The Book Keeper

by Amelia Grace

  Chapter 17

  The bloody spectacles sat beside the bloody book on the table. Both had two things in common. I avoided them, and I hated them.

  I don’t do books. I don’t do girls, and now, I don’t do mind reading glasses.

  I lied my way through the next five eye doctor appointments, convincingly telling him that the fusion had not occurred. His impatience and frustration grew with each appointment, as did his copious note taking. The appointments grew shorter with each unsatisfactory outcome, until at the last appointment he simply sat and stared at me with his arms folded over his chest, disappointment covering his face like an ugly mask. He breathed in deeply, then stood and led me to the door, his shoulders slumped, his eyes lowered to the floor. The good doctor had cleared out of his mind, and the desperate doctor had entered, intent on finding a positive outcome no matter what it took.

  I almost felt sorry for him. He had been a pawn in this game as much as I was. And although this was where we were innocently connected, I could not involve him in my plan of deception aimed at CAI. In my own way I was protecting him with my deceit of lies.

  The stupid revolving doors mocked me as I entered the CAI building for the first time since the transformation.

  The reception area on the 28th floor where my office was located had not changed, except my office. I no longer had admittance to it. It was locked. I about turned, re-entered the elevator and travelled one level below to the sterile, white reception area. White girl, Mia greeted me.

  ‘Good afternoon Mr Darcy. Mr Rubin is waiting for you. Enter his room at once,’ Mia squeaked in her bubbly fake voice. I looked at her and bowed my head in affirmation of her direction, then with quiet confidence entered the room of the man whom I despised the most in the entire world.

  His red high backed leather chair was turned toward the window, facing away from me as was his arrogant repulsive manner.

  ‘Mr Darcy, long time no see,’ he boomed as he turned in his chair towards me. ‘Sit!’ he commanded, charm oozing out of every pore - not.

  Play the game. Play it better.

  I sat on the said chair. He came and sat on the chair opposite me, ominously close, looking into my eyes, searching for signs of the implant for sure.

  ‘What am I thinking, tell me,’ he threatened in a low voice, barely audible to human hearing.

  I blinked slowly and appeared to focus on reading his mind, furrowing my eyebrows and narrowing my eyes after a short while.

  ‘Nothing Mr Rubin. The good doctor said that it would take time. As yet, I have not had success with the implant. I am still having trouble with my eyesight, and may have to wear glasses for focus. And you, have you been able to read minds with your Mind Reading Device?’ I questioned him, my voice calm, non-threatening.

  He stared at me as though I had just stabbed him in the chest with twenty knives, twisting each one of them individually.

  ‘Because of you Mr Darcy, I almost died, and am now blind in my right eye, because of you.’ He was seething, his face grew red with fury and he spat as he talked.

  I could not stop my face from reacting from his admission of terror with his own experience.

  ‘You were thoroughly informed of the risks of the technology Mr Rubin before you took it upon yourself to trial the MRI. You also signed the disclaimer on the contract. I am sorry that his has occurred to you. It is also possible that I will also lose my sight,’ I lied to him.

  He breathed out deeply, his shoulders relaxing.

  ‘Get out of my office Mr Darcy. You disgust me. The only time that I ever want to see your face again will be when your MRI is working, or when you are dead,’ the venom in his voice was clear, his eye piercing me like a dagger. His malice was making him as ugly as sin.

  I stood and bowed to him slightly before I turned on my heel and left his sanitized freezing psychotic office. His eye burned into my back like the fire of hell.

  As I briskly walked past Mia I smirked at her.

  ‘Good day Mr Darcy,’ she chirped in her squeaky voice, and then cleared her throat, signaling to meet her at the club tonight 9pm. Then she sipped on a glass of water covering her coded message to me. Hear no evil, speak no evil, see no evil.

  The icy wind blew through to my bones as I exited through the stupid revolving doors. And there was the taxi waiting for me. Obviously as hated as I was, I was still the corporations most valuable employee.

  The warm smile of Max settled upon me. I knew that I could trust this man. His loyalty to me had grown during our time spent together in the taxi. I may need him one day – perhaps even in a matter of life or death. He delivered me faithfully to my residence.

