Monolithic (Ch 1)

“I wouldn’t have originally picked you, had you not already dressed the part. Kim” Sam quipped, face glowing from behind a screen.

“Shut up.” Minx recoiled, eyes rolled back. 

It’s true. Who else would think scuffed liner, blue eye shadow and rogue lips, your mom’s jeans would mesh well in the civilization in middle-of-nowhere, Utah? Just a few, one of them Minx. Or...rather: 

“Not Kim….MINX!” She refrained from adjusting her teased up shag from the mirror, “I don’t know why I’m doing this, why do I hangout with you anyways, beyond me.” Minx shrugged, turned her head towards her friend. 

“Okay, ‘Minx’.” Sam continued to type away at her program, assuring that the process ran smoothly. She smiled as she entered data into Siso; the scheduling program she lifted from her job as a clinic receptionist, reprogrammed to her personal project. After 3 months of frustrations and broken keyboards, she finally got it to fit in the groove of things. 

“I wouldn’t bother too much with your hair, since you’re going to have to put that on.” Sam peered over the computer to point at a tanning machine that was rigged to her computer. “You’re looking great though babes.” 

“Thank you girl, that’s the nicest thing you’ve said to me all day.” Minx stopped adjusting herself, turning her body to face Sam. 

“I try. You’re just a gold mine of roasts. I’m only grillin’ you out of love.” Sam placed both hands on her chest, giving a playful pout. 

Minx sauntered over to the computer, letting her curiosity get the best of her. Sam shook her head and waved her off, “No, no. I can’t work like this with you on top of me. You’re not going to understand it anyways.” 

“Understand? Sam, There’s nothing to understand! It’s a basic scheduling program you stole from the IT guy!”

“Ex-act-ly, nothing to understand. Just trust the process, okay? You said it yourself, it’s just a scheduling program I diced up. No big deal.” 

“No big deal? I don’t want to die Sammy, it’s my life on the line, not yours.” Minx sat in a beat up lazy boy across from her.

Sam scoffed as she lifted her brow, “YOU signed up for it. I could face federal charges, WE could face federal charges for taking this equipment. Not to mention the amount of potential HIPPA violations here.” 

Minx scowled, sitting,  looking at her surroundings around her. A variety of Metal band and movie posters from cult films plastered on the wall covering the stained wallpaper that was peeling off. Her leg subconsciously shaking up and down, rocking the lazy boy. She rested her head in her hands, breathing deeply. As Sam continued to type away aggressively, Minx began to walk over to get a glass of water from the kitchenette. 

The first sip of cool water began to cool her down, bringing her to some sort of happy place in the dated and grimmy kitchen. Week-old fast food carcasses serving as decoration and an unfortunate incense. It would've killed you to clean before I got here.

She walked back into the living room to see a studious Sam. “I think we’re ready.” She murmured from behind the monitors. 

“You think or you know?” Minx placed her glass down, narrowing her eyes at Sam. 

“I know that it’s what I think.”

“Just a few details here---AHA! I got it!” Sam jumped out of her chair, clapping her hands. “You’re ready to rock-n-roll!”

“I thought this was a ‘we’ thing.”

“Yeah, I do the tech. You grab whatever you can find once you get there.”  Sam gestured towards the tanning bed, “your chariot awaits.”

Minx hesitantly wandered towards the machine, “you think this’ll actually work this time?”

“We can only give it a shot.” Sam followed, opening up the door to let Minx in. Sam placed an empty duffle bag on the ground of the tanning bed. 

“Wait!” Minx exclaimed before Sam began to close the door, “Can I have a goodbye hug? Just in case I never come back?”

Sam nodded, extending her arms to Minx into a tight embrace. “You’re ready for this. We’re gonna be rich when you come back.” 

Minx laughed nervously, Sam enclosing her in the bed. Minx placed a wired headband around her head. She nodded, getting a nod back from her. After making her way to the computer, Sam furrowed her brows as she began to type and click her way through the program. Changing her location from Utah to Massachusetts. The date from December 12th 2021 to December 12th 1982. Aaannd click! Schedule.

Minx closed her eyes and held unto her breath as a whooshing noise was heard. A black light radiated from the machine, highlighting her vibrant clothes. 

A lightheaded feeling rushed through her body, her body feeling heavy. She closed her eyes and began to drift in an alternate state.