throws up her hands. “Could everybody stop obsessing over the past? Grandpa, is all of this fire stuff really necessary?”
“Absolutely, it is. They’re not going to stop coming after you. It’s imperative that you know how to protect yourselves. More importantly, Ella,” the professor lowers his voice. “What did you see at the station?”
“It’s odd, professor. They’re already turning criminals, transferring consciousness with wires and a switch on the doll,” I report, feeling like a superspy. James Bond, you’d better believe you have new competition coming! “They said they’d take the body to a warehouse where they wouldn’t have to feed it much. They think minimum feeding will save the world’s resources.”
The professor taps his fingers on the desk. “That’s all?” And on my nod, “Just as I feared. The technology has advanced faster than anticipated. It doesn’t take much at all to sedate the victim. They’re going power-mad…”
“Should I be worried that my old doll form is at the station? Can’t they study it or trace it back?”
“There’s not much we can do about that now, Ella. If we didn’t transfer your consciousness, we might not have seen you again.”
He does have a point. It whooshes past me as I stare at a tube, where a chubby, older woman lies dormant in a murky, green goo. “That’s… that’s my body, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” the professor replies calmly, but Gabby fidgets. “Are you okay?”
“I think so.” It’s strange to see your body when you’re not in it. I feel connected to it, but also sadly detached. This was the body I selfishly gave up—at least, according to Gabby. It’s weirdly familiar, based on my dreams. I’m not young or stunning, but that’s not what defines beauty.
Besides, my body isn’t that bad. I mean, not really. I don’t look broken at all. I look pretty loved. So why do I hate myself so much when I’m in it? Could it be that nobody truly hates me more than I do?
“We could alter your state using your body. What do you think when you see it?”
“I think I like my body…” I try this on for size, taste the words. “I could hate it, but it’s never said a bad word about me, has it? That’s my body… and I love it.”
Gabby and the professor arch their eyebrows in unison.
“But anyway,” I continue, “we have more important things to focus on! Where were we?”
The professor clears his throat. “Right, yes. Now we know for sure the police are in on it and what technology they have, so when…
if
I can escape, I’ll have to get to the bodies. I’m sure I can think of something. The only impossibility in this life is impossibility.”
“We’ll get you out of the company, Grandpa.”
“No! Don’t you dare come anywhere near me. They’ll kill you. I can promise you that. I have to do this on my own. I
must
protect my family. Don’t trust anybody. Ella, was there anything else at the station?”
I shrug. “Just that Liza girl talking to an officer. She offered to pay him or something. I didn’t really pay attention.”
The professor’s eyes widen. “Do you mean Lisa?”
I snap my fingers. “That’s the one! Lisa.”
“Stay away from her! She used to work for those b… ah, the company. Yes.” The professor reaches for his head and stumbles over his feet. He leans on the table and groans.
“Grandpa!” Gabby rushes over to keep him on his feet. “Grandpa, what’s wrong?!”
“He’s possessed!” Sianne cries, bolting out of the lab. “I’ll grab the salt!”
“They’re disconnecting me,” he says through gritted teeth. “Gabby, don’t let them find you here!”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“I can’t…”
“What are we meant to do? Grandpa!”
“Don’t listen to Lisa,” he mumbles, collapsing to the floor. “I’ll be in New Yo…” And just like that, he’s frozen on the floor, eyes wide open.
Sianne returns with a bowl of salt that she throws onto
“Absolutely, it is. They’re not going to stop coming after you. It’s imperative that you know how to protect yourselves. More importantly, Ella,” the professor lowers his voice. “What did you see at the station?”
“It’s odd, professor. They’re already turning criminals, transferring consciousness with wires and a switch on the doll,” I report, feeling like a superspy. James Bond, you’d better believe you have new competition coming! “They said they’d take the body to a warehouse where they wouldn’t have to feed it much. They think minimum feeding will save the world’s resources.”
The professor taps his fingers on the desk. “That’s all?” And on my nod, “Just as I feared. The technology has advanced faster than anticipated. It doesn’t take much at all to sedate the victim. They’re going power-mad…”
“Should I be worried that my old doll form is at the station? Can’t they study it or trace it back?”
“There’s not much we can do about that now, Ella. If we didn’t transfer your consciousness, we might not have seen you again.”
He does have a point. It whooshes past me as I stare at a tube, where a chubby, older woman lies dormant in a murky, green goo. “That’s… that’s my body, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” the professor replies calmly, but Gabby fidgets. “Are you okay?”
“I think so.” It’s strange to see your body when you’re not in it. I feel connected to it, but also sadly detached. This was the body I selfishly gave up—at least, according to Gabby. It’s weirdly familiar, based on my dreams. I’m not young or stunning, but that’s not what defines beauty.
Besides, my body isn’t that bad. I mean, not really. I don’t look broken at all. I look pretty loved. So why do I hate myself so much when I’m in it? Could it be that nobody truly hates me more than I do?
“We could alter your state using your body. What do you think when you see it?”
“I think I like my body…” I try this on for size, taste the words. “I could hate it, but it’s never said a bad word about me, has it? That’s my body… and I love it.”
Gabby and the professor arch their eyebrows in unison.
“But anyway,” I continue, “we have more important things to focus on! Where were we?”
The professor clears his throat. “Right, yes. Now we know for sure the police are in on it and what technology they have, so when…
if
I can escape, I’ll have to get to the bodies. I’m sure I can think of something. The only impossibility in this life is impossibility.”
“We’ll get you out of the company, Grandpa.”
“No! Don’t you dare come anywhere near me. They’ll kill you. I can promise you that. I have to do this on my own. I
must
protect my family. Don’t trust anybody. Ella, was there anything else at the station?”
I shrug. “Just that Liza girl talking to an officer. She offered to pay him or something. I didn’t really pay attention.”
The professor’s eyes widen. “Do you mean Lisa?”
I snap my fingers. “That’s the one! Lisa.”
“Stay away from her! She used to work for those b… ah, the company. Yes.” The professor reaches for his head and stumbles over his feet. He leans on the table and groans.
“Grandpa!” Gabby rushes over to keep him on his feet. “Grandpa, what’s wrong?!”
“He’s possessed!” Sianne cries, bolting out of the lab. “I’ll grab the salt!”
“They’re disconnecting me,” he says through gritted teeth. “Gabby, don’t let them find you here!”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“I can’t…”
“What are we meant to do? Grandpa!”
“Don’t listen to Lisa,” he mumbles, collapsing to the floor. “I’ll be in New Yo…” And just like that, he’s frozen on the floor, eyes wide open.
Sianne returns with a bowl of salt that she throws onto
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