The main reason scientists shut down the DarkMatterxBeing project was never revealed. At least not by them. Years later however, there was a leaked article which detailed what exactly would happen if the normal matter that makes up our bodies is replaced with dark matter completely and the subjects.

   Now, though unknown to most, every human has some quantity of dark matter in them, but the results of this extremity were not pretty. In order not to bore you with all the science talk and to paraphrase some article, our cells and organs would no longer be held together because the dark matter which is now what makes up our bodies will disintegrate, spreading into various parts of the earth. But it doesn't stay that way. The particles finally find each other after quite a while and merge once more due to something about gravity.

   Even then, your body won't regain its original structure and your 'body' will keep returning to the spot where you were 'birthed' (first became dark matter) but a few metres further away from the exact place and... great, now I was boring myself.

   That's about the only thing I was able to understand...I think.

   But past studies have already shown that. Where it gets interesting is when the article revealed that more than the stated few had been subjects in the experiment. The numbers and people who were revealed were apparently the ones who did not die... or turn into all that I had previously mentioned.

   But why bring it up now?

   Because that was the current state of one of the subjects of that experiment, my teacher who had had a nervous breakdown just yesterday morning in the hallway, before this whole craziness. It was Mr. Sacury, emerging from the Virtuo Glasses in holotar form. Almost anyway. His hologram avatar looked like the effects I had just explained about in relation to dark matter. He had the form of barely composed vapour.

   So basically, a really messed up ghost.

"There's no other way to say this so I'm going to begin w-with the obvious problem." His disfigured face sighed in distress as he struggled to speak. "In five days, Zavlon Academia is going to be subject to a mass reprogramming of the mind and there is no-o-thing I can do to stop it. Believe me, I've tried but it's hard to work when yoo-ou-u're in this state and the only times you're allowed access to neutralizer medication is to help contribute to the definite tragedy that has probably befallen Zavlon while being cooped up in a depressing lab.

"If you get this message, then it is clear that the placement b-b-b-b-... didn't work. Not in yo-o- anyway. To be s-su-sure, however, please touch the sides of your head, particularly the temple areas."

I    flinched at the dull ache which arose when my fingers found my left temple then breathed a sigh of relief when I felt nothing else.

"Now listen to what I'm about to tell you very ca-ca-refully," he continued talking in stutters and glitches. "This goes beyond a bunch of teenagers being mind-controlled. Unfortunately, I was never able to access the whole vision behind this, but I know this isn't going to remain within the walls of Zavlon Academia. It couldn't if it wanted to and those who are involved are well-aware of that. Mainly be...ca-cause... wants the spread to happen. This is not only a threat to the average Zavlonian, but humanity as whole. As you can see, personally, I cannot do anything to stop this tragedy. They have me trapped in their lab where I'm watched almost always. In my other lab which no one—except you, of course – knows about, however, are subtle clues to lead you to what can stop this. This lab, situated also within the walls of Zavlon, is still at the risk of being found and I don't want to elaborate on how key it is that you find it first. I don't know who's hearing this, but I know you are not a victim to all this for a reason. I'm only going to mention the lab's location o-on-onc-"

   I could gawk on as the holotar went through more glitching. This time, however, it didn't recover. His subsequent speech began to alternate between being dangerously slurred and/or broken. I rushed over to pick up the glasses, maybe it was possible to reset the whole thing.

"THIS DEVICE WILL SELF-DESTRUCT IN FIVE..."

   You've got to be kidding me!

   I rushed to the garage's exit, making it through just in time and lingered around the other side of my device room's door, feeling nothing but useless as the countdown came to a stop and the subsequent blast followed.

   There went my only hope.

   Minutes went by in silence, which was very ironic considering the current merciless heap of questions, incomparable to yesterday's, running through my mind. Just when I thought this situation couldn't get more terrifying.

   Any belief I had in myself that I could do this was destroyed together with that explosion. How was I supposed to do this with no knowledge of who I was up against and of the lab's location, no protection, no backup, no tech, need I continue?

   So why did I feel responsible for what I knew was going to come if I did nothing? I think Mr. Sacury didn't mention calling the police because he knew no one would be that stupid. Whoever was behind this was probably way beyond that.

   I wouldn't be so dramatic as to call this a life and death situation, but it was cutting pretty close. Even though the students at Zavlon Academia were not my kind of people, it didn't mean I was just supposed to leave them to their fate.

   Minji was a great friend. I mean, sure the last time we were together things didn't go so well, but I should have known it would take a mind controlling device to agree with Viola. I couldn't leave her in the clutches of some mind controlling freaks.

   I wouldn't even do that to Viola... on a good day.

   Seriously though, as much as I wouldn't know what I'd do if this thing escalates to affect Mum and Talise, it would be worse if I had a hand in the failure of what could have prevented it.

