They Are Watching

Chapter Six

“What do you want with us?” Adam yelled almost immediately, stepping closer and directly in front of Terrie. He could sense her stiffening the nearer he got to her, but he couldn’t be sure if he was the cause or if it was the situation they were in.

“There is a snack for you at each end of the table. Please take a seat and prepare yourselves.”

“Prepare ourselves for what?” Terrie mumbled, fear causing her voice to tremor. 

The automated voice said nothing more as they stood, frozen in front of the table. Adam knew the only way they’d get answers was if they both took their seat at the table, so he moved closer to one end, pulling Terrie along with him.

“What are you doing?” She whispered harshly, pulling against him. He released her immediately upon hearing the scathing tone in her question as if he were burned. He didn't want to give her any wrong ideas, after all, he was not trying to force her.

“I think we should sit down, we’re not going to get answers any other way,” he explained.

“Well, I don’t think-,”

“There is a snack for you at each end of the table. Please take a seat and prepare yourselves.”

Terrie looked up at the speakers, tears welling in her eyes before she looked back at the man standing before her. He looked just as nervous as she did, but he was determined. For what? She did not know, but it gave her the courage to move towards the seat.

As soon as she sat down, Adam moved to do the same thing, sliding into his seat and staring at the boiled egg in front of him.

He picked it up tentatively, examining all sides of it but finding nothing out of place. It was a regular egg, shell still on it and uncracked. Hopefully, that meant it wasn’t tampered with. Terrie was watching him from her side, refusing to touch her egg until Adam took a bite of his.

He sniffed it briefly before cracking the shell and peeling. The skin was removed easily enough. Once he was done, he brought the egg to his nose again, taking another sniff before tensely bringing it to his lips to have the smallest of bites. 

It tasted like a regular boiled egg. So he took another bite.

After the third bite, he looked at Terrie to encourage her to remove the shell and to take a bite of her own egg. She looked apprehensive as she began peeling, but she pulled the egg up to her pouty lips and took a small bite of her own once she was done.

“Please, prepare yourselves.”

They both froze, hearing the automated voice repeat that line again. What did they need to prepare themselves for?

Adam quickly looked around. Nothing was out of order that he could see. He swallowed the last bite of egg, mouth dry from eating it, but there wasn’t any water in sight.

“WIC is pleased to provide this experience for you,” Adam noticed that Terrie had just swallowed her final bite before the voice spoke again. They were waiting on them to finish. “Out loud, in a clear and concise voice, please answer the questions asked to you. You will have 30 seconds.”

“What do you want with us?” Terrie cried out, slouching in her seat. Her lip was quivering and her eyebrows were knitted together, she looked like she was on the verge of a panic attack.

“Out loud, in a clear and concise voice, please answer the questions asked to you. You will have 30 seconds.”

He could hear her sniffling even though she wouldn’t let one tear fall from her small eyes. Her anxiety was making him nervous, but he knew he had to hold himself up. If anything was made clear, it was that whatever twisted experience they were having, they were having it together as one.

“Adam, what is your favorite color?”

“What?” He muttered, looking again to Terrie who was constantly rubbing her eyes.

“Out loud, in a clear and concise voic-,”

“I get it, I get it,” he interrupted, still confused by the question.

“-e, please answer the questions asked to you. You have 24 seconds.”

“Black,” he practically shouted.

“Terrie, do you prefer daytime or nighttime? You have 30 seconds.”

He watched her startle at hearing her name. She was looking pitiful even though he could tell she was stronger than in her weak moments.

“Daytime,” she replied, voice shaky but loud.

“Adam, if you were forced to kill your mother or father, who would you kill? You have 30 seconds.”

His blood ran cold at that sudden question. How was he even to think of answering when he knew he would never do such a thing. Not ever.

“I wouldn’t,” he said, holding his breath.

“Out loud, in a clear and concise voice, please answer the questions asked to you. You have 20 seconds.”

“I did answer!” He yelled. “I wouldn’t do it!”

“Out loud, in a clear and concise voice, please answer the questions asked to you. You have 16 seconds.”

“What do you want from me?” His hands were in his hair, stress already higher than he thought it could go. “Why would you ask anyone that?”

“Out loud, in a clear and concise voice, please answer the questions asked to you. You have 11 seconds.”

“Adam, I think you have to choose one. I don’t want to know what happens if the time runs out,” Terrie said to him. He knew that, he knew it already, but he couldn’t answer the question. He loved his parents so much. After everything they did for him and tried to do for him while he was wasting his life away? The last thing he could do was even imagine the answer to such a question when he couldn’t even bring himself to give them a call to apologize.

“Out loud, in a clear and concise voice, please answer the questions asked to you. You have 4 seconds.”

“My,” his large hands covered his face in shame. “My father.”

His heartfelt like it would break as he said those words, not meaning them at all. Even if he was forced he’d sooner end his own life than either of his parents.

“Teresa, if someone you loved committed a gruesome murder, would you help them cover it up? You have 30 seconds.”

Adam lifted his eyes to the woman sitting across from him while she debated with her answer. It was funny in a twisted, sardonic kind of way because even though he just hypothetically killed his father, he already knew what his answer would be to Terrie’s question. Yet, she was having some trouble answering.

“No,” she finally answered, squaring her shoulders slightly. “I would not help them.”

“Adam,” it was too soon for another question. He was still processing, “If you witnessed a murder, would you go to the police to report the crime or keep it to yourself? You have 30 seconds.”

“What kind of questions are these?” He sighed.

“Out loud, in a clear and concise voice, please answer the questions asked to you. You have 23 seconds. ”

“I know that!” He shouted, frustrated at his situation, the questions, that stupid voice. “I’d go to the police.”

He could feel Terrie’s eyes on him though he had his head placed face down on the table. He didn’t actually know if he’d go to the police. It really depended on who committed the murder in his opinion.

“Teresa, would you murder three innocent children or watch three of your loved ones be murdered in front of you? You have 30 seconds.”

He suppressed the groan that wanted to leave him. That question was officially the worst one asked, but he couldn’t help but clear his ears for Terrie’s answer.

She wasn’t moving. She looked to be barely breathing as she stared at one point in the middle of the table. He was sure half of her time was already gone as she stiffly sat there.

“Terrie?” He called out to her, hoping she would look at him. She didn’t.

“I’d watch.”

Her voice was no louder than a whisper, but he heard her clearly enough.

“Out loud, in a clear and concise voice, please answer the questions asked to you. You have 9 seconds.”

“I’d watch,” she clenched her teeth. “I said I’ll watch three of my loved ones be taken from me.”

“Adam,” How? How could she do that? “Would you like to be cremated or buried? You have 30 seconds.”

He didn’t actually think the questions could get worse, but that question was the most ominous. The answer wasn’t anything he had to think about, but the reason for asking was. Would he die on this vacation? Was there no way of escaping?

“Cremated,” he spoke clearly, the will to fight slowly leaving his tense muscles.

“Teresa, after you die, what do you want to be remembered for? You have 30 seconds.”

Tears were forming in her eyes again and this time they ran tracks down her face. Adam couldn’t help but feel a form of dejection he’d never experienced. Not even withdrawals made him feel so mentally unstable.

“That I tried my hardest to be good,” she said through the tears choking her voice. “I tried.”

“Adam and Teresa, thank you for participating in this questionnaire brought to you by WIC. There is only one more question for the both of you to answer. If surviving meant sacrificing each other, would you do it? You have 5 seconds.”