Crystal Heat

day 31

When she emerged from the memory dreams and the futile campaign to free herself from the lock, she began watching as much of her body as she could see in the glimpses that chance allowed her. Knowledge was about the only lever she had access to.

The pattern of the body’s actions around the blackouts told her what was happening there. Every four days, when the body moved into the cabin and stretched itself out on the cot, she’d catch a glimpse from the corner of her eye of something descending, little more than a sense of movement and a glint of metal. A moment later she’d be gone-not into sleep but into the blackout. It was easy to tell which was which. Sleep came gradually, settling like a blanket over her. The blackout would cut a thought in half.

And when she woke, her.mind had slowed again.

She had to exercise it as she would stiff muscles to get the flow moving steadily once more.

Drugs. He’s got me set up so he can reinforce the lock and replay the program. He doesn’t want to take a chance on them wearing off before I get to where I’m going.

[Nothing. Blackout.]