Free Minds

Chapter 94.

   I told them about my frequent visits to the Tunnels and how I worked on my creations there. I also mentioned how I'd been working on my replica of the famous Neuro Skeletal Headgear device for a while in Tunnel Six. And how the day I'd finally finished was also the first time I'd been spooked by the yell I heard from Tunnel Three which, thinking about it now, was now a perfect match with Mr. Speck's voice. And how when I went back to Tunnel Six to get my tech back, I was met with nothing but a scary Yunie which seemed intent on ending me.

"I don't know how, but with our classes, the dance, Liberation Week and all this mind-control thing... it just wasn't on my mind anymore. " I rubbed my eyes for the hundredth time since I began talking.

"Thank you so much for sharing so that I wouldn't have to," Mr. Speck was the first to speak. "Your honesty is refreshing, something I couldn't say for so many others in this world. You were the one who gave me exactly what I didn't even know I needed and your tech only proves how alike you and I are in wanting what's best for the world."

"It was a Neuro-Skeletal Headgear Device, the tech for those who can't move parts of their bodies, I was building! I didn't know that that's how it turned out, I swear!" My fingers moved to pull the roots of my hair.

   I'd made sure to follow the designs perfectly. Aside from the minor variations of my device due to my reliance on junkyard tech, it could still be easily compared to the real thing. And even though I had never gotten a chance to test it out, how could I have possibly foreseen the possibility of my tech being the so-called answer to the improvement of Mr. Speck's mind-control devices?!

"Don't get me wrong, Beth, your device required a lot of my input and tech to get to what it is now," Our principal said. "But I can confidently tell you that the soaked device that made its way to me that fateful day was not the Neuro-Skeletal Headgear you thought you were making."

   My scalp began to feel like it was on fire as my fingers dug deeper into my hair. I felt myself curling tighter and tighter into a ball as the tears which had stopped flowing returned with a vengeance. I didn't even bother trying to find out what everyone's reactions were. Not that my tear-blurred vision would have allowed it anyway.

   After what felt like hours of crying and wishing that the floor beneath would open up and put me out of my misery by swallowing me, I felt someone's presence as they stooped beside me. This person did not hesitate to pull me into their arms.

"It's not your fault, Beth." Those were the words Camila had to whisper into my ear for me to cling onto her and start crying all over again.

"Yeah," Rav had joined us on the floor. "You didn't know."

"And you heard what he said," Landon, who was now several steps closer to us, added. "The only reason the improved version of the mind-control tech came to being was because he added the tech he already had and some new input. The only role you played in all this was having a device with capabilities no one could have ever considered."

   I'll admit, their words were powerless against the reality of the situation. Nothing was going to change the fact that my Neuroskel ended up being the missing piece to Mr. Speck's puzzle.

   But their words were just what I needed. Their words were what made me realise how lucky I was. And if I had these amazing people who, after this discovery, were willing to still remain on my side and comfort me, any other mind games Mr. Speck had up his sleeve didn't stand a chance.

"You could have told me the truth," I looked up at Dorian as he remarked.

   Unlike the others, he hadn't moved from his spot or said a word about everything till now.