InsaniKey 2

“No.” Jinxx said suddenly, stepping toward me and sighing.

“Press it before he does something else.” Andy’s voice deepened.

“There’s a hidden device.” Jinxx went to a corner, ran his fingers along a seemingly smooth surface and paused momentarily. He peeled a panel back from the wall and revealed a black screen. “It would’ve…” He balled his fists and flailed his fingers out dramatically.

My jaw dropped. “I was about to press it!” I shouted.

“Look.” Jinxx sighed, stepping toward me. “I know you want out.” He stood before me and I pinpointed what had been off about his eyes. The absinthe green became intricate circuitry, the pupils revealing a reflection of what looked like the walls of yet another bright white room with somebody sitting in a chair, looking out at me. “But I can’t help you.” He said quietly.

We were standing close enough for me to see into his eyes, close enough for the electric edges of his thoughts to begin to permeate the molecules at the edges of my skin. I had to step back.

“CC.” His voice said sharply. He raised a hand and rested it on my shoulder as though he were about to say something he didn’t want anyone else to hear. I found myself unable to move. His eyes took on a tone of warning, his jaw tilting slightly. His mouth didn’t move as he said the words, “You have to find your own way out” before disappearing.

I turned to Andy accusingly. “Are you a hologram too?”

Andy smiled wryly. “Hit me and find out.”

“I don’t understand.” I said aloud, slinking down to the floor slowly as I leaned against one of the walls.

“Which part of this doesn’t make sense? Besides all of it, I mean.” Andy reflected.

“The last thing he said.” My gaze upon the screened wall panel remained blank.

“The last thing I heard him say was ‘It would’ve’, then you yelled at him and he put you into some kind of weird Jinxx trance.” Andy lay flat on his back, tossing his wadded up bandana at the ceiling and catching it again repeatedly.

“His lips weren’t moving when he spoke.” I looked at Andy, still replaying the moment in my mind.

Andy lifted his shoulders off the ground and stared at me oddly from his half crunch. “Huh?”

“Your mouth moves when you speak.” I observed.

“That’s generally how talking works.” He shook his head and returned to tossing his bandana in the air.

“I think I’m losing it.” I said quietly.

Andy sat in front of me and snapped his fingers, focusing my eyes again. “You’re a fucking rockstar CC.” He began. “Get your shit together, and get us out of here.”

Notes