Chapter 323: Want To See
Every day, I feel it slipping away. The respect, the fear, the authority. They look at me differently now. Pity in their eyes, or worse, indifference. I was someone. Now, I’m a ghost. They walk through me as if I don’t exist.
All because of him. All because of Lyle!
As expected, there was no date and the handwriting was almost jargon. Luckily, working at hospitals made Dasha very acquainted with incomprehensible writing. He flipped through several pages, eyes scanning until he found another interesting entry. Bennet seemed to write wherever and however he wanted, all logic and formality thrown out the window.
I hear them whispering. "Bennet’s lost it." "He’s no longer fit for the top ranks." They’re right. I HATE IT BUT THEY’RE RIGHT. I’ve lost my edge. My loyalty isn’t enough anymore. It’s never been enough.
Seven pages later...
I’m weak. Weak, weak, weak, so weak. I’m not class six and I never will be. But they let me keep the number because I was loyal. I was loyal down to my last bone.
So if one person thinks I’m not loyal enough, I’m done.
One page later...
HE THINKS I’M NOT LOYAL. HE CHALLENGED ME.
’So someone challenged Bennet.’ Dasha could already foresee the outcome. More than his strength itself was his paranoia. After Lyle jumped to being number two, Bennet lost everything he saw in himself. Bit by bit, he was losing his spirit and he didn’t know why.
Two pages later, two days later, and DEFEAT was scribbled all over. Bennet lost his number and dropped to number 8.