   I just couldn't do it. I chose to doubt that I'm the only one who got this message. There has to be another non-mind controlled person like me. And I'm pretty sure that person has the location of the lab by now and is being all heroic.

   Those stupid glitches. The least Mr. Sacury could have done was match the quality of the message with the glasses.

   Or what if he did?

   I groaned as it hit me with full force. One act of rebellion couldn't just go unpunished this one time. I cursed myself for allowing Tali to use that stupid chip to sync her laptop with my glasses. Though the Virtuo Glasses hadn't shown any problems on the outside, the system was probably messed up, ruining whatever form of display or projection...including Mr. Sacury's message.

   If this wasn't a sure indication as to why I shouldn't do this, I don't know what was. Now I didn't just not want to do it, I couldn't. I'd be an idiot to take a hopeless dive.

   That's why I favoured anti-heroes over heroes sometimes. They didn't hope for the best like the often gullible hero or the worst like the villain. They were realistic. They knew their limits. Not everything, especially their lives, had to be sacrificed for the greater good.

   They got me.

***

   I was wrong to think some hopeless walk would take the burden of my decision off my shoulders. It wasn't enough to change my mind but still... It was pretty hard to walk with my head held high without feeling like crap.

"Beth, why so early today?" I shifted my gaze from the ground to stare at Mr Shin as he asked.

   Wait, Mr. Shin? Suddenly becoming aware of my surroundings, I was shocked to find myself in front of his comic book store. I hadn't planned on walking that far.

"Are you coming in?" He turned to the store's door, inserting his keys into the lock.

   Hold on...

"It's afternoon." I frowned. "Why are you now opening it up?"

"Reopening," he corrected. "I was on a lunch break. Well, are you?"

"I was just taking a walk to be alone with my thoughts. I can still help arrange the new stacks though."

   Despite the curiosity that betrayed his expression, I was glad he decided not to push it. But no, my conscience couldn't let it go. At least he wasn't worried. Huh. Maybe I didn't seem depressed like I thought.

"Of course." He turned down the knob. "Come in."

"Thanks," I mumbled, walking to the familiar spot where the new stacks of comic books were kept.

   Soon enough, the place settled into familiar silence as I continued to arrange the books at the left corner of the shelf. The hero section. Then the middle section. Also, the hero section. Was this torture for my decision? Was that it? The judging stares from my childhood heroes plastered on the comics' covers (not paranoia!) couldn't seem to focus on anything else. Well, I didn't have to take this! I picked up a new pile that was labelled, 'Bottom Right Area'.

The Hero Secti—

"Mr. Shin!" My words were masked by the stack of comics in my hand I had slammed to the floor.

   I couldn't do this to myself anymore.

"Beth, what on earth!" His hands were glued to his ears as he glanced in my direction, before catching a glimpse of the comics spread out of the floor.

"I'm sorry." I grimaced. "I meant to lay them down."

"My ears feel otherwise."

"Can I ask you something?" I asked.

"When you pick up those comics you can," he shrugged, returning to his book.

   I muttered a second apology, bending over to pick up the scattered comics and arranged them into a nearby box.

"How do you stop feeling guilty for a decision you've already made?" I paused to stare at the remaining covers in hand.

"It depends." He placed his book away to focus on our conversation. "Was it the right decision?"

"Does that really matter? I—my friend from school is more concerned with how sh-he is not driven into insanity by guilt."

   Old people never looked into it when you said you were asking for a friend.

"Your friend needs to ask himself what exactly he feels guilty for and if it has anything to do with the decision. If so, then the only way to get rid of that guilt is by making the right decision, which in this case may not necessarily be the one he initially chose."

"Uh-huh." I don't get it.

   He sighed. Good, he could tell.

"What I'm trying to say is that sometimes, it's not such a bad thing for things to not be the way you would want. That's just how some decisions are."

"Even if it's dangerous? Could cause, I don't know, doom, death, destruction?" I frowned.

"Will it be worth it in the end? If yes, then it shouldn't matter what the odds are in reaching the value of that decision. One fighting chance is all you need."

"We can't all be like the Avengers, you know. We can't achieve that one probability Dr. Strange says is existent to defeat Thanos." I raised my brows.

"True," He grinned. "But you'll never know if you don't at least–"

"Try," I finished with an eye roll. "I know."

"Seriously though, Beth." He leaned over the counter. "Fear shouldn't be what stops you. That's the one thing heroes, anti-heroes and even villains make exceedingly clear. And you may not be exactly like them, but that doesn't make you any less capable."

"My friend, you mean," I said, "It doesn't make my friend less capable."

"Right." He was already buried in his book once more. "You tell her that."

   Him not her.

   I guess he wasn't that old.

"Thanks, Mr. Shin." Smiling at the heroes in hand, I added them to the collection in the box.

   Still not doing it, though.

A/N:
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Published: 26th September, 2021.