Who is 'he'? the Voice asked curiously. A ghost. A shadow of a life that didn't work. Drink, Elara. Be whole.
She watched, a passenger in her own body, as her fingers curled around the cold condensation. The hum in her skull intensified, turning into a rhythmic pulse that matched her heartbeat. mind control
Elara stared at the glass of amber liquid on the mahogany desk. She didn't want to drink it. She knew, with a flickering spark of terror, that the liquid was the anchor. Once it was inside her, the Voice wouldn't just be a suggestion; it would be the architect of her reality. Who is 'he'
Elara stood up. Her back was straight, her eyes clear and vacant. The vibration in her skull had stopped. A shadow of a life that didn't work
"What is your directive?" the Voice asked, this time through the room's speakers, crisp and real.
She felt nothing at all. And it was the most peaceful thing she had ever known.