Emily took a deep breath and smoothed out her fancy dress. She would be wearing a lab coat over it, but she still wanted to look her best for the big day. She hadn’t heard a whisper or sudden breeze all morning. Maybe it had worked? Maybe her hallucinations wouldn’t come because she had convinced herself somehow that they wouldn’t? Well, who knows.

Emily just had to stay focused today and make sure that Peter Rose saw her at her best for the first time they met.

Emily went up to the lab with Luke beside her and they went to their work stations and their little room with the computers. They sort of milled around for a bit just talking for a bit, not sitting down. Barbara popped her head in and grinned.

“Oh, you guys don’t think this is a vacation, do you? You’re still working today. Peter Rose isn’t coming until after lunch at least. So chop chop. Back to work, interns.”

“Thanks, Barbara,” Luke said, “Do you know the exact time? I think we’re both a bit nervous to meet the ruler of CODA…”

“Oh, you know he doesn’t like being called that,” Barbara said, “Technically there’s the various councils running each of the territories, even if CODA Industries is so powerful Peter Rose basically ends up in charge of everything in the end… But no, no specific time. He’ll just show up some time after lunch whenever he feels like it. Important people get to do that if they want to.”

“Okay,” Luke said, “I guess we’ll get to work then.”

“Sure,” Barbara said before turning to Emily, “Oh, and don’t look so nervous. You’ll be fine, Emily. You can explain some of our results better than Donald can. Just show Peter Rose your knowledge and you’ll be more than fine. Bye for real now.”

The door closed with a soft click and Barbara walked off towards her lab bench. Emily sat at her computer and started logging in. She quickly checked her work email from any emails from the lab director, their actual boss, but there wasn’t anything. Emily quickly skimmed over all the spam emails from the marketing department.

Advertising some product or other that CODA was launching that Emily and Luke had absolutely nothing to do with. But occasionally they were important, like two months ago when they announced that one of the three elevators in the building would be going through maintenance and so couldn’t be used. Emily probably would have figured that one out pretty quickly, but at least she had known that it was coming ahead of time.

Emily and Luke casually worked through the day, not exactly slacking but definitely not trying their hardest either. Both of them were anticipating meeting the Peter Rose too much. Lunch was a nervous affair where Emily and Luke tried to act natural as they sat with all the casual full time scientists teasing them about their nervousness. It helped them relax a little, but they still were a little tense as they went back up to the lab.

Emily and Luke eased back into their work, both looking up occasionally just in case Peter Rose arrived. They both flinched when suddenly the door handle turned and opened. It was the lab director with an uncharacteristically serious expression on his face.

“Emily. Have you seen it yet?”

“What? See what?” Emily asked, disturbed by the man’s pitying gaze as he stared at her.

The man hesitated before gesturing to her, “Come with me to my office. You’re not in trouble, but we have to talk.”

“B-But about Peter Rose?” Emily asked as she stood, “What if he comes while we’re talking?”

“The… situation is delaying him,” the lab director said, “He has rescheduled to come to do the inspection on Monday. I’ll explain in my office.”

The lab director released the door and Emily caught it and walked out into the main lab. Everything looked normal, everyone was at their usual stations. All except Donald, who was giving Emily an intense look as he stood near one of the lab computers. The lab director glared at him, and Donald turned back to his work after a moment. But Emily could see Donald still glancing at them as the lab director led Emily into his fancy office just off the lab.

He gestured to the chair opposite him and swiveled his computer monitor so they could both see it.

“About fifteen minutes ago, during lunch,” The man said once Emily was fully seated, “An email from the marketing team was sent. To the whole company. It… was about you. Now, Peter Rose and our CODA digital security team are investigating what’s happened and why. Even if it’s not my department, I just want to apologize. I had… no idea you were going through something like this.”

Emily felt herself stiffen, “Go through? Go through what? What was in the email?”

The lab director hesitated for a full three seconds before he clicked into his email and went to one of the top emails from marketing. The header was ‘Emily Stenson, Genius Lab Intern, Is Insane!’

Underneath was a video, which the lab director clicked. Emily saw a shaky video showing her in an empty alleyway with her back against a wall, looking panicked. No, no, no! Emily had a sinking feeling as the video continued. It clearly showed through a shift in the angle that Emily was babbling and cringing away from thin air. Talking to herself. Clearly insane. There was the sound of the door opening and the video suddenly cut to black. The video had ended.

Emily sat there, shaken. She licked her dry lips, “A-And. How many people saw this again?”

The lab director sighed, “We sent a correction email five minutes later telling people to not watch it. But those never work, so likely… most of the company by now. I’m sorry.”

