Sean O’Banion

Apex

My wife’s face lifted as if a great weight had been relieved. It happened too quickly for me to react, so I froze instead. She was no longer looking at me in that guarded way she always did. “I can’t do this, I’m sorry...” Sarah said weakly. Her lips moved, but I couldn’t comprehend the words as she sheathed the wet, red scalpel back into the utility bag at her hip. I finally understood why her eyes never looked into mine with what I thought was love, what I thought my eyes were looking at her with, but could see now I recognized as pity. The same pity we extended to the poor Apes we relieved. “You’re an Apex, just like this one. It is not real. We are not real.” Sarah said.