Page 69 of Mind Maze

I can feel it crawling over my skin and soaking into my pores, infecting my bloodstream.

Now that I’m aware of what’s happening, I’m able to do things to stop from focusing on it. I hum a song Kaitlyn always sings while I look for Romy.

Focus on my niece’s song.

Find Romy.

Those are my two objectives. Nothing else matters. Frantic energy pulses through me, invigorating me and making me feel as though I’m waking from a deep dream. I pass several people who are swaying to the music, eyes glazed over with happiness.

I want to scream at them all to snap the fuck out of it. When I accidentally shoulder check a guy I pass, he doesn’t even grunt or get angry.

Someone is doing this to us.

They’re playing a damn song to lull us into a sense of happiness or complacency. To what end, I have no fucking idea. It’s real, though.

It’s a nice event.

Everyone’s so friendly.

If only we could pass this feeling to our friends, families, and even foes. This could be a new era. President Huxley truly is the best man in the position we’ve ever had.

I nearly stumble over my own two feet as my brain works overtime to grab the thoughts that repeat from early and make sense of it.

A cold, oily sensation washes over me.

I don’t think this event is nice. People aren’t so friendly. If anything, I’ve met a few assholes. And President Huxley isn’t all he pretends to be.

This is a message being fed to us.

Through the music.

We willingly walked right into their trap.

It’s obvious to me what this is. I know this because I’ve not only been a perpetrator of it, but a victim as well.

There’s a dark agenda at play here.

We in the psyop world call it subliminal messaging.

And President Huxley is at the helm of it.

How do I know this, besides the fact this event is in his honor?

I read his books.

He’s well-versed on this topic, among others.

We have to get the hell out of here.

Romy

I’m surprised to say I’m really enjoying this event.

Everything’s so lovely and the people are nice.

Maybe it’s the wine making me feel so warm and giddy. Maybe it’s Caius.

Bastian is holding court, telling one of his impressive stories, and we all listen with rapt attention. Megan, beside me, stares at him as if he hangs the moon. My heart clenches and I try to imagine her being my sister-in-law one day. I would be a great aunt.

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