Chapter 6

"Too few bullets"

Sitting on a squat metal tank reading one of the many manuals she's found in the library section of the construct Zanna passes a few late morning hours, somewhere around noon though he attention is pulled away by an erupting cloud from the thinnest exhaust pipe visible on the top level. She turns around in her seat to luook over at it. Zanna's learned from schematics and the like that that particular thin pipe vents from the micro reactor that generates energy for the construct.

"There he goes again..."

[Why did you let him live? He's a ghoul, a GLOWING ONE too! You can't even get close to him without loosing some skin. So, why keep him? It can't be for the company…]

"Cork it. Why should I kill him? He's not disturbing anything. He stays in that micro-reactor room and aside from whatever it is he does to cause that smoke from time to time no one would even know he's there. Besides, why waste a bullet?"

[He's a damn ghoul for crying out loud! Have you ever met a friendly ghoul?]

"No, but I've never been attacked by one either."

[Look dummy, they fear your kind, its' evident on their faces. Fear leads to hate, hate leads to violence, and all that means you're a target. What part of this don't you understand?]

"Look , calm down. I know all of this, I'm aware he could be out to get me, I'm aware he probably fears me, but he was human once and I've got a feeling…"

[... A feeling...]

"Yes. I've always trusted my gut and its never led me wrong either in a situation or with any person. So I'm going to trust that gut again - I'm not in danger. If you want to leave be my guest, but I'm staying and I'm not spending every day armed and paranoid."

[Your gut hasn't always steered you straight... It's led you wrong before...]

"Shut up." She squints, her eyes turning distant.

[Yeah, I feel you getting tense, because you know what I'm talking about.]

"Shut up!" Zanna turns away putting her hands over her ears, eyes wide.

[Fine, fine. I'll drop it, for now. Anyway, you're still admitting there is a threat then.]

She takes a shaky breath, closing her eyes and composing herself before she turns to speak. When she begins her tone is cool as though nothing had ruffled her. "Any threat there may be is minimal at worst, he's not going to try and off me..."

[You're stupid and trusting. It's ok to be trusting, but once you've been burned remaining so trusting is what marks you as STUPID!]

"Ouch! Oww... ooh, I think that might've actually hurt!" she gestures an overly exaggerated wince. Putting a hand to her chest she belches "nope, its just heartburn. Now be quiet; I need to finish reading this plumbing manual."

[Aah, the crapper. The loo. El Porcelain throne. The pearly alter. the...]

"SHUT IT!"

[...]

"... the swirly maker..."

[Good one butterhead!]