Upload (Pt.3)

A cold wind blew as I walked towards the maintenance shed after school. I had contemplated having one of my friends come with me,like Henry, for safety or support but had decided against it. I didn’t know what Braxton would do if I brought someone else with me when the notes had said to come alone. He might just stop the meeting until I came alone and I wouldn’t get any answers.

That’s not to say I didn’t come prepared for anything. In my hand I gripped my small pepper spray fidgeting with the safety and I kept my backpack swung over one shoulder ready to be dropped or rammed into someone if anything happened. My 5 pound textbooks would at least be good for one thing.

Lexi stepped out from behind a car and walked up to me smiling as relaxed as if we were headed to a new movie. “Nice to see you! I had a feeling you would come. Are you ready?”

I glanced up towards the maintenance shed suddenly frozen. Lexi being there seemed to make this meeting more real, not just something I could turn away from whenever I wanted, a real thing with real people who may or may not be safe to be with. I tried to take a step forward but I couldn’t move, my hands were shaking.

Lexi came up in front of me putting her hands on my shoulders. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

I looked down trying to find words. I couldn’t just say that I was afraid that her and Braxton were about to mug me could I? That was how I felt though. I was terrified and felt like I should be running away from here as fast as I possibly could. I felt like I should shove her away and scream at her to leave me alone, but I couldn’t because like it or not a part of me needed to know what they had to say.

“I..It’s just..I don’t know..” I muttered trying to get any words past my frozen vocal cords.

Lexi pulled me into a hug squeezing gently. “I’m sorry Alexsis. I know this all must seem pretty… scary and all. If we had another way to tell you everything that was easier we would, but we can barely reach you. We never meant to scare you with any of this.”

She pulled away holding my hands. “You’re safe with us. I know you don’t remember but we’re your friends and even if you’ve forgotten about us we haven’t forgotten about you.”

I glanced up at the shed again, wondering what I had done to gain such loyalty. “You’ll stay with me?”

Lexi nodded. “The whole time. I promise.”

I took a deep breath and nodded to her. Still holding my hand we walked together towards the shed. As we walked Lexi talked to me making sure I had obeyed the notes instructions.

“You didn’t bring anyone with you?”

I shook my head taking another deep breath. “Nope.”

“And you told no one about the meeting, or the notes, right?”

“I wanted to. But no. I didn’t” 

That was not for lack of trying. I had tried to show my friends the messages on my note papers only to have nothing be there when I brought them out and when I went to my locker the etched message had also been gone, not even a scratch showing where it had been.

I looked over at her. “How did you do those notes by the way? Break into my locker?”

And my house? I wanted to add but held myself back.

Lexi shrugged looking around nervously. “I can’t tell you out here. They could be watching us.”

“Who?” I whispered. “Why are they watching me?”

“Let’s get to the shed. We’ll be safe there.”

I looked around nervously and kept walking with her towards the shed. Once we got there Lexi opened the door gesturing for me to go in. I gestured for her to go first-she was nice but I wasn’t risking her jumping me from behind once we got inside- she stepped in and I followed.

“Close the door behind you.” Lexi said as I stepped in. I didn’t want to but I did anyway making sure afterwards that the door didn’t automatically lock behind me and was relieved to find the handle still turned. I could get out if I needed to.

I turned to look at my surroundings. The shed was dark and small having only a few lights shining dimly from the ceiling leaving the shadowed lumps of boxes and machines to create a small pathway towards the dark back of the shed. Lexi gestured for me to follow her. “Come on! Braxton’s waiting for us!”

Making sure that my pepper spray was unlocked I followed Lexi into the shadows. Winding through the boxes we soon came to a cleared out space with some chairs. Braxton stood from one smiling nervously at me.

“Hey Alexsis! I’m glad you came!”

I glanced around the small space. Braxton had no weapons on him that I could see and the space was empty except for three chairs. From what I could tell the only way in or out was through the door I had just come through.

I folded my arms in front of my chest,more to try and stop my fidgeting than anything else, working up my courage I leveled a scowl at him. “It’s not like I had much choice.”

Braxtons smile fell and he took a small step back. We all stood in awkward silence for a moment. He cleared his throat nervously. “Ummm…do you want to take a seat?” He asked, gesturing towards one of the chairs.

I leaned against one of the boxes stacked by the passageway. “No thanks. I’m fine here.” 

