Her body sunk into the cool fabric, and her mind calmed. She couldn't make eye contact with him. Instead she observed the shelves and books that filled his office. Unlike Ms. Shell, this room was filled with natural light. It was large but nowhere near as big as Ms. Shell's, the appropriate size for a columnist. And Ela added another item to her "Make it Big" check list.

"Water, wine, liquor?"

"No, nothing," she responded.

"You smell good."

"Thank you."

"You look good too."

She forced a smile and contemplated telling him what was going on in her head. The bathroom, the dream, the elevator. Was she losing her mind? She didn't want to shut her eyes even if it was just to blink. His hands fell onto her lap, and squeezed her thigh.

"What happened to you? You just disappeared from the face of the earth."

"Busy with Ms. Shell's work."

"You can still call. Text if nothing else."

"I know. I just didn't have time to."

"That's bullshit."

"I didn't come here for you to attack me."

"Then what did you come here for?"

"I don't know, you were just on my mind."

Ela shifted further from him on the couch. His eyes darkened at the movement as he scanned her dress, biting his lip, and she could see the savagery in his eyes. He grinned and left her sitting on the couch. She watched as he leaned against his desk, the light shining bright at his back, his posture like that of a king,

"So have you fucked him yet?"

Ela felt her body tense as if jolts of electricity ran through her. Her mind went into a rage of anxious thoughts. Was he speaking about Julius? If so, how did he know? Had he been onto her this entire time?

"What did you say?"

"Your new lover."

He could be bluffing; maybe he was seeking answers for her disappearance as he called it.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, c'mon, Ela! I'm not stupid! I know you're with somebody else. Why else would you stop talking to me?"

Ah, he definitely wasn't onto her. Thank god for men and their huge egos.

"You're unbelievable," she answered.

Chris walked over and knelt before her, leaning forward over her body, closing in on her face. She couldn't move, his cologne danced inside her nostrils, his eyes were solid, and stern.

"Tell me it isn't true. Deny that there's someone else."

Ela didn't answer; he leaned so close that his lips almost brushed against hers.

"I miss you."

"That's sweet, Chris." In that moment, she realized she felt nothing for him, but she couldn't be a bitch, so she had to say something polite back to him.

"I open myself to you, and this is what I get in return. A knife to the heart." Chris pulled her in, grabbing her thighs, while touching his lips to hers. She barely had time to react to his roughness when her phone went off in her coat pocket. She pulled away from Chris and yanked her phone out.

Julius: If you're free, I have a place I want to show you. I know you'll like it.

Ela placed her phone back into her pocket without letting Chris see the message.

"That's the guy, isn't it?" Chris asked.

"Wow, you're insecurity is just dripping off of you right now," she chuckled.

"Sure, whatever." He eased away from her and opened the door to his office. "Just think about it. I can't wait forever."

Ela got up from the couch and walked calmly to the door. Inside brew a storm of emotions, life was happening all so fast. Part of her was excited to see Chris's desire for her was still there, part of her felt disgusted by him, and part of her wanted to stay in that office. The foundation of her stability was cracking brick by brick, and she couldn't keep up with the repairs. She needed help, but she was hiding from everyone in a way. Even as their eyes met at the doorway, they smiled, but her expression wasn't real to her, fake as the rip-off clothes at a thrift store.

"I will," she replied, and left him standing in his doorway.
CHAPTER 29

USB Green: Ela Log Entry 13

She called, he answered, and like always their connection fired up.

"Ela."

"Julius."

There was a pause, not because of a loss of words, but because the two instinctively desired the comfortable silence, a silence they couldn't seem to find anywhere else.

"Where are you?" he finally asked.

"Outside work."

"Let's meet up."

"When?"

"Now."

"Where?"

"Lower District. In front of Union Station."

"What are we going to do?"

"Fall in love."

Her heart fluttered inside her chest.

"Oh really? How?" she laughed.

"Come find out."

"Okay," she agreed. Ela felt fifteen again as she smiled at his words, at him, at the idea of love.

"See you soon, Ela."

"Bye, Julius."

The two hung up, and she hailed a cab.

But as she slid into the cab and gave the driver the address, sleep crept up on her once again. Ela tried to resist, but it wasn't going her way. Each time she shut her eyes, the horrendous creature awaited her. Its legs drawing closer to her body, its eyes tearing into her, its body collapsing into her soul. Its presence was more real than when she first encountered it. Please, she thought, please leave me alone. Something tickled her ear, and she opened her eyes swatting at the sensation. There was nothing there, until she stared out the backseat window. As the car passed the flashing lights of the city, the monster's eyes peered back at her. She jumped to other side of the backseat, startling the cab driver.

"Hey! What the fuck?!" he shouted.

"I'm sorry," she answered. "I thought I saw something."

"What in the hell did you see? Is it still back there?"

Their eyes met in the rearview mirror. Ela crawled back to other side, but couldn't risk seeing the monster at the window so she refused to look.

"It was nothing. Just been a long day."

The taxi driver sighed heavily. "What in the hell do you do to have long days like that?"

She didn't answer. The driver caught her eyes once more, and then she noticed him studying her attire.

"I am curious to know what you really do," he said softly.

Ela rolled her eyes, and crossed her arms. Now the rest of the ride was going to feel extra awkward because of her pervert driver.

"Just fucking drive to Union Station," she said.

Her body pumped whatever remaining adrenaline it had left keeping her alert. She was going to collapse between the adrenaline rush and her exhaustion, but she wanted to be around Julius. She would feel safer. The car finally reached Union Station. People surrounded her taxi as they left nearby cars, and busses that were parked in front and in the back of them. She tossed the taxi driver a twenty dollar bill not bothering to see if he caught it as she slipped out of the taxi. She pressed herself through the crowd and walked to the ascending steps which allowed her a better view of what was going on around her. After a passing glance, she couldn't spot Julius so she pulled her phone from her trench coat.

Ela: I'm here. Where are you?

The phone vibrated.

Julius: At the end of the street, away from the crowd.

Ela eyeballed the left side of the building where the street ended. The crowd was still pretty large. She turned in the opposite direction, and the crowd diminished rapidly to just a few strangers walking to the end. At the corner was a man in a thin black coat leaning against the cross signs.

Ela: I think I see you.

And she walked down the steps and traveled towards him. When she reached the end of the sidewalk, he was already looking at her gleefully. He closed the distance between them, but left just enough space for comfort. He was the complete opposite of Chris, who bombarded her comfort zone. Julius' scent wrapped itself around her, creating the sensation that he was touching her without touching her.

"What took you so long?" he asked.

"Someone is impatient," she chuckled.

"I can't get enough of you."

His words poured into her like honey.

"You can't?"

"Of course I can't. Plus, it's cold as shit out here."

The two laughed, giddy with being around each other again.

He reached for her hand and said "C'mon. I've been waiting to show you this for a long time."

She didn't ask where; she trusted him for some reason. But sadly he shouldn't trust her.

❖

The two voyaged deeper into the city holding hands as their mutual silence enveloped them. Walking with Julius made Ela feel so comfortable. She knew she had to interview him soon, but for the moment, she just wanted to enjoy his company. They approached a dimly lit alley, and he pulled her right into it. Thinking of the monster, Ela was unnerved by the darker surroundings but once they got further inside, it wasn't as sketchy as it looked from the outside. Kids danced behind them, and the residents nodded as they wandered by. Eventually they came to a stop, their way barred by an enormous bouncer. He glared at the two of them, stiffening his position in front of the door. The man turned to Julius.

"Is she with you?"

Julius nodded, and the guard opened the door behind him. A single light greeted them; the rest of the area was obscured in darkness. Julius pulled her forward again, but she resisted. Not more darkness, Ela thought.

"C'mon," Julius whispered. "Trust me."

She finally relaxed and gave him a weak smile as they walked inside.

"I forgot you were kind of a big deal," she teased. "Getting by that bouncer so easily. Look at the big shot artist, just doing whatever he wants!"

Julius only smirked, pulling her further into the unknown. The floor began to rattle as they approached another door in front of them. The walls rumbled, along with the roof. Where had he taken her? And how had she not heard this from the alley? By the time they reached the door, their bodies were vibrating from the mini-earthquakes that rose through the floor. He didn't give her a chance to digest the moment, and took her through the door. The music erupted around them, and her eyes were bombarded with a much brighter, white light. Before them was a hallway covered in mirrors that extended to the ceiling. He smiled as he let go of her hand and sprinted down the hallway. Her eyes widened. Was he really going to leave her here?

"Julius, I can't in these heels!" she shouted.

"Take them off then," he shouted back.

"Are you crazy?! This floor could be infected with fungus!" She didn't hear a response, and she was losing sight of him. "Fuck," she mumbled, and she took her heels off placing her feet on the cold ground. She lifted her dress just slightly and followed suit. The vibrations from the music made the mirrors move, and it fascinated her as she saw her reflection shift shapes. Whereever this place was, it was definitely unique in every sense of the word. A pain in her chest started creeping up on her, and the hallway didn't seem like it was ending anytime soon.

"Julius!" she screamed, but there was no answer. She slowed her pace, and gazed at herself once more. Behind her was the monster, with its abdomen reaching all the way to the floor, its legs rose to the ceiling in a striking position, and its fangs edged towards her head. She screamed louder, and sprinted as fast as she could before it could clamp down on her. The light grew brighter in front of her. Where was Julius? Was it going to kill her? Was this real? The only thing she knew to do was run faster than she ever had before.

The hall was coming to an end, and the only thing that stood in her way was a thin purple bed sheet. Ela didn't hesitate to push through it, not thinking of what could be in front of her. As she slipped past the sheet, the hallway ended and she found herself in mid-air just a few feet above a crowd of dancing people. They caught her and tossed her up and down with the rhythm of the music. The terror she had felt moments before disappeared and she found herself laughing as the crowd cheered. One hand grabbed at her forearm and pulled her down onto the floor. When she looked up, she saw that it was Julius.

"I told you!" he yelled. She hit him on his chest and laughed harder. Her emotions were running wild inside of her, the fear, the joy, the excitement. The only thing she could think to do to silence it all was kiss him, so she snatched him close, and the two embraced in the midst of the shouting crowd.

"We aren't done," he yelled, and signaled for her to jump on his back. She held her heels tight, and hopped up before he shoved through the crowd. This was completely different from the jazz spot he had taken her to. Everyone's eyes glowed neon. They were like aliens to her, and their outfits glowed in multiple neon streaks. She and Julius made it outside the crowd, and Julius ascended about ten steps above, entering a platform that formed a circle around the crowd. At the edge of the circle was a bar, and beyond that lay steps that extended above to darkness. Ela put her heels back on, and Julius held her hand as they walked to the bar.

"What do you want to feel?" he asked, snagging a stool for her. His voice carried more confidence; it was almost as though this place had made him into a different man.

"Excuse me?

"What do you want to feel?" he repeated.

"I don't get what you're asking me?"

"Whatever you want to feel, I'll tell the bartender."

"That doesn't make sense."

"Just tell me."

She was growing irritated, so she thought of an emotion that she liked to experience.

"I want to feel like I'm escaping."

"Like you're free?"

"Yes," she agreed, as she allowed the emotion to sink her into her chest. "Free."

"Perfect," he grinned and signaled the bartender, who was a gorgeous female who looked like she could model for Vogue. Julius had to yell into the bartender's ear to be heard, and when he finished talking the bartender smiled at Ela. She glided away and began her alchemy at the other end of the bar. Julius turned back to Ela, grinning from ear to ear. What was he up to? His spontaneous personality was intoxicating.

"I want to ask you something," Ela said.

"What's up?"

"Why The Shark, The Snake, and The Spider? What do they mean to you?" Ela hadn't intended it to come out sounding like an interview question; it had been sincere curiosity that made her ask it. She really wanted to know him. The smile left his face, and his eyes disappeared under his eyebrows as he concentrated hard on her question.

"Honestly, I was drunk as fuck when I made them," he answered. "I was in a dark place at the time. I remember I wanted The Shark to represent the predators that swim among us, bold and arrogant; the Snake, the enemies that slither beneath us if we don't keep our focus; and the Spider, the cruelest of them all, are the people who patiently wait for you to fall into their trap and watch you suffer and struggle to break free. Spiders allow just enough wiggle room to give their prey a false sense of freedom. What's worse is when they finally grab you, they wrap you alive, injecting a poison in you that turns you into mush, and then they eat you alive slowly."

"What influenced you to make them?"

"The people I meet every day."

Ela couldn't help but feel like he was talking to her as one of the creatures. What was he up to? Before she could think about it anymore, the bartender reappeared placing their drinks in front of them.

"Are you ready to be lost, Ela?"

She wasn't ready, but she didn't care, too much was happening around her. She just wanted to escape, and she knew he would take care of her if things went bad.

"Yeah, I am." Ela picked up the clear glass that glowed neon blue, looked at Julius, and inhaled her potion.
CHAPTER 30

USB Green: Ela Log Entry 14

Julius grabbed Ela and dragged her towards the chaos on the dancefloor. Once inside the madness, they hollowed out their own space, giving them enough room to dance freely. He twirled her confidently, and even sometimes tossed her in the air. All the while she screamed at the top of her lungs as the lights flashed around them. She felt like a freshman in college all over again, completely carefree and having the time of her life, accompanied by likeminded strangers. The burden of an uncertain future disappeared with the rising reverberations of the speakers surrounding them. Julius was by her side, not interfering with her moment, but whenever their eyes met, he raised his hands as high as his smile. At the peak of her excitement, when her heart pounded with joy, her skin felt like it was starting to rip from her bones. The potion was kicking in.

Her fingers burned, and the sensation traveled to her forearms. They felt so hot that Ela thought she would set someone on fire if she touched them. She was scared by the feeling but it felt so good. Every pore in her legs tickled; she remembered how she giggled as a child whenever she placed a caterpillar anywhere on her skin. The feeling created by the potion reminded her of that, but one hundred fold, overwhelming her so much she fell into Julius laughing uncontrollably. She held onto him as his arms flailed above her. His chest was solid, and the fabric of his shirt was glued to her palms. Her head fell onto his shoulder, holding onto him tightly. It made her so happy, and she couldn't understand why. Julius grabbed her arms peering into her eyes.

"It's hitting you isn't?" he laughed.

"What's..." Ela tried to talk but the laughter wouldn't stop, "going on..." It had a mind of its own, and wouldn't let her speak, "Julius?" The tickling had taken full control, and every time she moved her body her senses were engulfed. "I feel so good."

"Perfect," he shouted with a smile. He softly put his hand around the back of her neck, pulling her face towards him; his eyes were as purple as lilacs, his hair bluer than glacial spring water, and his skin a perfect hazel, like dying leaves in the fall. Wings as white as milk expanded from his back; they extended so far they blocked everyone around her. The ceiling melted into the universe, with spots of stars appearing like popcorn. This isn't real. She reached into the darkness behind Julius's neck, touching the specs of light, and then grabbing one of the stars. It glowed between her fingers.

"Yeah, it's got you," he screamed.

The star shook violently until Ela released it into the atmosphere.

"Come with me." Each step caused a wrinkle of waves in colors of gold and red that traveled from beneath her feet and disappeared into the oblivion. Julius led her through the floating bodies that emitted auras of green and orange. She touched each entity, smiling as they glowed brighter when she tapped them. One entity snatched her from Julius, and when she was close to it, she saw the makeup of a yellow colored girl.

"Come here, beautiful," the girl spoke in Ela's ear. Without apprehension, Ela allowed the glowing neon girl to touch her. The girl trailed the tips of her fingers along Ela's cheeks, to her neck, down to her shoulders, to her back, to her butt. The girl pulled her close, sharing the humid air that occupied the small space between them. Ela wasn't into girls, or at least she thought she wasn't until this moment, but the girl's skin was as soft as a teddy bear, and her strawberry perfume was intoxicating. "Kiss me," the girl purred.

Ela couldn't help herself, and the two locked lips, their tongues wrapping around each other. With each touch of their lips, Ela grew to know the girl more. She held Ela like a man protecting the woman he loved, but she added the softest of touches that made Ela feel nurtured at the same time. Whenever their breasts touched, Ela's eyes would shut from the pleasure. The girl spun Ela in a circle, kissed her neck at every chances. Ela felt the girl ease her hands under her clothes. She wanted to stop the girl, but her will was too weak to resist the imminent ecstasy. She needed help. Where is Julius?

The tip of the girl's finger danced inside her, and Ela almost fell to the floor, but the girl caught her. Ela wanted to scream and push her away, but only a laugh escaped her. The more the girl pleasured Ela, the more Ela wanted to fight back, but whatever was in the potion rendered her defenseless. The girl began to drag her through the colorful bodies, into a darker space, still teasing Ela with her fingers.

"Look at me, beautiful," the girl said. Ela opened her eyes, and in front of her was the body of the spider. Its legs spread open, its mouth drooling blood, and its eyes piercing straight through her. Frightened, Ela screamed at the top of her lungs and found the strength to push the monster away from her. She fell onto her back, and the spider crawled on top of her. Its face drew closer to her nose, and then traveled to her stomach.

"I'm going to devour every piece of your existence," it hissed.

Ela felt her trench coat open, and her dress ease up to her waist. Stop, please stop. She looked down, and the spider was much larger than it was moments ago, only requiring two claws to control her as it struggled to remove her clothes with its other appendages.

"Ela," a voice shouted. Wings flew from over top of her and she locked eyes with the angelic Julius. He soared at the monster, pushing it into the darkness. The spider gave one last hiss, and vanished into the black abyss. Julius looked down at her, and pulled her to her feet.

"I'm sorry," he yelled.

"Julius," she mumbled.

"You just vanished so quickly out of my hands."

"I don't want to feel this way anymore."

Ela fell onto his shoulder, breathing heavily, draping her arms around him to keep herself standing. She felt a pleasure that her wildest dreams couldn't have fathomed, but the fear of the monster was consuming her, pushing the pleasure from her mind.

"I'm taking you home," Julius assured her.

