A Game of Tag and Tangled Minds
Even if I had figured out the nature of Shine's ability, it didn't change a thing. I slid a little further away from Shine, who was sitting right next to me. The way she looked at me was beginning to shift subtly. A mentalist—one of those incredibly rare espers. And without a doubt, she belonged to the highest tier, capable of directly interfering with another person's mind. All my inexplicable behavior lately... the memories of me acting like a total toddler in the past began to rush back. I couldn't tell exactly what she had done to me, but she had twisted my consciousness and actions without me even realizing it. It was a terrifying power, to say the least. Come to think of it, there had been more than a few oddities. When I first started working at the laboratory, Shine had something similar to my power-dampening cuff fastened around her neck. But as time passed, that collar had vanished at some point. And not a single soul in that place had ever questioned it.
"Jeff."
Her voice trembled slightly. Once again, static began to bleed into my mind.
"You...!"
I scrambled to my feet. The power-dampening cuff didn't work on her. No, for a brief moment, I had broken free of her control. I hurriedly hid behind Amy's back. Instantly, the static filling my head vanished.
"Girls?"
Amy asked, bewildered, as a breathless game of tag unfolded around her. Shine spun around Amy's body, desperately trying to catch me. I spun around Amy just as desperately, determined not to be caught. Round and round we went. The chase continued until we were both on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion.
"Whew... hah..."
Collapsing a safe distance away from Shine, I fell to my knees. Shine sank to the floor as well, panting heavily. My pathetic stamina. This little girl's body was so weak that even a brief sprint made my heart feel like it was about to burst.
"Are you two playing tag?"
Amy asked. I didn't have the breath to answer. My lungs, squeezed to their absolute limit, screamed for fresh air. I gasped, my mouth hanging wide open as the cold air rushed in, circulating through my entire body.
"Well, I should be going," Amy said, standing up. I frantically reached out to her.
"No!"
My fingertips caught on fabric. I managed to grab the hem of Amy's shirt. I gripped the loose fabric tightly, refusing to let go. The oversized shirt stretched, exposing her entire shoulder.
"Hmm?"
Amy turned around. Still panting, I blurted out, "You can't leave!"
She couldn't leave. If she did, something terrible would happen. If she stepped out of this room, I would undoubtedly revert to being that dumb, hot-tempered, toddler-like Jeff. I couldn't explain why. The sheer frustration of it all made tears well up in my eyes. If Shine's ability were exposed, I would never be able to return to the laboratory. And the same would go for Shine. That was the nature of mentalists—their powers were envied and feared by everyone.
"Jeff."
Shine had crept close to me before I knew it. The faint static laced in her voice began to burrow into my head. What on earth was she thinking? I couldn't even begin to guess her goal. I quickly hid behind Amy once more.
"Alright, that's enough, isn't it?"
Amy reached out and grabbed me by the scruff of my neck. My movements ground to a halt, and Shine's arms wound around mine.
"Eek!"
I shrieked, trying to wrench my arm free. In that exact moment, static flooded my brain. A sharp, high-pitched ringing echoed in my ears. Eeeeee—
"Jeff?"
A voice called out from above. I answered Amy's call blankly.
"Yes...?"
"What's wrong?"
I looked around in a daze. Jeff. That was my name. And at the edge of my vision, I saw the face of a girl who looked exactly like me. Shine. My... my sister. Sister?
Bzzzt—
"Are you too scared to sleep?"
The scene began to shift. I let myself drift along with the fluid transition, my mind completely blank.
"Huh...?"
Before I knew it, I was lying in a plush bed. Amy was on my right, and Shine was on my left. The soft touch of the tangled blankets and a cozy warmth enveloped me from both sides. My eyes fluttered shut. A wave of exhaustion washed over me. I squirmed, burying myself deeper under the covers. I felt like something difficult had happened today... but I couldn't remember.
"Jeff," Shine whispered in my ear, making me shrink back. Her voice tickled my ear. The warm breath brushing against my neck was almost too much to bear, making my toes curl.
"Mmm...?"
"Jeff, you're my family."
At her whispered words, I nodded naturally. A small hand reached over and covered my eyes.
"Goodnight, Jeff."
My consciousness slowly drifted back. Rustling sounds echoed near my ears, the soft friction of blankets sliding away.
"Wake up, girls!"
A cheerful voice pierced the quiet room. The world suddenly brightened. Shielding my eyes from the blinding fluorescent light, I tried to burrow back under the covers.
"Ugh..."
A faint groan slipped from my lips. But my attempt to escape into the cozy blankets was ruthlessly thwarted as Amy yanked them away.
"It's too bright..." I whined, covering my eyes with both hands.
"Time to get up. Don't you want breakfast?"
Breakfast. Breakfast... I remembered skipping it often, but I felt like I ate it more often than not. Hazy memories flickered. When I ate at the laboratory, I usually headed to the convenience store. The laboratory. Going to work.
