Enter the Hound: The Origin of Inu

Chapter 7: Listen to Yourself

 

            “So, if Genome is such a horrible place, why are you still there?” Ashley asked as she and Dr. Pembroke left the diner.  Her voice was low in an attempt to hide the bitterness rising within her heart.

            “I stay because of your mother,” Dr. Pembroke answered.  “That is all you need to know, and all I am going to say.”

            Determined to keep Ashley away from Genome, Dr. Pembroke drove her back to her dorm.  The long drive was made in silence, as was the parting as they arrived at Ashley’s building.  She went up to her dorm apartment.

            In silence.

            She locked herself in.

            In silence.

            She sat down on the floor with her back against the door and cried.

            In silence.

            After an eternity – or an hour; she wasn’t sure which – a hand rested on Ashley’s shoulder, scaring her half to death.  Her reflexes kicked into overdrive, and she swung wildly at the intruder only to be caught by several sets of arms.

            “Whoa there, chica.  Might wanna take a look at who you’re swinging at.”

            Ashley snapped her head up and found herself face to face with...herself.

            “No sense in fighting with yourself, right?” said her double.

            Looking around, Ashley found two clones holding her arms to keep her from swinging.  They released her without a word and helped her to her feet.  Ashley was confused.

            “I didn’t call you guys,” she said, addressing the first clone.

            “Sure you did,” said the clone.  “That’s the great thing about the subconscious mind.  It knows what we want even we don’t; and honey, you wanted to talk to a friend.”

            “My friends are dead,” Ashley spat bitterly.  The clone shook her head.

            “That’s not true, and you know it,” she said.  “Dr. Pembroke just said that to keep you from going back to Genome.”

            “So, then, what am I supposed to do?” Ashley demanded.  “Call the police?  They’re never going to believe me.  I can’t call mom and dad for help.  There’s nowhere else to go, and no one else who can help me!”

            “And what the hell does that make us?  Kibble?” said the second clone.

            “We’re not just here for your entertainment, you know,” the third clone added.  “We can help.”

            “We can fight.”

            “We can rescue our friends.”

            “We can get into some serious trouble!” Ashley exclaimed, pushing past her clones and heading for her bedroom.  A fourth clone stopped her before she could reach the bedroom door.

            “We’ve been training for this day for years,” this new clone said.  “This is what we’ve been waiting for.  This is our chance.”

            “You didn’t spend time watching marathonscreenings runnings of Unbreakable and The Lady in the Water for nothing, Ash,” the first clone said.  “You know what you are, and it’s time to step up.”

            Surrounded by her clones, Ashley stood and pondered over what they had said.  At last she sighed and grinned.

            “No use in fighting myself,” she said.  The clone blocking the bedroom door disappeared, allowing Ashley to enter and retrieve a bandana from her drawer.  Then she returned to the living room and tied the bandana around her head.

            “Hajimemashite,” she said, bowing to the remaining three clones.  “Watashi wa Inu desu.  Douzo yoroshiku.”

            The three clones bowed and disappeared.

            “Watashi wa Inu desu,” she repeated as if it were a pledge.  “Watashi wa Inu desu.  Watashi wa Inu desu....”