Celeste’s gift

*waiting, waiting, waiting. It had been a few days since Celeste had that cartridge gifted to her, and C hadn’t even tried to sleep since. She lay by the computer, half aware, a newly made slug like creature oozing across her head. Occasionally that new drone, Perch they called themselves, offered a drink - they’d done a decent job maintaining the place as of late. It looked to be another day of disappointment, when suddenly…*

Mum?

*C immediately perked up as her daughter spoke*

C: Celeste! How are you, are you-

Celeste: how do you find me?

*an awkward pause follows, then C continues*

C: H sent though that game boy, that way we can talk wi-

Celeste: oh. That’s why he did it.

*she sounds cold, bitter even*

Celeste: couldn’t even send me a real gift for Christmas. Aven was right…

C: honey, what? We both got you-

Celeste: shut up! You didn’t send anything, haven’t come yourself - it’s always that friend of yours helping, and even he doesn’t give a dam about me! He’s just helping you!

C: but-

Celeste: no shut up mum. For the first time since you and dad found me I’ve felt like I belonged, felt like I wasn’t the only human in the room. You aren’t ruining that!

C: it’s a trick! You know he-

Celeste: what did I just ask you to do?

*an awkward pause follows*

Celeste: Avens nice to me mum. He helped me - just like he’d have his colony if you didn’t kill them all-

C: they **** deserved it!

*another silence, and when Celeste speaks again it’s with utter disgust*

Celeste: goodbye mu - goodby 034. Please, stop trying to make things worse.

*she cuts the call, and the lab falls to complete quiet, save for the ugly sobbing of C*