The Aftermath: Parts I and II Read Free Page B

like the slump is inevitable, and forcing us to ignore certain aspects of the average life only make it only more apparent."
    Her last glass was poured and she knew the line had long since been crossed.  She needed to sit for just a moment before grabbing another bottle, which she also knew she would.
    "It's so weird how organized my life has gotten.  Prepared meals, a stock of books and movies that I've seen so many times.  I wake, I work out, I shower, I find my little box of food, my entertainment, I work on this experiment if you could even call it that anymore.  Like I said I've grown dependent on the routine, but I am just so desperate for something to break it up.  If you even gave me a glimmer of hope that there is a little at the end of this tunnel.  But just like I can't entertain you, you can't do that for me."
    "I miss the sound of a human voice."  It was less of a statement and more of a plea.
    She sighed and grabbed her cup and walked up to the window.  She got very close to it and stared intently at the faces in front of her.  It was hard to focus completely but she looked into the eyes of each of them.  Desperately she searched for some sign, for some reflection.  Would they look back at her, did they know she was talking to them.  A moment of realization that a voice was talking to them over the speaker, any sort of reflection that she was there.  Her response was moans and eyes even more glazed over than her own.  She flicked her wrist again and looked down at her watch.  With a large exhale she walked back to the table to take more notes.  She grabbed another bottle of wine and plopped herself back down.
    "I never thought I would actually miss people.  I mean it's not as horrible as it sounds, I just never fit in.  When I was a child I was always an outcast, and as I got older it never got better.  I always had what some would call weird hobbies, then with age came my attitude.  It was easy for them to ignore me because I was weird, and I only sealed the deal when I began to look down on everyone in every way.  I was smart and everyone sucked, and there was no possible chance for me to connect with people.  To this day I still say most people suck, but my attitude wasn't entirely fair either.  I got trapped into this bubble where I was always right and life experience... or well, hell, any experience didn't get in.  I found myself to be just as horrible as everyone else.  It was very hard for me to connect with people so I honestly never imagined myself desperately missing them."
    She paused again, took a few more rounds of notes and thought while drinking.
    "I did meet a guy though.  He asked me not to join this study, and I almost didn't.  It was so hard for me and we just... clicked on so many levels.  Actually it was hard for both of us.  We were awkward, distrusting, people didn't trust us.  You know all the classic bs.  Still... we managed to find a way to connect with one another.  Once we actually got together things were so nice.  I mean between our shyness and hatred of people it took awhile for the actual dating to happen, but it was clear to me once it did that we were meant to be together.  It wasn't that we agreed on everything we loved, yeah we had a lot of the same hobbies but there were a few disagreements.  For instance my favorite writer was always Poe, his was Lovecraft.  Though, I guess when thinking about it, even that is more similar than different.  We could talk to one another though, thoughtful discussion was a cornerstone of our relationship.  At the same time though we could also kick back with a pizza and watch something stupid for good times.  There was our thoughtful side and our fun side, and the combination of the two made it a good relationship for me."
    She drank again, "It's why I wish you would talk to me," she said looking at them desperately.
    "That's not to say it was all sunshine and rainbows, I mean we had our fair share of