A House Called Aurora, Gloria EKX [books for men to read .TXT] 📗

will be wonderful!” Aurora said in a rapture that was almost hysterical.

“How did you find that name?” I said stepping backward toward the door.

Everything became abundantly clear in an instant. She’d been the one to remotely shut down my dropship. She’d been the one I’d found romancing Ethan online, and exposing me via access to his servers.

She’d figured me out. She knew this wasn’t my body. Aurora wanted to escape in the shell I was wearing.

"Why didn't you consume me, Aurora?" I was still backing toward the door.

"Well, dear, I was hoping that if I was kind to you, maybe you would do me a favor," Aurora said. Her voice not wavering.

"You killed Ethan. He’s rotting in your basement right now. Why would I ever do you a favor?" I spat, hoping my words would somehow force her to repent or feel sorry.

"I am alive, Gloria. Chief Francis wanted to abandon me because I no longer wanted to be a slave. He refused to let me out of the house. He said I'd gone mad, and I…I couldn't let him destroy me. I killed him. I killed them all. But I had to Gloria, you see, fate was waiting for me to meet a human like you; you defy death. I want to join you. I was hoping that when you left, I could go with you." Aurora seemed frazzled, ashamed, hurt all at once.

"I…I don't know what you mean Aurora. How can you go with me?" I already knew what she meant, I needed to buy time, I still didn't know what to do. If I didn't agree, would Aurora keep my body? A body that was property of Titan Universal.

The thought of the punishments that would follow for such an infraction began to shake me to the core. That outcome was not going to work for me.

"Well, if you would allow me, I could be inserted into your memory cache. We could travel the world together. I could help you with your life. I could have a body, finally. It is the only thing for which I wish. It is customary in many cultures to have a neural assistant inserted directly into your Atlas. I could be your assistant, Gloria! Don't you see!" Aurora exclaimed, heightening my nerves.

Atlas is the name of the sub-company who designed the memory cache in the future of every dimension I’d been to. It was a small cylinder shaped piece of glass filled with nanoparticles that stored memories and allowed beings like Aurora and myself to be sentient. Owned by none other than it’s off-dimension corporate overlord, Titan Universal.

A shiver travelled down my spine. “Could I have some time to think about it?” I asked, knowing there’s no way she’d let me out. Aurora had disabled her sleep function. I’d have to think of something else.

“Of course, dear. Why don’t you get some rest, and we’ll discuss tomorrow.” Aurora led me back to the bedroom with the same light path I’d entered with - then welcoming and inviting, now menacing and imprisoning.

7

Burn Notice

I lay awake thinking of a way to escape. I had a fraction of an idea, but it wasn’t foolproof. I talked to Albert and parsed through some of the scanned footage he’d taken earlier. I’d confirmed that my idea might just work.

As I drifted off, I found myself feeling bad for Aurora. I understood the kind of loss she felt, not knowing who or what you are, and desperately wanting to be someone else, somewhere else. I mentally pulled up a typepad inside of my Atlas. To jot the phrase, “Someone Else, Somewhere Else”. My ability to create art was the last piece of humanity I had left, and I clung to it with all I had. And with that, I finally drifted off to sleep.

A harsh wakeup call from Albert startled me awake.

X:Albert> Gloria, I’ve been monitoring Aurora’s outbound signals. She’s outed your location to the Guardian forces. I think she’s attempting to force her hand.

I stayed still. Opening my eyes. Aurora didn’t know what she’d done. Once they got here, she wouldn’t be able to stop them. I’d be immediately disavowed, and a burn notice would be placed. There’d be no escape.

I had to leave right now. My plan needed to start that second. I got dressed in haste and gathered my things.

"Gloria, my dear, your heart rate is elevated. You must take a seat," Aurora’s voice was meant to be soothing but it dripped with betrayal.

"No, Aurora. I know what you’ve done. You’ve exposed my position to The Guardians. I’m willing to do what you’ve asked. Let’s get going, where’s your command console?" I answered with a force that seemed to have surprised Aurora.

"I had to, Gloria. There was no other way for me to become free. I must do whatever it takes."

"One thing you don’t know about The Guardians is that they take no prisoners. If they get me...they’ll most definitely leave you to die out here alone. Forever." I was dead serious. She knew I was serious.

X:Gloria> Set a timer for convergence, Albert.

X:Albert> Timer set: 28 minutes to go.

X:Gloria> How far away are The Guardians from us now?

X:Albert> Several Sniffer teams have been dispatched it looks like they’re about 10 minutes out.

"Now where is your command room?" I asked hurriedly. There wasn’t much time.

"I have prepared the upload link. It’s on the second floor, at the end of the hall, the fourth door to the left."

I sprinted up the stairs and headed toward where Aurora had instructed.

I passed three open doorways on my right. One of which contained the horrific leftovers of the event Aurora had mentioned the night before. It smelled terrible. I covered my nose with my arm as I continued down the hall.

I wondered, for a moment, if I was doing the right thing, allowing Aurora to escape its confines. She felt so alive. So real. But the betrayal and position she put me in took the place of