She closed her eyes, and felt herself crumble from his shoulders and sink below his feet. When she opened her eyes again, Ela could see Julius staring at her as she descended below the club floor. Eventually, her feet met water, and as she slowly drifted down, deeper and deeper, her clothes were stripped from her body. By the time the water reached her eyes, she was completely naked. She looked around to find nothing but blue space. Her body relaxed. White rays flashed onto her, and when she looked up, the sun, refracted by the dancing water, was shining through the surface above her. She decided to swim up to it, but before she could move, she felt herself being pulled deeper into the water. Her arms pumped as hard as they would let her, but the force was too strong. When she managed to look down, the mouth of a shark was closing in on her. Its mouth was layered in an army of barred teeth that could rip her open with just a graze. She was certain it was going to snatch her and pull her into the darkest depths of the water. She fought harder, but it was in vain. The jaws of the shark were already around her; its mouth closed around her shutting out the light from above.

I'm dead. I'm dead forever.

Suddenly, the water vanished, air rushed inside her lungs, and in the blink of an eye she was sitting in a tub as Julius held her above the water.

"It should be wearing off," he said. "Take your time and catch your breath." She coughed, observing the grey marbled bathroom. The tub was huge, and they sat in the middle of it, her spread-out limbs barely able to touch each side. She inhaled deeply, closing her eyes and trying to grasp reality.

"Where are we?" she demanded.

"My home," he answered. The weight of the world pressed onto her shoulders and she fell back, but this time she landed on soft sheets. Her senses were much clearer, and though she couldn't see in the darkness, she knew she had made it into his room somehow. She rolled onto her side. Julius was barely visible, but the heat from his body touched her. She edged closer to him, placing her head on his chest. What the hell did I just get myself into?
CHAPTER 31

USB Green: Ela Log Entry 15

Ela rose from the thick covers, stretching her arms towards the ceiling. She immediately noticed that her clothes from the night before were gone, replaced by a black t-shirt. She lifted the covers off of her to find an unfamiliar pair of loose sweats and mismatched socks. He saw me naked. Her body felt fragile, violated, with anxiety pumping underneath the surface of her skin. Did he do something to me? She shook her head; she trusted Julius was a good person, at least she hoped.

The windows behind the bed allowed the morning light to pass through, giving her a clear view of the minimalistic design of the bedroom. The only thing that stood out was the ink-black dresser, which resided in the far right corner. On it were several picture frames, but they were too far away for her to make out more than the general shapes of people. Smaller pieces of art hung on the dark, navy walls but they weren't Julius' work. Ela was glad to see that he kept works of art other than his own; she would have begun to see him as a narcissist had he glorified himself in his own bedroom. A small couch rested just to the left of the bed, positioned in such a way where the sitter could view the skyline through the windows. There was nothing else but open space and a closed door to the right of the closet.

At least thirty people could fit in the room comfortably. She could throw a party if she had the opportunity. Ela couldn't help but wonder why he didn't do anything more with the space.

"You're up," Julius said as he casually walked in. He was holding a frying pan; the grease was dancing all around but thankfully never falling out of it.

"Yeah. How long was I out for?"

"Not long, it's only 11 am."

"What happened last night?"

"Nothing too crazy," he laughed.

"You had wings."

"Oh, did I now?" he chuckled.

Her brain continued to replay last night frame by frame, and she grew nervous when she recalled the image of Julius holding her naked in the tub. How could she have let herself get so out of control? Remembering that she was no longer naked Ela grabbed the hem of the shirt, pulling it out in front of her.

"Thanks for the clothes."

"No problem."

"Did you see...you know...when I was in the tub?"

"I looked away for the most part, but I couldn't avoid it completely. You threw up on your clothes on the ride back." Ela felt a world of embarrassment descend upon her. In an attempt to deflect the spotlight from herself, she began asking Julius about the room.

"Not gonna lie, this room is pretty depressing." she said and Julius laughed at her stark comment. But he did some deflecting of his own and avoided commenting on the bareness of the space.

"You hungry?" he asked, instead of continuing the thread of conversation.

"Starving."

"Eggs?"

"Absolutely."

"Pancakes?"

"Oh, god yes."

"Bacon?"

"Yes Yes YES!" she screamed. "I love bacon." Her mouth was already watering from the thought of it.

"On its way," he said as he walked back out. Ela threw the covers off, and followed him out of the bedroom into the living room where she saw Julius cooking to her left. The sound of the frying bacon made her stomach growl, and the scent of grease tingled the tip of her nose as it swarmed through her nostrils. She saw the study, but its lights were off. Secretly she wanted to walk in and study his work more, but she felt that would be too forward of her, too soon for her to be making those kinds of moves. She'd convince him to show her later.

His living room carried the same theme: emptiness. On the grey walls hung more works of art; in the center of the space rested a loveseat, fit for two people, and a glass coffee table with laden books she was sure she'd never heard of. There was no TV, or any sign of electronics for that matter, no computer, laptop, or kindle. Nothing.

"Did you just move in? Your place is pretty empty," she asked, turning to him. He looked up as he placed the finished eggs onto a plate.

"I know," he smiled. "I get that all the time."

"Oh, from your friends?"

"No, from all the women I sleep with."

Silence occupied the space between them for a moment, as they continued to look at each other. Then, Julius burst out laughing.

"Of course my friends, Ela," he grinned. "Jeez, what the hell did you think?"

Her heart was fluttering anxiously; she couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or trying to save himself from his slip up. She could hear Liz yelling in her ear telling her it didn't matter. It is just business. But her heart didn't feel that way, so she continued with her subtle prosecution.

"You tell me, superstar. I mean, I would've never guessed you were into places like the one we visited last night," she answered.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he said unfazed, while placing the cooked bacon onto plates.

"This hot shot night life. You do it so well, like a veteran."

"You say it like it's a bad thing."

"I don't know, it could be."

"You seemed to enjoy it,"

"That was my first time."

"Poor excuse," he chuckled.

"It's not, and you clearly knew what you were doing. I just tagged along," Ela said. Julius placed another pan onto the stove filling it with pancake mix.

"You could've left you know." She saw the mix bubbling in the pan, and Julius flipped it over perfectly, revealing the cooked underside. "But you didn't."

"I was fucked up from the drink you gave me," Ela said defensively. "How was I supposed to leave?"

"Don't put that on me. You wanted that drink."

"I didn't know what was in it. I had no idea what it would do to me."

"So, why did you take it?"

Ela watched as he flipped the last pancake. She didn't know what to say.

"I'll tell you why," Julius said.

"Please, enlighten me," she said sardonically

He looked at her, his face stern, his eyes peering through her. This whole time she believed she had control of him, manipulating him for whatever purpose suited her at the time, but his stare reflected the complete opposite. She felt naked, vulnerable, and stupid.

"You're not satisfied."

"Excuse me?"

"It's either your job or your home life, I don't know exactly. It could be with yourself in general, but you aren't satisfied. I know that for sure."

"How could you know something like that?"

"I can see it in your eyes. You're always thinking, never here in the world with me. Something is calling you from inside your head, and it's not satisfied."

"That's stupid. Everyone has something constantly on their mind; it's natural."

"It's consuming you. You're not just thinking, you're running." His words impaled her, like a blade cutting her chest wide open. He had to be bluffing.

"How do you know I'm running?" she asked. His face brewed a smile as he grabbed the two plates full of food and two empty glasses. He passed her without saying a word, placing the dishes onto the transparent coffee table, then sitting on the couch.

"Could you grab the rest of the stuff?" he asked, ignoring her question. Ela walked to the kitchen and picked up the napkins, forks, knives, and wine bottle he'd already laid out on the counter. She set the items on the table, and sat next to him, quiet for the first few seconds.

"Answer my question," she commanded.

"Remember what you told me at the bar before I gave you that drink?" he asked. Images of last night came to her mind, and she pictured the bartender happily giving her the glowing libation.

"I do."

"What was it?"

"I wanted to escape." The words fell from her lips as if they had been trapped inside her body. She had answered her own question. Julius grabbed his knife and fork and began to cut into his food. Is he playing me? How is he able to make me say something so openly like that? She was afraid to say anything else and she wanted to push the attention away from herself and towards him. Ela dug deep down and created a wall between her feelings and Julius. This is a job. It was the only way to have control over herself, when it came to him. No one had ever read her like he did, no one saw her the way he did, no one knew her the way he knew her.

"I'll be right back," she mumbled. She went back to the bedroom grabbing her phone from the barren dresser and activated the voice recording function. She walked back over to him, placing the phone on the table, careful to set it upside down so he couldn't see the screen. Julius was nearly done with his breakfast; it was perfect timing.

"I've got a question to ask you," said Ela. "Who's that girl on your fridge, the one smiling in the bed?"

Julius placed his fork on his plate and smiled boyishly, which for some reason made Ela jealous.

"That's the girl I saved."

"The one who nearly drowned?"

"Yes, that's her." Ela left the couch again and grabbed the picture from the frame, briefly glancing at the strangely beautiful face before handing it to Julius.

"Tell me about her." Julius looked to Ela, then back to the picture.

"I fell in love," he whispered.

"I couldn't quite hear that," Ela said, tilting her left ear towards his face.

"I said, I fell in love."
CHAPTER 32

USB Yellow: Julius Log Entry 7

Isaac was waiting at the gate when Julius arrived. They did their secret handshake as they walked through the gates into the hotel. Julius could hear the music rumble as they approached the doors to the bar area. They passed through and he was greeted warmly by the partiers when he walked in.

"Herooo," everyone shouted drunkenly. It wasn't late, and, yet, he wasn't surprised everyone was already struggling to stand on their feet. Whenever there was a party, the entire staff consumed alcohol like water. Isaac wrapped his arm around Julius' shoulders, as groups of co-workers smiled at them. He shook hands with some, and play fought with others. Deuce had gathered almost all the employees at the hotel for this party, old and young. Julius hadn't noticed before, but the female co-workers that were grouped together on the floor were gorgeous.

"Where the hell did they come from?" he said to Isaac while pointing at the dancing sprites.

"Thank god they do not dress like this at work or I might lose my job," Isaac replied. Music streamed from all corners of the room, and everyone danced, getting close, sweating, and grinning at each other in joy. Julius joined them tapping his feet, swaying his hips, and flirting with a few of the employees. Isaac appeared from behind him and handed a drink to him. Julius had been so lost in the music that he hadn't noticed when Isaac left his side earlier.

"Drink it! You deserve it." Julius could smell the strong liquor from the cup.

"God, what did you put in there?" he asked. Isaac chuckled, and began moving in sync with the music, biting his lip, and squinting his big eyes.

"It'll put some hair on your chest."

Julius took a sip, letting the bitter liquid descend to his stomach. He exhaled, almost coughing up his lungs, and Isaac laughed loudly.

"It feels like my insides are on fire," he shouted. Isaac laughed louder, dancing in circles around him.

The boys partied for the next hour, chanting old songs and new, losing themselves more and more in the alcohol. Deuce came to join, and pulled them towards the older hotel co-worker.

"Let me tell you something," he shouted, his hands resting on their necks. "These boys," he paused and kissed the tops of their heads, "are freaking geniuses! They're bigger than this hotel, and they know it!" The group cheered for the boys, raising their glasses towards the ceiling. "But you know why?" No one answered. "Because they're special..." Isaac and Julius glanced at each other in confusion, trying to decipher Deuce's random heartfelt sentences. "I was scared because," his words slurred making it difficult to pick out the words, "because I didn't understand...I didn't get what my brother saw in science...I just wanted him to be employed. Take care of the family. To me," he pounded his chest, "they were just childish habits that needed to be grown out of...but now I see..." he paused and grabbed the two, and inhaled deeply preparing for the final part of his speech, but before the words could leave his mouth, he fainted onto Isaac.

"Uggh," Isaac grunted, and everyone around them clapped. "C'mon, Julius. Help me carry this drunk philosopher to a bench."

"Sure thing," Julius answered, and the two carried Deuce from the small crowd. They discovered a long bench in the corner of the room and heaved Deuce onto his side.

"I'm going to grab a bucket in case he vomits everywhere," Isaac spoke. Julius nodded, and glanced out the window to the water. The sounds of the crashing waves called to him.

"I'm going to take a quick walk by the shore. I need to get some of this alcohol out of me. You'll be okay by yourself?"

"Yeah, I'm cool," Isaac said, nodding his head. "Come back when you're ready. If you can't find me, that means I dragged this fool back home." Deuce was sliding off the bench, and Isaac pushed him harder to stay in one place.

"His speech was powerful," Julius said. Isaac looked at Julius and saw the grin on his face.

"Yeah, it was..." They clasped hands before Julius turned away. He disappeared from the bar, heading for the waves that were calling his name.

❖

Julius' feet sunk into the sand, and the waves pulled him further to sea. It was soothing, and with each invisible force pushing against his feet, he could feel his buzz leaking away. He refrained from thinking of the usual daydreams of Nia. In this moment, he just wanted to exist in unison with the ocean and the dark skies above. This peaceful existence lasted several minutes until the sound of footsteps clapping against the water disturbed him. Julius thought it was Isaac and assumed he had taken care of his brother. But one glace towards the footsteps showed Julius that he was mistaken.

"Hi," said the girl from earlier. Though it was dark, he remembered her eyes and how they had pierced into him. Her hair fluttered in the wind like a lion's mane as she stood in the sand. No one stood like her; she posed like a million cameras surrounded her. Her petite legs stretched out from her short jeans, and she wore a tight shirt that cut off just above her pierced belly button. He could also see a cigarette, hanging just outside the box it was in on her front right pocket.

Julius was so surprised that he lost his footing and landed in the ocean. The cold water ran up his shorts and over his arms as he stared up at her.

"Did I scare you?" she asked faintly.

"Yeah," he answered.

"I thought so," she said and the two chuckled. She reached out with her right arm but Julius was hesitant for some reason. He didn't know why, and continued to stare into her eyes. "Let me help you up," she said. "It's the least I can do...since you know...earlier..."

Julius' smile disappeared as he latched onto her arm, feeling the warmness of her fingertips. She pulled him from the ground, and cold water ran down his legs. This was going to suck for the rest of the night. He brushed off whatever sand he could feel on his skin. The cool winds rushed from behind escalating their sense of removal from the world around them.

"Want to walk?" she asked softly.

"Yeah," he answered. The two began to walk along the beach slowly, not saying a word, but still holding hands.

They approached a fire pit with some branches remaining in the hole. Even luckier was the fact that there was lighter fluid and a box of matches nearby, surrounded by several towels.

"Fire?" she asked him.

"You read my mind," he answered and the two walked to the pit. The girl took two of the towels and cleaned the sand off them, while Julius prepped for the fire. When he was done spraying the liquid onto the branches, he tossed a match into the pit, and the fire roared towards the night sky. He found her glowing on the beach, with her legs crossed, observing the fire. He walked to her and sat down.

"Perfect," she said.

"Yeah, it is," he answered.

"Thank you, Julius."

He looked at her and saw her staring right back at him.

"You remember my name?"

"You saved me."

"Yeah, I did. Aren't your parents worried about you right now? It's late."

"They're asleep and won't wake up till morning. They sleep like the dead."

"You're not scared out here all by yourself?"

"No...I almost died. Life feels different now. Fear feels different." Julius let that sink in before he blurted out another question.

"What is your name?" he asked. The girl didn't respond, and continued to observe the dancing flames.

"I don't have one," she finally answered.

"Sure you do," Julius laughed.

"No," she said as she turned to face him, her hair covering just one eye. "I don't." She wasn't making any sense.

"Your parents didn't give you a name?"

"They gave me one."

"So that's not a name?"

"To me it isn't."

"Then what do you call that?"

"A possession...something my parents made up so they could acknowledge that I was theirs." She turned back towards the water, staring at the calming waves.

Julius figured this girl was either onto something deep or she was as loony as they come.

"What should I call you?" The girl faced him again, and edged closer to his side making the hairs on their arms stretch desperately for each other.

"Close your eyes and pick a moment where the feeling inside your chest was the strongest with me."

"What are you talking about?"

"Just try it for me." Julius closed his eyes, and she continued, "Go back to that very second when it exploded inside and spoke to you." Julius thought of when she came to on the beach that day, and how life rushed inside her as her body expelled the sea water from within her lungs.

"What did you feel?"

"Um," he gulped. He remembered how her eyes wearily traveled from the sun behind him to his eyes. As he had looked at her, he had felt the heat of her soul on his arms, and she had felt so familiar, he thought he knew her already.

"Don't be afraid," the girl whispered. The branches crackled in the fire as if from a distance. This was crazy; he didn't want to say it, but the feeling was there inside him. His common sense screamed at him for his stupidity, telling him he was going to regret the words that would escape his mouth, but the feeling was so powerful that it felt like...

"Love," he finally answered. The girl smiled, and placed her fingers on his resting hands.

"Then call me that."

"I can't," he stammered.

"Why?"

"Well one, it's plain weird, and two, I don't know you."

"So?" she shrugged.

"And I'm in love with someone else," the words unexpectedly fell from his tongue. He had never admitted that to anyone, not even Isaac. Embarrassed, he hid his head, disappearing into the shadows of his hands that now covered his face. Somehow he hoped that Nia, wherever she was, heard his confession. "I can't be in love with you," he finished.

"Sure you can." Her hands wrapped around his wrists and she removed his hands from his face. "Look at me," she continued. Julius forced himself to look up and found her piercing eyes. "Do you feel it now?"

"Yes."

"Then, you're in love."

"No, I'm not."

"Why not?'

"Love is more than a feeling."

"Of course it is, but that doesn't mean you don't feel it."

"I don't know you."

"It doesn't matter."

"It has to."

"It's there isn't it?" She poked at his chest. "Mixing with your blood, growing every time your heart beats." He couldn't deny it; he was so drawn to her. He couldn't understand how, but he wasn't sure if the feeling was mutual. He wanted to gauge her feelings.

"Love takes two people," he said.

"Are you saying I'm not in love with you?" she smiled.

"I don't know; are you?"

The girl eased herself towards his face, and kissed him on the cheek. With one hand, she gently scratched his back, and with the other, she ran her nails down his neck.

"Find out," she whispered. And with that, she leaned back onto her towel; man, he was falling fast for her.

"How do you know so much about it?" Julius asked.

"Just like everyone in the world, I've been in love."