  The familiar view of the wooden dining table beaconed to me as I entered my apartment under the eyes of surveillance cameras. There the bloody glasses sat beside the bloody book. I ran my fingers over the smooth timber towards the glasses, tapped my index finger twice and then picked up the MRI accessory.

  With apprehension, I placed the glasses onto my face, unsure of what to expect once they were in place. I was disappointed and relieved to find that they changed nothing in my field of vision, or my mind. I walked around the apartment talking myself into feeling normal whilst wearing them.

  On a whim, I removed the glasses, placed them in my pocket and left the apartment in haste, and headed to the Ooooh Laaa La café.

  The bell jingled announcing my entrance, and then I sat at the counter for a light drink before being shown to a table. The café was crowded. Of that I was glad.

  Once I was seated, I pulled the glasses from my pocket and put them on.

  Nothing.

  I heard nothing.

  But what had I expected?

  A jumble of voices invading the peace and quiet of my mind, straining above each other to be heard?

  I looked down at the counter disappointed.

  ‘Sir, what would you like to drink,’ a sweet voice asked. I looked up at her, directly into her eyes.

  And it started.

  Mmmm…very nice, beautiful face……I wonder if he is taken?.....i could look at you all night…….

  I narrowed my eyes at her.

  ‘Juice, orange juice please,’ I answered, amused by what I had heard. She raised her eyebrows at me,

  Odd….he is ordering juice?.....I was sure that he would go for a beer…..

  Then the communication broke off as she turned to grab the drink. I chuckled to myself. Oh good doctor, it works, clearly, remarkably, miraculously.

  As the time passed away in the cafe, and I played with my new toy, I discovered that the mind reading implant only worked with eye to eye contact. And I had to focus my concentration acutely to engage in the mind reading at first, and then it seemed to continue like second nature.

  The mind reading ability kept me captive, surprised and even shocked by the thoughts that were created in the minds of people. Some thoughts were chaotic, some carefully planned, some thoughts were carried through, many were not, some even sang in their minds as they went about their conversations.

  After two and a half hours I removed the glasses. I squeezed my eyes shut, exhausted from my own mind being overloaded with excessive noise from the minds of others.

  I left Ooooh Laaa La Café, and wandered along the street enjoying the cool wind against my skin until I entered the club to meet Mia. I was in two minds about wearing the glasses with her. I decided against it.

  Again she sat in a darkened booth as the back of the bar. Two burly men were with her. Her red hair was hard to miss. She gave me the nod to join her, and then greeted me with a kiss on either side of the face like we were old friends.

  ‘Cohen, you are looking well,’ she said, her low voice in stark contrast to her squeaky bubbly persona of the sterile white office. I smiled at her.

  ‘I am well thank-you Mia,’ I replied. Maybe I should put the glasses on, as a test of her integrity. I squeezed my eyes shut and rubbed the skin between my eyebrows, as if I was straining my eyesi
ght. Then I reached into my pocket and put my glasses on.

  ‘My eyes are still causing havoc with me since the operation Mia. Oh, I can see you better now. You are no longer a blur,’ I lied, smiling at her. She smiled back, her eyes wondering over the ugly frames. How much would she know, and was she updated with my progress from the good doctor?

  ‘Why do you look at the glasses like that?’ I asked, a very normal conversation.

  ‘Are they the glasses your eye specialist gave you?’ Mia inquired, narrowing her eyes at me. I had direct eye to eye contact with her, but her mind was silent.

  ‘Yes, he is aware of my trouble focusing and so gave me these to help,’ I answered. She raised her eyebrows at me.

  ‘Really? And he did not tell you what these glasses had the potential to do?’

  So she did know about the glasses, about the plan. So she was keeping her mind void of thoughts for my sake. She was very good at it. Had she done it before? Are there others like me?

  ‘No,’ I lied. ‘The…….implant…… is not functional yet. He is baffled by the outcome, but is still hopeful that it will kick in so to speak,’ I added.

  Mia breathed in deeply, and looked into my eyes fully.

