Chapter Five
Ro is the first to wake up. She looks at the clock on the bedside table. Good grief! 7:30?! She looks over to the floor to see Zee, still on the floor, still snoring. Zee has never overslept before. What if Bennet was to knock on the door with the morning paper? I guess it's up to me to get things moving. Well, at least he's not having another nightmare. She goes into the bathroom to freshen up.
"Was it worth it, Zeta?"
"Stop it."
"Was it worth disobeying orders, Zeta?" Bennet's voice seeps through the darkness once again to torment Zee, and the darkness continues to weigh him down, unable to escape. "If you had only followed orders, this wouldn't be happening. Such a shame, isn't it?"
"It's a shame how things turned out." And now Dr. Selig's voice joins in the taunting. Zee desperately tries to move; trying to locate his creator, but the darkness is hiding him, and will not allow Zee to move another inch.
"Dr. Selig? Help me. Please help me!"
"Shame... I had plans for that one..." And now Selig's voice fades away, leaving Zeta alone... with Bennet.
"You see, Zeta? What more proof do you need?"
"Dr. Selig! Come back! Help me, please!"
"It's too late, Zeta. He's gone... thanks to you."
"No! Stop it!"
"Are you still in denial? Think about this: You were supposed to infiltrate Brother's Day, but instead you ran. Brother's Day destroyed the Nosis and killed Dr. Selig. How can you say you're not responsible?"
"It wasn't like that!"
"Shame..." Dr. Selig's voice returns one more time.
"No! Dr. Selig! Please!"
"Admit it, Zeta. It's your fault. You did this to him. How much longer before you do it to Ro?"
Why can't he understand? I'd never hurt Ro. I... I... "Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!!" Zeta suddenly sits up through the heavy darkness, and finds himself face-to-face with Ro as she gently shakes his shoulders.
"Zee! Zee! Wake up!"
"Ro...!" Zee looks around to see if Bennet's still about, but there's no sign of him, or the darkness. Then he faces Ro, and slowly puts a hand to her face, to stroke her cheek, to make sure she's real. "Ro? Is that you?"
"Yes, Zee, it's me. I'm here for you."
"You're here? You're really here?" Zee had to make absolutely sure he wasn't dreaming again. Using both hands, he gently cups her face, hoping with all his might that she won't fade away. He couldn't bear to see her vanish in the darkness. She was all he had left. He looks into her eyes - such beautiful, blue eyes - and with his voice still shaking, he asks, "Will you help me? Please?"
Now she looks into his eyes. They're filled with such pain and sorrow. They look as though tears could form at any second. Good thing I've got a plan. With a gentle smile she answers, "Yes, Zee. Of course I'll help you."
That's all he needs to hear. As he lies back down on the floor, he gently pulls her towards him. Oblivious to the sunlight creeping through the windows, Zee holds Ro safe and secure to his body, suddenly feeling a sense of warmth in his chest. Is this possible? It's as though I can... feel her? It's strange, and yet nice. Now he closes his eyes, wishing that Bennet would stop tormenting him and let him sleep. Why won't he leave us alone? I don't want to kill anymore. I never really liked killing. I want to be free. I want to learn about life, to smell roses, and I want to be with Ro. Please... Why can't I just stay with Ro?
As Zee drifts back to sleep, Ro finds herself in an awkward position. If her plan is going to work, they have to get going before Bennet catches up to them. But as Zee holds her like this, his snoring seems different. His rhythm is so irregular. In fact, it sounds more like... crying? She lifts her head to look at Zee's face and finds herself staring at a small tear emerging through his dark eye socket. He's crying in his sleep! He's really crying!
Even though Ro feels a little bit like a teddy bear, she decides to let Zee have this moment. After everything he's been through, a good cry may be just what he needs.
Besides, the Ground Wire won't be open for another hour.
Ro is the first to wake up. She looks at the clock on the bedside table. Good grief! 7:30?! She looks over to the floor to see Zee, still on the floor, still snoring. Zee has never overslept before. What if Bennet was to knock on the door with the morning paper? I guess it's up to me to get things moving. Well, at least he's not having another nightmare. She goes into the bathroom to freshen up.
"Was it worth it, Zeta?"
"Stop it."
"Was it worth disobeying orders, Zeta?" Bennet's voice seeps through the darkness once again to torment Zee, and the darkness continues to weigh him down, unable to escape. "If you had only followed orders, this wouldn't be happening. Such a shame, isn't it?"
"It's a shame how things turned out." And now Dr. Selig's voice joins in the taunting. Zee desperately tries to move; trying to locate his creator, but the darkness is hiding him, and will not allow Zee to move another inch.
"Dr. Selig? Help me. Please help me!"
"Shame... I had plans for that one..." And now Selig's voice fades away, leaving Zeta alone... with Bennet.
"You see, Zeta? What more proof do you need?"
"Dr. Selig! Come back! Help me, please!"
"It's too late, Zeta. He's gone... thanks to you."
"No! Stop it!"
"Are you still in denial? Think about this: You were supposed to infiltrate Brother's Day, but instead you ran. Brother's Day destroyed the Nosis and killed Dr. Selig. How can you say you're not responsible?"
"It wasn't like that!"
"Shame..." Dr. Selig's voice returns one more time.
"No! Dr. Selig! Please!"
"Admit it, Zeta. It's your fault. You did this to him. How much longer before you do it to Ro?"
Why can't he understand? I'd never hurt Ro. I... I... "Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!!" Zeta suddenly sits up through the heavy darkness, and finds himself face-to-face with Ro as she gently shakes his shoulders.
"Zee! Zee! Wake up!"
"Ro...!" Zee looks around to see if Bennet's still about, but there's no sign of him, or the darkness. Then he faces Ro, and slowly puts a hand to her face, to stroke her cheek, to make sure she's real. "Ro? Is that you?"
"Yes, Zee, it's me. I'm here for you."
"You're here? You're really here?" Zee had to make absolutely sure he wasn't dreaming again. Using both hands, he gently cups her face, hoping with all his might that she won't fade away. He couldn't bear to see her vanish in the darkness. She was all he had left. He looks into her eyes - such beautiful, blue eyes - and with his voice still shaking, he asks, "Will you help me? Please?"
Now she looks into his eyes. They're filled with such pain and sorrow. They look as though tears could form at any second. Good thing I've got a plan. With a gentle smile she answers, "Yes, Zee. Of course I'll help you."
That's all he needs to hear. As he lies back down on the floor, he gently pulls her towards him. Oblivious to the sunlight creeping through the windows, Zee holds Ro safe and secure to his body, suddenly feeling a sense of warmth in his chest. Is this possible? It's as though I can... feel her? It's strange, and yet nice. Now he closes his eyes, wishing that Bennet would stop tormenting him and let him sleep. Why won't he leave us alone? I don't want to kill anymore. I never really liked killing. I want to be free. I want to learn about life, to smell roses, and I want to be with Ro. Please... Why can't I just stay with Ro?
As Zee drifts back to sleep, Ro finds herself in an awkward position. If her plan is going to work, they have to get going before Bennet catches up to them. But as Zee holds her like this, his snoring seems different. His rhythm is so irregular. In fact, it sounds more like... crying? She lifts her head to look at Zee's face and finds herself staring at a small tear emerging through his dark eye socket. He's crying in his sleep! He's really crying!
Even though Ro feels a little bit like a teddy bear, she decides to let Zee have this moment. After everything he's been through, a good cry may be just what he needs.
Besides, the Ground Wire won't be open for another hour.