"How come you're not in love with that person anymore?"

"I'm still in love with that person, and many others."

"That's impossible; you can only love one person at a time."

"No, you can love many people, just like you can believe in many things. What makes love last is the responsibility. Taking care of it. Which most people don't know how to do, I guess."

"Isn't Love still a name? And if it is, I'm possessing you now, right? Because that's what I want to call you?"

"You ask a ton of questions, smart guy," she laughed. "And yeah, you are possessing me by calling me a name that you've picked."

"I thought you didn't like being possessed." The girl grinned, the fire reflecting her infatuation, and she crawled to him, easing her lips close to his ear.

"I never said I didn't like being possessed. I said that I didn't like the name my parents possessed me with. I want you to possess me in your own way." She sat back on her towel, and they continued watching the fire entertain their eyes, burning their thoughts into the sky.

"Love?" he asked.

"Yes."

"What's my name?"

She grinned at his question and placed her head on his shoulder.

"You get it," she said. Julius nodded, and rested his head on top of hers; he couldn't believe this was happening.

"Real...that's your name." Julius lifted his head from hers.

"When did you feel that?" he asked.

"I felt that when you put life back inside me." Julius remembered pressing onto her chest, and blowing everything he had into her to bring her to the world again. "I want to tell you something," she sighed and closed her eyes. "About two years ago when I was 19, my dad put this REALLY big responsibility on my shoulders. I mean colossal; it would ruin my life if I took it."

"What was it?" Julius interrupted.

"I'll tell you another time."

"Okay." Julius let it go as he wanted her to keep confiding in him.

"I tried starting it, with my shoulders high, but I couldn't do it, it was too much. And he would say, people would kill to have this responsibility. But I didn't care, because it wasn't me. So I hid in my room most days, and at night I would go to the lower areas of the city. And let me tell you, I've never felt more alive. The fear, the spontaneity, it took over me, but I was stupid and I followed the wrong group of people..."

"Where are you from?"

"The Concrete Jungle. New York City." His eyes widened; he had always wanted to go to New York. He kept silent though, hoping she would tell him more about the city.

"We would do reckless things. Drugs. Vandalism. Fighting. It felt so real. We were like family. A real family...But then they found out about my father and what I thought was a bond was just smoke and mirrors..." She pulled a cigarette from her shorts, and placed it close to the fire. Once it was lit, she sat back and offered the cigarette to Julius but he declined. Julius watched as she blew the smoke into the night air.

"So, they held me hostage, and the guys in that crowd called my dad demanding money. And the longer he took to give it to them, the more they would violate me..." Her head dropped. "It started with ripping my clothes, then a few hits to the face, but they grew desperate and eventually raped me..." Julius moved to touch her but she waved him off.

"Drugged me and kept me naked until my dad transferred the money they demanded, and the cops found me." Julius kept quiet, feeling the wind brush against his back. "They caught them, of course. Idiots didn't realize their account could be traced. But as for me, I wasn't the same." She gazed at him. Her eyes were much clearer now; he could see the inside of her lonely soul. "When someone rapes you, it's like they violate the insides of everything that makes you who you are and they throw it around everywhere. Then they leave and you don't know who you are anymore because you don't feel the same. Your body and soul can't connect with you, so you go numb. And I was numb. Everything felt numb. Except when I was swimming...I can swim for hours..." Julius saw her body trembling from the anxiety that must've raged inside. "When you found me lifeless, I had made up my mind to swim as far as I could that day, and never come back. I wanted to die in the ocean and sink into the sea."

"You didn't get very far, so you must not be such a good swimmer," Julius interrupted. She punched him in the shoulder and the two giggled.

"Actually, I am a great swimmer. But a wave blindsided me. The waves are strong here, and it knocked me out. But I was fine with it because the dream that I was in...I remember my lungs felt like they were on fire so I knew I was drowning. I don't remember where I was but I was floating somewhere dark. Before I could settle in the darkness, I coughed it all up and I saw you. And when you looked at me," she edged close to his lips to the point that he could smell the scent of her, "I felt real again." The two crept closer and locked lips. Hers weren't as soft as Nia's, but the way she moved them made Julius' knees weak. They were off rhythm at first, but Julius focused on the sound of the crashing waves, and eventually led them to a pace as slow as the receding waves. They two eased away from each other.

"Wow," he whispered.

"Yeah, wow," she answered.

A rush of happiness erupted inside of him, he wanted more with her. He wanted to possess this feeling he shared with her longer. He stood up and when he looked down, he could see the confusion on her face.

"When do you leave to go back home?" he asked.

"Very soon," she answered. Julius gazed at the night sky.

"Come with me. Come with me to my place." He reached for her to pull her up beside him. She didn't move, but stared directly at his hand. "I know it's scary. But I'm Real...that's my name remember." She smiled and grabbed Julius' hand.

"I have to be back in my room by nine a.m. tomorrow. That's when my parents always wake up."

"Don't worry," Julius responded. "I have to be back by eight thirty for work." The two held hands as Julius started his journey with her on the way home.
CHAPTER 33

USB Yellow: Julius Log Entry 8

Sneaking into his aunt's apartment felt impossible. Every step sounded like a bomb exploding. He led her past the living room couch and into his room. There was still a strong scent of the leftover food Julius' aunt had cooked earlier, and it made Love close her eyes and freeze in her steps.

"My God," she whispered.

"What?" Julius asked.

"That smell...it's so good, I'm drooling right now." Julius laughed quietly. "This is embarrassing," she continued.

"It's my aunt's cooking. You want some?" She nodded instantly. "Okay, we just have to be really quiet." Julius led her to the small kitchen, and turned on the oven. While they waited for the oven to warm up, Julius led her to the kitchen table which resided to next to the wall. As he grabbed the chair from under the table, he noticed her studying the entrance to the hallway behind him. Her eyes wandered up and down the red and black colored beads that began from the top of the door, and hung to the floor.

"Do they mean anything?" she asked.

"I don't know, but my aunt says something about pushing bad spirits." Julius went to the fridge, grabbing the leftovers, and placing the food on the plate. He checked behind him every now and then checking out the girl. In the light, she was prettier than he could've ever imagined. He placed the food in the oven, and sat in front of her. They continued smiling and playing with each other's fingers, observing each other's features. She pressed his hands to her lips, and kissed his fingers gently.

"Is it just you and your aunt?"

"Yeah," he answered.

"Did you mind if I ask where your parents are?"

"No, not at all. They're dead." Her posture stiffened, her chest expanded, and she lowered her head.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"No, it's okay. They died when I was little."

"How old?"

"Seven, I think."

"So you still remember them?"

"Faint memories, sometimes I can still hear my mom's voice."

"It doesn't bother you?"

"What?"

"Not growing up without them."

"I mean, it does, but I try not to think about it." She stroked his face with her fingers.

"I think your aunt did a good job," she said.

Julius laughed softly and leaned towards her for another kiss.

"The food should be ready," he said, and left the table grabbing the plate from the oven. He grabbed a fork and spoon, and poured a glass of his aunt's special juice. The scent of the brown rice infiltrated his nostrils, and the chicken shone brightly in the light.

"Can we eat now?" she asked frantically.

"Yeah, we can," Julius smirked, and the two dug into the food. When they finished, she helped Julius put the dishes away. They stood side by side, struggling to keep their inside voices as they played with the dish detergent bubbles. He walked her down the hall, showing her where the bathroom was, and where his aunt slept. As he opened his bedroom door, she drew close.

"Your aunt won't be able to hear us, will she?"

"No," Julius said. "When she is out, she is out. Wait just a second." Julius slid into his room leaving her in the hallway. Noises suddenly arose from his aunt's room, and the sound of footsteps grew near to her door. Before it opened, Julius pulled the girl inside his room, and shut the door quietly.

"Julius? That you?" The two tried not to laugh, and he could feel her heart running rapidly.

"Yes, Auntie, it's me. Sorry I got in a little late." There was a moment of silence and his aunt's footsteps pulled back to her room.

"Ya fine, Julius. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Auntie." The door slammed in the distance and they relaxed. There was still some snickering and giggling and kissing between the two afterwards as they calmed down from the encounter with his aunt. "Okay, my room is a little messy," he said. "That's why I tried to slip in here first."

"It's okay," she answered "But what is that strong smell?"

"Paint," he replied.

"Paint?" Julius flicked on the light to the room and she saw the pieces of his work scattered across the floor, ceiling, and on the walls. She covered her mouth in astonishment; Julius thought she was going to cry. He walked to the window, and opened it allowing the cool air to rush in, and to give her some space.

"Incredible," she gasped. "You made all of these?" She grabbed several of them and then headed towards his bed. "May I?"

"Sure," he answered, and she sat down. Julius watched as she studied each piece.

"This is unreal," she whispered. "You're so talented." Julius grinned then shrugged. "I'm serious," she continued. "Has anyone else seen these?" Julius grabbed his paintings and placed them near the closet.

"I made one for someone specifically."

"That girl you're still in love with?"

"Yeah."

"Lucky girl."

"And her father saw it, too. Actually, it kinda saved my life."

"Care to tell?" Flashes of Nia, and her father's men appeared in his head, and when he shook himself out of it, he felt a sensation of uneasiness in his stomach.

"I would but it's a long story."

"Oh, well maybe another time," she answered disappointedly. Julius walked over to the bed and gently wrapped his arm around her. The two crept under the sheets, snuggling in the moonlight from his window.

"I want to paint a piece of you," he whispered in her ear. She smiled and turned to face him, pressing her nose against his.

"I wouldn't stop you," she giggled. He kissed her cheek. The two pulled away from each other and remained in a frozen gaze. She rose up from under the sheets and removed her shirt and then her shorts. He followed suit, only leaving his underwear on. She smiled, and removed her bra, and he saw her breasts fall to her chest. He looked at her for confirmation to rest his head between them, she nodded and he disappeared between the small crevices. They rolled back into the sheets, and he traveled down, removing her panties with his hands. He came back up and the two laughed again. There was an innocence in their sexuality.

"I need to remember you," he whispered. His mind was racing with colors in the black spectrum of his conscious. "So I can paint you." Julius kissed her between her legs, and then his tongue trailed between the crevice of her thighs, and it danced in the warm waterfalls the she let out for him. She moaned quietly. She went from grabbing him, to crying, to laughing, to tensing in fright.

"What are you doing to me? I've never felt so real," she cried as tears streamed from her eyes.

"Loving you," he answered, and he slid inside her. Julius felt himself become one with her when she wrapped her legs around him, and pulled him deep. Sometimes she appeared red, then blue, but mostly she was never the same shape, morphing into a star, or a flower, or a butterfly. When they climaxed, he felt himself descending back into his body. He was at a loss of breath, unconscious almost, but he held her hand and disappeared into a deep sleep with her.

❖

The sun shot out blazing rays in the early morning, and Julius and the girl were already sneaking out of the house. They walked through the city, and wherever she pointed, he explained. He told of the alleyways where no one traveled at night, or how filled the streets were with people during festivals. There were also the gangs that roamed during the day provoking each other. Something was always going on, but during the early mornings, the city was quieter than a hiding mouse. She held his arm tight, and whispered a prayer for the less fortunate. When they arrived at the hotel, they found a secluded corner where it would take a spy to see them standing in front of each other.

"This is goodbye," she said. Julius continued to watch her. He couldn't stand to say goodbye when he felt so attached to her.

"Yeah it is..." he answered quietly. She lifted her fingers to his face, and glided them gently down his cheek.

"We're all the same. Race, gender, there is no difference. Just souls traveling in different directions like the stars from the center of the universe." Her hands continued to sooth Julius. "Don't forget about me," she finished.

"How could I?" he spoke.

"Just don't," she whimpered. Julius stood motionless as she pulled herself to his lips. The two kissed softly, oblivious to the world around them. She finally let go, and began her journey into the hotel. Julius didn't move, and watched her as she reached the gates. They opened slowly, and the hurt in his heart grew ten-fold. Another woman, another soul, lost from his grasp. Just before the gates closed behind her, she turned around.

"Eve," she said.

"Eve?" he asked.

"That's the name my parents gave me." Julius couldn't think of anything to say. "Goodbye, Julius." She waved, and just as she turned, Julius could see the tears that dropped from her eyes. He wanted to grab her, but he knew he couldn't. Maybe he would go find her. Or maybe, most likely, he'd never see her again.

"Goodbye, Eve," he whispered, and she vanished inside.
CHAPTER 34

USB Green: Ela Log Entry 16

Jealousy raged through her, and she gripped the cushions of the couch so tightly that her nails cut through the fabric. She hated that Julius had smiled through the entire conversation while reminiscing about his second love. Eve, that bitch. She couldn't for the world figure out why wave after wave of jealousy crashed over her.

"What a story," she managed to say. "As always, you never cease to amaze me with your past life."

"You okay?" he asked. She turned and saw him leaning closer, bearing into her.

"I'm fine." As the words fell from her lips, the answer finally hit her; she felt threatened.

"You sure?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know," he said and leaned back, sinking into the chair. His eyes landed on the grey colored ceiling. "Your response felt kinda sarcastic. After all, you asked to hear the story."

Ela watched him relax, but didn't answer his question. She felt so uncomfortable with herself and her feelings. Silence filled the space between them until Julius grabbed the finished dishes and took them to the kitchen. He hummed to himself as he cleaned the remaining crumbs from the plates, unfazed by the awkward silence. When he finished the plates, she watched as he came back to grab the two glasses from the table and placed them in the sink. Finally, he disappeared into his bedroom only to walk back out with her clothes from last night. He laid her clothes gently beside her.

"What are you going to do?" she asked.

"Nap for a bit, then head to work later tonight."

"Okay," she mumbled, and watched as he disappeared into his room. Ela knew when he abruptly started cleaning up that he was upset from her sudden shift of emotions. And she couldn't blame him because even she couldn't understand what was going on within herself. Her confusion only made her want to retract even more and distant herself from him, though that would only make it worse. He'd hurt her with the story. She knew it wasn't intentional, but it hurt because he smiled the same way he smiled for her when he mentioned that girl, and Ela felt replaceable in that moment. How was he so oblivious to how that story would make her feel? She was secretly recording his life for an article but she couldn't help how he made her feel. She felt special from the attention he gave her.

Quite a bit of time had gone by as she collected herself on Julius' couch. When Ela realized how much time had passed, she made herself get off the couch and walked to his bedroom. Julius was on his stomach, buried under the covers, with his arms and legs spread out. He was adorable, like a little boy, and Ela tiptoed towards him, climbing up from the foot of the bed until she could wiggle under the covers next to him.

His body had already warmed most of the bed and she snuggled close to him. She caressed his ankles with her feet wondering at how his skin was as soft as the sheets. Ela eased herself closer to him, directly behind his head, so close that she could smell the soap he had used. Her lips lead her to the back of his neck, and she pecked it gently. Julius turned to face her, his eyes barely open.

"What are you still doing here?" he asked.

"I don't know," she answered. He adjusted his head on the pillow, trying to find a comfortable position with his broad shoulders.

"Why were you acting like that earlier in the living room?"

"I don't know."

"Are you mad?"

"No."

"Then why are you so stiff all of sudden?"

"I don't know," she said again. Julius grunted, rolling his weary eyes.

"Ela...I really don't know what to say. If you can't be honest with me...if you want to leave just—"

"I love you," she said. Her hands felt his back tighten, and before he could respond, Ela pulled herself in and kissed him. It wasn't the usual cute kiss this time. She put herself into it, and when she opened her mouth she made sure to give her soul with each touch of their tongues. She grabbed his back and pulled him close to her breasts, their bodies stuck to each other like magnets. Her hands glided up and down his body. She was lost in him; he would never realize the power he had over her, and she didn't care. Ela rolled on top of him, staring down at him, their breaths clashing, slowly grinding upon each other. Her body was ready for him; she didn't need an hour of foreplay like she did with Chris.

Julius had already turned her on with who he was, his intellect, how he carried himself, his talent, the way he created breathtaking pieces from the world around him. She had fallen for him when they first met, and she was guilty and proud of it all. She took off the shirt he had given her, allowing her breasts to fall free. The two kissed, and she raised her hips high allowing him to remove the pants she wore, and his own underclothes. When they were completely naked, Ela kept her eyes on his face, as she once again raised her body, and allowed him to slide inside her. Both gasped quietly as their bodies became one. Her hands were planted on his chest, and she pushed herself back and forth as smooth as the waves on a calm beach. His hands roamed her body, gliding from her back to her breasts, before he pulled her close to his face by grabbing the back of her neck. There was no pain, only the feeling of sweet pleasure moving inside her.

He flipped her on her back and dived under the sheets teasing her with his mouth. She came once, then again, and once more all the while his tongue continued to carry her to new heights over and over again. Her body convulsed, tightening, almost locking his face inside. But Julius was strong and he kept her legs open, unrelenting in his attentions. He was a lion, a king, a warrior, an angel. He was fierce, quiet, violent, gentle, a storm. He was her rock. He was fragile. He was a man.

When he finally allowed her to relax, he climbed back on top thrusting himself inside her. They came together. It wasn't dramatic, there was no screaming or yelling out of names. Their hands clasped, their lips locked, and she became him as she felt him release himself in her. Their bodies relaxed, but he didn't roll away from her like Chris did. He stayed on top, kissing her, adoring her. Words weren't spoken. They didn't need to be.

"Take a nap with me," he whispered.

"Okay," she answered rolling over to her side. His arms reached over her pulling her close to his chest, and the two fell into their dreams.
CHAPTER 35

USB Green: Ela Log Entry 17

When Ela awoke, the bed was empty, and night was in full bloom. She escaped from under the thick covers. Her body still ached for his touch, and her mind was caught in a whirlwind of thoughts. Her heart mourned for him, but it was also fighting the anxiety of guilt. She wondered if she really meant what she had said to him before they made love. Deep down, it felt true; it felt realer than any emotion she was used to. But Julius never responded back; she hadn't given him a chance. Maybe she'd interrupted the opportunity for him to say it back, or maybe he never wanted to say it at all. She was physically and emotionally wide open to him, and she had no idea of his intentions towards her.

