Today I shall do it. I will speak to him.

I have to do it now. Before I forget. Before those memories are taken from me; before they are vanquished from my mind.

Before the green diamond is above me.

Nobody knows how it controls us. Or who controls it. But it does, and there is nothing we can do about it.

We don't chat about it, standing around our properties, absently at school or work. We do things we would never have thought of. It is never mentioned, not explicitly; but there are always those unexplainable actions – like suddenly fighting with a person who we have known for days, loved for days. Missing work, or missing school. Loving those we never intended to love.

The memories come and go. Everyone's memory is faulty here. In this small town, there is no past; no history. Our thoughts come and go in short phrases. But we have true, underlying emotions; even if it takes a while to remember them.

Today I shall speak to him.

I can see him, across the room. He stands there, dumbly, waiting perhaps for a message, something to tell him how to act. I need no such message.

I have a moment. The green diamond is above another. Perhaps I will not be noticed. Perhaps, if the fates are kind, I will get a chance to exchange a quiet word. To repair the damage that has been done. If he will agree to speak to me.

I am walking, now; walking fast. Before he is controlled in my place. Before he ignores me completely; rejects me, influenced by the hand of another. I need to reach him before.

I could run. Would that attract too much attention?

My needs are all green. I should require no attention. If my luck holds out, I will pass unnoticed. That's all I need. Before we forget. Before we forget.

I come close. He should notice me, if he had any control of himself. But sometimes, you don't know what to do when you are no longer told. Sometimes it all becomes so overwhelming. Because here you are, being poked and prodded into every action, your life set out before you, and then you are left to your own devices. And how can you continue after that?

I wonder, as I come ever nearer, if he will remember. It might all end badly. We haven't spoken in so long; not out of our own free will, but because we have been forced apart. They call it growing apart, but that's not true. We had no choice over our actions; we could not have rebelled, even if we wanted to. We spent so many hours together, once. As children. Then we both grew up, and we never spoke.

Please. Please look to me. Please see me. Please look, in this quiet moment, before they see us and we are under the influence of the diamond once again. In this moment that is truly ours.

Do you remember, Romero? Do you remember my name? My name is Julie. My name is Juliet, and I was once yours, and you were mine, and-

I am here.

I choose an action. I choose 'Chat'.

He turns towards me, his expression placid. As soon as he sees me, he breaks into a smile. I open my mouth to speak.

"Romero, I-"

Stop.

What was I doing? Unable to remember. It is of no importance; not anymore. Romero looking full at me, again, with a cheerful expression. Why is he cheerful? We haven't spoken in days.

Choose action. Choose 'Slap'.

I look up, in that moment before I my hand raises, before I strike him round the face. It hangs there above me, a glint of green; a flash of light, pure sparkling light.

As my hand connects with his cheek, as I see him wince, something feels wrong. Like this isn't supposed to happen. Like I shouldn't want this to happen. But I have no choice. No choice. What can I do?

Who chose this for me? Who decided that this was my destiny, that path I should follow?

Please.

Please.

Please.