Chapter 59 – Voices That Don’t Belong to This World
William woke up in his cabin, his eyes unfocused and his body drenched in cold sweat. He sat up slowly, trying to process where he was. His head throbbed violently, and for a moment, he couldn't tell if what he remembered was a dream or a nightmare. When he looked down, he realized he was holding something—a glass vial. He stared at it, confused. The substance inside was reddish and thick, as if it burned from within.
"What... what is this?" he muttered, his voice hoarse.
He looked around, uneasy.
"Angel?" he called softly, but only the creaking of the ship replied. "Angel, answer me..."
Panic started creeping up his chest like a poisonous vine. He stood up clumsily, still holding the vial.
"Angel!" he shouted, gritting his teeth. "Don't leave me alone... Not now!"
He held his head with both hands, trembling. The room spun slowly, like the entire world had been flipped upside down. Then it hit him—that dry, gnawing dread from within. He realized just how much he relied on Angel—more than he'd ever admitted. She was no longer just a program or an AI. She had become something else. A presence. A companion.
And just when he thought she was gone for good, a voice echoed in his mind. But it wasn't like before.
"I'm here," Angel said gently.
William held his breath. The voice didn't sound like a signal inside his brain anymore. This time, it was different... not a transmission—it was a thought. One that didn't belong to him... yet somehow, it did.
"Angel? Is that really you? You're here!" He dropped to his knees on the floor, laughing through tears. "I thought I'd lost you... I was so scared, like an idiot."