I wasn’t, and all I wanted to do was sit down and relax, but I was trying to gain some control of the situation. Braxton could make me come to a secret meeting in the back of the maintenance shed but that didn’t mean I was going to just do everything he asked! If the only way I could do that was by standing then that was how it would work. Besides I was closer to the door like this anyway.

Braxton cleared his throat again. “Um..uh ok then. I guess I’ll get started…”

He waved his hand at the ground in front of him, palm down and suddenly an image of a thin older man appeared out of green light floating in the air in front of him. I took a step towards the floating figure. 

Braxton has a hologram?

“This is Rodger Calloway,” Braxton said motioning towards the figure. “Ten years ago he invented something called the Neural Interface Network or N.I.N for short.”

Braxon flicked his wrist and the image changed to an image of a person wearing a strange headset with wires on it. “The devices allowed people to connect their minds to a server and be able to do and learn things extremely fast.” 

“Kind of like a version of virtual reality?” I blurted, suddenly interested.

Lexi nodded “In the beginning they were mainly used for simulations by NASA and the government for everything from training troops,formulating battle strategies, and seeing how people would react in emergency situations. Everything was going great until..”

“Spies from other countries hacked into the network.” Braxton explained the image changing to a map of the U.S. “Once they had control of the network they brainwashed military leaders and drove them insane making them turn against their own men and country. Using the captured leaders they ordered the military to take over the government and N.I.N. facilities.”

I watched as parts of the map turned a stark shade of red as cities and states were taken over. Other parts changed to black with small pockets of blue or yellow. I pointed at them.

“What are those?”

Braxton smiled. “Some members of N.I.N who had worked on the project managed to escape the military men or were scattered and became small pockets of rebels. That’s what we are.”

I raised an eyebrow. “A couple of teenagers are humanity’s only hope? I don’t know whether to call that cliche or just sad.”

“It’s not just us.” Lexi said. “Most of our parents are former employees of N.I.N. or members of the military who wouldn’t obey their commanders orders when they said to turn on their country.”

“Alright” I said rolling my eyes “So you guys are part of some secret rebellion against a government takeover that never happened because of an invention that doesn’t exist. I don’t see what that has to do with me.”

“It has everything to do with you Alexsis.” Braxton said seriously. “Because you are part of it!”

I took a step back from them suddenly feeling slightly uneasy. “What? That’s impossible! I’ve never even heard of all this!”

Braxton ignored my outburst continuing his explanation. “You were sent on a secret mission,disguised as a volunteer for a new system they were making, with one of our top programmers, named Jason, to infiltrate one of the former N.I.N. facilities to try and gather information.”

I backed myself against one of the box stacks. My head was hurting like crazy as I tried to make sense of all this information. He seemed so adamant that this was the truth, but it was impossible. These people were insane. And yet…

“What happened?” I asked, shaking. I had to know. “W-what happened on the mission?”

Braxton ran a hand through his hair. “We don’t really know for sure. Your last transmission said that Jason had betrayed you and then we lost contact. You were captured and placed in a N.I.N. simulation. A while later some of our spies gave us a hint about the simulation and we managed to get into the code. That’s how we were able to get the notes to you.”

“But..Why you? Why didn’t you just send my parents or something? They’re in this rebellion thing too right?!”

They both looked away. I took another step back towards the passageway.

No.

Lexi looked up at me with pity in her eyes. “Alexsis…your parents were killed in the uprising. They..they’ve been dead for five years.”

I turned away from them. It couldn’t be true. How dare they say my parents were dead! How dare they even suggest such a thing!

Braxton stepped closer to me. “Alexsis?..A-are you ok?”

“Stay away from me.” I whispered. My head was pounding. He took another step closer, putting a hand on my shoulder. I turned, shoving him away from me.

“STAY AWAY FROM ME BRAXTON KELLER!”

Braxton stepped back eyes wide. Lexi leapt to her feet staring at me equally shocked. When Braxton next spoke his voice was quiet, breathless. “Alexsis? H-how did you know my name?”

My eyes widened realising what I had just said. “Y-you told me your name. Wh-when we met in the lunchroom.” He shook his head.

“I told you my name was Braxton. I never said my last name was Keller.”

Lexi took a step towards me with a look of hope in her eyes. “Do-do you remember something Alexsis?”

