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The Bag - Ella
A Story Every Day in 2024 June 7th 159/366
This microfiction is part of a series. In order:
The Bag; Jason's Dilemma; The Girl; Jason and the Girl; The Skewered Apple; Girl, Disrupted; Reward; Him; Master of the Games/The Guard; Discovery; Pursuit; Jason Remembers; Reverb;
You may want to visit those first for context.
*
It was a great kiss. Not earth shattering. Who wants to shatter worlds? Him. He does. I don't. I just wish that we'd, Jason and I, had more time before the Disruption that night.
I don't know how I was found. I'd been hiding and surviving for weeks after Malcolm disappeared. Gradually, I was left with less and less options. I'd managed to escape Disruption before. Malcolm said I had heightened Perception: I was able to determine when to move, when to flee. But I'd run out of boltholes and a girl needs cash to remain incognito.
Barwork needed.
It has to have been the kiss that's made it different... Jason's like me, but nothing like me too. Just different. Special? I don't like that word. I don't feel special. I'm just differently aware.
Disruption messed with me. I talked to other guys that night but with Jason, I'd felt compelled to connect. Malcolm told me "Trust the impulse."
I wish that I could see what Jason's seen. I can sense...I don't know. There's a change, for sure. He has to have remembered the kiss.
Argh! I'm so limited, it's driving me mad. Which of course is what He wants. No, He wants me to submit, he wants me to become weak, he wants me to make mistakes and I'm trying, oh, I'm trying, not to let Him take me there but it's SO FUCKING HARD!
Calm, Ella. Calm. Think.
Jason has remembered the disappearance of Catwoman. I don't think he knows that Catwoman is me, because if he did, I'd have gained from the revelation. We would be connected. But there are stirrings in him. It's just not happening quickly enough. I know for sure now that he is what Malcolm called a Conduit. When the connection is full, I will be able to recharge, for want of a better term, and we'd be a team.
Does He know about Conduits?
What I don't understand is why can't Jason remember? Do the Disruptors have an effect on Conduits? I wish Malcolm was still here...
God, this is so fucked up. I'm going to stay with him and see what happens. That's all I can do.
***
366 words
So, where next?
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Comments (7)
Ok, too many unknowns all at once for my post-work brain here...
Sorry Rachel... I had a hectic few days & somehow missed out on reading this episode! You're doing a fabulous job with this serial... very enthralling!
Definitely feel like I got a better grasp on Ella’s character from this! I like that she doesn’t have all the answers and is having to problem solve and ask questions we’re wondering too
Feel free to slap me but who's Malcolm again? 😅 The Disruption and Perception is still confusing me but I'm invested in this story!
I'm glad you did this segment. It starts to pull the story together without giving away too much.
I would like to know what happened to Malcolm at some point. This is edgy and mesmerizing, Rachel. I can see TV series coming out of this.
I'm hugely impressed with the way you're keeping all these plates spinning here, Rachel. Looking forward to the next instalment.