Antithetic's Tale

Chapter 2

    “What are you talking about?” I didn't expect Charlotte's sudden burst of anger. What‘s wrong with freeing myself?

    “Are you out of your mind, Iris?! How are you supposed to live there? You belong here!” The tone of her voice didn't even change.

    “So I don't have any rights to decide for myself, Charlotte? That's absurd!” I answered with the same intensity as hers.

    “Why don't you think first before asking for this, Iris? Do you even know how things work outside? Do you even know what the real world is? We won't cage you inside this place for nothing, Iris!” she angrily exclaimed.

    “Then tell me, what's the real reason for caging me inside this sick place, Charlotte? I am not dumb; I know very well that you're just using me for your experiments. I never had the chance to see the real world because you guys treated me like I am your toy!” I didn't expect that I'll be able to say those words. I never imagined myself feeling this much anger. After 20 years of letting them do whatever they want with my own body, I deserve to resent them.

    “You got it all wrong, Iris. We're just protecting you.” I chuckled unbelievably with her response. Protecting me? If keeping me here is how they define protection, then they are really unbelievable.

    “I am not happy.” I looked straight in her eyes as I said that. She quickly looked away, avoiding my gazes.

    “Happiness is not even important Iris,” she said with those forlorn eyes.

    “I don't care about your own definition of liberation, Charlotte. I want to see the real world which you're hiding from me.” Maybe she realized how desperate I am when she took a deep breath.

    “I’ll do everything I can do to please Master.” She finally gave up.

    Her actions bothered me a lot. What's the big deal with sending me outside? I live all my life being controlled by these doctors around me. I just want to be free; I want to see the real world that the girl from my dream showed me.

    I can feel how desperate I am to feel the happiness that everyone’s looking for. I want to laugh freely and do things without any hesitations.

    “You can go tomorrow morning.” An unfamiliar feeling coated me when I heard that from Charlotte's voice. I can say that I'll be finally free.

     “Remember this, Iris. Don't you ever dare show how different you are from those people. I am aware, that even you have no idea of who you really are. But do everything to refrain yourself, do everything to be normal” she warned me. I have to act normally? But how different am I from those human beings?

    “Wear this,” she added and handed me something. She gave me a pair of pitch black contact lenses.

    And why do I need to hide my eyes? I laughed mentally when I realize how clueless I am about my personality, about my true self. I never even had the chance to see my own reflection. I have no idea how do I look.

    Hundreds of questions are bothering me big time. I mean, how am I able to know what's wrong with my body? How do I differ from other people? Why do I need to change myself?

    “Athena.” I looked at her when she called my first name.

    “Starting from today, your name will be Athena, keep that in mind.” Even my name has to change.

    “It’s not like I have other choices, Charlotte.” She shook her head because of my response.

    “One more thing, don't you dare fall in love Athena.” I gazed at her deeply when she said that. That's the exact thing the girl from my dream said.

    “Why?”

    “Just listen to me. Please, don't you dare fall in love. Love can kill you, Athena.” Maybe I really don't have the rights to be happy. Everything I wanted to do and feel is still prohibited.

    "Keep in mind that you can only trust us, Athena. And if there's only one person to trust, it's yourself, no one, but you.” I am aware of that. I know that I can't trust anybody except myself.

    “You're too nosy, Charlotte,” I complained.

    I know that she understands what I'm trying to imply, she bowed her head a little before walking away. “Take care, Iris.”

    She's right. I should be careful, because starting tomorrow everything will change.

    I am standing in front of the door that will lead me to the real world. I know that every single thing that I used to believe and see might change.

    I slowly open the door without any hesitations but I quickly turned my back when brightness invaded my whole sight. It hurts my eyes big time! I feel like a vampire who’s afraid of light. But I can’t blame myself; I lived all my life embracing the darkness.

    “You’ll never have the chance to see the beauty of the real world if you continue acting that way, Athena. I thought being scared is not in your vocabulary? Why are you so afraid of the light?” Ion said, almost teasing me. I rolled my eyes at him; he's really an arrogant piece of trash.

    I opened my eyes and slowly gazed at my surroundings. After some time, I guess I am used to brightness now. I took a deep breath as I came out from that door. The cold breeze welcomed my body.

    “It’s November right now, wear this.” Ion handed me a white coat which I immediately wore.

    But when I remember something, I quickly faced him. “Ion, how do I look?’” This is the first time I asked him this.

    “You look normal, just like how I look. However my face is way better than yours,” he answered arrogantly. I slowly nod my head as I looked back at the place where I spent my life with for a long time.

    “Miss Athena, we have to go.” I rode the car and didn't bother having a conversation with Ion. After an hour, I finally had the chance to witness how our surroundings slowly change; from the tall trees surrounding the Mreine laboratory to these familiar establishments I saw in my dream.

    After few minutes, we stopped in front a house.

    “We’re finally here Iris,” Ion said beside me.

    I can't believe it. This is the house? This will be my house for my whole stay? It looks so small, my room was way better than this house. We entered inside and an unfamiliar ambiance embraced me. This house feels so comfortable; it feels home.

    “You can leave now Ion,” I said to him but he just shrugged his shoulders.

    “I don't want to. I'll stay,” he said with finality in his voice.

    I didn't bother convincing him for the second time. I just entered the door in front me where I saw a black bed. It's nice to see that they're aware of what I want. I closed the door behind me and roam my eyes around the whole room. Everything is black.

    After checking my own room, I went outside to check the overall look of the whole house. When I was done, I stepped outside the house to see the real world.

    “Ouch!” I threw death glares over the girl who is now lying on the cold ground.

    “Are you even watching your steps, Miss?!”

    I merely ignored the weak girl in front me. She's not that important for me to waste my precious time.

So, is this the reality? If it is, then everything I saw in my dream was real. Everything is beautiful.

    I sat down the grass and gazed at the rock beside me. I was shocked when I realize that it is now floating in    front me. Is this even normal? I took the rock in front me and threw it away from my gaze.

    I stayed for almost two hours appreciating the beauty of the real world. I decided to went straight home to rest. I was expecting that I'll have the chance to enjoy this time by my own without any human being around me but I immediately rolled my eyes when I saw Ion.

    “What are you still doing here, Ion? Go back to Mreine,” I commanded him.

    He just looked straight in my eyes before answering.

     “I have to stay close to you while you are here, Athena. I would be living in this world with you.”