Controlling the Current
Power control.
"If you wander around on your own, you're going to get lost," Amy said, making me sit down. I avoided her gaze, looking exactly like a child who had just been caught red-handed. I was getting scolded by Amy, and Shine, who had just woken up, was watching the whole thing. The tips of my ears burned. A flush of heat spread over me. Having your embarrassing moments witnessed by someone else was incredibly humiliating.
"Where did you want to go?" Amy asked.
I hesitated for a moment before answering. "Outside..."
"Did you feel cooped up?"
I slowly nodded. Amy let out a soft chuckle and stroked my head, my fine hair rustling softly as it scattered beneath her touch.
"How long do I have to wear this?" I asked, lifting my arm toward Amy. A silver, glittering bracelet clung to my wrist. Amy caught my arm and gently caressed it.
"Just bear with it for a little longer. I'll take it off as soon as we can get you back home."
An empty promise. The home she was trying to find didn't exist. A girl named Jeff wouldn't have any official residency registration. The same was undoubtedly true for Shine. I let out a quiet sigh, making sure Amy didn't notice. Moving around on my own was no easy task. One day. Two days. Time kept slipping by. By the third day of our arrival, Amy had begun looking at Shine and me with an apologetic expression.
"Do you really not remember anything about your parents?"
I nodded. I wasn't lying. My memories began in the junkyard of District 23. I had no recollection of what my parents looked like. Shine seemed to be in the same boat, as she nodded too. Sitting behind me, Shine wrapped her arms around me. She had been initiating a lot of physical contact lately. Her overly natural clinginess felt a bit overwhelming. I gently pushed her away and picked up a cookie to eat. The sweet flavor of the cookie filled my mouth.
"Did you really make these, Amy?" I asked, my eyes widening in disbelief as I held up a cookie. The beautifully shaped treat gave off a mouth-watering aroma. With such a delicious snack in front of me, I couldn't think deeply about Amy's questions. Sitting in the oversized chair, I swung my short legs back and forth. Left and right, my legs swayed, and my body slowly rocked along with them.
"Jeff." Amy's tone shifted. I looked up at her as she stared down at me with a serious face. I couldn't answer because my mouth was stuffed full of cookie.
"Shine."
"Yeah." Shine didn't seem interested in eating; she was just playing with a cookie in her hands. The cookie, baked in the shape of a cute character, snapped in her grasp. After breaking off its arms and legs, Shine set it back down on the plate.
"If... we can't find your home, that is." Amy spoke cautiously. She carefully chose her words, worried she might hurt our feelings. "Would you like to stay here?"
My hand froze. An opportunity to leave this place had presented itself. I shook my head. Hurriedly swallowing the cookie in my mouth, I spoke. "N—?"
A sudden ringing in my ears. With a sharp, high-pitched whine, my vision blurred. I reached out and drank the warm milk from the large mug. The lingering sweetness of the cookie in my mouth was washed away by the milk.
"It's delicious."
"Huh?" At Amy's bewildered expression, I also looked confused. I couldn't remember what I had been doing just a moment ago.
"Is it really that good?" A smile spread across Amy's face. I returned the smile. Amy was a good person for treating us to such delicious cookies. I was starting to feel full, though.
"We'll stay here," Shine said, pushing her plate of cookies toward me. I looked at her with wide, surprised eyes.
"Eat."
"What about you, Shine?"
"I'm fine."
I got distracted by the delicious cookies again. Shine and Amy's conversation continued, but the only thing that mattered to me right now was the cookie on the plate. I picked it up and popped it into my mouth. A crispy, crunchy texture, followed by rich chocolate. The savory milk enveloped my tongue.
"Ah..." I stared at the plate in surprise. The cookies were gone. Where did they go? Where else? Straight into my stomach. I patted my bloated belly. I felt stuffed. If I ate any more, I was definitely going to throw up. "Ugh..." I slumped in the chair. Amy's voice drifting into my ears sounded muffled.
"Jeff." The voice came through clearly. I raised my head and answered. "Yeah?"
"You're fine with that too, right, Jeff?"
Only then did I look around. Amy's eyes were fixed on me.
"If Shine likes it, I like it too," I replied. Then, I touched my lips. Was that voice that just came out really mine? Could it have been Shine's voice instead?
Drip. Drip-drip.
Just then, a red line trailed down from beneath Shine's nose. Droplets of crimson fell, staining the snow-white tablecloth. A nosebleed? Blood? I stared blankly at Shine.
