Testing Vickie

Chapter Ten

It happened so fast. One moment I was handing Nick his jacket, the next he was on the ground, a dark crimson red staining his clean white shirt. My heart drops. I look around. There’s blinding lights, tall buildings. A shadow in the parapet of the 4 pillared building. Someone leads me inside. They try to take Nick’s jacket. I cling on, not wanting to let go of it. I enter the building and remember his last words to me: ‘as soon as we’re inside, you’ll be warm’. I was not. I sat down on the floor and started shaking uncontrollably, the shock of what had happened coming to me in waves, again and again, slapping me in the face. Tears stream down my face and someone hands me a tissue. I refuse it, instead rummaging through Nick’s jacket to find a handkerchief. In his pockets I find the mask he was going to wear. A black silky mask with silver stitching. I take the one he got me out of my purse and stare at them. I look around his jacket again and find his handkerchief. Dabbing away tears I gratefully accept a glass of champagne. The bubbles fizzle up as I hiccup and I choke on a sob. I manage to get up from where I’m sitting and go outside to the cold night air. Maybe he’s still alive. Please still be alive.

The night air hits me and I am blasted with bright white lights. I run over to a white cloth before an officer of some kind stops me.

“I’m sorry ma’am but you aren’t allowed here.”

“But, my fiancé. He, he got shot.” I blubber. Fiancé, fiancé. The word rings around in my head. He’s my fiancé. And, and he’s gone? No. No it can’t be. I don’t accept it. I try to move around to find him. There’s about a dozen people lying on the floor all with white cloths over their bodies. Then someone comes around checking who is under the cloths and I see him left one up. Not Nick. I keep track then suddenly, at the sixth person, it’s Nick. I shriek a little then collapse to the floor again.

That drowsy feeling comes back and I don’t fight it. I’d love to stay here forever but, but the loss of Nick. It makes it unbearable. I sink into the drowsiness, the slight paralysis and close my eyes. Suddenly I hands are shaking me again.

I open my eyes to find Anastasia shaking me and remember how she did that in my first TEST. Then I remember what happened this TEST and start tearing up.

“Where’s the white dress? Why do you look different? Why do you have a mask? What’s going on? Whose jacket is this?” at Ana’s mention of the jacket I start sobbing. “What happened?” Then, the only time I was grateful for it. Michael appears. “ARGH!”

“You *hick!*, you can see him? *hick!*” I stare at Ana in disbelief then look at Michael then back at Ana. Michael seems to have frozen where he was and he just ignores me and kisses Ana. “Woah woah woah. What are you doing?”

“This, she. I couldn’t help myself and I apologise.” Despite how pale he is, he almost looks like he’s blushing. Ana looks bewildered, her face flushed.

“Explain yourself please and everything and if I am still technically engaged to- t-”

“YOU’RE ENGAGED TO SOMEONE?” Ana looks like she’s been slapped across the face. “My best friend is engaged and I didn’t know about it?!”

“Well I mean, it was only yesterday I think.” I started to feel uneasy.

“Yes, you are.” Michael informs me, sensing my uneasiness.

“Where is he? Is he alive?”

“Yes.”

“Is that it?”

“Yes.” Michael replies in a monotone.

“Vickie, can I, can I talk to you in private for a second?” Ana still looks shocked, her face pale.

“Sure. Hey Michael, piss off for a bit please.”

“You are a contradictory person.” Was his reply.

Ana speaks in hushed tones despite Michael’s departure. “I-, I really like him. Like. He’s hot. How do you know him?”

“Uh, just through my TEST’s. Do you actually like him?”

“Yeah, I think I have a thing for pale guys.”

“You mean guys that can turn red?”

“No!” She says defensively.

“Ahahah, you do you Ana.” Michael comes back and says:

“Vickie, here’s the white dress. You have to continue with the test. For each vial, there is now a set of instructions. I suggest you read your instructions then decide which vial you wish to choose then proceed.”

“Geez someone is very helpful now.” I murmur under my breath.

“Sorry what was that?” Michael says, staring pointedly at me.

“Nothing, nothing. Not one thing.” I innocently smile.

I look back at the remaining three vials. The purple goop one, the leather opaque flask or the bubbly emerald green one. I consider each one and read the instructions. The purple one said:

‘The one loved most,

The one missed most

And the one needed most,

Is the one who can be saved.

One must only see behind the mask of black.’

These are worse than Michael. I move onto the opaque leather flask.

‘With bliss comes horror,

With horror comes bliss.

One left behind,

One left in front.

To find me, take a sip and see the horror and bliss.’

To be honest, Michael probably wrote these riddles. I take a look at the final riddle for the bubbly emerald green vial.

‘To see or to hear

To be seen or to be heard.

To hear only one, to see all;

Or to hear all and only see one.

One will be gained

One will be lost.’

Ominous. Fits with Michael’s theme with his cryptic riddles. I think each one through and can only think of Nick.

“I’m gonna take the purple goopy one.” I announce to no one in particular.

“You’ll want this.” Michael says, handing me Nick’s mask.

“You had to choose the gross one didn’t you?” Ana says in disgust.

“Well, it might be the one to get Nick back. Did you read the stupid riddle that Michael probably wrote?”

“Disclaimer, I did not write them.” Michael says, hands in surrender.

“Sure sure Michael. Keep being an angel.”

“I am.” He stares at me. Then looks at Ana and flushes, eyes dropping.

“I’ll leave now. Bye!” I down the thick, sludgy warm liquid and let the drowsiness take over. I wake up not in Nick’s arms this time but in an empty cold bed looking the way I did when I was in Nick’s arms. Except, a minor change. I now have a black mask on my face and a gun in my hand.