No. This can’t be happening. This is impossible. 

My head was pounding. I had to get out of here. In an instant I turned around and sprinted towards the door wildly spraying my pepper spray behind me to try and blind them. Braxton grabbed at my backpack and I let go of it, letting him pull it off continuing my wild dash for the door, both of them calling after me. I burst out the door to a small drizzle of rain and ran towards the school building.

I sprinted towards the doors spotting Henry walking out the doors his gym bag hung over his shoulder with his backpack. Practice must have just ended. He spotted me and his eyes went wide as I rushed over to him and he put his hands on my shoulders stopping me. 

“Woah! Alexsis! What’s wrong!”

“Henry! I need to get out of here! I-they-”

“Slow down Alexsis. What’s wrong?!”

“Its-Braxton and-and that one girl I-I met him in the shed and..”

“What! What happened are-are you hurt!”

“No. I just-I-I need to get out of here!”

Henry nodded. “Alright come on. I’ll drive you home.”

We both rushed to his car,a silver Honda,and got in buckling up. Henry got in the driver seat turning on the car and looked over at me. “Where’s your backpack?”

I shrank back still shaking. “I had to leave it in the shed.Th-they grabbed it. Wait…Crap!”

“What is it?”

I groaned. “I drove today and my keys were in my backpack!”

Henry looked back towards the maintenance shed and back at me. “Lets..Let’s get you home Alexsis. I’ll go back and look for your backpack afterwards ok? I’m sure your parents probably have some extra keys at the house and then you can get your car later.”

I didn’t like leaving my car at the school but I didn’t like the thought of going into the shed again even more. Henry pulled out of the parking spot and drove out onto the street heading in the direction of my house about a mile away. As he drove he glanced at me from time to time trying to make sure I really was alright.

“So..what happened in there?” he finally asked nervously “If you don’t mind me asking.”

I sighed, still trying to calm down. “I don’t really know what to tell the truth. Nothing happened, he just talked, but it didn’t make much sense. He said something about a government takeover or something. It was weird.”

Henry sighed, rubbing his forehead. “uhg..I was afraid this might happen.” he muttered.

I looked over at him confused. “What?”

Henry glanced at me. “You know how I said I’d heard of Braxton? I heard about him from my cousin Martin. Apparently Braxton used to go to his school. I talked to him and he said that when he went to his school Braxton was known for being some kind of stalker. According to my cousin he was expelled after a girl he had been watching went missing.”

I wrapped my arms around myself worried again. “W-why didn’t you tell me?”

Henry looked down. “I should have…I just. I hoped he wasn’t who I thought he was, or he’d turned over a new leaf. I’m sorry Alexsis. I should have told you.”

We arrived at my house and I unbuckled my seatbelt to head back inside. I opened the door to get out when Henry stopped me.

“Wait! Alexsis!”

“Yeah?” I wasn’t sure what I wanted more. To get in the house or stay there with Henry. At least in the car I wouldn’t be alone.

“My cousin said that Braxton tries to draw people in with conspiracy theories. If that’s what he was trying to do with you don’t worry about it ok? None of what he said is real.”

I forced a smile nodding. “Thanks Henry.” I got out of the car.

“I’m going to go see if I can find your backpack!” He shouted as I walked towards the front door “If anything else happens feel free to call me alright?”

“I will. Thanks!” I shouted back then went into my house. What Henry had said made sense even though it was creepy and confirmed my suspicions about Braxton being some kind of stalker.

Ten minutes later I got a knock on my door. Looking through the side window I found it was Henry and I opened the door. He smiled holding up my backpack.

“Found it! Man is this thing heavy!” He said looking down at the bag flexing it like a dumbbell. “You should’ve clocked him with it!”

I laughed for the first time since leaving the school. Thanking him I took the bag putting it on the floor. Henry fidgeted on the porch.

“Do you want me to stay? I can keep you company.”

My grip tightened on the door handle. I didn’t want to be alone after just getting out of a meeting with a stalker but I needed some time to work everything out. I was also a bit embarrassed and didn’t want to seem like a scaredy cat to Henry.

“I’ll be fine.” I said forcing a smile.

Henry nodded. “Alright, shoot me a text if you need anything alright?”

