In Real Life

by Elisabeth Warner

  “Oh, no! Of course not.” His tone suggests otherwise. “I just wanted to see how squeamish you get.”

  “Well, I’ve watched you cut people open before. What’s one more person?” I click my tongue. Too harsh, Lin.

  Spark snaps his finger. “Okay, well then. Let’s get to work. What do you know about the human body?”

  I shrug as I fix my eyes on Kev.

  “Well, then, I guess I’ll give you a lesson. The human body, at the very basic level, is made up of cells. Every cell works together to form the body. At the next level, you have tissues. Think of it like this. Cells make tissues. Tissues make organs, muscles, and bones. Those organs, muscles, and bones make you.”

  I squint my eyes as if squeezing all the ideas like juice in my brain. “Oh, that makes sense. Where does blood fit in with that?”

  Spark smiles and folds his hands over his stomach. “It seems to me like you are a visual learner. I’ll have to show you.”

  I approach the table. Chills run down my spine as if I’m the one lying on it. My time on the same cold metal table is still etched in my memory.

  “What’s wrong with him?” My voice cracks as the question escapes from my lips. I try to be professional, but my shriek of horror blows my cover.

  “We gave him a heavy dose of sedatives to knock him out for the next couple hours. He’s here because he needs surgery. You need some practice using the scalpel.”

  “Wait, I’m going to be performing the surgery?”

  He points to the scalpel in his hand. “This blade will help you perform the surgery.”

  My heart races as he hands it to me. This is what Spark used when he was working on Ben. Am I ready to put someone’s life in my hands? Thoughts rush into my mind of Dad limp in my arms. His blood is everywhere. All over my hands.

  “Oh, no. I can’t do this. I’ve never used this before.”

  “Well, that’s why I’m here. I’m going to tell you exactly what to do. You just have to trust me.”

  I don’t trust you.

  I take a breath. I can do this. It’s better that I’m using the scalpel on Kev than Spark is. Spark clearly has no regard for any human life. Especially not Tee’s. Especially not Ben’s.

  “Okay, what’s the first step?” I try to feign confidence, but the crack in my voice suggests otherwise.

  Spark pulls out a paper attached to a clipboard. “Hm, well, according to his chart, he has a cyst behind his ear.” He smiles. “You know where the ear is, right?”

  I roll my eyes. “Yeah, but what’s a cyst?”

  He answers my question by rotating Kev’s head and pointing to a small bump behind his ear. “It’s not cancer, but it keeps moving, so we’re going to take it out just in case.”

  “Good idea.” I take a deep breath and grip the scalpel like it’s my lifeline.

  “Now, normally we would use a local anesthetic to numb the area so that he wouldn’t have to go to sleep. But since we’re low on supplies, and your nervousness might scare him, I figure it’s better for him to be knocked out.”

  “I agree,” Blair says as she appears next to me. She puts a thin sheet around her waist and hands me one. “Here, you need this. You don’t want to get blood all over your clothes.”

  I gulp loudly as the image of Dad flashes before my eyes, then Tee, then Ben.

  “But this is simple surgery,” Spark interjects, noticing my panic.

  “So, there shouldn’t be much blood,” I confirm.

  “Correct. But there will be some.”

  “You’ll need these, too.” Blair gives me a pair of gloves, which I slip over my hands.

  “Okay, let’s get started.” I stretch my shoulders and wait for Spark to start saying something that could help Kev. He’s reading from the chart and looking at the patient. My mind is spinning, but I will myself to steady it. I’m not passing out again. I can do this.

  “Before you cut open the patient, let me mark the treatment area.” He pokes several small dots behind the patient’s ear with a thin black marker. “There. We always used to do that at the hospital in case the incision site wasn’t clear.”

  I bend toward the man and ready my hand.

  “As you use the scalpel, you want to be gentle but firm. The goal is not to rip his ear off but to make a cut deep enough to get through the skin.”

  Saliva pools in my mouth. I shake my head, pushing panic far away from me. “Can you help me make the first cut?”

  Instead of helping me, Spark motions to Blair. She puts her hand on mine and applies the right amount of pressure. “See, the skin around the ear is very thin. But since it’s protecting the bones inside the skull, it’s not made of flimsy paper. So, pretend you’re cutting a thick piece of paper.”

