Efferent

Chapter 15

"Why am I here?" I questioned, and he laughed.

"Let's not get quite that far ahead." He paused then stuck out a hand, which I shook. "I am Walter, Walter Ross, pleased you meet you." Walter then leaned back onto his chair and sighed, staring at the building. "This is where we live. A sanctuary, for people like us."

I nodded and kept quite, not sure where he was going. "I admit, when I first went about creating the serum, I thought it would only help society and calm it down. Most people would be happier at a Percentage of around 20. I wanted peace in this world."

"But that came with a price. I tested it on a hundred people first. None of them became Efferent." Walter shook his head. "I still am not quite sure why and how people become Efferent, but I am continuing my studies on that matter."

I clenched at the sheets, hanging on his every word.

"Anyhow," Walter continued, "I never wanted for any of this to happen, yet it did." Walter gave me a wry smile. "Who could have predicted that other people would have reacted differently to the serum?"

I agreed. "I am sure no one could have expected it. But do you have a theory on how it works differently? Is there something in me, in us, that is different?"

Walter looked to the sky, watching as a flock of birds flew past. "Those shots that you take to prevent diseases when you are a teenager, those that everyone take?"

"Yes." I nodded.

"Well, you had to sit in the room for a few minutes, correct? You had to wait and see if you felt dizzy, and if you felt nauseous." Walter paused, staring at me. "Very few people react different to the treatment, but they still do. It is the same case with the serum. There is something in us that just... changed when the serum reached us."

"Can you identify that factor?" I asked.

He nodded. "I will most likely find it out. I usually study the Efferents residing here, as well as myself, looking through the DNA strands and such. Usually, it is because of genetics, but I do not think that is the case here. Your parents most likely took the serum and were fine."

We fell into a comfortable silence for a little while, with me thinking about his words and Walter humming a joyous tune. "How..." I chose my words carefully. "Exactly how do you plan to help us? To hide us from the government? Surely the shelter will be spotted?"

"Efference." Walter chuckled. "I have a fellow Efferent that hides our shelter, so do not worry about that."

"What is that term you used? Efference?"

He sat up on his chair and stared right into my eyes. "Efference is just merely the verb of your abilities." Walter shrugged. "Just a term I came up with. Nothing more, nothing less." He had nearly whispered the last part, and then fell back into his chair.

I frowned slightly, but then smoothed my face. "How did I get here? The last thing I remember is blacking out, and then I wake up here. If your shelter is hidden from the outside world, then how can Travis and Clark see it? Why can I see it?"

"Ah. Those two silly boys were trying to carry you, fighting over who was supposed to take you to a safer place." Walter laughed. "An Efferent here in the shelter found them stumbling around and led them to the sanctuary, that is it."

"How about my question on how I can see the walls? How I don't see, let's say, grass and trees around, but instead see the wooden walls?" I asked, trying to get as much information out of Walter as possible. He just... he made me uncomfortable, with his demeanor and promises.