"Shine!" Amy's voice was urgent. She pulled out a tissue from nearby and wiped Shine's mouth. The metallic scent of red blood drifted through the air, staining the soft tissue red. The ringing in my head squirmed with a bizarre sensation. It felt like something was rummaging through my brain.
"I'm fine," Shine said, a small rolled-up tissue stuffed into her nostril.
Shortly after the minor commotion, Shine and I had our pictures taken. We were dressed neatly, as if posing for ID photos.
"Why are we taking these?" I asked, looking up at Amy.
She smoothed my hair and replied, "You need identification cards to live here."
"ID cards?"
ID cards. Fragments of a hazy memory surfaced. The memory grew clearer and clearer. My face twisted in shock. I didn't have time to waste like this.
"Wait! Jeff!" A voice called out from behind me.
I ignored Amy's voice and started running. My breath caught in my throat. I dashed down the long hallway, my eyes frantically scanning around. I checked the time. No. It already started.
Slam! The door burst open. I ran into the room without even taking off my shoes. Immediately, I grabbed the remote control and pressed the power button. Beep. The screen flickered to life with a quiet sound. Thank goodness. I made it in time. The opening song of my favorite show, Magical Girl Pretty Warrior, was playing on the screen. I patted my cheeks, which were flushed with anticipation.
"Jeff!" A voice called from behind.
I carefully turned around. Amy stood there, panting, holding Shine by her waist.
"I almost missed it," I said calmly, placing a hand over my pounding heart.
Amy looked back and forth between me and the television screen with a dumbfounded expression. "You ran all that way for this?"
"Jeff likes anime." The answer didn't come from me. It came from Shine, who was dangling from Amy's arm.
"Well, whatever. We got the photos done, at least," Amy said, setting Shine down. Once her feet touched the floor, Shine adjusted her clothes and came over to sit next to me.
"Do you want to watch too, Amy?" I asked. "Watch with us, Amy."
Even to an adult like me, it was a highly entertaining show. That was why I invited her. We even had snacks and drinks—though Amy was the one who had bought all of them. Amy glanced at the clock, gave an awkward smile, and walked over to join us. Today was passing by without any major incidents, just like any other day.
An announcement broadcasted, signaling dinner time. Shine and I followed Amy toward the dining hall. As we walked, I blinked. What am I doing right now? What happened to my plan to escape this place? I fell into deep thought as I walked down the now-familiar hallway.
"Jeff." Shine called out, stepping closer. I looked up. Her face was incredibly close, her warm breath brushing against the tip of my nose.
"Yeah?" I replied, pulling back slightly.
"What are you going to eat today?"
Her question made the thoughts in my head sink away. The empty space was filled with tonight's dinner menu. A delicious pork cutlet came to mind.
"The usual?"
I shook my head. Rubbing my blurry eyes, I patted my cheeks. "No..."
"Jeff...?" Shine's voice trembled with anxiety. She hurriedly grabbed my hand.
"No..."
The faint static in my head grew louder. Crackle. Fizz. Sparks flickered before my eyes.
"No...!"
"Jeff?" Walking ahead of us, Amy turned around. Her face showed concern at my sudden outburst.
"I'm not eating pork cutlet today!" I had decided. Tonight's menu.
"Then what are you going to eat?"
At Amy's question, I answered energetically. "Hamburger steak!" I pictured a hamburger steak drizzled with ketchup. The mouth-watering image made my mouth water.
"I'll have the same." Shine chose the same menu as me.
Having paused, we started walking toward the dining hall once more. The static buzzing in my head did not disappear.
That night, right before bed. I came out of the bathroom after taking a shower. Amy, who was sitting there, naturally gestured for me to come over. I walked over and sat down. The hairdryer in Amy's hand blew hot air. She skillfully dried my hair, brushing through it.
"Amy."
"Yes?"
My head drooped, nodding off. Under her soothing touch and the warm breeze, my heavy eyelids refused to open.
"I want to go home."
Amy's hand stopped. Drowning in sleepiness, I kept talking.
"I want to drink a beer."
A hazy memory, but the intense sensation that rose up was unforgettable. The time after finishing a shower and wrapping up the day. I wanted to fall asleep after drinking a cold beer chilled in the fridge. I wanted to forget the static filling my head. The headache was relentless.
"Jeff?"
My light body collapsed sideways. Unable to resist the pull of sleep, I drifted off. My body swayed gently. Amy's panicked voice reached me as she touched my cheek.
"Did they make you drink alcohol at the lab too?"