  Her image helps me concentrate. I’m not removing a cyst from Kev’s skull. I’m cutting a piece of paper.

  As I cut into his ear, a red line follows as blood oozes out.

  “I got it,” Blair holds up a wet cloth. “When you’re finished cutting, I’ll mop up the blood so that he doesn’t get an infection.”

  I force a smile, trying not to gag. I cut until I’ve connected all the dots that Spark made. A drip of Kev’s blood spills onto my gloves. I hold back acid as Blair cleans the site.

  “Great job!” Spark examines my work with his hand stroking his chin. “That was an excellent first cut. Now, take these and pull out the cyst.” He hands me a tool with two metal bars at the end of it.

  I play with the tool in my fingers until my hand squeezes a button that separates the two bars. They open and close, giving me the grip that I need to pull out the cyst.

  “I know you might be squeamish, Lin,” Spark says, “but you need to look at the ear to find out where you’re pulling. This isn’t a random treasure hunt. You have to know exactly where the cyst is to get rid of it.”

  Blair stands over my shoulder. “What do you see?” she asks.

  I pull at the fold of skin and examine the small lump under the incision site. “There it is.”

  “Okay, take the pliers and get a grip around the lump.”

  I follow Spark’s orders, using less pressure than I applied to the scalpel. Now that I’m inside Kev’s ear, I don’t want to accidentally poke any of his organs or anything.

  “Good job, Lin. Do you have a grip?”

  I nod, sweat beading on my forehead.

  “All right. I’m watching you, Lin, in case something goes wrong. Pull out the cyst.”

  Time stands still as I slowly inch the pliers away from Kev’s ear, carrying the small lump with it. I can finally breathe again when the cyst is on the table.

  “I’ll close him up while you examine the cyst with Spark.” Blair pushes me out of the way and puts a needle between a piece of thread.

  “What, you’re going to sew him?” I ask sarcastically.

  “Yes, actually. The skin naturally grows back on its own, but we sew it to help prevent infection in an open wound.” Blair begins to work while I shuffle my feet on the floor.

  “Let’s take a look at this cyst.” Spark puts on a pair of glasses and rolls up a chair. “Here, Lin. Describe it to me. Use all your senses. Well, except for taste. I wouldn’t recommend putting that in your mouth.”

  I take it in my fingers and roll it around. “It’s round, fleshy in color.” When I squeeze it, my eyebrows curve downward. “Wait a minute.” I tap on the hard surface. It sounds like metal.

  Spark looks up from his chart. “What was that?”

  I continue tapping it with my finger, trying to remember where I’ve heard that sound before. Suddenly, a red light starts to blink. Like Don’s recording device.

  “May I see that, please?” Spark’s voice cracks as he holds out his hand. I place it in his palm and hold my breath. He brings it close to his eyes and hums. “I can’t believe it.”

  Blair snaps her neck in his direction. “What, Spark?”

  “This is a voice recording device wrapped in a flesh-colored cover. He�
�s been wearing it since he got here.”

  “Wait, that can record your voice?” I point at the cyst, trying to pretend that I’ve never seen a recording device before.

  “Yes. It listens to everything we say and reports it back to whoever sent it to us.” He puts the device close to his lips.

  I shoot up from my chair. “Who would send it to us?”

  “Someone from the rebel party.”

  I step away from the table and rip the gloves off my hands. “What? The rebel party is still around?”

  “Yeah. Of course. What did you think?”

  I refuse to make eye contact with him as I continue lying, hoping he’ll reveal information I don’t know about yet. “I read in the paper that they were all annihilated.”

  Spark clicks his tongue. “Of course they want you to believe that. How do you think your hacker got you here?”

  “My hacker?”

  “Yeah, Lin. Your hacker’s part of the rebel party. All of ours are.”

  “Why would a hacker put a cyst in someone? To keep track of us? I thought they were on our side.”

  I lean against the wall as Kev stirs awake. “Oh, what’s going on? My head…”

  My own head starts pounding. I thought I was supposed to be watching Spark, but now I wonder why Kev had a recording device in his ear. How many traitors are in the Community?

  Chapter Fifty-Three

  Today marks three months since Don dropped me off at the Community. The hot humidity has slowly transitioned into a cool, brisk air that has coaxed the brown and orange leaves off the trees.

