There are no worse lies than the ones we tell ourselves. Knowing that your own brain can play tricks on you and deceive you just to avoid the pain of the truth is terrifying.

"In the end, you can't even trust yourself...."

"I have high hopes for you, 37-SX4."

I can't remember how many times Dr. Alpha-4 has said the same thing with a smile on her lips, especially when I manage to push my own limits, no matter how much it hurts....

"Blessed virtue...".

Normally nothing matters, but today that, especially that, much less. Now the only thing that matters is finding a way out of this labyrinth while the white worms chase me.

"37-SX4, stop" says the oneirographic image of the doctor. "We don't have to go through all of this...."

I could tell she's worried by the expression on her face, but her eyes are dead, even in the digital image.

I step through the illusory body and find myself face to face with three white worms pointing their guns at me. Because of the helmets I can't see their eyes, but I don't need to see to know. My whole body is screaming, and my powers are activated more by instinct than will.

They fire without warning, but I am ready:

«Byrninkuptr»

My voice is a desperate cry that drives the magic harder than normal. The anti-magic bullets twist in the air and are destroyed. I won't deny that the sound of the worms' necks snapping gives me pleasure. ....

Suddenly, a voice... another voice... a familiar one....

"I'm scared!"

"NOO!" I can't stop screaming.

I scream and cry; my eyes burn like never before.

"Rahel" the doctor finally calls my name, "please stop..."

Her voice bouncing around inside my brain like a ghostly, painful echo makes me scream again:

"ENOUGH!" I plead as I clench my head and run away again. "ENOUGH!"

"Sister, please..."

It's her again, pleading with me. I don't want to believe, but... I have to believe....

"NOT HER, NOT LUCIA!" I scream desperately for the doctor to hear me: "SHE'S JUST A GIRL, SHE'S JUST A GIRL!"

Alpha-4 replies:

"If you stop right now and come to your senses... I promise you the girl will be fine."

Yet I don't hear that last sentence in my head, but behind my back. When I turn around, I can see her walking in my direction with Lucia holding her hand.

"I give up" I sob before falling to my knees; immediately two worms come up to me and inject something in my neck: "I... give up."

"Back to the breeding lab," the doctor orders.

The guards start dragging me away.

For an instant my eyes meet little Lucia's, and I can see the fear in them. Is it real, or is it another lie built in my head? I can't run away from her fear, deep as the night, as deep as my own darkness, and with my last strength, sheltering in the hope that I don't know the answer to my question, I try to send her a thought as if she were a vessel of myself:

«Don't love, don't trust...», I throw at fate.

Maybe one day I will know if I was wrong...