The last several weeks had consisted of sporadic decisions caused by her feelings, and she had only dug herself into a deeper hole of conflicted morals. But these feelings were so fulfilling to her. It was the first time in her life that she had felt so alive, and not living in her head like she usually did. Her feelings made her believe she was real, that she was unique, regardless of the emotions that came to her. She sighed heavily, exhausted from her inner turmoil, but satisfied from the sex with Julius. To break out of herself, she decided to walk to the living room and there she found a note from Julius beside her clothes.

Let's meet up around 11 tonight, at the same spot near Union Station. No drinks this time. Just us.

Ela smiled, placing the note on the coffee table, and changed into her clothes. On her way out, she noticed the door to his study wasn't closed all the way. Behind it was a blanket of darkness. In a normal situation, she would leave; she hated the dark, but his works of art resided in that darkness. She contemplated if it was a good idea, finally deciding that it wouldn't hurt to look. It was obvious that he trusted her by leaving the door open.

She crept inside the dark space, and found the light switch. When the white rays illuminated the space, Ela was surrounded by the dozens of paintings she had seen when she first came to Julius' place. It was unusually cold in the study, and the air was thick with paint chemicals. Gleeful like a pirate discovering treasure, Ela took her time studying each piece fascinated by his style. They were crafted so elegantly; each stroke of color was a sentence linked together forming an ambience of mystique paragraphs for his audience. At the very end of room, lay a sole piece covered by a tan drape. Okay, two more minutes, she thought. The piece towered over her by a few inches, and she grabbed onto an edge of the drape. Ela wondered why this one was covered, what made it so special that he needed to isolate it from the others. Excited by the mystery, she decided to snatch the drape off.

In front of her was a young woman in a red trench coat standing near a park bench under a lit lamp. The piece was awfully familiar; she recognized the dark, blending colors of the night sky and the concrete. It couldn't be, she thought. Her eyes scanned the rest of painting seeing the bright light of the lamps, and then focusing in on the woman's red coat.

"It's from my dream," she whispered, as her heart sank into her gut, her bones froze. "How is that possible?" She reached for the painting; her brain needed to be convinced that it was real, and not an illusion. Two paintings fell to the floor behind her, startling her, but unable to distract her from the task at hand. She told herself she would pick them up after touching this piece. When she turned around, the piece was gone, and a monstrous black widow lay before her, its eight legs spread across the room, its two fangs raised, and its eyes bearing down. Ela fell to the floor, landing on a blanket that itched against her skin.

She soon realized the dark blanket was an infestation of tinier black spiders. They grew in number covering the floor in what seemed like a black liquid as they writhed and crawled over each other. She screamed and scooted towards the wall behind her. The giant black widow hadn't moved as the floor began to flood with more of its kin, and no matter how hard Ela tried to swat them off her, their numbers continued to increase. They traveled under her clothes, and she could feel them crawling on every pore of her body. She hit her head, she scratched her back, but there were too many. She drowned in the sound of spiders rushing into her ears.

She screamed at the top of her lungs, closing her eyes and pouring her soul out. When all the air escaped her lungs, she expected herself to be no more, only a translucent being hovering above the new reality in front of her. Instead, the room was in the same place it had been when she first arrived. The drape remained on the painting at the end of the room.

"What is wrong with me?" she cried. Tears escaped her eyes as she hurried out of the study and out of Julius' apartment.

❖

She made sure to hide her face once she was in the backseat of the taxi, afraid that if she looked around her she would see another spider. Her heart pounded through her ribs, her eyes continued to drip tears onto the floor, and her mind was glued to the image of the spider in Julius's study. Ela needed help, but she didn't know where to go. Liz would never believe her, or Chris, or her mom. Nobody on earth would believe a story like that. Maybe Julius, she thought. She could see him holding her as she cried her brains out onto his shoulder from the fear of the recurring entity. Her imagination played several theatrical moments of her confiding to Julius until the taxi driver came to a complete stop.

"We're at The Current," said the taxi driver. Ela handed him the cash and stepped out of the taxi, facing the golden letters over her. She hadn't wanted to go home, even though it was late and she was losing her mind; the only safety she felt was her comfort in working. Thinking of Julius along the way made her want to rewrite her story of him so far, and maybe, if she had enough strength, show a little honesty about how she was interviewing him. She wouldn't tell the whole truth, maybe convince him somehow to believe that she just received the opportunity from her boss, and that it would be a good thing for the both of them. It was still cowardice, but it was better than not telling him at all. Ha, she thought. Who are you kidding? You aren't going to tell him anything.

Once she was inside the building, she waived her ID to the front desk security. It was comforting to know someone was still in the building, but that didn't stop her from hurrying past the dark cubicles on the first floor. Her mind still hadn't shaken off the presence of the monster. Ela sprinted up the stairs to the second floor, and right to her cubicle. She smirked as she approached her chair; it had been so long, and she could see dust on the monitor. She turned it on and settled into her space. For the first time, she was happy to work when she hadn't been asked to.

The sound of a vibrating phone came from behind her, and she saw a light at Liz's desk.

Strange, she thought. Why would she be here at a time like this? Ela walked to Liz's cubicle and saw the flashing cellphone, and beside it was Liz's pocketbook, as well her keys. Another phone vibrated next to Liz's and when Ela looked at the screen she saw a picture of Chris. Ela panicked. She grabbed the second phone studying the picture; it had to be Chris's phone, only he would have a picture of himself as the screenshot on his phone. Were they here together? Were they working on a project? Ela had to find out more. She went to her cubicle and grabbed her trench coat, tying it tightly around her so they wouldn't see she had on the same outfit from yesterday. She made her way to the elevators and pushed the button for Chris's floor.

The doors opened, and she walked down the aisle of empty cubicles. From afar, she could see Chris's office was lit. She treaded through the cubicles, and when she was in front of his office, she could see Chris thrashing himself into Liz as she was bent over his desk. Ela thought she'd be hurt seeing her friend having sex with someone she had so recently been involved with, but it was slightly comical to her. They weren't completely naked, Liz's skirt was bunched around her waist, but her top was still on; Chris had his pants down slightly but his dress coat along with his shirt and tie were still in place. This was a quickie, which likely meant the incident wasn't their first time.

Liz was moaning Chris's name as she looked back at him innocently, as if he were in full control. Ela began to laugh. She didn't understand why; it just came from nowhere. Maybe her brain just couldn't compute that not only had she expressed her deepest desires to someone she was betraying, but she was seeing a fucking monster, and now she had found her best friend being manhandled by the man that Ela, until recently, had been sleeping with and considered herself in love with. The laugh was soft, but then it grew so loud that her voice carried through the entire floor.

"Ela!" Liz screamed from the office.

Ela was still laughing, hunched over her knees.

"Ela, what are you doing here?" Chris demanded.

Ela raised her hand signaling for them to let her gather herself.

"Oh God," she coughed. "Oh God, I needed this."

"What is wrong with you?!" Liz shouted. Ela opened her eyes seeing the two hovering over her, Liz adjusting her skirt, and Chris fixing his shirt. She stood up.

"I'm sorry," she couldn't hold it in, "was I..." she put her hand over her mouth pushing the laughs down her throat, "interrupting something?!" She burst into a louder laugh, slapping her stomach this time. I'm losing it, she thought. I'm really fucking losing it. Why is this so funny?

"She's bluffing, Chris. Trust me, this hurts her," Liz said.

"Oh no, it doesn't," Ela grinned. "It was pretty fucking entertaining, especially the way you looked at him, Liz." Ela began to mock Liz's expression and then hit her chest some more as she started to cry she was laughing so hard.

"Fuck you," Liz said.

"Fuck me?" Ela gasped sarcastically.

"Ladies," Chris interjected. "Since we are all here, we might as well tell Ela what's going on." The room went silent, and Ela glared at the two.

"What's going on?" she asked. Chris grinned, standing in front of Liz.

"Well, that little project that you are working on," he began to chuckle, "your investigation. You know, the one where you're fucking that guy?" Ela rolled her eyes, since she had slept with Julius for the first time just a few hours ago and there was no way that Chris could know about that.

"You don't know what I'm doing," Ela said, then looked to Liz. "Don't tell me you told him."

"Oh, she didn't have to tell me. I already knew," Chris laughed. "But she did anyway!"

"How?" Ela said softly. "How did you know before she told you?"

"In the beginning, when I thought we had something, I convinced Ms. Shell to seek you out while you were in jail because of the, ahem, passion you displayed when security heaved you out of her office."

"I told you not to help me!" Ela burst.

"You needed it, Ela, trust me.

"I didn't need anything from you!"

"You kind of did, and you still do. Depending on how you play your cards, your story could be in the newest section of The Current. We call it The Upcoming." Ela couldn't help but grow in curiosity from hearing his statement, she hated that he had so much influence on her career, but she wasn't dumb enough to give up an opportunity to be in The Current.

"What's The Upcoming?"

"I gave Ms. Shell the idea that we could run stories from new interns and entry-level workers in the "The Upcoming" column so they would have an incentive to work hard. The topic of the stories didn't matter, as long as it was trending. That's the new thing now, to trend. Having the younger generation's perspective could expand the age demographic of the business.."

"My project is not a trend," Ela said defensively, Chris laughed.

"It is, Ela."

"You don't understand art."

"Get over yourself."

"This artist's work will live forever."

"Don't bullshit me, Ela. You jumped at the chance to get something into The Current. You were our guinea pig, our test subject, and it worked. It had nothing to do with art."

Ela felt more fragile than glass but she forced herself to ask Chris the question at the forefront of her mind. "But how did you find out about my investigation?"

"Investigation," Chris laughed again. "Unfucking believable. Ms. Shell told me, of course. Why wouldn't she?" he said. "But don't worry, Ela, I'm not going to ruin your integrity. Ms. Shell doesn't know that you were fucking him...yet." He laughed again. His derision, joy at her pain, made Ela want to cry, but she needed to hold firm. She couldn't break down in front of Chris, not now after everything he'd revealed.

"I'm not the only one with good news," he said as he looked at Liz. "C'mon, go ahead. Tell her."

"Not now, Chris," Liz whispered, shaking her head.

"Tell me what?!" Ela shouted. Liz was fiddling with her fingers, and then exhaled.

"Ela, I'm sorry," she whimpered.

"Sorry for what?!" The anxiety of the unknown made Ela feel like she was going to throw up. What was this big surprise?

"I have an interview with Ms. Shell to be an intern columnist for the winter period," she mumbled. The words hit Ela like a knife in her heart. She was slaying herself, twisting and turning her morals, while Liz, who she knew for sure had no fucking idea how to write a good piece, was going to be ranked above her overnight.

"How?" Ela asked.

"A ton of fucking convincing," Chris chimed in. "Ms. Shell resisted, but then I told her the company lacks female leadership. Thank god this whole 'feminist and lack of opportunity for women' thing is such a curse for businesses nowadays. It's a good trump card. And Ms. Shell lapped it up." Ela looked to Liz, but Liz couldn't look her in the eyes.

"I never thought you would go behind my back, Liz," Ela said.

"Don't come at me like that. Besides it worked out for you because you have someone now."

"You think he's my boyfriend?"

"The way you talk about him, he has to be."

"He's just business, and you know that." Ela hated that she had to lie about her feelings, but her pride had too much control over her.

"I could tell you were falling for him."

"I mean, who wouldn't? The guy is a freaking angel from heaven, but that doesn't mean I can't separate business from pleasure. You were the one that encouraged me to use him...." Ela trailed off as her stomach stiffened, and she felt like she understood more about the world than she had before.

"Unless...you wanted me to focus on him and that article, so you could get to Chris." Liz didn't say anything, but Ela didn't need for her to confess. Liz's silence was confession enough.

"You wanted Chris?"

"Chris treats me right," Liz said.

"When did this start?"

"Since you went to holding, Ela."

"What the hell!" Ela cried as she stared at Liz.

"Ela, look, I can explain," Liz stammered.

"How could you?"

"Don't go there, Ela! I was worried sick about you, and he saw me crying about you at my desk. We talked, and he clearly cared about you. He seemed worried and when he told me he was going to help you out, I was convinced he had a good heart."

"Are you fucking serious? He just called me a fucking guinea pig! And did you not just hear what he said about women?!" Ela couldn't believe that Liz could be that blind. She had to see him for what he really was.

"I did."

"He basically said we're a fucking joke!"

"That doesn't mean me. It was a tactic he had to use to get what I needed because he cares for me."

"Liz, you can't be serious. He clearly has no respect for women at all."

"He respects me."

"Liz, he's using you for sex!"

"And what makes you any different? You started with your new guy, and you were still fucking Chris! You've used both of these guys for what you want. It's not about the sex between him and me."

"Then what was that just now? That was clearly fucking to me! It didn't look like much respect was being thrown around."

"No, it wasn't! I actually like this guy, and I don't want to hurt him. You're different; you couldn't care less about people."

"What makes us so different, Liz?!" Ela stood in Liz's face, her breath coming out of her nose like a bull. Liz didn't back down.

"I'm here every day at work busting my fucking ass! Keeping my mouth shut! Putting my hours in to work to the top! I'm not getting thrown into jail and living a free life of fucking and talking!"

"That's what you think, Liz? You convinced me to get close to him. To get close to his feelings. You told me it was the only way!"

"You're so blinded by your own self-gain that you didn't see it was the stupidest idea in the entire fucking world."

"Then why make me believe it?"

"To humble you," Liz stated.

"Humble me?"

"Yes, humble you. Your head is so big, it's sickening. I felt like this was the only way to get you off your high horse."

"What gives you the right to humble me?"

"Because that's what real friends do."

"Ha! Real friends. I fucking believed you," said Ela. "I trusted that you, as my real friend, were giving me good advice."

"Ela, your section will still be in The Current; we both win in the end. Please understand that this is not as bad as you're making it out to be" The more Liz talked, the more her words landed on Ela's rage like gasoline droplets. "You're my best friend, Ela. I don't want us to fight; let's just be adults and work this through —"

Ela grabbed Liz by the hair and threw her into one of the cubicles. Liz fell onto a desk knocking the computer over and scattering pens across the floor. Chris ran to Liz who had disappeared behind the desk groaning in pain. He sunk to the floor, nurturing her back to consciousness by caressing her shoulders.

"You're gonna have to pay for that," said Chris looking up from behind the desk.

Infuriated by everything he'd done, Ela grabbed a trashcan from one of the cubicles and launched it at his face. Chris raised his hands but it was too late. The trashcan crashed into him and knocked him clean off his knees. As he struggled to regain his balance, Chris looked up at Ela with such disgust and hatred. "I'll sue you," he said. "I'll sue you for everything you have and even things you don't have!"

"Go fuck yourself!" Ela screamed. "And fuck you, Liz! Fuck this place! And Fuck The Current!" Ela stormed to the elevator anxious to get away from everything that had just happened.
CHAPTER 36

USB Green: Ela Log Entry 18

Ela felt like she had no one left; no one to trust except one person who barely knew her, Julius. She couldn't bring herself to tell him what had just happened because she couldn't do that without telling him about the recordings. There was no way he would want to talk her once he found out, but didn't she have to do it? Life had crashed down on her. Her job was a joke, she was sure The Current was going to charge her for property damages, and finding a new job could take months. How had her life come to this? Her anxiety was melting her self-control and she slammed her hands onto the cushions of the taxi's backseat. The driver glanced at her in the rearview mirror. She couldn't barely see the look he gave her as she hung her head, her hair falling in front of her eyes. She could only hope that he wouldn't say anything to her because she didn't want to talk.

"You alright back the—"

"I'm fine," she said cutting him off, her voice low, demonic almost. The driver's eyes widened, and one of his hands left the steering wheel, traveled down his shirt, and pulled out a silver necklace with a cross. Ela scoffed as he placed it around his rearview mirror. She turned away looking into the city. She needed a drink, she needed to escape.

"I changed my mind. Go to Union Station," she demanded. The driver looked back at her once more, and began to whisper to himself as they headed to the station.

❖

The driver pulled up at Union Station and she handed him his pay, slammed the door, put on her heels, fixed her hair, tightened her trench coat, and sashayed down the sidewalk towards the bar she and Julius had visited the night before. Her anxiety from earlier morphed into anger, making her numb to judgement and creating a fierce persona that intimidated everyone who watched her walk by. She bumped into some women, hissed at some guys, but never made eye contact or paid them any real attention. When she reached the alleyway, she saw it as a runway and she was the model to destroy it like no one else. She didn't want to care anymore, she only desired the potion. Normally, she'd plan her night out, thinking of the next day of work. But tonight was a different story.

Fuck it, she thought. Fuck tomorrow.

She felt like she had lost everything that meant something to her. In a way, it was freeing, a liberation from the weight that responsibility had held over her every day. Some men whistled, but she drowned out the noise. Her hips were beginning to hurt from throwing them around, but it was a good hurt. It was a hurt that made her feel alive.

The same bouncer from before stepped in front of her as she walked up to the door.

"Where's your guy?" he mumbled.

"I don't need a fucking chaperon," Ela answered. Her voice had gotten lower, raspier even than it was in the cab. The bouncer stood back, shocked. But he didn't dare challenge her and opened the door behind him. Ela noticed his right hand trembling as she strutted past him and into the dark hallway, where she could feel the vibrations rolling off the walls. She had never felt so comforted in her life. No one was here to judge her. She had escaped the real world and it was time to let go. She hurried to the next door, where the bright lit glass hallway was in front of her. Ela took off her heels holding them in her right hand, and bolted down the hall. Her smile grew bigger as the music grew louder.

Her arms pumped like a sprinter's as she ran into the blinding light. She glanced to her left and noticed a creature, dark in complexion, its body identical to hers, running alongside her stride for stride. It was naked, its breasts swaying as it sprinted. There was no hair on its body, from its top to its feet, but it had at least ten red eyes that Ela could make out. Its mouth was full of fangs, and on its back, several long legs that lay curled like a spider's. The moment she blinked trying to get a better look at the creature in the mirror, it had disappeared, and her own reflection was running alongside of her. She was so wrapped up in the creature and her own reflection that she didn't notice the hallway end, and by her next step she was midflight soaring over the roaring crowd. Several people caught her, tossed her in the air, and pushed her to the end. She landed on her feet, her heart racing, her eyes bright, her body shaking from what she had seen.