I nodded and he turned walking to his car. Closing the door and locking it I went through the rest of the house locking doors and pulling blinds. Finally I turned to my backpack. Opening the smaller pocket in front I found my phone and keys right where I had left them which boded well, they were the most expensive things I had in my backpack anyway. Opening my other pockets I found everything right where I had left it. Pulling out my math binder I headed over to the table to work on my homework trying to put thoughts of Braxton and his conspiracies out of my mind. Opening my binder however I found another note written in green marker on top of my notes.

Alexsis,

We’re sorry we scared you.

Please remember who you are.

Be careful! They are watching you!

Love, Braxton & Lexi

I slammed my binder shut, shoving it back into my backpack. Deciding to leave all my homework for tomorrow I shoved my backpack in the corner,heated up some leftover pizza for dinner, and went downstairs to watch T.V. After everything that’s happened today I told myself I deserve a break.

I watched T.V. until 10:00 and then took a shower, pointedly not looking at the mirror in case another message appeared, checked all the blinds and locks again,and then got into bed.

Laying there I remembered the dreams I’d had lately and how Braxton had confirmed that his last name was Keller. I glanced at my clock which now said 11:11. I wish for a dreamless sleep tonight. 

As usual I didn’t get my wish.

***

“Alexsis?” The young man’s voice whispered next to me. “Can you hear me?”

I stayed silent, afraid to speak. I wished I could see something instead of the endless darkness. Wished that whoever these people were would leave me alone. Wished that I didn’t know what would happen here. I shuddered.

“It’s alright.” He said gently “You can talk, we’re alone.”

“P-Please d-don’t hurt me!” I begged him sobbing quietly. “Please don’t do another upload.”

 I felt him grab my hand, gripping it tightly. “I won’t! I won’t! I promise! No uploads today, alright?”

I nodded feeling a small rush of relief. My mind had finally decided to have a bit of pity on me. I was safe.

“I’m sorry Alexsis.” The young man said. “If I’d known the uploads were hurting you..” He trailed off.

“W-who are you?” I asked him. I tried to open my eyes so I could see but was unable. 

“I am your friend.”

“What’s your name?”

“That’s not important. I don’t really like my name.”

“Where are we? Why can’t I see?”

“Well, your eyes are closed. Can you open them?”

I tried again but it didn’t work. They felt fused shut. “No.”

“Hmmm. Let me try something.” I felt his hand leave me and heard him get up moving to the other side of the room. A ripping sound came and then the tinkling sound of rushing water. His footsteps came closer to me.

“Oh! Wait.” I felt a blanket be put over me and I smiled slightly in comfort. The young man sat down next to me again.

“I’m going to touch your eyes, but you don’t need to worry it’s just a wet paper towel; alright?”

I took a deep breath, not so sure I wanted to see what might be beyond the darkness anymore. “Ok”

I heard him move and sure enough something wet touched my eyes trying to wipe the sleep gunk off of them so I could open my eyes. One of them came free and I got my first glance of the man helping me.

He smiled at me, his brown hair ruffled and unkept his green eyes bright with humor though there was a hint of sadness in them. He seemed about twenty or thirty.

“Ope! Hello! Let’s get the other one open!”

He moved to my other eye and soon I was blinking away the excess water and looking at my new surroundings as he moved back to his chair strengtening his white lab coat. He studied some machines and bags hanging on a pole next to me.

The room was small and windowless. About as large as a hospital room most of the space taken up by the hospital bed I was laying in. Glancing to my right I saw a desk with numerous computers and monitors sitting on it and a door that led somewhere.

“Where does that door go?” I asked the man. He looked to where I was looking.

“Oh. That’s just the bathroom.”

I turned my head to the left seeing another door with a window cover over it. “What about that one?”

“Umm…you don’t want to know.”

I looked back over but he didn’t meet my eyes instead intently studying the bags on the pole next to me. His hands were trembling. I shivered. What was behind that door?

“Sir?” I asked the man “What am I doing here?”

He didn’t answer his head suddenly turning towards the mystery door, a look of fear coming to his eyes. A moment later I heard footsteps coming towards us from the other side of the door.

The man turned back to his study of the machines flicking levers and sending substances down toobs connected to the bags. I winced as a cold feeling washed over me along with a wave of drowsiness. My eyes started to drift closed again.

“I’m sorry Alexsis.” The man said sorrow in his eyes. “This wasn’t the plan.”

