Annelise: What do you think happened?

  Daun: I’m getting to that. I tried to brush off what happened as a weird, ‘glitch in the matrix’ thing. Until I got a new job as an anatomist. Then, I started seeing a strange, new organ in multiple cadavers. It was small, about the size of a peanut, but it was the same, strange green as the slime-beings from years ago. I talked with some of my doctor friends and they said that they had been saying that they were seeing a similar organ during MRIs. And this wasn’t just some of their patients. This organ was in every single one of their patients. I took out one of the organs from a cadaver and began experimenting on it. It seemed to secrete a chemical that none of my colleagues could identify. Then, we got a bit experiment-happy. I met with Dr. Hues and we surgically attached this organ to the brainstem of a living chimpanzee. It didn’t seem to affect the chimp. Then, when we activated the chemicals using a microchip, the creature froze in place. I told it to pick up the ball. It almost robotically obeyed. We gave it a series of other commands, in different forms, and it responded the same way each time.

  Annelise sits in tense silence for a beat: What happened then?

  Daun: I found out everything when the Feds detained me for breached ethics. They told me what really happened…What I assume you saw on the news recently. I was never to tell anyone about the interdimensionals, Project Persephone, or the Abramian organ, as it had come to be called. The government wanted to keep this information from spreading, so as not to alarm the public. Ha! You can only keep the presence of interdimensionals on Earth a secret for so long! Why did they even try?! *She begins to sob* Those miserable, wretched creatures! Why must they have taken everything from me?! That one! She even took my face!

  Janis Daun raises her face from her hands to reveal what appears to be an older version of Wyverna’s(the E.A.E.’s) face. Annelise is stricken with grief at seeing what Wyverna has done to Daun.

  Daun: I know it was my fault!!! I was a fool! An absolute idiot! If I could fix it, I would! But I can’t! I can’t!

  Janis Daun begins sobbing heavily. Annelise reaches through the bars of the prison cell and holds Janis Daun’s hand.

  Annelise: I believe you, Janis.

  Daun: What?

  Annelise: You’ve been carrying this guilt with you for many years. You’ve apologized multiple times, but no one has forgiven you.

  Daun: How did you know?

  Annelise*shrugs*: I’m a therapist. I’ve had patients in similar situations. Not to the extent of yours, but…

  Daun: No, I get it. I guess they have a right to hate me. If I hadn’t told Dr. Hues what to write, maybe…

  Annelise nods: Maybe things could have been different. But you can’t change the past. You can’t change what you did. People can choose whether they will forgive you or not. They may blame you and ridicule you.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Daun: Do you think that about me?

  Annelise: I can’t deny the role that you played in the recent disasters, but I don’t think that you’re being treated justly.

  Daun: Thank you.

  Annelise: Of course. Don’t give up, Daun. Even if no one else in the world forgives you, I will.*She pauses for a moment* If you don’t mind, though, there’s something I’m curious about.

  Daun: What’s that?

  Annelise: When the Abramian organ is activated, do people…freeze?

  Daun: Yes, they do. I was frozen in place with everyone else once, but I saw us freeze when I looked at the security footage. How did you know about that?

  Annelise replies with tears rolling down her face: I remember when I was a teenager, watching my Mom and Dad dance as they cooked dinner, and then they just…stopped moving. I tried everything to make them snap out of it, but I couldn’t. Eventually, they went back to normal. I told them what happened and they said that I’d imagined it.

  Daun stares in awe at Annelise: That’s it! That’s why you’ve been in my dreams! You’re an anomaly!

  Daun hugs Annelise through the cell bars, crying. Annelise hugs her back, even though she doesn’t fully understand what’s happening.

  Daun: I don’t know how! How did this happen?!

  Annelise smiles weakly: Maybe our past faults have a way of being fixed later on.

  Just then, two armed citizens rush towards the cell. There are syringes in their belts.

  Citizen One: DAUN!

  The citizens shove Annelise out of the way before busting open the door to Janis Daun’s cell. They then forcefully grab Daun’s arm and drag her out of her prison cell screaming. Annelise tries to run after them, but another armed citizen grabs her from behind and prevents her. Annelise watches Janis Daun be pulled away to her death.

  Daun: Thank you, Annelise. Maybe we’ve still got a chance.

  Janis Daun gets pulled into a room down the hallway.

  Annelise*in a broken whisper*: No…please…

  The door closes.

  The armed citizens drag Annelise out of the prison and back to Cory.

  Cory to the citizens: What did you do to my wife?!

  Annelise*crying*: Cory, she’s dead.

  Cory: What?

  Annelise: Janis Daun’s dead. I tried to go after her and…

  Cory puts his face in his hands and sighs: Really?

  Annelise nods: I saw them take her away. They had syringes.

  Annelise tries to stand up but fails.

  Cory: Annie…Here let me help you.

  Cory helps Annelise to her feet.

  Annelise: It’s gone.

  Cory: What’s gone?

  Annelise: My connection to Daun. We were linked somehow. It just…disappeared. I could feel it being pulled from me.

  Cory kisses Annelise’s forehead: Come on. Let’s get you back to the hotel.

  Annelise: Do you believe me?

  Cory: I believe you. This is just…a lot.

  Annelise nods.

  Cory: Let’s go back. You need some rest.

  Annelise and Cory head back to the hotel and Annelise lies down on the bed to rest.