The Termination Plot

like a stranger's home. The photos on the wall of our smiling faces were a mockery

fect actor. He walked in, smiling, and came

people?" he asked, his

but forced a weak smile.

he kitchen. He returned with a glass of warm milk.

at his friends with such cruel amusement just hours before. My stomach turned. I kn

rek," I said, my voi

his smile tightening at the edges. "Don't

he words w

" I insisted, pushing

nd fell away, replaced by a flicker of irritation. It was so

d, his voice low and firm. It wa

o drink, the warm, slightly sweet liquid sliding down

ed over me. My limbs felt like lead

ie down," I murmured

ch now feeling like a spider's caress

other figures in the room, shadows moving in the periphery

on my skin. I felt violated, a deep, primal wrongness that settled

nd walked to the bookshelf in the living room. Tucked behind a row of classic novels was a small, black box. A h

my laptop. My hands were steady. I had to see.

until I saw movement. The recording was

ople into the house. My heart stopped.

ght, as they stood over my u

a mask of pure hatred. "She loo

d, his voice casual. "It works like

his face. "So, this is what she's like when s

'submissive serum,' as Edison so elegantly calls it. I want to make sure it's perfect for the par

anning this for weeks. Drugging me,

much, Else?" Edison as

Derek. "She filled his head with ideas of a normal life, a

ression of pure adoration. "No o

. A man I didn't recognize. He was t

"He's willing to pay top dollar for a 'test run' befor

Else officially 'returns'," Dere

inside my cheek. "Just need to test the sedat

a small device. "Perfect.

nspiracy, finalizing their plans for my public degradation. Then De

aping my lips. The depth of their depravity was bottomless. This wasn't

, forcing the despair down. I ha

front door open. "Al

as D

ickly put the laptop

lled out, trying to

d about you. You seemed so out of it

, my heart pounding.

od. I need to run upstairs f

ival instincts kicked in. His phone was

password was Else's

a slight shimmer at the bottom of the screen. I pressed my thumb on it, and a secon

n't recognize. The first person on his priority list was Else. T

group chat. I

group made the a

a's Au