Blinding lights were from every direction as my eyes and hands fumbled from my position on the floor, trying to figure out where I was.

"Whoa, easy." Tali was beside me in an instant, trying to make sure I didn't fall over as I failed to get back on my feet.

   The frequency of Tali's voice had the impact of a bullet piercing through my skull.

"What-what happened?" I asked with a scratchy throat, clutching my aching head.

"I was just about to call the ambulance I swear! When I returned to the garage..." Her rambling, just like her panicked expression, got clearer with every irregular blink.

"...and after I took off the glasses, you just passed out. What happened to you?"

"I...I really don't remember." I said, frowning at the persistent ache that surged mainly through the right side of my temple. "The last thing I recall seeing was the crowd and flashing lights and... I don't know what happened next."

   It was only when Tali held her hand out toward me that I realised I was spread across the floor, still clad in my dress.

   As she lifted me up, her eyes remained wild while she blurted, "Before I came in, your mum told me to let you know that she had an impromptu class and was leaving soon. I ran back to the kitchen when this happened but she was already gone. I didn't know whether to chase after her before calling the ambulance. Beth, I'm so sorr—"

"Tali!" I had to yell to snap her out of it. "I'm fine now. It's okay."

   She shot one last lingering look my way before engulfing me in a bone crushing hug. "I genuinely thought you were going to die."

"Tali?" I mumbled into her hair, my eyes fixed on the sight over her shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"Why's your laptop all smoky?" I pulled away to get a better look at the device on the table.

   Aside from the smoke radiating from the internal parts of the laptop, it seemed to be in its normal state from where I was standing.

"Oh, that," She replied, after tracing my stare. "Yeah, it pretty much heightened my anxiety. It wouldn't stop emitting sparks till I took your virtuo glasses off. It'll be a miracle if this thing can be fixed."

   The mention of the glasses sent my stare and presence to the downward corner of the room. I picked it up to examine what had wrought the most painful feeling I had ever experienced. My head couldn't stop racing as I observed it at eye level before pushing the 'Activate' button.

"It's not working," I remarked.

"Of course not." Talise came over. "I threw it as far away as I could from your head."

"But it doesn't have a single scratch." I brought the glasses to my ear and shook it lightly. "And everything sounds intact."

"Well it is Speck Tech."

"Which is why I'm finding it really hard to understand how such a life threatening malfunction occurred," I said, still keeping my eyes locked in the glasses.

"Don't forget it's a prototype," She shrugged.

"Still." I shook my head. The ache was fading away quicker than I'd expected, thank God. "Mr. Speck wouldn't risk such a defect. The glasses are for his students! The only other way this malfunction could occur is if..."

"...it was tampered with," she confirmed my suspicion.

   Her gaze on the now smokeless laptop moved to stare at me wide-eyed.

"Oh no." My mouth went dry as I voiced my dreadful realisation, "It was the syncing. The syncing caused the malfunction."

   The wave of dizziness that threatened my footing was not because of my headache this time. My heart weighed a tonne as it dropped to my gut.

"I, uh, I think I know why what happened happened," Tali said.

   I turned to get a glimpse of one of her I-did-something-illegal looks. This was not one of the times where I could just laugh it off or give her a pep talk she could easily ignore. I focused on controlling the anger brewing within me and nodded for her to continue.

"I needed something to help me with the encryption. It was harder than I thought it would be." She walked over to the laptop and turned it over.

"You didn't!" I snapped, staring at the chip she unraveled from its side. "What the hell is that anyway? You know what, I don't want to know."

"It made the syncing occur a thousand times easier and faster. I was told it was super secure. Clearly, my sources were wrong!" Her shriek clashed with my groans of frustration."

"Clearly!" I sighed into my palms. "The anti-malware software in the Virtuo Glasses probably detected a threat in whatever the hell you're holding."

"At least we know what caused the issue!"

   I scoffed at her optimism. "Yeah, the issue that almost killed me!"

"Beth, I'm so sorry," She whispered.

   Even though I turned to avoid the regretful look her eyes held, it was impossible to unhear her tone. Ugh. Why did I feel like the enemy?

"Me too! I just can't stop thinking about the worst possible implications of what we just did... Oh my God." My knees couldn't support my stance and speech anymore. I toppled to the floor, outweighed by the bad thoughts that just kept coming.

"What? What?" Tali joined me on the floor.

"I could get expelled." The words were too choking for me to utter well. "When they trace everything to me, I'll be expelled. What if they press charges? We could go to jai—"

   The unforeseen tap on my face by Talise's hand was more surprising than impactful, but it had the same effect in shutting me up.

"Was that a slap?"

"I didn't want to hurt you," Tali said. "And there's a way to fix this. Beth, the only way I was able to hack into the system was because of this chip. If anything is going to be tracked, it'll be this."

"Okay. Okay!" My breathing became controlled while I nodded with newly found fervour. "This is great. Let's destroy this thing."

"We can't assume that they still won't be able to track it. We need to toss this thing. Why am I even encouraging this?" She stopped with an eye roll. "There's only a five percent chance of them actually looking into it."

   I remained straight faced to her reassuring smile.

"Okay, fine. Maybe..." The way her fingers toyed with each other as she reconsidered her previous words were nerve-racking. "Fifty percent?"

"Dude!"

"The girl I got it from said this thing was basically untraceable though. And I did my research okay? It should take them hours to find it."

"This is Speck Tech," I made sure to emphasise when I repeated myself. "Speck. Tech."

"We're wasting time sitting around! We've got to find somewhere..." She trailed off.

"...no one will ever look." I finished her statement.

   The looming horror of the situation seemed to fade the moment a warmth from nostalgia filled the room at the knowing smile Tali and I shared.

***

  Clearwater River. There are many theories as to the name's origin. One of such is how clear the water used to be. If that's the case then, geez, the irony, seeing as it was anything but crystal clear. Who knows though, maybe it really was years ago. The amount of pot, cigarette butts and other kinds of drugs and alcohol as well as the occasional dead pets around somewhere had gathered enough dirt to differ though.

   Which drives one to theory number two; the water was given its name for its ability to pull the Disappearing Act in relation to anything dropped in it. That was the one I, together with those who deem it as the best spot for the worst kinds of parties, are biased toward. The chances of you seeing signs of those parties were none if everything was dumped in the river the night or dawn before.

   Clearwater River. Also the place I met my best friend.

"Okay." Tali said, letting out a sharp breath as her hold on the chip and her laptop parts over the river loosened. "To not going to jail."

"To not going to jail," I echoed.

   A sigh of relief escaped me at the sight of the devices being swallowed and carried away by the gushing waters.

"By morning, it'll be miles away." She linked an arm into mine. "Happy now?"

"At least tomorrow is Friday. Maybe I can talk my mum into making me stay home..." I interrupted myself by stopping my tracks as realisation sunk in. I grabbed Tali's hand to break into a run. "Liberation Day! Come on, hurry up! You've got to help me pack."

"What's Liberation Day?"

A/N: Almost 200 reads!!

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QUESTION OF THE DAY: What would be your superpower if you had one?

  Published: 20th September, 2021.

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