  Never tell a living soul if it does work. I hope that you hear me. Save yourself, because no one else can or will.

  She had pushed her thought to me with purpose. I wanted to nod to her in confirmation of receiving her thought. But she was a living soul, and hence a danger to me and herself. She was protecting me – but from what, or whom?

  ‘Cohen, this is our final meeting. There is nothing more that I can do for you. You are released from our program of intelligence and protection. However, we will continue our surveillance of Mr Rubin. Out of respect for you, if there is a problem heading your way, I will contact you. Thank-you for meeting me here tonight,’ her words were said under duress. She obviously had been given an order. She held out her hand to shake mine. I took her hand in mine, looking into her green eyes, searching for her thoughts.

  Their choice, not mine. I am following orders. Peace be yours.

  ‘Then I must thank-you and yours for watching over me when you did. I am indebted to the program for that,’ I replied, then dropped her hand and left the club.

  As my feet hit the hard pavement outside of the club, her words pierced me like a sword – no longer in their program of intelligence or protection. So I still had trackers, but they were not on my side.

  I walk alone. One of a kind, being watched, a target, the hunted. They were waiting for their move, or my move, whichever came first. I was caught in a perpetual game of chess. Except this was real. Check mate.

  I returned to my apartment with a feeling of foreboding. Paranoia would have to become a weapon of choice if I were to survive. I was bound by the chains of CAI, imprisoned until they decided how to deal with me. There was only one way to win.

  Play the game. Play it better.

  I took my Tim Jennings to bed with me. I wanted to email Georgia to see if she was okay after I walked out on her. It seemed like a life time ago. But it was still foremost in my mind.

  FROM: Tim Jennings

  SUBJECT: Stormy Night

  DATE: December 7 2011 23:00

  TO: Georgia Harrison

  Dear Georgia,

  I need to know that you are okay. You stir my soul like no other.

  Tim #doyouknowhowharditwastowalkawayfromyou?

  Send ……

  FROM: Georgia Harrison

  SUBJECT: Soul Food

  DATE: December 7 2011 23:05

  TO: Tim Jennings

  Dear Tim,

  It was my fault that you walked out on me. You did warn me that you would. I thought that you would never speak to me again, and I had lost you forever.

  I hope that you are well.

  Georgia #luckywomanwhohasthekeytoyourheartandwillbenefitfromtheexplosionofyourpassionfromtheheart,mindandphysicalbodyxx

  FROM: Tim Jennings

  SUBJECT: Connections

  DATE: December 7 2011 23:15

  TO: Georgia Harrison

  To My Georgia,

  How could I never speak to you again? We are connected through the book, remember. I hope that you are well.

  Tim #Iaminneedofyourtheraputicgingerbreadmen……please.

  Send …

  FROM: Georgia Harrison

  SUBJECT: The Gingerbread Men

  DATE: December 7 2011 23:22

  TO: Tim Jennings

  Dear Tim,

  The Gingerbread Men left me. They said that I had treated you cruelly. They share your apartment with you. Perhaps you could return them to me. I miss them badly.

  Georgia #emptynestsyndrome

  FROM: Tim Jennings

  SUBJECT: The Boys

  DATE: December 7 2011 23:26

  TO: Georgia Harrison

  Dear Georgia,

  The Gingerbread Men much prefer looking at you than me. Can we meet at the place where fate brought us together?

  Tim #dinglybellsteafortwoandgingerbreadmenimissyou

  Send ….

  FROM: Georgia Harrison

  SUBJECT: Ooooh Laaa La!

  DATE: December 7 2011 23:30

  TO: Tim Jennings

  Dear Tim,

  Tomorrow. I can’t wait any longer to see my Gingerbread Men.

  Georgia #don’ttellthemthatiambringingthefoxwithme

  FROM: Tim Jennings

  SUBJECT: The Sky is Falling

  DATE: December 7 2011 23:32

  TO: Georgia Harrison

  Dear Georgia,

  Evening. 7:03pm.

  Tim #don’tbringthefoxitwillscarethegingerbreadmenaway

  Send …..

