Page 91 of Light Leech

I cocked my head. “Go do your work, sir.”

I held a prideful smile until he instigated a conversation with two women in the middle of an argument. It was a perfect catalyst for his message. I could only hope that he was as convincing as he had been gullible.

I let go of my salesman’s demeanor and let out a breath. I ran my fingers through my hair, then pulled to see if I could feel the slight pain of tension.

“Convincing yourself now, are you, bakuh?”

I’m doing what I have to.

“Why not hate those who supported the eradication of ‘dangerous immigrants’ like you?”

Because they’re programmed shacs. Hating the victims of propaganda will only pull them deeper into their convictions.

“But they detest you.”

Let them. It won’t bring them anything.

Zhu snorted a laugh. “You disagree with what you share, yet you sound so convinced.”

I have to do the same to myself to convince myself that I deserve to eat teeth. Self-deception and my training as a corporate virus has prepared me for this.

“You find that scholarship fits you well then?”

I never said that. Convincing others of falsehoods is a pitiful trait for a scholar.

“The modern world would disagree with you.”

Because it convinced everyone that we’re living on the old earth and that light is nothing more than a currency.

“Exactly.”

I guess I see how this fits the Correction part of the Luxists story. We’re on the right path?

“As far as I can tell, yes, but I do not anticipate that it will be so smooth until your journey’s end.”

Neither do I.

“There is a disturbance in the living light here. Be wary of deception.”

Always.

“On with it. Continue your deception. I will wean off my influence now that you have a start.”

I figured that was too easy.

“I have influence here. Because I do, others like me will as well.”

Like Light Leeches?

“I am uncertain.”

Ralia’s voice pulled me from my reverie. “Not this skin, but the skin on your real body. It’s all fake and I can prove it.”

I turned to find her standing with five other people at her side, facing two individuals who looked like the fearful victims of predatory salesmen.

Ralia grabbed their arms. They gasped as she pulled them in, replying to their fright with increased volume.

“I could argue that this is our true reality, but that is beside the point. Skin is what matters–no, I’m not going to hear you talk about feet again. Yes, this is important and no, you’re not going to pull me away until you listen, you plug?”