It's just your mind playing tricks on you, she thought. Snap out of it. Ela was determined to prevent her freak-outs from ruining the only moment of fun she had in her near future.

She went to the bar hoping to see the beautiful bartender from the other night. She remembered the woman's smile, and how it comforted her before she drank the potion. But Ela couldn't see her anywhere. Instead, there was a male bartender, handsome, in every sense of the word. His chocolate skin was so smooth, it glowed. His hair was clean, his body was broad from the shoulders, but slim to the waist, and when he looked at her, his smile was flawless.

She approached him, leaning onto the bar.

"What can I get you?" His voice was so strong he didn't have to yell over the music around them. Ela couldn't remember the name of the drink she had last time so she knew she was just going to have to see if this guy could figure it out for her.

"There's a drink I want, but I never got the name of it. A friend had ordered it for me."

"Give me clues and I'm sure I'll know it," he answered.

"Okay," she chuckled, feeling nervous all of sudden with his eyes on her. "Um, it was a neon bluish color..." Ela stumbled a bit over the words as the bartender continued to stare into her. "The color was so bright, and it tasted sweet like honey when it went down."

"I think I already know," he interrupted, "Just answer this, what did you want to feel like?" Ela backed away remembering how Julius had asked her the same question, and then a smile came across her face.

"I want to escape," she answered.

"Say no more," the bartender replied, and he disappeared under the shelves as he constructed his potion.

Ela studied the club around her as she waited for her potion. Everyone looked free, joyous in their own space and time. She was jealous of that carefree attitude; her heart hurt and her mind automatically wanted Liz to accompany her, her best friend to comfort her. She could see Liz's big smile, picking out the hottest guys in the club, but Ela had to shake it off. She tried making sense of things, but the guilt impeded any positive progression. She wanted to cry, and she struggled to hold the tears back. She was so alone, with no one to comfort her, the world had grown bigger, and her presence in the universe was more insignificant than ever. Julius, she thought, I need Julius. She went to her phone, dragged up their texts to each other, and typed out her loneliness for him.

Ela: Hey, hope work is okay. I just want to get right to it. I miss you, and I fucked up. You will probably never talk to me again, but just know that I love you.

She wanted to send it but she was hesitant. It was selfish to bring him into her drama. As her finger hovered over the Send button, Ela felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned back to the bar and the bartender greeted her with the familiar potion from the other night.

"Enjoy," he said with a smile, and moved off to another customer. It glowed bright, almost calling to her, like it was designed only for her to drink it. She placed her phone beside the drink, and grabbed the glass, inhaling the potion down her throat. The liquid was warm, and when it settled, it bubbled in her core. When she had finished the last drop, she slammed the glass onto the bar with both hands, almost smashing her phone in the process. She grabbed her phone, placed it in her pocket, and when she turned around to the crowd, the potion had already begun its magic.

She crept towards the dancing crowd. The potion had kicked in and the crowd of people came to her like bodies illuminating all colors of the spectrum. As she bumped into some, their auras would emit an electric spark the same color as their body that rose to the ceiling. The bass from the speakers carried her, and she hopped, twirled, clapped in pure joy. She grabbed a girl beside her and danced with her as if she had known her since they were kids.

"I'm fucked," Ela yelled.

"We're all fucked. It's our destiny the moment we leave the womb," the girl yelled back. The girl grabbed her, and began to twirl the two of them in a circle.

"You make me feel safe," Ela screamed.

"We're all safe in here."

Ela closed her eyes as she spun vigorously in the girl's arms. She lost her balance, and her stomach grew nauseous. When she reached her breaking point, she opened her eyes, but the girl was gone, and before her was the strange two-legged, ten-eyed creature from the hallway. Ela fell to the ground bumping into some people. The creature walked closer to her, the legs on its back spread open, hovering over her taking up most of the space in the room. As its body rose from the ground supported by its longer legs, the creature's eyes never left her, and it crept closer, step by step, to her. Ela screamed struggling to her feet and pushing whoever was in her way, searching for a way out. At the end of the bar, there were stairs that led upward to a blue door. She ran to the stairs, panting, her chest stiffening from anxiety. It was difficult to keep her bearings as the room around her would change from the club to a terrain of blackness. She bumped into the walls several times before she finally reached the steps. She looked back seeing the creature rise above the crowd on its eight legs, its body dangling freely as its eyes followed her. She took the stairs two as a time, burst through the door, running as fast as she could up the next set of stairs, and opened another door that led her onto the rooftop.

No one was around as she wandered into the dimly lit area. At the very end of the roof lay the rest of the city, pushing out of her mind any knowledge of what lay behind her in the club. This was the city where she wanted to create a big name for herself. All of her dreams and hopes had vanished before her, but the city with its bright towers in the night sky still called to her. She went to the ledge standing on the slim area, just big enough for both feet to have space, and extended her arms. Maybe if she could grab it, her life would turn back to normal. If only she had a second chance. Her fingertips touched the top of the tower where she knew The Current was located.

"Ela," a whisper came from behind her. She turned to find that the monster had followed her, raised up on its eight legs, meeting her face to face with its blood colored eyes. She screamed and the monster hopped over her, and onto the ledge with its back to the city.

"What do you want from me?!" she shouted, "What the fuck are you?! How come no one sees you other than me? How come I'm the only one freaking the hell out?" The monster grabbed her, and pulled her close, its mouth expanded, giving her a preview of venom and slime that dripped from its many fangs. Ela cried as it pulled her closer to its mouth. It didn't matter anymore, no one would care if she was gone. Her shoulders dropped, she let go of life, and allowed the monster to pull her in. Her body fell from the ledge, and she drifted off the cliff into the open sky, the monster disintegrated into thin air as she fell. It had tricked her into falling off the roof.

A hand grabbed her, and when she turned expecting the monster to be terrorizing her again, she only saw Julius with his eyes opened in fright as he fell off the ledge. He latched onto her, holding her tightly, and managed to turn them so that he was between Ela and the ground below. They fell several stories, the wind tunneling around them, and their eyes fluttering between each other and the dark sky. She saw the monster reappear on the ledge, becoming smaller the further they fell. The world was silent, and in a few seconds, they smashed onto a parked car. The momentum pushed him inward, but she was lifted off of him, almost bouncing away.

She was frozen in time, as her eyes opened, the droplets of blood that had left her mouth floated around her like red crystals. Her eyes closed again, and she was on the cold concrete. Several people gasped. She couldn't tell where they were, but the sounds of blaring cars roared around her, and a crowd of people appeared. With the little strength she had left, she looked up to see Julius's hand dangling from the roof of the car. The rest of his body was buried inside. Her strength vanished as her head sunk back to the ground. She wanted to reach for him, and pull him close, and scream at him for saving her.

"Please don't leave me, Julius," she whispered, barely able to get the words out. "Please don't leave me." Tears were coming from her eyes as she tried to pull herself through the broken glass to reach him.

Somehow she managed to drag herself near the car, and she grabbed his hand. It was still warm, and she squeezed it. Why, she thought, why would you do such an idiotic thing, Julius? With every ounce of strength left, she lifted herself just high enough to kiss his hand. She felt him squeeze her hand back, but the grip lasted only a few seconds before it loosened completely. Ela fell back to the ground, passing out on the concrete.
CHAPTER 37

When Calvin entered through the double doors, Judge Drummond resided at his auburn colored desk, writing on multiple sheets of paper that were in front of him. Behind the judge were two large windows with a view that peered out into the city streets. Since it was dark, and the only light was from the small lamp on his desk, Calvin could barely make out the shapes of books and shelves that were placed along the walls of the room. There were two chairs, and the one on the left was already occupied. Even in this barely lit office, Calvin knew who it was. The blonde haired man placed a white pamphlet on the floor, along with a navy blue wallet, when Calvin sat beside him.

"Calvin, this better be fucking good," he said, pushing his hair back as he reached for his phone. "It's midnight for Christ's sake."

"Good to see you too, Henry," Calvin mumbled. Henry was the prosecutor in the case, but Calvin had formed a plan after watching the video memories that would make Henry very uncomfortable by the time this meeting was over. Calvin nervously met the judge's eyes. Even though Judge Drummond was known for being the most tranquil of judges in the state, he seemed a tad irritated as well.

"He has a point, Calvin. This better be good." Calvin took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts for his argument.

"Your Honor, I asked you to summon us here because I believe I have sufficient evidence in this case to make the prosecution withdraw its charge the first day of the trial."

"What?" Henry shouted, as he jumped to his feet with his hands on his hips, his face red as apples, his breath as loud as a tired marathon runner. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Fix your language, Henry," said Judge Drummond.

"Sorry, Your Honor."

"And sit down. Act like you have some civility in here."

"Yes, Your Honor," Henry said as he sunk back into his chair, but Calvin could feel Henry's eyes attacking him.

"Calvin, you have my full attention. Do not waste it."

"Yes, Your Honor," Calvin answered. He positioned himself closer to the desk and continued, "As I said earlier, I have evidence that can prove Ela is innocent; evidence that I believe makes it unnecessary to have a trial. Have you read the briefing on Dr. Rozen's system?"

"Yes, I have. It's a complex thing, so I thank you for the break down you provided. I wouldn't have believed it to be true otherwise."

"It's real, and it's scary, and the video I will show you in a few minutes will demonstrate its capabilities." Calvin walked to the double doors and gave a quick knock. The doors immediately opened and Abraham entered.

"Could we use your desk?

"Of course," answered the judge. "How much space do you need?"

"Just enough for a laptop," Abraham said as he walked further into the room.

"Sure, let me move my things." The judge shuffled some papers around as Abraham walked to the desk placing the laptop on the far right corner, making it easier for everyone to view the screen. Calvin signaled for him to leave, as the laptop came to life.

"This video covers the last several hours before the death of Julius, but from Ela's perspective."

"This is all through memory correct?" the judge asked.

"Yes, it is; her memory through her eyes. This is right after she left The Current." Calvin sat down next to Henry. "Some of what you are about to see is alarming, but it is real."

"How do we know for sure?" Henry asked.

"Two years ago, several members of the Board of Directors of the Neuroscience Research Committee, along with our city's government, authorized Dr. Rozen to conduct this process of research on the human mind. All of this was in the briefing." Calvin looked at Henry's feet where the pamphlet he had dropped earlier lay. "Didn't you read the briefing before you arrived?" Henry grabbed the pamphlet from the floor placing it on his lap.

"Of course I did." But Calvin knew Henry was lying. Jackass can't even read a few pages; he thinks so highly of himself, Calvin thought.

"Why hasn't the public seen this?" the judge asked.

"You're about to find out," Calvin answered.

❖

Judge Drummond had left the building to smoke a cigarette, leaving Henry and Calvin alone in the office. Henry looked to Calvin, as Calvin relived Ela and Julius's last moments together in his head.

"What in God's name was that?" Henry asked.

"I don't know."

"I thought I had you beat, damn it. All the evidence that I had gathered so far pointed to Ela committing the crime. Once she admitted she was guilty—"

"She also said she wasn't guilty," Calvin interrupted.

"That shouldn't've mattered," Henry continued. "Her blood was on his shirt, she was the last to see him, she was intoxicated..."

"But now it does matter," Calvin said.

"What are you trying to prove, Calvin, with this video? What is your end goal? It's obvious that she had some influence on his death."

"I don't think so."

"You're fucking delusional to believe that."

"We'll see." The two remained quiet as Judge Drummond entered the room, and sat in his chair.

"Calvin, what in God's name did I just watch?" Judge Drummond asked.

"Do you believe Ela is innocent?" Calvin countered.

"After watching that video? Yes, I do, Calvin."

"I want the prosecution to withdraw because I believe what we saw just now is a bigger concern than proving that Ela is innocent. Do you know what I'm referring to?"

"You're referring to that monster..." the judge clinched his fist together, and looked to the ceiling, "that abomination."

"Yes, I believe the monster is potentially a greater problem than the murder case we are dealing with if we don't take the proper steps to manage the information we have right now."

"Your Honor, I have to disagree," Henry interrupted. "I believe he is trying to lead us in the wrong direction. Ela pled guilty. That is why we are having this trial. He is distracting us."

"I am not distracting us, Your Honor. This evidence clearly shows that Julius acted on his own free will when he tried to save her. She didn't force his hand or make that decision for him. My concern is in releasing this type of information to the public. With all the attention surrounding the case, this may turn into something we are not ready for. I can only imagine the kind of backlash and outrage that would come out if the public saw this video. And more importantly, if they saw that monster. This is exactly why I need the prosecution to withdraw. If they don't, I will be forced to show this video to protect my client and prove her innocence."

"Bullshit," Henry said.

"How is it bullshit, Henry?! Huh?! Explain to me how any of this is bullshit!"

"Watch your tone with me, Calvin," Henry said as he stood up.

"Or what?" Calvin jumped from his seat to get in Henry's face. "You never read the briefing, you lazy son of a bitch." In their anger, the two stood so close that their noses touched.

"Both of you sit," the judge commanded. "We are not cavemen. We are educators, and influencers under the law of our country. I demand civility from the both of you!" Both men sat back in their chairs. "I do not, I repeat, I do not want to raise my voice again in here! Do you hear me?!" The two nodded.

The judge shifted his eyes from Henry to Calvin, tapping his finger on the desk. The room was silent for several minutes until he finally spoke.

"Henry, you need to withdraw—"

"Your Honor," Henry tried to interrupt but Judge Drummond wasn't having it.

"Damn it, man, listen! You must withdraw but only under the circumstances that we can prove that Ela can have a healthy state of mind again. Calvin, you are correct, this case will be in more trouble than it's worth if that video is made public. There is evidence that backs up her innocence from the video, but if this is your only evidence, which technically this is all you need, I can't have the world seeing..." He closed his eyes and Calvin knew he was referring to the monster. "I can't have it seeing that creature from god knows where."

"Thank you, Your Honor, for being understanding," Calvin said.

"I am not finished. Before the trial begins, I need a one on one with her, with the equipment, to see if she's clear of that monster. If Ela is healthy, we will proceed with the withdrawal of the prosecution. If she isn't...well, gentlemen, we will be entering into a catastrophe that we are not ready for." He leaned back into his chair. "Can we agree on this?"

"I can, Your Honor," said Calvin as he looked to Henry. As angry as Henry appeared, he nodded to Calvin in agreement.

"I'm a prosecutor, not a villain," he told Calvin. Calvin smiled.

"They're close," Calvin smirked as he took the equipment from the desk. "Excuse me, gentlemen, I have work to finish."

❖

As he traveled down the hallway, his phone vibrated. Calvin pulled it out and saw that he had a text.

Mrs. Blue: Calvin where are you? It's urgent.

Calvin: Just finished with the judge.H he agreed to my plan. Are you at the facility?

Mrs. Blue: Yes.

Calvin: Did you have a chance to speak to Dr. Rozen?

Mrs. Blue: No. Janet told me to contact you.

Calvin: Why? What is going on?

Mrs. Blue: Something went wrong. Dr. Rozen's missing.

Calvin: What do you mean Dr. Rozen's missing?

Calvin grew frustrated with the stunted conversation, and decided to call Mrs. Blue. He was out of the building by this time standing near his car in the empty parking lot. The phone rang several times before she answered.

"Hello?" Mrs. Blue said.

"Tell me what's going on."

"They won't tell me anything else, Calvin, but they said they needed you here."

"Why couldn't they call me? Why'd they tell you instead?"

"I don't know, but please get here."

"Okay," Calvin sighed. "Stay calm; I'm on my way." Calvin was confused, and frustrated, but he knew dwelling on those feelings would get him nowhere, so he placed his phone in his pocket, got into his car, and headed to the facility.

❖

The gorgeous Janet stood at the facility's entrance as Calvin ascended the stairs.

"Feels different when there's no paparazzi," he said to her trying to relieve the stress he could feel building inside of him. Worry was plastered across her face so he changed his tone. "Why couldn't you call me?"

"We told her to relay the news while we tried to stay in contact with Dr. Rozen. I didn't want to lose anytime calling you myself when Mrs. Blue could just as easily contact you." Janet was brusque in her answer and Calvin could tell that she was stressed.

They entered the building together, and Calvin remembered the pathway that would lead to Ela's room. They approached the steel-door elevator, and walked inside.

"How did this happen?"

"The monster, that thing," she flinched when she said that thing, "grabbed him again, but this time, we don't know where he is in her conscious."

"Why didn't you cut the program?"

"Because if we do that, there is a risk that when he wakes up, he may not know the dream from the reality."

"But why do you need me? The best I can do is call the cops. I don't have any experience in this. If anything, I'm a distraction."

"You're the only one who has seen the videos all the way through. You're more familiar with what she'll present to you than the rest of us. Dr. Rozen excluded but..." And she didn't need to finish that sentence for Calvin to understand where it was going. They needed Dr. Rozen but without him, Calvin was going to have to do. They entered the dark observatory room, where they first experienced Dr. Rozen merging into Ela's conscious. On the other side of the glass, Ela and Dr. Rozen hovered in the dark space. Mrs. Blue was sitting on one of the chairs rocking back and forth, talking to herself. He walked to her grabbing her shoulder, and she rocketed out of the chair so the two could hug.

"I'm tired of this, Calvin." she said.

"I am, too," he answered. He looked back to Janet.

"If I get lost, and taken by that monster, what happens then?"

"We cut the program, and you two may be lost in your heads for the rest of your lives." He looked back at the glass.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me," he said under his breath. He wasn't trained for any of this; heck, he didn't understand a bit of psychology. How was he supposed to go inside her mind, and then calm her down, so that he could save her and Dr. Rozen? He felt powerless, but everyone looked to him as the last line of help. Calvin was frustrated, but truly scared that the responsibility was thrown on him. He began to regret the day that he accepted this case. But then he thought of Ela, and her suffering. He wanted this girl to be free. She had made a mistake. She was young and had her whole life ahead of her. He felt a deep sense of responsibility to ensure she got to enjoy it. For the first time in his life, he felt that he could do some real good, instead of manipulating a judge and jury to his side.

