The Perfect Machine: Kingdom Of Glass (GxG

13. Pure Darkness

Harlow's eyes are on me, scanning for my response, for an answer as I gaze at them. There is nothing there but pure darkness. They are entirely dark, with no pupil, no iris, just black. My body is frozen still as I attempt to comprehend.

I get up on my toes to have the option to reach up to push down the hood from her head. Her hair is dark, alongside her eyes. I need to ask, yet I am at a loss for words right now. She is stunning, ravishing in a unique way.

For some odd reason, it feels as if someone has made my heart smile for the very first time. I have never seen anybody so fascinating. A small grin appears out of nowhere on my face.

Harlow narrows her eyes but doesn't move or mention a word. She waits patiently for me to say something.

"For what reason would you hide something so beautiful?" I wonder, despite everything, lost in her eyes as though I was staring into the dark sky without any stars.

"Because they're not," Harlow says, unfortunately, yet I shake my head as we look at one another.

"This is the first time I have seen your face up close," Harlow whispers with a small smile. I feel my cheeks warm up and it makes me take a step backwards. I push my hair behind my ear to avoid eye contact at the moment.

"We need to go," Harlow says and clears her throat.

"Before they come back," She adds as she rubs the side of her head. The shaved sides have grown more. Her hairstyle suits her face very well.

"You have a lot to tell me," I say as she puts the katana back in the backpack.

"I know," She answers as we both step out of the building.

We sneak into the night, and the moon sparkles brilliantly all around us, uncovering us more. Harlow turns to face me as a couple of women come our way. She bows her head, and we meet eyes. I know she is hiding from the woman, but there is just something in her eyes that captures my attention as she is looking at me. Something I can't quite explain. We keep strolling down on the cobblestones.

"So, are you going to explain to me now? Or do I have to keep waiting?" I ask as we have walked peacefully for some time now.

"I'm sorry, I just don't know where to start," She shrugs.

"The beginning, maybe?" I say, and she chuckles.

"I guess that would do," She smiles.

"Harlow, or Jordan, I don't know what to call you,"

"Harlow, please," She says, and I nod.

"Jordan is my first name. I used my second name to be able to hide," She explains but stops there.

"Go on," I demonstrate as we continue to walk down the street in this lovely evening.

"As I told you, I was in the army, and a few years after I was asked to be a part of a program, which was called for short TPM; The Perfect Machine," She explains and as clear as day, it's of great difficulty for her to talk about it.

"I read the contract, and I knew the risks, but it was just the way the Professor talked about it that drew me in. Not just me, a group of others as well. We felt special," She rubs the back of her neck.

"They were going to make us stronger, faster, and heighten our senses," I hear what she says, and I watch her in shock.

"They were going to make you like a superhuman or something?" I say, astonished as I can't seem to make complete sense of what I'm hearing.

"No," She watches in me with sadness.

"They were going to remove our mankind," She turns away from me now.

"What happened?" I question.

"We were infused with the serum; for days, we laid in constant pain because our muscles grew. Things sounded louder, smells got stronger, and our eyes adjusted to the dark. We all got black hair and black eyes; it was a side effect as the Professor called it," She stops.

"What else?" I ask, too curious and too into the story.

"We were tested constantly, in combat, in survival and even emotionally," She swallows.

"I watched everybody in my gathering transform into beasts; they didn't have empathy, nor compassion. They removed it," She gazes onto the ground, looking insightful.

"And I was a flaw," Harlow says sadly.

"What?" I blurt out, and she stops in her tracks to face me. I stare up into her dark eyes as she is looking down at me.

"I was still emotionally present. I could still feel and they found it interesting at first. Yet, I couldn't watch the horror my team committed," Harlow explains as her eyes ran cold.

"They kicked me out, so I left everything behind," She tells me.

"Even your mother?" I question.

"She didn't know what I had put myself into, and when she found out, she didn't want anything to do with me," She doesn't seem all too miserable about that.

"So, aside from not losing your humanity, you got the other abilities?"

"Yes, I am stronger, faster, and my senses are improved," Harlow says.

"Can you show me?" I ask and find myself more excited than I probably should be.

"Not here," She chuckles, and I nod sadly.

"You killed them, didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did. I had to," She sighs, disgusted with herself.

"Hey," I grab her by the sleeve.

"I might not agree with it, but I know if you didn't, we would be dead or captured," I tell her and hopefully, it will take away the worry. She stares at me for a while before she shakes her head and keeps on moving.

"Where are we going?" I ask.

"Someone in the group might help us or at least his family. We worked well together before he turned. He gave me his address a while ago, and if I were ever in need, I could go there," She tells me.

"Where is it?"

"It's in Reading," I feel the worry build up in my chest.

"That is not far from the capital, Harlow," I feel my hands shake. The closer we are to the capital, the more people there will be.

"I know, but we need someone who can help us," She says.