Side Effects

14 - The Article

Carrying three boxes, Ray came tumbling back into the apartment with the same contagious smile on his face.
"I have a treat for us today!"

Tina sat up, excited but curious, and pointed to the boxes. On the kitchen counter, Ray opened them and the most gorgeous scent raised into the air. Ray plated up and bestowed upon her three slices of delicious margarita pizza.

"I got a job today, so we can finally afford all this." He spoke before taking a mouthful.

Growing the maximum amount of trust in Ray, Tina bit the first slice and could not help but widen her eyes when the beautiful taste met her tongue. Carefully, Ray looked at the back of his hand, which seemed to be covered with blue ink, and read out what he needed to say.

"Ya... prats-yu-yu.... v mahazyni zaraz, tak skoo-cho...? my.... moz-hee-mo.... tse tak samo ....yak van.... podobayet.. 'sya."

He had told her that he had been offered a job working at the shop, but it was difficult to read and speak another language, so he often stumbled on his words. Still, he was improving, and the effort made Tina so grateful that she did not point out the mistakes he had made.

The people who worked at the till had come to know Ray's face well, since he was always there, and seeing how he was rationing what little money he had been given by the government, they offered him a stable job working at the till. However, there was just one problem - there would not be anyone to look after Tina.

'She's only a year younger than me', he thought, 'she doesn't need looking after'. He was sure that she could do things herself. He was right, because as he was inside his own little world, Tina had gone to scavenge what was left of the garlic bread.

"My... povy.. nni pity ku.. dy-nebud?"
"Nemaye."

Ray had asked the same question various times throughout the week. It was always "do you want to go out somewhere? What should we do today? There's a few places I want you to see. Should we go to the park? Do you want to go outside? Why not?"

Tina had always replied the same, with a simple "nemaye", dismissing the idea. A theory had sprung to Ray's mind, but he was not quite sure whether he was correct, especially since he did not know too much about New Orbis himself.

Ray's conscience told him that maybe Tina had been woken up from the Somnesia treatment on the very same day as him, maybe even a few hours after him, and the reason she was scared to go outside was because she was confused, she did not speak English, and she had not been told where or who she was, nor why or how she was there.

The fear of this new world had given her an anxiety of the outdoors, and he respected her dismissals wholeheartedly, not wanting to force her into doing things she did not want to do.

Tina had always been quite sensitive from when he first met her, but he hoped that she would find her strength soon. There were so many places around the city he wanted to take her to.

The newspaper Ray had laid on his lap waited to be read. Tina took a quick look at the front page when walking past, but realised that all the words were in English. The government wanted everyone to speak and read English, but it was harder than it seemed for some.

Flicking through pages, Ray came across a photo of a familiar face. He looked up. He looked back down at the headline.

'DANGEROUS PRISON ESCAPEES STILL ON THE LOOSE'

And there was printed the face of Tina Petrenko.

Everything in the city slowed itself down, the world around Ray crashing down around him in silence. He hoped to God that he had read wrong. Tina Petrenko - his friend and housemate - a criminal.

Pulsing to his ears was the thumping of his heart. He felt weak and pale. No. That could not be right.

He kept himself in denial. Surely, there could be someone else with the same name as her? The Tina Petrenko he knew could not have been a prison escapee. She was too innocent. Too mousy.

Doubting what he had read with every ounce of his brain, the back of his mind flooded back the memory of when Tina stabbed him the very first time she met him.

"No." He frustratedly grumbled to himself, tightly gripping his head with both of his palms, his nails raking through his hair. Desperately he re-read the page. Again and again and again and again and again and again. Every single time; the words loud and clear - Tina Petrenko.

This was why she was so afraid - this is why she was so scared of police sirens. Everyone who had helped them both was leading on a lie. How could they be trusted? What was their real plan? What was Tina's plan? Was she truly who she said she was? Were Donnamira and Cherie a part of this?

Tina noticed the obvious pain in his face as he stood up, lifting his head from the floor. Never had he looked at her like this. His eyebrows lowered down to his wet bloodshot eyes, his teeth gritting under crimson skin. Something had to be wrong. Tina's heart stopped, her stomach turned, her knees became weak because she knew... from every inch of her mind... that she must have been found out.

Staring at eachother, the two stood apart. Ray's face read betrayal - Tina's read sorrow. Ray's hands began to shake - Tina's eyes widened with fear. Ray's feet slowly stepped towards her - Tina stayed still.

And ever so unexpectedly, Ray wrapped his arms around Tina - and Tina shook her tears away in his embrace.

"Vse dobre, Tina.... Vse dobre." He comforted with a heavy mind.

Logic told him to turn her in, but the conscience of his heart refused. Out of everything this city offered, at least she was the one thing that was genuine. She may have not told him about her being a 'dangerous criminal', but she certainly had not denied it. She was not as dangerous as she had been described in the article - another untrue thing in this place. She would never hurt a soul without reason.

Ray shook. He was now stuck between the laws of New Orbis and the welfare of one person. His decision was clear. Dammit, he knew straight from the beginning of this demeanour what he would do.

Untrustworthy people such as Donnamira and Cherie had to leave them alone from now on, in fact he would make sure that they all lost contact completely. They may have helped him and Tina until then, but there was no way he could ever truly read their intentions.

Clearer than any Ukrainian sentences he had said before, he rested his hands on the shoulders of the scared girl and stared at her in the eyes,
"To, shcho by hovoryte, my zalyshayemo New Orbis?"

Unblinking, Tina nodded with intensity.

The sentence translated perfectly,
"What do you say we leave New Orbis?"