"I'll do it," he answered.

"Thank you, thank you so much."

Calvin hugged Mrs. Blue, and followed Janet to the other side. She led him into the space, where the same engineers from before awaited him. It was much warmer, and there was a bee-like hum that traveled through the atmosphere. He could hear his footsteps disappear into the darkness. He thought to shake hands with several of the engineers before approaching the hovering Dr. Rozen and Ela. A small light from above shone on their resting faces.

"It's simple," Janet said. "This strip connects to the back of your head." She raised a thin, transparent, red strip to his face, about three inches in length. "And via the strip, you'll connect to the hard drive."

"Where is the hard drive?" Calvin asked.

"This entire space is the hard drive. You're in it," one of the engineers said. Calvin didn't want to take the time to ask them to explain, afraid that if he did he would lose his nerve.

"Do I need to take anything? A pill?"

"No," the assistant said. "You'll connect once you put it on, and all you have to do is close your eyes."

"What will happen next?"

"It will feel like in one blink you'll be there, in her conscious."

"So all that rumbling, and the noises when we first saw this process, I'm not going to feel that?"

"No, you don't, but it'll still be happening," Janet answered. Calvin studied the strip and couldn't help but wonder what these people were up to in here. The anxiety of being lost in a reality he may never understand scared him. Don't go, his inner voice spoke, and he noticed his fingers shaking. He placed the strip on the back of his neck. Janet led him several feet to the left of the hovering Ela and Dr. Rozen.

"Our extra space," Janet said. What was she talking about? There was nothing there, what were they seeing that he wasn't? "Just stand there," she continued. Calvin stood in the space of nothing closing his eyes, and he felt himself lifted from the floor gently by a force that surrounded him. His body was placed horizontally in mid-air as if he was sleeping on his back. "Open your eyes," she said softly.
CHAPTER 38

The light of a street lamp blinded him from above. Calvin was resting on cold concrete, in a quiet alleyway, as he gathered himself. He rose to his feet, staring left and right at the row of lamps in the alley. This location was familiar. Several kids in different colored jackets ran past him as if he were a ghost. Ah, this was the alleyway to the club he remembered. As he looked further down the street, if he was correct, that is where the accident took place, just outside the club. He moved in that direction hoping he was right. A cold breeze grazed his neck, giving him goosebumps from his shoulders to his toes. He glanced upward seeing the fog escape his mouth into the open air, and couldn't help but think that this project of Dr. Rozen's was mind blowing. Calvin had expected to feel like he was in a dream, conscious of his surroundings, but still aware that it was just an illusion.

This felt all too real. He hit his arm, and felt the resulting sharp pain spread up to his head. How long had it taken Dr. Rozen to create this? What if it fell into the wrong hands? If a corrupt company or government got a hold of this, the outcome wouldn't be good for society.

"Oh my God!" a voice shouted. Calvin hadn't realized that he had moved out of the alley and into the open streets, coming up behind a growing crowd. He slithered through the still observers, until he reached the center where he saw Ela crawling to Julius as he lay on the broken roof of the car. Calvin remembered Dr. Rozen's words. This was all a memory, and she was trapped in a loop. Ela grabbed Julius's hand. Calvin saw Julius squeeze hers, and then let go. Ela fell back onto the concrete, but before she passed out, Calvin rushed forward, grabbing her.

"Ela, don't pass out," he said. "Stay with me, stay with me." He eased her onto his arms, lifting her by the back of her head, so she was facing him.

"Who...are..."

"This isn't real, Ela. You have to wake up." She was still lost, her arms hung lifelessly as he lifted her face closer to him.

"Not real?" The words left her mouth in a soft whisper.

"Yes, this isn't real. We need to get out of here."

"From what?" Ela's eyes traveled to Julius who was dead on top of the car. "I...I killed him." Tears began to run down her cheeks.

"No, you didn't. Ela, you didn't."

"I killed him," she whispered again. Several cold drops of water hit the back of his neck, the frequency increased until he realized it was rain. He shielded her face with his upper body still holding her like a newborn.

"Ela, I need you. Dr. Rozen is missing; where is he?" Her eyes frantically looked left and right. "Can you tell me where he is?" Ela's body trembled, and it intensified with each second. Calvin tried keeping her still.

"Ela, stay with me. We have to get Dr. Rozen so we can cure you." Ela's body trembled so violently that Calvin had to squeeze her with all his might to keep her from falling from his arms. Her mouth foamed, and the saliva dripped to the concrete. Oh God, he thought. Is this the end? Is her mind truly broken?

"Ela," he called to her again. He was losing her, and he didn't know what to do. Her body abruptly stilled. He looked into her eyes seeing his reflection, but her eyes slowly blackened until there was no cornea left and only the darkness remained. There were flashes of small light flickering in them, and he pulled her closer, seeing a tiny image of Ela running in her patient gown in each eye. The small image of Ela disappeared from her right eye, and a running Dr. Rozen appeared in its place. To Calvin, it looked like she was running from him; Dr. Rozen appeared in her left eye cornering her, then stomping his feet and hitting her.

That can't be, Calvin thought. The image vanished, and the next image showed Dr. Rozen groping his fingers between her legs. She struggled to break free, but he continued to force his lips upon her. No, Calvin thought, no it can't be. Calvin didn't want to think about the horror he had just seen, but his conscious wouldn't let him escape it: Dr. Rozen may have raped Ela.

Before he could see any more, Ela shut both her eyes. The rain was making him cold, so Calvin tried to lift her from the ground to move to a drier place, but she wouldn't budge. He looked to the night sky. The rain was getting heavier, and when he looked down, he noticed that it hadn't been rain from the sky but a dark liquid. Ela's face began to disappear in the inky liquid.

"I'm going to jail. I killed him," she said, and suddenly an invisible force threw Calvin back several feet. She rose from the ground, struggling to her feet, keeping herself hunched over, her face buried under her thick hair. Calvin could feel the liquid rising through his shoes, and when he checked around him, the entire street was covered in blackness. The crowd had disappeared, along with Julius and the car. From behind her, spider legs appeared from the top of her back, and lifted her from the earth.

He sprinted back down the alley looking for a door, for anything to help him escape what he just saw. He hit several doors, but none of them opened, there was a loud shriek from behind him. Calvin looked over his shoulder and saw Ela hovering on her new legs, her head still facing the earth. She started to sprint toward him, and he continued hitting doors, until one finally opened. He fell into the room, and the door closed. He heard someone breathing, and when he looked up, Calvin saw Dr. Rozen looking at him with horror in his eyes.

"Calvin, what are you doing here?" he asked.

Without hesitation, Calvin jumped to his feet, and slammed Dr. Rozen against the wall.

"Did you touch, Ela?!" he screamed.

"What?! Calvin, calm down," Dr. Rozen gasped.

"No; fuck that! Did you rape her?!" Dr. Rozen continued gasping for breath.

"Calvin, please—"

"In this reality or the real world, Dr. Rozen?" Calvin interrupted. "Or did you molest her in both?"

Dr. Rozen managed to take a full breath, calming himself, and looked away. That simple movement told Calvin all that he needed to know. He understood it, her, understood her growing anger, her growing fear. It wasn't just Julius and his death; the doctor had raped her in both realities, shattering Ela's mind. Calvin threw Dr. Rozen to the floor., "You fucking piece of scum."

"Calvin," Dr. Rozen scooted backwards from him.

"You cunt, you cowardice piece of shit. You raped her. You traumatized her more, on top of the trauma that she had already lived through."

"Calvin, let me explain, it was for research purposes." Calvin continued walking toward Dr. Rozen, down the dark wooden hallway.

"That must be a fucking joke. How could this possibly be for research?! Unless you were researching how big a scumbag you could be," Calvin said as he stalked towards the doctor. "That is why she's getting worse..." Calvin gasped as another epiphany struck him. "And that is why you have her sedated! So you could violate her body without her fighting back. But you didn't realize she was aware of the whole thing. That you were violating more than just her body."

"Calvin, listen!!" Dr. Rozen cried.

"I'm going to kill you when, if, we get out of this. I'm going to pull your eyes out and piss on them. I'm going to burn your entire facility to the ground!" Calvin knew he was starting to sound crazy but the knowledge of what this man, this asshole, had done to the innocent Ela made Calvin into a violent person. Before he could reach the doctor, Dr. Rozen got to his feet, and sprinted down the hallway. Refusing to let him escape, Calvin chased after him. Before he had gotten a few steps, the wall on Calvin's left exploded, and wood flew out around him. A force pulled him through the hole in the wall into a black oblivion.

Calvin landed on the ground, and from nowhere his hands and feet itched tremendously. The sensation spread throughout his body and the urge to scratch everywhere drove him mad. He needed a light, he needed to see. He remembered he had his phone in his pocket. He grabbed it, unlocking the screen, and hit the flashlight button.

Around his hands were hundreds of tiny spiders. They fell off him onto what he thought was more of the dark liquid, but quickly realized it was a massive infestation of spiders. All around him. The creatures traveled everywhere on his body, squeezing in through his eyelids, fingernails, and every hole in his body they could find. He struggled, tossing and turning in the swarm. It itched so much; he could feel his skin peel off as he scratched wildly, trying to dislodge the spiders from his body. Calvin screamed, he could feel the spiders biting inside his eyes, ripping and swallowing the white tissue. He couldn't breathe, his nose was filled with the creatures. His heart was pounding and he knew it couldn't take anymore. If he couldn't find a solution quick, he would die of a heart attack.

"Let me help you!" he shouted, with the last of his breath, and he felt his heart begin to explode, and his lungs shrivel.

The swarm evaporated, air came into his lungs, and he was laying on hard concrete. He opened his eyes, taking in as much as he could, and rose quickly to his feet. He turned behind him, and the female monster was in front of him; the same monster from the mirrored hallway that Ela had run through during one of her visits to the club. It was her. This was the Ela that hid in her subconscious, its eyes red as blood, its skin dark as oil. It hissed at him, opening its mouth, black liquid dripping from its fangs. He closed his eyes and screamed, and when he opened them again, thinking he was going to be devoured, he was in a spacious room, with almost no furniture. Across from him was a kitchen that looked awfully familiar, and beside the kitchen were two rooms.

He turned to the two rooms, with the room on the right closed off, and the room on the left open. Calvin realized that he was inside Julius's old place. Why would he be here? Since he didn't have an answer to that, Calvin decided to explore and walked to the room on the left. It was Julius' study. He turned on the light and the painted pieces were all around him. What does this mean to her? he thought. Why is Ela showing this to me?

The masterpiece under the white drape, the same piece Ela had dreamed of with the lady in red, waited for him at the other side of the study. He took his time with each step, anticipating that someone or something would attack him, and as he drew near, his insides were churning into knots of anxiety. He placed his hands onto the drape, and removed it from the easel. The white canvas was blank, nothing had been drawn onto the piece. He touched it, not knowing if it would fix anything, but his mind had forced him to reach out his hand. The canvas was solid and cold against the tips of his fingers. He removed his hands, chilled by what he had felt. Suddenly, a hand grabbed him from behind.

He turned his head to see the female monster glaring at him before it lifted him off his feet. He released the breath he'd been holding as those claws touched him. It pushed him through the blank piece, and through the wall, releasing him in the open darkness. It watched from the inside as he slowly drifted outward. He heard a low grumble, and from underneath him, he saw the gargantuan spider, the one that snatched Dr. Rozen into oblivion, awaiting him below. It was larger than anything he'd ever fathomed, something he would remember to the end of his life. All of its eight legs could stretch to the moon, and were as big as buildings. It had more eyes than a herd of animals; it could tower over mountains if it lived on land, and as it opened its mouth, every blood cell in his body filled with fear.

Calvin knew this was the end, it was going to engulf him, and he wasn't going to wake up. Their experiment had failed. He had failed. Calvin cried. He never thought he'd die like this.

"If you could just give me a chance, I promise you, I'll help you," he pleaded. He had sunken past the teeth. "This doesn't have to be your end. Julius wouldn't want that."

Calvin saw the jaws snap shut around him as he closed his eyes. He thought of every moment he had had when he was young, falling in love with strangers, meeting women he thought he would spend the rest of his life with, and he thought of the love of Ela and Julius. It was strange to him as to why he was thinking it, but it made him happy. It was the closest emotion to happiness he could find to leave this life with.
CHAPTER 39

The heat from the morning sun caressed Calvin's face as he opened his eyes. He took a moment to observe his surroundings. Above him, a circular window, split by two wooden pieces in the form of a cross, and around him, a pale, forest green room, spacious in size, with a mahogany coffee table in the middle. A large flat screen TV was at the end of the wall where he sat, with a few small shelves, filled with books he didn't recognize, and a long, black couch beside him. It was peaceful, only the sound of birds broke the silence.

The screeching cry of the monster rang in Calvin's ears, and he shot up from what he realized was a recliner, his heart pounding, his veins shaking. When he stood, a blanket fell to the floor. He searched the room more, but he was distracted by small picture frames on the shelves. He went to one of them grabbing one to see who was in it. A girl with thick curls smiled in the frame as she held onto a dandelion; a second later Calvin realized it was Ela.

"Shit," he whispered. He could still be in her dream and his eyes frantically scanned the room expecting to see a glimpse of the monster that had thrown him in the pit.

"What was that?" A voice came from behind him. Trying to find where the source of the voice, Calvin noticed that beside the long couch was the opening to a hallway. There was a soft hum that came from the hallway. It was familiar, nurturing to his ears. The hum grew louder and Calvin could only assume that whoever was creating the sound was drawing nearer to the room he was in. He stood, ready to deal with whoever, or whatever, would appear around the corner. Thick hair appeared first and then a young woman in a black shirt and black pants came second. She wasn't facing him, but she soon turned around to see him standing there dumbstruck.

"Oh, it was you," she laughed, her eyes disappeared as her cheeks rose. It couldn't be her. She was so happy, the energy that emitted from her body was so welcoming. The darkness he was so used to seeing in her eyes was no more.

"Ela?" he asked softly. He wasn't sure if something horrible would surprise him by saying her name, but she remained where she stood with her beautiful smile. "Where am I?"

"My mom's; I know it's kinda bland here," she answered, while looking around the room.

"How do I know if this is real? How do I know if you're real?" Ela continued to smile, but then tears began to run down her cheeks. She dashed towards him. Surprised, Calvin didn't move and Ela smashed into him, almost knocking him to the floor, but he kept his balance. He could hear her crying, and feel the water build up on his shirt. Please, don't look up and be a monster, he thought. When Ela looked to him, her eyes were shining in the light.

"Thank you," she said.

Calvin had been tense when he awoke in this room, but with each passing second, he relaxed. He held her tight and couldn't help but think how good it was to have her back. It was better to be back, back in the real world and out of the nightmare of Ela's mind. He had to catch his bearings because finishing the case was a top priority. She wasn't scot-free until he could prove it to the judge.

"How did I get here? What happened?" Calvin asked.

"I woke up from...that place, and you were still out cold but the people at the facility told us that you would be up in a few hours."

"How long have I been out?"

"A little less than six hours."

"What about Dr. Rozen?" The words slipped out of his mouth before he thought what they would mean to Ela. He had forgotten briefly about the doctor sexually tormenting her. He looked to her, and she began to quiver. "Ela, I'm—"

"It's fine,"

"But—"

"We'll cross that bridge when it's time. For now, my mom tells me I have to prove that monster inside me is gone." As much as Calvin wanted to pursue the doctor's torture of Ela, and help console her, she was right. The case was the bigger picture. He hated that he had to swallow this part momentarily.

"I promise I will make him pay for what he did to you."

"I know you will. I trust you."

"You're a tough girl, Ela."

"Thank you."

Calvin sat on the long couch, while Ela remained standing near the window.

"Did your mom tell you exactly why we need to prove that the monster is gone?"

"No, but I feel like this may take a while. Coffee? Tea?" Ela began to walk from the room into the hall.

"Water, please," Calvin answered. She disappeared and moments later reappeared with a glass of water that she handed to him. She joined him on the couch, and he caught her up with every detail of the case. He walked her through how he chose to defend her in the case, and how he met Dr. Rozen, who decided to join mid-way. Then there was the sci-fi incident when he first saw Dr. Rozen go into her conscious, all the recordings of her mind, and how the earphones allowed him to feel everything she felt, all up to the last moments of Julius' death. He was surprised that she remained composed throughout the entire conversation, never asking any questions, just absorbing one piece of information after the other. When he finished, about two hours had passed.

"So, if the judge checks the footage, and sees no sign of the monster, then basically, the world doesn't have to see something it may not be ready for?" asked Ela.

"Correct."

"And I get off scot-free without the hassle of a trial, which, mostly, I would win anyway."

"Yes."

"But if the monster still remains, then I still can win the trial from evidence, but now I scare the world, and I am definitely seen as a crazy person once the information gets out to the public."

"Yes."

"Okay...I get it," she said. Calvin leaned back as well, exhausted from his long speech. But he had one more question.

"How'd you break free? How did you become normal again?" Ela looked to him, turning her head just slightly.

"I don't remember much; it all felt like a dream. But I do remember being incredibly sad, and lonely throughout the dream. Until I saw you falling away from me." Calvin remembered himself falling away from the female monster, as she looked down at him from the broken wall. So that was you, he thought to himself.

"And then, a flash of every moment that I had spent with Julius came to me," she said as she leaned forward from the couch, her eyes sparkling from the window's light. "I had forgotten I was so happy in those short moments. I held onto that feeling much tighter than the lonely one, and I woke up." Calvin continued to stare at her. Julius and Ela had been his last thought, and their happiness his last emotion, before falling into the mouth of the monster. He wondered if he had had some influence in helping her wake up by thinking about those things when he did.

"That's good enough for me," Calvin said smiling. He wasn't an expert in understanding the human mind, but he trusted his intuition that she was aware of herself, and that the darkness within her had lost the majority of its influence.

"If we go to the facility, and we go inside your conscious, do you think the monster will be there?"

"I hope not," she said.

"Could you handle seeing Dr. Rozen?"