***

I opened my eyes finding myself in my bedroom with light streaming from the window. I glanced at my clock and sat bolt upright in bed. I was 20 minutes late waking up!

Quickly changing I put on a bit of makeup, went to the bathroom then went downstairs to snarf down some cereal.

In the kitchen I found my parents waiting for me.

“I hear you had a meeting yesterday Alexsis?” My mother said with a look that told me that I was not getting away from the conversation. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

I looked down, seemingly frozen by my parents’ gaze. “I-I didn’t want to worry you.”

I glanced at the clock and the urge to get to school overpowered my parents’ stares enabling me to move towards the cupboards. Halfway there I remembered the note in the cereal box from yesterday and changed directions getting out some bread. Toast would be faster anyways.

“Did anything happen at the meeting Alexsis?” My Dad asked and I rolled my eyes. Couldn’t they see what time it was?!

“Nothing happened! I’m fine. I promise!”

“Don’t snap at your father Alexsis!” My mother said scowling at me. “We just want to make sure you’re alright. What happened at this meeting?”

I sighed exasperated and put my bread in the toaster. “Can we talk about this another time? I kind of need to get to school.” I also don’t want to think about it.

“Well” my father said a small smile on his face. “You just put that toast in so you at least have three minutes.”

I screamed in my head mad at his sound reasoning. I took a deep breath calming myself so I wouldn’t snap at them again. “All that happened was I went into the maintenance shed with this girl and met a boy who told me about some crazy conspiracy theory. Eventually I got creeped out and left and Henry drove me home. That’s it.”

My mom looked at me with her eyes wide. “What was the conspiracy theory about? Why did you even go to this meeting in the first place Alexsis?”

I turned away from her, my toast popping up from the toaster and I pulled it out plopping it on my plate. My mind whirled with answers to her questions that I didn’t know what to say to.

I went because there were messages that appeared out of nowhere and it was the only way to get them to stop. I went because I was curious. I went because I had to know what they had to say. Because they seemed so nice. They said that none of this was real. They said that I was in a rebellion. They said I was captured and am a prisoner.

They said you were both dead.

I shoved the thoughts away, the beginning of a headache starting. I shouldn’t be thinking about this. “I’d rather not talk about it.” I answered her quietly, still looking at my toast as I buttered it. Last minute I decided to put on some cinnamon sugar to add to the flavor. “Please. I just want to forget about it.”

My mother sighed. “Alright. Get your stuff I’ll drive you to school.”

I walked over grabbing my backpack and put a piece of toast in my mouth as I headed out the door to the car. I got into a shotgun and my mom drove me to the school we drove in silence for a few minutes before my mom started talking again. 

“Do you have your keys? Your car’s at the school right?”

I nodded stuffing more cinnamon toast in my mouth. “Yeah. It is.”

“I want you to come home right after school today and text me when you get back. Got it?”

“Alright.”

“If you see this boy or the girl again and they try to talk to you, get a counselor or the campus police officer alright?”

“Ok, I will.” I was totally prepared to turn Braxton in to the police or the counseling center. He needed it if he thought what he was saying was true.

“Don’t go anywhere with them.” she said, giving me a sideways look.

I blushed a nervous, guilty, smile coming onto my face. “I won’t.”

We came to the school and I looked up at the large building that suddenly felt dangerous. Would Braxton and Lexi be waiting for me inside? Would there be more notes? Would they try and convince me of their conspiracy theories again?

“Mom..”

“Yeah, honey?”

I looked down not sure I should be saying this. “At the meeting…they said that you were dead. They said that you had been killed. That’s what made me leave.”

I looked up at her, a lump forming in my throat. I could feel myself shaking. “I know it wasn’t real but I can’t stand the thought of that happening. I-I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

My mom leaned over and pulled me into a hug. It was a bit awkward with both of us sitting in the car but it was still comforting all the same.

“It’s alright honey. We aren’t going anywhere. We’ll always be right here. Nothing is going to happen to us.”

She pulled away and I sat up whipping tears from my eyes. “You’re right. Thanks mom.”

She smiled. “It’s fine. Just forget about what they said alright? It isn’t real.”

I nodded hopping out of the car. “Love you mom.”

“Love you too honey.”

With that I walked towards the school building. Braxton could try and talk to me again about his conspiracies but I wouldn’t believe him. Not when he said my parents were dead. It would take more than some messages to convince me of that!