Emily just sat there, not believing that this was happening. Everyone had seen that email. Peter Rose must have seen that email. People would never look at her the same again.

“Now, I know this is sensitive…” The lab director said cautiously, “But have you seen anyone about this…?”

“Yes,” Emily replied numbly, “The doctors still can’t figure out what to diagnose me with. Told me they would start giving me the heavy stuff if there was another episode.”

Emily belatedly remembered that she had had another episode last night. But… that one hadn’t been as scary, so she hadn’t thought of it in that way. Should she tell them after this? She had read up on the side effects of the drugs they had recommended. She would be like a zombie, constantly out of it and barely able to function normally when the drugs were in her system. But at least she wouldn’t have any more insane episodes according to the doctors.

“Well,” the lab director said, “Do you want to go home for today? We’ll figure out everything by Monday and let you know next steps. Peter Rose wanted to tell me that he will personally apologize to you about what happened as head of the company after we’ve found the real culprits behind this.”

“W-Who sent the email?” Emily asked in confusion, “Aren’t they the ones that did it? Why would Peter Rose want to apologize to me?”

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The lab director shook his head, “No. It was from the account of the head of marketing. It was either an external hack or someone in the company had access to his account details. It probably wasn’t him, he’s in hot water for this either way. I don’t think he’s quite stupid enough to do something like this. And CODA is Peter Rose’s legacy. He feels responsible when something happens, even if he wasn’t directly involved himself in any of this.”

“Am, am I being fired?” Emily asked, “After the video…”

There was a short pause. “No,” The lab director said, “As I said, there’s no use talking about it now. On Monday we’ll have more information on this and can talk about what should happen next. You’ve been nothing but an excellent intern, so don’t you worry. I’ll speak to your character.”

“You will?”

“Yes. I’ll give your boyfriend Luke some time off as well. Go spend some time with him and your family to relax.”

“L-Luke’s not my boyfriend.”

The lab director’s lips twitched upwards slightly, “You better get on that quickly then. Barbara is a relentless gossip. She thinks you two would be a cute couple.”

“Barbara…” Emily groaned.

The lab director’s mouth twisted back into a frown, “Alright. Go tell Luke. You’re both going home today. And I just want to say again… I’m sorry that this happened. You’re a very talented young woman. We’ve all seen the Shadow here in this lab. All of us know the feeling of seeing things that aren’t really there, and how… real it all feels in the moment.”

“T-Thanks,” Emily said, “I’ll go now. Bye.”

Emily walked out the door and the lab director didn’t move to follow her. Emily walked over to Luke and they left the building together with her still in a daze. In the lobby everyone was staring at her. Did they all know? What did they think of her? Well, she knew what they thought of her. They thought she would be dangerous, ready to snap and do something violent at a moment’s notice. That’s what Emily would feel if she had seen that video if it had been about anyone else.

— — —

Luke tried to talk to her several times, but she didn’t respond. She went to her house and walked inside, her mom confused and asking questions as the two of them entered. Emily walked right past her without speaking while Luke remained behind to explain.

Emily went to her room and locked the door behind her. She fell onto her bed fully clothed in her fancy clothes she had chosen so carefully, no doubt wrinkling them. She stuck her face in the pillows and screamed in frustration. No! No! Why was this happening?! Now everyone thought she was a freak!

She rolled over and stared at her bedroom ceiling. She hiccupped and her eyes started watering. She had been so worried that her hallucinations would ruin her big meeting with Peter Rose. How right she had been. And now, she wasn’t seeing anything. The ghosts were staying away just like they’d promised. Hallucinations held at bay just in time for everything to come crashing down around her. She hiccupped again, then started laughing. How fucking ironic how these things happened.

“I… I could use a good hallucination right about now,” She muttered to herself as her laughter petered out and suddenly everything was tragic again, “How is this not stressed enough…” She muttered so softly that even she doubted whether she’d really said it at all. After a few seconds the wind and whispers started. Emily didn’t care as it suddenly felt like the words pounded from every direction and were about to split her skull. She didn’t look up as the distorted woman crawled out of her Zeena poster. The ghost, hallucination, walked up to Emily’s sprawled form and stared down at her.

“Little EMiLy, I’m so soRRy. This is all oUr fAuLt. But I’m hErE for you. Cry, sHOut at me… I deSerVe it. I dEseRve it all for what I’ve cAuSed. Just let it all out. I’m hEre, I know wHat you’re going thrOUgh a miLLion times oVer.”

The woman sat down on the bed, just like she had last night.

“Know? How could you know any of it?” Emily spat, “Now everyone hates me! They’ll look at me like… like I’m some sort of dangerous criminal or something. They’ll fire me from CODA, I just know it. Peter Rose will just know me as that insane girl now. My hero hates me.”