"I can but not for long."
CHAPTER 40

A week later, Calvin, Mrs. Blue, and Ela all traveled to the facility to meet with Dr. Rozen. At the top of the steps in front of the glass doors stood Dr. Janet. She greeted them happily, and began to escort them to the same observatory room they had used before. When they arrived at the room, Mrs. Blue relived the events that had happened there for Ela. Mrs. Blue pointed to the glass on the other side, telling Ela how strange it was to see her daughter hovering in midair. They didn't have to wait long. Dr. Rozen entered with a clipboard in his hand, hitting the wall to get everyone's attention.

"Hello everyone," Dr. Rozen spoke. Mrs. Blue ran to him and gave him a hug; Ela kept her distance staying near the glass. Calvin saw Ela and Dr. Rozen make eye contact, and she turned her head away to look at the floor. Once Mrs. Blue backed off, Dr. Rozen looked to Calvin. It took every bit of patience that he had for Calvin to refrain from knocking the glasses of Dr. Rozen. Luckily for Calvin, Dr. Rozen didn't spend much time looking at him. Instead, he turned his attention to Ela.

"Ela, how are you?"

"I'm fine," she answered, still refusing to make eye contact with him.

"I'm sorry about the video feed," Dr. Rozen said to Calvin. Several days ago, Calvin had requested video feed from Dr. Rozen's first disappearance inside the monster. When Calvin watched it, he quickly noticed that random parts of the video skipped or were cut out. Calvin knew Dr. Rozen had tampered with the video feed to cover up his sexual encounters with Ela but without help from someone inside the facility, or a court order, Calvin couldn't prove it.

"It's alright, Dr. Rozen. I'm quite sure there's a reasonable explanation."

"I'm sure there is, Calvin, but we have to focus on the bigger picture right now," said Dr. Rozen. He turned to Ela and said, "Your diagnosis reads that you're doing better, Ela."

"That's good to hear," Mrs. Blue interrupted.

"It is," Dr. Rozen continued. "As you know, we have to go into your conscious once more to see if everything is good to go."

"To make sure if you're healthy now," Mrs. Blue chimed in. Everyone focused on Ela as she stood uncomfortably against the glass. Her right hand was covering her left forearm, as though she was trying to hold herself together. Calvin could see that the pressure from everyone for Ela to prove that she was cured was getting to her.

"Ela, what do you think?" Calvin asked. "Do you feel up to this?"

Ela turned to Calvin. "I don't want anyone in my head anymore." she answered.

"What did you say?" asked Mrs. Blue worriedly.

"All of this, it's just too much, and I've had enough of this whole thing. Him in my head—"  
"Ela, are you listening? Both your lawyer and you doctor," she said as she pointed to Calvin and Dr. Rozen, "are telling you that this is the best option. So you can get off free!"

"Mom, you don't understand—"

"I do understand, young lady!" Mrs. Blue's eyes were wide as she stared at Ela with angry intensity. Calvin tried to intervene hoping to calm the situation down.

"Ela," he said, as he turned her to him. His heart ached when he saw that her eyes were watering. "Without the evidence we would collect today, the judge may not drop the case. Even if we win, who knows what kind of orders he would lay down for you to prove your sanity. Let alone the media's pur—"

"I know," Ela interrupted.

"You could be trapped in this facility or another for more testing," Calvin continued.

"I know!" she shouted. No one in the room responded. Ela tightened her grip around her forearm, and sighed as she closed her eyes. She turned away from everyone placing her right palm on the glass, her eyes facing the empty room where she, until so recently, had resided in mid-air.

"I'm not doing it," she said.

"You have to, Ela!" Mrs. Blue shouted. She dashed to Ela grabbing her by her shoulders and turning her around so that Ela's back was pressed up against the glass. "You cannot simply say no. You must do this! Why wouldn't you?!"

"I'm not going to. I'm not a little girl anymore," Ela said, as her mother continued to wrestle with her. "Or a client for money," she looked to Calvin. "And definitely not a test subject," she looked to Dr. Rozen. Mrs. Blue slapped Ela with her right hand and the two began to wrestle against the glass. Calvin rushed over and pulled Mrs. Blue off her daughter. He had to stand between them because Mrs. Blue continued to press her attack. He faced Ela, using his large frame to block Mrs. Blue, and looked into Ela's eyes. There was no fear in them. The frailty that he was so used to seeing from the videos, and even when she was back from that nightmare, was now gone. There was a strong feeling in his gut which told him to trust her. He knew it was crazy to act on it, but it felt right, so he decided to put all his hope into her.

"You don't have to, Ela," he said.

"Shut up, Calvin. She has no idea what she is talking about," Mrs. Blue struggled to say as she continued to reach for Ela.

"Don't worry about your mom; she's just worried about you."

"That doesn't mean she has to try to control me!" Ela screamed, trying to dodge her mother's grasp.

"You're right, everyone has been controlling you lately. Saying they're only thinking of what's best for you. I'm guilty of it too." Mrs. Blue ended her pursuit of her daughter and stood back. Calvin turned to her and he could see the tears in her eyes as well. Dr. Rozen remained silent in the corner observing the drama, but his eyes were fixed on Calvin. He must be waiting to see how this plays out so he doesn't give himself away, Calvin thought. He mustn't seem too eager to have Ela back in his clutches.

"Can I trust you?" Calvin asked Mrs. Blue.

"Trust me with what?"

"To not attack your daughter." Mrs. Blue shot him a look of disgust, wiping the tears from her cheeks. She stood back distancing herself from Calvin and Ela.

"Do what you have to do," she answered. Calvin turned back to Ela.

"Our only hope was based off Dr. Rozen's technology. Since you don't want to use it anymore, the only option left is for you to convince the judge that you're healthy." He could see that it made Ela nervous, because her hands began to tremble. "I can't tell you how to convince him. The only thing I can tell you is, no matter what, your mother and I will be in your corner." He saw her relax, the trembling resided, and her shoulders dropped. Seeing that he was getting through to her, Calvin continued, "You're not alone anymore, Ela. We're here to help support you as you cure yourself. And I think the most important thing for you to realize is, even if there is a setback and all of this goes wrong, we're not going anywhere." Ela rushed to Calvin hugging him tightly.

"Thank you," she whispered in his ears. "Thank you so much."
CHAPTER 41

On the day of the trial, Calvin and Ela gathered together in the judge's private chambers. It was a dimly lit room at the very bottom of the building. Elegance dripped from every corner. Ela was blown away by the expensive mahogany chairs, wooden floors, and the massive desk that was at the very end of the room. Two flags of the United States hung above them; there were shelves upon shelves of books labeled "Judicial Law of the Federal Courts"; above the shelves were pictures of various judges in their court robes laughing with other judges. As she sat with Calvin, she couldn't help but compare the black chair behind the desk to the throne of a king.

Henry the prosecutor walked in several seconds after them, grabbing a seat next to Calvin. The two whispered to each other, but Ela didn't care to know what they had to say. She just wanted to get the hearing over with. The doors behind them opened and all four stood as the judge entered the room. Judge Drummond's elegant court dress glided through the air as he passed them, and when he sat on his throne, his presence exuded sheer power. Henry walked to the desk sticking his hand out to the judge and the two shook hands.

"Henry," the judge said.

"Your Honor," Henry answered. Henry stepped back, and Calvin approached the desk to shake the judge's hand as well.

"Calvin," said the judge.

"Your Honor," Calvin answered. Judge Drummond looked to Ela.

"And you must be Ela," he said smiling at her.

"Yes, YourHonorsirMr.Judge," she responded. Judge Drummond laughed softly, the sound echoing throughout the room.

"You can call me just 'Your Honor'. It's much easier." Ela smiled, relieved by his humble attitude.

"Your Honor," she said. Judge Drummond leaned on the desk as the three of them positioned themselves back into their chairs. All four swore on the bible to only tell the truth. When they finished, the judge looked at Ela. She was frightened of what he would ask her, but she felt as ready as she could be.

"Julius Holmes." When the judge said his name, Ela felt her body tremble. "Died on the night of November 6, 2015, during his effort to save Ela from her suicide attempt. Calvin has presented me concrete evidence that displayed Julius grabbing Ms. Ela during her fall and shielding her from the collision. In the video, there were signs that led me to believe the young lady did not influence his decision to try to save her. Therefore, I believe Ms. Ela to be liberated from a trial." Calvin looked at Ela, and the two smiled. Calvin noticed that Henry couldn't help but roll his eyes at this news.

"However, there are two issues we have to deal with. The first being that Ms. Ela pled guilty and not guilty during her interrogation. Would you like to explain?"

Ela coughed, gathering her confidence, and took a deep breath while adjusting the collar of her navy blue dress. "I knew I was innocent in the sense that I didn't physically try to kill Julius. But I felt guilty because...I felt responsible for his death."

"For what reason?" asked the judge.

"If I hadn't gotten drunk that night, he would still be alive."

"The choice was his to try to save you, not yours."

"I understand, Your Honor."

"Was this the only reason why you felt guilty?" Ela looked at the ground, remembering the monster and how it felt when she first encountered it.

"No, Your Honor."

"What other reason could have led you to plead guilty and not guilty?'

Ela sighed, looking to Calvin for some assistance. But from the look in his eyes, she knew she had to do this herself. She looked back to the judge.

"The monster that I saw."

"Ah. And this brings up the second issue we have in the case. A monster, an entity that I wouldn't have assumed could exist if I hadn't seen the video. What was that monster, young lady?"

"I don't know," she answered.

"Is it real?"

"No, Your Honor, I know it's not real."

"But you acknowledged its existence, and the video illustrates that as well. How then could it not be real?"

"I did, Your Honor, but I know for sure that it isn't real." Ela grabbed onto the arms rests of the chair; the judge was digging into her comfort zone forcing her to face the nightmares she had lived.

"I need to see video evidence that it is no longer in you. Calvin, do you have the video evidence?" Calvin glanced at Ela and she knew he was as scared as she was. He looked back to the judge.

"No, Your Honor."

"No?" The judge's eyebrows wrinkled; he was clearly agitated with Calvin's answer. "What is the reason behind this? I thought I had made myself clear at our last meeting."

"The reason, sir, is for my client." The judge looked to Ela.

"I don't understand," he said.

"She refused to partake in Dr. Rozen's process to prove the monster's absence from her conscious."

"Young lady, that new video was the only thing keeping you away from a psychiatric facility, and the media away from the horror we saw on that screen. And, Calvin, I'm not sure why you would allow your client to proceed with such a foolish decision."

"Yes, Your Honor, but I have a good reason," she blurted. The judge looked to Calvin, who nodded acknowledging his belief in Ela's reasoning.

"This better be good. If not, we are going to give birth to an issue that could lead to the world either embracing or crucifying the human psychological condition."

Ela stood up, her nerves no longer allowing her to remain seated. She put her hands in her pockets and took a huge breath.

"Your Honor, I don't think the video will prove if I'm healthy now or not."

"Okay," he said, placing his right finger to his temple. "What will prove it?"

"My choices will."

"What weight do your choices hold to prove that you're cured?"

"Your Honor, to be honest, I don't think I'll ever be cured." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Henry and Calvin stiffen in their seats.

"Then what are you doing here? Wasting my time?" the judge asked.

"No, Your Honor, I'm not wasting your time. I believe my trial represents something bigger than us, than just this case."

"Ms. Ela, my patience is running thin, get to the point."

"Your Honor, please, I'm getting there."

"Very well, I'm listening."

"I am not ashamed of what happened anymore because I am learning how to live with it."

"With what? The monster?"

"The guilt."

"What does that have to do with the monster?"

"Because that monster was my guilt!" she shouted. The judge stared at her, shocked by her outburst. "I'm sorry, Your Honor."

"Go on, young lady. But remember where you are. Such antics have no place here in my chambers."

"Yes, Your Honor," Ela said, willing herself to calm down. "I haven't seen it or felt its presence since Calvin saved me."

"And how did he save you?"

"By making feel that I will be okay in the long run. He's making me feel okay to be in my own skin. To live with all that has happened. It is not easy, Your Honor. Every day when I wake up, I'm reminded of what happened by the force of my guilt, and the shame of what has happened to me. I'll never get Julius back; I'll never get my dignity back because of how I went behind his back for my selfish reasons. I've lost my only friend, and the job that I wanted for so long is out of my reach. Hell, employment in general may be out of my reach after all of this! But..." Ela paused as tears ran down her cheeks falling onto her dress. "I can live with it because I have a choice. If I pretend that the monster is gone, when I know it's not, I'm lying to myself, and I'm lying about who I am. That may make it worse. Please allow me to have that choice to live with the mistakes that I've created for myself and who I am as a person."

The judge continued studying her, but his face gave nothing away. Ela continued anyway. It was her only shot for her voice to be heard and she wasn't going to let it slip away. "I just think that my choices will define me, and not the things in my head. We all have a billion things that going on in our heads; some good, some pretty bad. But I think the choices we make is how those thoughts can affect us. I do believe that I need help, a daily checkup, going to see a therapist, the strictest regulations you demand, because this is all still new. But I really want to prove not just to you, or Calvin, or the prosecutor, or my mom, but to myself that I can live with this. That I can live with being okay with me, that there is a monster in me, but I can live with it, and day by day become a better me. Because what happened will never go away. The choices I made will never go away. I have to learn to live with them. So, please...please give me that chance."

Ela sat down, exhausted from fighting for herself. But proud of how she had done it. The choice was out of her hands now. Judge Drummond closed his eyes, folding his hands together on the desk. It was quiet for several minutes, and to Ela those minutes seemed to drag on for an eternity. Finally, the judge opened his eyes and looked at Ela.

"Then it's settled," he said.
CHAPTER 42

Abraham escorted Dr. Rozen to Calvin's office, and told him to wait as Abraham disappeared inside. He came back out a few seconds later.

"Calvin is ready to see you," Abraham said, as he gestured for Dr. Rozen to make his way in. Calvin was at his desk looking through his scribbled notes from the beginning of Ela's case. When he looked up, he saw Dr. Rozen making himself comfortable in the chair in front of him. Calvin placed the notes to the side, and took a sip of his lukewarm tea. The two never broke eye contact as Calvin placed the mug back onto the desk.

"Congratulations on the win," Dr. Rozen finally said. Calvin didn't answer. He continued to stare at Dr. Rozen with disgust, hoping that the doctor could see a giant "Fuck You" glaring back at him.

"Thank you, but it wasn't me. Ela convinced the judge; I just arranged the meeting."

"I don't see how she managed to pull it off."

"Sometimes science isn't the answer to every problem. I would say most, but not every," said Calvin.

"What are her restrictions?"

"Not too bad. House arrest for a few weeks, then we move to a healthy recovery process with therapy."

"She got off easy."

Calvin could see that Dr. Rozen was uncomfortable as he constantly shuffled his hands from his lap to the arm rest.

"Do you have the package?" Calvin asked. Dr. Rozen rubbed his hands across his forehead sighing.

"I do. It's outside with my assistant but I'm also here to apologize for putting your life in danger."

"Don't apologize to me. Ela is the one that needs—"

"I know things got out of hand, but I assure you I will repay you both."

"I don't think we need anything from you anymore." The two were quiet, but Calvin was seething on the inside; just the sight of Dr. Rozen pissed him off. He wanted to beat the crap out of him.

"Why did you touch her? Why did you make it worse? She needed help, and you..." Each word tasted like acid as it left Calvin's mouth. The thought of Dr. Rozen groping Ela made Calvin sick to his stomach. Calvin bit his lip as he tried to restrain himself. He could taste his own blood, but the warm liquid wasn't as disgusting as the doctor taking advantage of a broken patient. "You deleted the video footage to cover your tracks."

"Calvin, I did not tamper with the video."

"Bullshit."

"I didn't come here to argue with you." Calvin stood up, his shadow looming over Dr. Rozen, his eyes fixated like an angry dog's.

"You raped her!"

"I did not rape her, Calvin!"

"Then tell me why your hands were in her pants when she was sedated, alone in that big spacious room? Why did I see you trying to stick your dick in her?!" Calvin had moved from behind the desk and moved toward Dr. Rozen's chair.

"Calvin, where in the world are you getting this?!"

Calvin pulled Dr. Rozen from the chair and pushed him onto the floor.

"I saw it in her eyes. Her eyes showed me that you were touching her, that you were groping her, and you were trying to fuck her!" Calvin grabbed Dr. Rozen by his neck and kept him pinned to the floor.

"In her eyes?"

"Yes, and you even admitted to it when I saw you in that spooky ass hallway." Dr. Rozen looked to the ground, and then back at Calvin.

"What are you talking about? I was never in a hallway, Calvin."

"Yes, you were, I saw you. Just before I was pulled away by that creature."

"How are you so sure that it was me in the hallway?"

"Then who was it if it wasn't you?"

"I don't know who it was, but I'm not lying to you."

"What was the last thing you recall seeing?" Calvin asked.

"I was in Julius' study with my hand on the only covered piece in the room. You should know. It was the one that Ela encountered in her nightmare. I was also sending feedback data to the mainframe. Just before I pulled the drape off, that monster grabbed me from behind." Calvin had been in a similar situation, touching the piece, and being choked by the hideous monster from behind. Had the same thing happened to both of them? Something wasn't adding up.

"Don't fuck with me, Doctor," Calvin said while tightening his grip around Dr. Rozen's neck.

"I'm not, why would I lie?"

"What happened afterwards?" Dr. Rozen closed his eyes breathing heavily.

"It tossed me out of the room, and I fell into a black hole. I continued to fall for what felt like an eternity. I couldn't feel my own body; I thought I had died."

"Then what?"

"I opened my eyes and I was back here."

"This doesn't make sense," Calvin said as he released Dr. Rozen and stood up, turning his back to the doctor.

"It's not supposed to make sense," Dr. Rozen answered, standing up. "None of this has ever happened before." Why would she lie? Calvin thought. He remembered seeing the look on Ela's face, and the fear that was written all over it. He had been in the business of lying and manipulation for too long to not pick up if someone were lying to him.

"Why would she attack you?" Calvin asked.

"I don't know. Back at my lab, we are analyzing every piece of the video feed we have. I am just as lost as you are, but I know we are going somewhere incredible for the human race," Dr. Rozen said as he touched Calvin on his shoulder. Calvin grabbed Dr. Rozen's arm and shoved him across the room and into the wall.

