A Million Bodies by Erica Pensini - HTML preview

Chapter 51

I yawn, and open my eyes slowly.

“Have you partied yesterday night or was my lecture that boring, young lady?” professor Arthur Miles asks.

My defiance burns against his Miles aplomb as he looks at me, his eyes ironic but attentive.

“After all we’ve gone through I don’t even know how you came up with your lecture on time. And don’t play dumb, ok?” I say.

Arthur looks at me, intrigued.

“I know you remember where we were just before I went to sleep,” I continue.

Arthur arches his brows.

“Once upon a time you and I travelled to a place of death to find something of infinite value. There was a large metal door, but I hesitated in front of it, swaying between awe, fear and desire. You stood beside me and took my hand, and for that one instant I felt safe. This is what I told you when I last stepped in your office, after this same lecture. Do you remember?” I ask.

Arthur Miles cannot speak.

“Do you remember?” I ask again.

“You had this same dream?” Arthur Miles whispers.

“This same dream…yes. Was it a dream, Arthur?”, I say.

He’s still silent.

“Our journey isn’t over Arthur,” I tell him.

“No, it isn’t,” he admits.

“Discovery and curiosity,” I recite.

Arthur looks at me and smiles. He starts to shuffle some ruffled scientific papers lying on his desks, and produces the book from under them.

“Have you and I been reading the same sources lately?” he winks.

I smile, and he smiles back, before turning serious.

“Yes, we cannot stop. But why can’t we ever stop? Why do we have to be tormented like this all the time?” he asks me.

“Because we are a million bodies,” I tell him.