The Glass Woman by Alice McIlroy

Author:Alice McIlroy
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781915523051
Publisher: Datura Books
Published: 2024-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

The next morning, I take the notebook from beneath the floorboards. I am in a constant state of panic and high alert. In a pre-emptive strike, I begin to record my thoughts before Ariel can wipe them again: Is there something hidden behind the bookshelf? I study my curled lettering for a moment, something nagging at my memory. Then I close the notebook and replace the floorboard carefully, secreting it away.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Later that morning, Ariel tells me I have progressed to Stage Three: establishing a support network. It suggests looking through old photographs of people to reconnect with. In Marcus’ office, I find a wealth of photos, my brain ordering and categorising the faces that appear most often into groups. Ariel informs me that the woman beside me in many of the photographs is called Inez. I make a mental note to invite her over. I am determined to be seen to comply. I am just wondering how to contact her – should I ask Marcus? – when Ariel instructs me to use my electronic manual.

You worked together at Sila. She has had a profound impact on your life.

I am just wondering what Ariel considers a profound impact to be, when I slide the device on, and see a new Contacts app has been installed. There is a phone number.

A dial tone breaks the silence. It fills the room, rebounding off the walls.

“Hello?” A voice materialises on the other end. The person who answers is familiar.

“Inez, it’s me. Iris.”

“Hey, Iris? I’ve been worried about you. It’s been weeks. Everything okay?” I hear relief in her voice and a question mark at the end of every sentence – it is a side door unlocking in my mind. “When did you get out of hospital? I wanted to visit but in Dorian’s estimation it was too soon. Are you home now?”

“Yes, it would be good to see you. Are you free on Sunday?”

“Sure,” she tells me, as though she had been waiting for my call.

Ariel is satisfied. I am being a good patient.

I retrieve Marcus’ identical device from beneath his desk, noticing the VR headset has been moved. As I look at his device, a circle grows in my vision – it is a pinprick at first, growing into a solar eclipse – a blurred circle of vision partially obscuring the screen. It is both a warning sign and a siren’s song calling me to what Ariel wants hidden. Now, I think, we could do with a distraction.

“Would you dim the lights, Ariel?” I ask calmly.

Instinctively, I tap the blurred-out app and a passcode request pops up.

What do you think you are doing, Iris?

I walk down the stairs, very calmly, very controlled. It is a performance I must enact each day.

Ariel says, We need to talk about your feelings.

“I feel fine.”

No. You feel like your future is a black hole of nothingness, and that everyone around you poses great danger to your person. That is not fine.

I ask the smoke alarm to run a test.

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