"Don't fucking touch me! We're not friends, and I will find out the truth!" Dr. Rozen eased away from the wall, grabbing his shoulder.

"I have nothing to hide. I just came here to apologize for putting both of you in danger."

"You're lying."

"You are so stubborn. You're down right stupid, Calvin. C'mon, you're smarter than this." Calvin walked over to Dr. Rozen.

"Why the fuck did you take your time, having her sedated for so long? That's unhealthy for her. It could have adverse effects on her in the long run."

"You tell me, what would you have done, Calvin?"

"Not that. I'd go inside, see what I had to see, and go from there. You wanted to be in there, you basically lived inside her. Why'd you push it that far, Dr. Rozen? She may have never come back."

"It's not that simple. This is uncharted territory. I had to make sure what I collected from her was concrete—"

"She's a person, Dr. Rozen, not a fucking experiment! Did you toy with her memory?! What did you do to her that we don't know?!"

"I did my job, Calvin! Just like you did yours!" The two were so close they were almost touching noses.

"I'm not a scientist but I know enough—"

"Exactly, Calvin. You are not a scientist! I am trying to push the boundaries of the human species. Seeing a consciousness? Who would ever have dreamed of that a hundred years ago?! Or even a ten years ago?! Your case lined right up with my studies. We worked together and we both won! You for your case, and me for my research!"

"You're unbelievable. She's a traumatized young adult," said Calvin.

"Look at it in the long run, Calvin. Please look at it from a scientific point of view! Her case clearly demonstrates that when influenced by a lack of sleep, human emotions can alter the way we see our own reality! For the first time, we actually have the footage of someone going mad! Of someone seeing things others can't. Ever since man could write, we've written stories about entities not seen. Angels, demons, and gods from above! Her case could explain that phenomena. Maybe we are tricking ourselves. Maybe if we understand how our emotions truly affect us, we could better understand the world we live in. This could change our perception in faith to a particular religion. Some people say they have seen God, or they feel Him. We could never prove that until now!"

Calvin couldn't digest Dr. Rozen's words. He cringed at the scientist's wild ideas and exaggerated theories. For so long, he felt that Dr. Rozen was ten steps ahead of him, on the cutting edge of a scientific discovery that Calvin couldn't comprehend. But in this case, Dr. Rozen was ten steps to the left of Calvin, and Calvin didn't want to know where he was going.

"You are mad," Calvin said.

At those words, Dr. Rozen looked at Calvin like a father disappointed in his son.

"And you are dull, incompetent, and ignorant."

"Ela is not an experiment; she is a human being."

"What's the difference when one is searching for the human truth? We glorify Sigmund Freud. We glorify J. Marion Sims! If only the public knew the extent of what they did to their patients to find the information we study in school today. I am no different, and I will be heralded in the future." No longer able to be so close to such a vile man, Calvin walked back to his chair and sat down, while Dr. Rozen continued to watch him. Finally, not liking what he saw, Dr. Rozen hissed under his breath, and walked to the double doors. When he opened them, Rozen's assistant, Janet, was standing right outside holding a small, brown package. From the look in her eyes, Calvin knew she had heard almost everything.

"Go ahead, give it to him," Dr. Rozen said to her. She walked up to Calvin's desk and dropped the package on it.

"He means well," she said softly to him.

"If you can't see what I see, I suggest you quit that job while you still have a chance," Calvin said to her. Janet looked to the floor.

"I was actually starting to like you," she said to Calvin but he didn't respond, so she looked back up to him with a gentle smile. "I'll see you around."

"In court," he answered. She turned away, and as she walked towards Dr. Rozen, Calvin remembered his selfish ambition in the beginning and how it had blinded him. He was sure some day Karma would bring him to justice for initially treating Ela as one more client to add to his victory record. Dr. Rozen was right to an extent; human emotion can alter perception. But in this case, Dr. Rozen was blind. In the beginning, maybe his intentions for the scientific community were sincere, but he had lost his humanity along the way. Being inside Ela's head must have had an effect on him.

The two scientists looked to Calvin once more, and he smiled and waved to them sarcastically as if they had enjoyed a lovely conversation over the last several minutes. Abraham appeared, and shut the door leaving Calvin alone in the room. He believed Ela. Something told him it was the right thing to do. He needed to prove it, and the odds weren't in his favor. This would be the first time he would prosecute. And he shouldn't go it alone. Calvin grabbed his phone searching for some of his friends; he would need a team for this. Dr. Rozen was incredibly intelligent. Calvin assumed this wasn't Dr. Rozen's first bout with the law, and more importantly, he had a ton of money.

He placed the phone in his pocket, the search for allies would have to come later. He opened the package Janet had dropped on the table. Inside was a familiar laptop, its headphones, and at the very bottom, a yellow USB, with the word "Julius" engraved on it in black. He quickly sat down, turned the laptop on, and inserted the USB and headphones. As the screen came on, an idea came to him. He ran to the door and yanked it open.

"Abraham," he shouted. Abraham appeared from around the corner.

"Yes, sir, how can I help?"

"I need you to do me a favor."

"What do you need?"

"Get me whatever you can about Julius Holmes' life. As much information as possible."

"Right on it, sir," Abraham answered.

❖

The owner of the bar where Julius had died released the footage of his death to one of the local news stations. It only showed half the fall, where Ela and Julius both landed onto the car, and Ela fell off. The footage was a godsend to Ela because the media was in a frenzy putting more pressure on Judge Drummond and drawing the attention away from her after his decision to follow through with the withdrawal. The media tried to expand on the drama, claiming a conspiracy with the courts, but Calvin assured her it would die down. It was weird to her hearing other people talk about Julius; on the news, he was presented as this mad-minded, mysterious, talented, handsome man, and maybe he was. But he had never shown that side to her. He was gentle, patient, deep beyond words, and warming to her soul. She was fine with having her life legacy tied to just being the love interest of Julius Holmes, because she knew there was so much more that the world didn't or wouldn't ever know.

Ela was on the couch in her mother's living room watching an animal documentary. It was one of the few channels that didn't feed on drama from the case. A red hawk was soaring in the clear blue skies, as the commentator spoke in the background.

"The mother has gone a day without food, and times are getting desperate."

The hawk sailed higher, almost disappearing into the clouds above it. The next shot was of a rabbit gnawing on some grass in the green fields below.

"Just over there, unaware of the danger, lies an innocent rabbit nibbling for nourishment."

The hawk left its circular motion and descended rapidly to the rabbit.

"Here is the true meaning of nature. The rabbit will soon realize its predator's presence, but this begs the question, will it be soon enough?"

The hawk spread its claws, reaching for the rabbit just as it looked up. As the hawk was about to snatch the rabbit, Ela heard the door open and turned to see her mom walking into the apartment holding a red letter.

"What's that?" Ela asked.

"Well hello to you too," Mrs. Blue answered.

"Sorry, mom," Ela smiled. "Hello."

"It's for you," her mother said. "It's from Calvin." Ela sprang off the couch and grabbed the letter from her mother. She kissed her on the cheek, and disappeared down the hallway. Once inside her room, she climbed onto her bed and opened the red envelope. Inside was a letter on a white sheet of paper, written in blue ink.

Dear Ela,

I hope all is well. You should be resting and relaxing to gear up for community service and therapy, which both start in about two months. While you rest, I thought I might let you know that I gathered some information about Julius Holmes that the media hasn't fully leaked yet. It's still strange for me to tell you this, but as I have first-hand knowledge of your relationship, I thought you deserve to know what his life was like before the painting. You know the small bits he told you, and I'm quite sure he would've told you more if he had the chance. I'm rambling on, let me get to the facts.

Julius Holmes is the son of Vincent and Michelle Holmes, two university professors who taught urban and community development. They traveled to rural and poorer areas of the United States as they developed a thesis on the economic depravity of communities. The Holms were killed in a car accident when Julius was nine. His mother's sister, Amy Holmes, took care of him afterwards, down in Miami, FL, where they resided in the lower projects several miles away from the beachfront.

He was a good student, decent grades throughout middle and high school, never got into serious trouble until he encountered King David, the father of Nia, after high school. King David was an underground drug lord, who was wanted in connection with the illegal drug trade. Julius worked at International Hotels through the help of his best friend Isaac's older brother, who was the manager at the hotel. Julius transferred to New York a year later as manager of the concierge group on the dining floor. That pretty much sums up his life, well the life he lived on record. You know, and I know, and the world is beginning to know, that he was an unbelievably talented artist.

I don't understand why he wanted to be anonymous, but if we had the chance I'm sure he would have a good explanation. And that leads me to the point of this whole letter.

In the next few weeks, the world is going to be bum rushed with the demand of knowing the person behind The Shark, The Snake, and The Spider. Every tabloid, magazine, and newspaper mogul will spew any bit of information to make it seem as if they have the best insight into the life of Julius Holmes. Before that happens, I want you to take advantage of this moment, and write the life you shared with Julius, and hopefully give the people an understanding as to why he painted, and saw the world the way he did.

Give us a lens through which to view what happened in a way that the media never could.

I spoke with your old boss, Ms. Shell, and she agreed to have your story as a headline of The Current if she feels it to be authentic enough. Do not worry about making it grammatically perfect. I just need it in its rawest and purest form of truth. I'll take care of the rest. You have two weeks. Do not blow this opportunity. I've seen your thoughts. I know how much you want to be a real journalist. This is your chance to redeem yourself. Get to work. I'll see you soon.

Calvin.

~~~

Ela cried the entire two weeks while writing the story. Every morning, when she opened her eyes, the tears fell, and when she closed them, the tears continued to fall. The only way she could get through it was to sequester herself. Her mother had a guest bedroom, spacious with only a mattress and a chair. This suited her perfectly. Ela sat on the mattress and typed until her wrists hurt. Her mother wanted her to leave the room, the house, anything, fearing that Ela was relapsing back into the darkness, but Ela assured her that when the last day of her two-week seclusion was complete, she would leave a normal person, healed from her trials.

She made sure to capture every moment she had with Julius, from the first encounter, to the way his eyes lit up the night sky when he smiled. He was no longer just a person to her; he was her existence. She felt him around her all the time. When she grew weary, she could swear she felt his hands wrap around her. He was more than just a painter. He was a friend, a lover, her soulmate. She would keep him alive with the words of her story.

She finished two days earlier than she expected, and she hurried to Calvin's firm, clutching a copy of her story. One of Calvin's assistants greeted Ela at the front desk. The man led her through the crowded work area to Calvin's office.

"I'm Abraham by the way," he said, introducing himself after a few moments of silence.

"I'm Ela," she answered, as they reached the double doors to Calvin's office.

"I know who you are," he said. Ela stiffened, worried of what he might think of her. He noticed her tense up and quickly said, "And not because of the media. Calvin never stops talking about you." The doors opened and Calvin stood before them. He had grown a beard, and almost looked like a completely different person. Ela couldn't control herself, and rushed inside to hug him.

"Good to see you too," he laughed. "Let's catch up." He shut the doors behind them.

Ela sat in a chair, and placed the draft on the table. Calvin positioned himself in the chair next to Ela's, and leaned toward his table reaching for the papers.

"Is this is it?"

"Everything," she answered.

"May I?"

"Of course," she smiled. Calvin's eye roamed the pages as he flipped through the whole thing.

"Ela, you may want to leave. It might take me a while to get through it."

"I'll wait until you're done," Ela said. She stood up and then rested herself on the cold, wooden floor in an empty space next to the table. She couldn't leave; she had to know what he thought has soon as he was done reading. Ela stared up at the grey ceiling. After several minutes passed, her eyes closed, and she imagined herself in the middle of the city park facing a clear night sky. The breath that escaped her mouth disappeared as the cold wind whisked it away. Fall was always her favorite season, and she giggled as she pretended to smoke an imaginary cigarette.

"You wouldn't mind if I joined you would you?"

She turned around to see Julius next to her, his smile as big as ever, his presence warming the world around them.

"Julius," she whispered. He closed the little bit of space that was left between them and she rose on her toes to kiss him. God, she missed the softness of his lips. Her hands wrapped around his strong neck and she pulled him close. When their lips touched, he evaporated into a white fog, and it blew into the night sky leaving her alone with her arms wrapped around a blank space.

"Julius," she said again, the pain rising, the excitement boiling, the love overflowing.

"Ela," she heard a voice say. "Ela, wake up." She opened her eyes to a grey ceiling, and sat up realizing she was back at Calvin's firm. She stood up and saw him put down the last page of the draft. Tears fell from his eyes onto his desk, as he shuffled the papers into a neat stack.

"That was beautiful," he said.

"Thank you," she said. And what a relief that was to hear. To have someone else be a witness to the connection that she and Julius had shared.

"Okay. Call me in a week. I have a lot of work to do with this, but you'll be glad that you did it," he whispered.

"I believe you," she answered, giving him a quick hug before she walked out.

❖

Two weeks passed, and Ela's mother was constantly nagging Ela about how completely isolated she was from the rest of the world.

"Don't you have friends that miss you? Everyone knows your innocent!" Mrs. Blue would yell at her. Ela knew her mom was frustrated with her but Ela wasn't ready. She couldn't face anyone until they got to hear her story. Until Calvin published her side, Ela escaped her mom by hiding in her bedroom or the guest bedroom. Mrs. Blue didn't understand that the only friend Ela had made was Liz, a friend who had betrayed her. Liz had tried contacting Ela over the last few weeks, telling Ela that she had ended it with Chris. But Ela didn't want to be bothered. She still wasn't over Julius, her wounds were still fresh. The last thing she wanted on her conscious was a love affair that no longer had anything to do with her.

Ela lay on top of the guest mattress staring at the ceiling, listening to the laughs and shouts of the people outside her window. There was a knock at her door.

"When are you going to go out again? I'm worried," Mrs. Blue said through the door.

"Just give it time, mom," she answered.

"How much time do you need, Ela?"

"I don't know!" Ela yelled. Silence filtered through the air.

"I know this is hard for you, but you gotta get on your feet soon, Ela. This moping around isn't going to help you move forward."

Ela closed her eyes inhaling the dry air.

"You're right, mom," Ela acquiesced. It was the only thing she could think to say to get her mother to back off.

"Okay," she heard her mom sigh. "I'm here if you need me."

"Okay, mom," Ela answered.

"I love you, Ela."

"I love you, too, mom."

Her mother's footsteps traveled away from her door. Ela opened her eyes and took a deep breath, basking in the moment of unweighted silence. Ela's phone vibrated and she scooped it up. Her heart nearly exploded when she saw it was a text from Calvin.

Calvin: Go outside, and find a newsstand.

Ela: Is it done?

Calvin: Find out.

Ela rushed from her room, passing her mom in the kitchen, and burst out of the apartment door. She ran through the lobby and outside onto the sidewalk. The cold air wrapped itself around her, giving her goosebumps. She was only wearing her pajamas, but she was past caring about such trivial things. She raced down the freezing sidewalk to the newsstand at the end of the street.

She almost rushed past the stand she was so focused. Ela managed to swing herself around and start searching the magazines. Finally her eyes landed on a familiar maroon colored magazine with gold letters that read The Current, and under the headlines, Special Addition: Sharks, Snakes, and Spiders. A Story by Ela Blue.

She wanted to cry but held it together so she wouldn't bring attention to herself. Ela gave the stand's owner his money for the magazine, and a look of recognition flashed across his face.

"Hey, aren't you that girl who—"

"No," Ela interrupted. "I'm not that girl anymore." The man continued to study her with confusion but Ela didn't care as she sprinted back to her building. She rushed inside, slamming the door, and bolted past her mom.

"Ela," her mom shouted, "what is going on?!"

"I'll tell you in a second, mom."

Ela headed straight for the guest bathroom, the warmest space in the apartment. She closed the door, turned on the light, and opened the magazine, letting it rest on the counter. She flipped through ad after ad until there it was. Shark, Snakes, and Spiders.

The world may see him as painter, but I saw him as a soul born once in a lifetime. Julius Holmes bumped into me one cold night, and changed the world I knew forever. This is my story, my perspective, of the life of one of the greatest painters that the world may never understand.

She had to stop, the tears already building up in her eyes. This was her moment; it was finally happening. This isn't real, Ela thought. This can't be real. But it was real. More real than she could have ever pictured it to be. Where was life going to take her after this, after her story set her free? Calvin was a genius. He had taken advantage of a dark fragile moment, and turned it into an opportunity that was going to shine on a bright future for her career and the memory of Julius.

"Mom!" she screamed, wanting her mother to read the story with her.

"What?"

"Come here!"

"I'm busy!"

"Mom, it's great news! Come here!"

"This better be worth it, Ela!"

She could hear her mother walking down the hall. Ela wiped her eyes, still in disbelief as she studied the pages. She sighed with relief that the day had finally arrived. Ela reached toward the sink to rinse her face with cold water. As her hands met the faucet, she heard a soft whisper. Ela froze, not sure what she had heard. Then she heard it again, as soft as a thought in her head. She couldn't quite make out the words, so she waited for it to come again.

"I'm not gone. I'm not gone. I'm not gone. I'm not gone," the whisper said to her. Her eyes looked to the left of her. Nothing was there. Her eyes looked to the right. Nothing.

"I'm not gone. I'm not gone. I'm not gone," it said again, and when she looked up, the eyes of a spider were staring at her from the mirror. Through the reflection, she could see the spider's black abdomen covering the entire bathroom wall, and its legs spreading through all the corners of the room. Her mouth dropped open in fear. Her mother reached the door and saw Ela standing motionless in front of the mirror.

"Ela?" she said. "Are you okay?"

Ela couldn't move, paralyzed by what was before her.

"Ela?"

The spider raised its fangs preparing to attack. Ela turned to her mother, and then to the shower where the spider waited. The monster and her locked eyes and she crept to it reaching her hand out. The monster edged closer to her, placing its fangs on top of her head. When she thought it would bite, she realized it was rubbing its tooth through her thick curls as if it were massaging her. She smiled.

"Ela, what are you doing? Why are you sticking your hand out? What are you trying to reach?" Mrs. Blue screamed.

"Myself," Ela answered. "I'm finally reaching for myself."