“I don’t thINk Peter Rose wouLD think tHat,” The ghost woman said, “He said he was gOing to aPoLogiZe to you, wasn’t he? Does that soUNd like what sOMeone who hATes you would do?”

Emily uncurled slightly, “You think?” She asked in a weak voice, “He doesn’t hate me?”

“No. Plus, isn’t he a hEro?” The woman said with some amusement, “You’ve bEcOme quite the dAmSel of disTreSs for him to save if thAt’s the caSe. He’ll feel rEsPoNsible that it was his cOmPany that exPoSed something so dAMaGing and peRsonal to you. You’ll see. He’s gOt his vaLues and he’ll sTiCk to them thRouGh thick and tHin.”

“S-Shut up. I’m not a damsel…” Emily protested.

“Yes, you’d rAtHer be sAveD by Zeena than Peter Rose, is thAt it?” The woman said, “She’d tAke you to her tEnT and see tHat you’re iNjuRed and start to bAnDaGe your wOuNds. After, you’d have to tHaNk your sAviOr pRoPerly, of course… ReMeMber that sCene in the mOvie? You’d do way bettEr than that laMe side kick ever cOuld. Zeena bAreLy even looked that inTereSted when he toOk his sHirt off…”

“Sh-Shut up!” Emily squeaked desperately, despite the tantalizing images painted by the woman's words, “Th-that. I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

The woman laughed, her voice still distorted.

“So Cute. If I’m a haLLuCinaTion, then I know all your dEEpest thoUghTs, don’t I? And I know for a fAct that tHere’s mOre than one rEaSon you’re sUch a big fAn of Zeena. Girl pOwEr all the way. haHahAhaHa”

“No…” Emily denied, “No…? Uhm. Oh. What? No, that can’t be true. She’s just a great character.”

“If yOu sAy so…” the woman teased.

Emily looked at her after recovering her composure, “Who are you? I mean, what should I call you? I know it’s all just in my head, but… you feel like you're your own person. Oh, God, it’s happening already… But still. Before I get drugged to the gills on all those meds, you need a name..”

The woman paused for a long moment and stared at the wall before looking back, “I don’t suPPose you’d AccePt Emily? That is my nAme aFteR all.”

Emily snorted, “No. That’s cheating. C’mon subconscious, you can do better than that.”

“Okay… okAy. Call me… Sinestra.”

“Sinestra? That sounds like a villain's name.”

“It was. ThEy wEre herOes of thEir own stOry. Sinestra was the sTeAdy cOmPaniOn of Queen Violet, always heLPing her and mAkiNg sure she sTaYed groUndEd when she wEnt too far. The two of them weRe aloNe in the wiDer gaLaXy, but they alWaYs had each otHer. No one else unDeRstoOd them, but they aLwaYs gave their all in wHaTevEr they did. Whether that was viLLaiNy, or kiNdnEss. Isn’t thAt the kiNd of pErsOn you wAnt to be? To kNow you gAve it all at whAteVer you deCide to do?”

Emily sat up and wiped away the sudden tear that came into her eye.

“That was beautiful. So beautiful for such a stupid name. Where’d we hear that one? Was that in a book or game…?”

The ghostly woman shrugged, “StraiGht from the subConSciOus I suPPose. I’m gLad yOu liKed it. So, Sinestra? That’s my nAme now?”

“Yeah. Sinestra.”

Emily rolled the word around her mouth as she said it again as she looked at the wall, “Sin-est-tra… Sinestra. Yeah.”

There was a pop around Emily, but she didn’t register it as she turned to the side.

“Hey, Sinestra…”

There was a knocking at Emily’s room door and suddenly Emily blinked as she saw that Sinestra was gone. Oh… Emily felt melancholy as she stared at the spot where the woman had been. She certainly felt better than she had before. Maybe she was really insane, because Sinestra had felt so vibrant and real. Just went to show what she knew about how stable she really was.

“Honey? Emily, are you in there?” Mom called from in the hallway.

“Yeah, Mom,”

“Your father’s called out of work, he’s coming straight home. We’ll get through this. Just, stay strong, okay?”

“Okay, Mom.”

“Alright, just thought I’d… let you know what was happening. He’ll be back in an hour or so. Just come out whenever you’re feeling better.”

“Okay, thanks Mom. I will.”

Mom left.

A few minutes later, after Emily had sulked a little more on the bed, she left her bedroom and made her way downstairs. Luke was there talking with Mom in low tones. The two of them glanced up at her and froze as she entered the room.

“Hey, Luke,” Emily said with her voice only wavering a little bit, “Want to play some video games?”

He paused for a second in confusion before nodding, “Sure. Let’s play.”