  FROM: Georgia Harrison

  SUBJECT: Fox Taming

  DATE: December 7 2011 23:36

  TO: Tim Jennings

  Dear Tim,

  The fox will be disappointed. See you at 7:03pm. My time.

  Georgia #gotmyrunningshoeswithspikesready

  Bittersweet. My hunger for the sweetness of Georgia would end in bitterness on her part. But I had no choice. I feel asleep to the depressing reality that I would never find a soul mate to share my life with. The Mind Reading Implant had seen to that.

  Chapter 18

  People carried on with their conversations, smiling, laughing and touching each other as the door bell jingled the arrival of Georgia. I stood inside the café near the back wall, and watched her as she made her way to the bar. She wore a dark three quarter length coat, her wavy hair flowing around her shoulders framing her beautiful face. I watched her as she read the sticky note I had attached to the bench.

  ‘The gingerbread men are waiting. You are early Miss Harrison.’

  She pulled the note from the top of the bar and turned around, her eyes scanning the café until she found me. Then she broke into a smile that lit up the entire café. My heart cart wheeled and then increased in speed, and I breathed in deeply to cope with the visual feast that I laid my eyes on.

  I walked towards her, watching her the entire way. If she was going to run, I would catch her, and hold her against me, breathing in her beauty and sweetness that attracted me like a bird to nectar, intoxicating me.

  She walked toward me, and hugged me tightly. Maybe it is me who will have to run away?

  ‘Cohen,’ she whispered into my ear, making my heart sing. I stepped back a little from her, and handed the freshly baked gingerbread men to her. She looked down at them and smiled before looking up at me, mouthing a thank-you, her lips drawing me close. I needed to taste her. But I dared not.

  I grabbed her hand and led her to our table. THE original table of our first meeting.

  ‘Tea for two Miss Harrison?’ I asked, my voice low. ‘Yes,’ she mouthed, smiling and shaking her head from side to side. I wondered what she was thinking. I also wondered if it was appropriate to mind read the mind of someone who you were connected with. There must be parameters or rules that go with the MRI. I thin
k I knew the answer to my question. It was a resounding no – you definitely do not read the minds of loved ones, family or friends . But logically, Georgia and I could never be an ‘us’, and I would say my last good-bye to her tonight. So hypothetically speaking, I could use the MRI with her.

  I lightly brushed my fingers over her hand as I went to order our tea for two. When I returned, I sat down opposite her and put on the glasses.

  ‘You got your eyes checked then Mr Jennings,’ she said, her eyes following the black frames around my eyes, and smiling. ‘It makes your eyes look blue-er, especially the right eye.’

  “I never noticed that before. Glasses make you look highly intelligent. Perhaps a bit like Clark Kent Superman….” she thought.

  ‘Yes, I finally had my eyes checked, and dadaaaa…..I only need to use these sometimes,’ I explained.

  “Cohen……..” she whispered emotionally in her mind.

  ‘They suit you in an odd way Mr Darcy,’ Georgia said, furrowing her brows.

  ‘Thank-you Georgia,’ I replied, smiling coyly at her.

  “Don’t look at me that way. I want to kiss you…..deeply.” she thought

  I looked down, breaking the mind reading connection. Perhaps it was not a good idea to wear the glasses.

  ‘So what have you been doing lately Georgia? It has been a while since I last saw you.’

  She breathed in deeply, looking into my eyes. “Missing you……badly….”.

  ‘Working mainly, back to the same old ho hum of my life before it became exciting reading the book to you,’ she said. There was a sadness in her voice. I wanted to hold her in my arms.

  ‘Well, I have brought the gingerbread boys back to you. They will keep you busy, running away as they do,’ I said, trying to add some cheer to the conversation. She smiled slightly, looking at the gift wrapped gingerbread men that I had given her. But her face was sad, almost too much for me to take in. I was so happy that I could not read her mind at that very moment. Our eye connection was broken. It would probably tear my heart apart if I knew.

  I sat back and ran my hands through my hair, and looked up at the ceiling, and then closed my eyes, and removed the glasses. I couldn’t enter her private thoughts anymore. It was wrong. It revealed her true feelings as opposed to the mask that she wore to see me.