"Ah!"
I bolted upright. The moment I sat up, panic seized me. This wasn't a familiar sight. A strange room. Cute, charming decorations scattered about. I scanned my surroundings with anxious eyes.
"Jeff."
Shine's voice drifted over. My anxiety subsided as quickly as it had come. Right. I didn't need to go to work anymore. The laboratory had been attacked. But wait, why was I here again?
Bzzzt—
The static returned, scattering my thoughts. As I sat there dazed, Amy took my hand and pulled me along.
Once in the bathroom, I began brushing my teeth alongside Shine. A girl stared blankly back at me from the mirror. Next to her, an identical girl was vigorously brushing away.
I raised my hand and tugged at my sleeve. When had I put on these pajamas? They were covered in cute cartoon characters, adorned with bright, frilly trim. A ridiculously adorable set of pajamas was draped over my body.
"Ptooey..."
I spat out the mouthful of white toothpaste foam. After rinsing my mouth, I quickly washed my face. As I patted my skin dry with a soft towel, Amy chimed in, "Let's go eat!"
I nodded. My stomach was just starting to rumble. Naturally, I reached my hand out to Shine.
"Let's go, Shine."
Shine hesitated for a moment. A tiny, gentle smile bloomed on her usually expressionless face. She then placed her small hand in mine, our fingers intertwining with a cozy warmth.
The moment we stepped into the hallway in our pajamas, eyes locked onto us.
"Amy, are you babysitting now?"
"Honestly, I wish that were the case."
As we walked down the corridor, people who looked like members of the resistance group called out to Amy. Casual banter ensued.
When we reached the cafeteria, we sat down at a large table. Once again, Amy went to fetch our trays. Left alone with Shine, I opened my mouth.
"Shine..."
"Yeah?"
Shine replied in a tone completely different from her usual self. The Shine I remembered was a silent girl. Even if I asked for her opinion or greeted her, she would never reply. That was the kind of girl she had been. But now, she was different.
"Something feels weird."
"What does?"
My memories were tangled. Shine's face wouldn't leave my mind.
"Never mind..." My voice trailed off.
A headache had been brewing since morning, making me crave coffee. No, scratch that. I wanted a cold cola.
After a simple breakfast, Amy brought us back to our room. She sat us down side-by-side and began asking basic questions.
"Since you said you can't remember your home address, could you tell me your parents' names?"
Isn't she asking this a bit late? I looked up at Amy with skeptical eyes.
"Do you not remember their names?"
She seemed to misinterpret my look. My parents' names? Just as she said, I didn't remember them. After all, I grew up in District 23.
"No," I replied.
"Hmm..." Amy rubbed her forehead with a serious expression.
"What about you, Shine?"
"I don't know either." Shine shook her head as well.
After asking a few more simple questions, Amy left the room.
Shine and I passed the time watching television. There seemed to be a lot of entertaining shows on these days. Perhaps bored of staring at the screen, Shine eventually began to doze off. I helped her over to the plush bed, tucked her in, and sat back down in front of the TV. This was fun.
"Wait..."
I abruptly stood up and shook my head. I didn't have time to sit around like this. I had to escape this place as soon as possible.
I began searching every corner of the room. I couldn't spot any cameras that looked like CCTVs, but I couldn't let my guard down. I glared at the dampening cuff on my wrist. If only I didn't have this on, I could have sent an electric current through the entire room to check for hidden cameras.
After checking to make sure Shine was fast asleep, I pulled out a notebook and some colored pencils from a nearby desk. I began to write a note so Shine wouldn't worry if she woke up.
I'm going out for a bit.
The white space on the notebook page caught my eye. It felt far too empty. So, I took out various colored pencils and began to doodle in the blank spaces. I drew a pig that looked exactly like Dr. Hebrum, along with the snacks we had eaten yesterday. Since I was bored, I drew Amy too.
"Ah...!"
I didn't have time for this! I scrambled to my feet, tossing the colored pencils aside. I crept toward the door and gently pushed it open. It wasn't locked. In fact, it swung wide open as if inviting me to leave whenever I pleased.
I poked my head through the crack. The hallway was bustling with people. I would have to start my exploration alone. Stepping out cautiously, I immediately felt countless eyes lock onto me. I pressed my back flat against the wall, trying to avoid their gazes, but their eyes followed my every move. I navigated the corridor, trying to dodge their stares. This unfamiliar territory filled me with dread. Perhaps because I was hugging the wall so closely, I ended up colliding with someone right at a corner.
"Oof..."
My fragile body tumbled to the floor, my butt throbbing with pain. I looked up to see who I had bumped into. Pink hair.
"Jeff?"
It was Amy. And just like that, my grand exploration came to an end. Caught red-handed, I was dragged right back to the room.