  I put on an olive green sweatshirt and a pair of jeans before wrapping my hair in a bun. Nelle showed me how to tie my hair without a scrunchie or a rubber band. All I have to do is twist my hair into a ball and tuck the end of it into the middle.

  Going to the clinic is part of my routine now. Even though I don’t have to do surgery as often as I’d originally thought, Spark’s been teaching me a lot. I’ve learned about androids, which are robots that look like humans. Since working with him, I’ve started to wonder if I’ve ever met an android in real life.

  I report everything he teaches me back to Ace and Susan. Since Nelle, Tee, and June stopped asking about my job, I haven’t felt guilty keeping things from them. They don’t seem to be worried.

  Nelle, Tee, June, and Ace meet me in the dining hall, and I hug each one of them, kissing Ben on the top of his little head. Human interaction has gotten much easier for me. I hug Ace the longest. “Good morning,” he whispers into my ear.

  I look away and giggle playfully. “What’s for breakfast today?”

  He releases me from his grip and points to the buffet line. “We have potatoes, sausage, and fruit.”

  “Yum. Sounds delicious.” I take a helping of each, piling my plate with nourishment to get me through my day at work. I recognize most of these food items from helping Ace with the underground garden. Spending extra time with him, working the land, has helped keep me busy, especially on rainy days when I’d be sitting in my bed.

  I join Nelle, Tee, Ben, and June at our table. Tee leads us in prayer this time, thanking God for the food. By now, the prayer has become so familiar to me, I can recite it in my mind along with her.

  Tee holds up Ben and displays him like he’s a model. “Check out this outfit I made from my old blanket. Isn’t it nice?”

  “Looks cozy.” June runs her fingers over Ben’s belly. “Wow, it feels nice and warm.”

  “Thanks. He’ll be ready for winter, that’s for sure.”

  “I still can’t get over the diapers you made from your sweatshirts.” Nelle shakes her head.

  I chug my bottle of water and stand up. “Well, time to go to work. I’ll catch up with you later.”

  As I toss my plate in the wash bucket, I catch a glimpse of Kev, the guy with the blue hair who had the recording device in his ear. Even from across the room, I can see his pale face and know that something’s wrong with him.

  Instead of asking him if he’s all right, I bite my lip and walk out the door. Who knows if I can trust him? Besides, I’m late for work, anyway.

  To this day, I’m not sure why Susan arranged for me to work at the clinic. I know I’m supposed to keep an eye on Spark, but I still feel like I’m not good enough. Sure, I’m quick when I need to stop a bleeding patient, but I don’t have nearly as much medical experience as Spark or Blair. And I have a feeling I’m getting on Blair’s nerves. I know she’s getting on mine.

  When I arrive at the clinic, Spark hands me a list of appointments for the day and prepares the exam room for walk-ins. Spark tells me about the possibility of a virus spreading through the Community. “After we found that cyst in Kev’s ear, I’ve been worried about there being more threats from the outside. His cyst could’ve contained a strain of the flu that remained dormant until the weather changed.”

  My muscles tense as I remember how Kev looked at breakfast this morning. Our medical chips that used to send pathogen signals into our immune systems no longer work. Now, we must prepare for the worst.

  Our bodies aren’t familiar with the new strain of the flu that could’ve made its way into our Community. Spark encourages us to wear masks around the clinic to protect our nose and mouth from airborne germs.

  “Check for a fever first,” Blair tells me, slapping on latex gloves. “That’s the first sign of the flu. I’ll get some thermometers ready.”

  I tighten the bun in my hair and wait for instructions from Spark, who’s reading a book at his desk. The Life and Habits of Androids.

  “Lin, come help me make the beds.” Blair waves her hand and leads me into the exam room. As I approach her, she says under her breath, “Better than having you stand there.”

  Her comment stings, but I try to ignore it. I know how Blair gets under stress. Instead of making a big deal about it, I pull the linens out of their bags and wrap the beds. I also apply some antibacterial spray to each bed in case there are any germs from previous patients.

  The door opens and Kev comes inside, holding his chest. “I don’t feel so good.” His hand is over his chest as he gasps for air. I knew it.

  “Lin, bring him to a bed,” Blair says, filling out paperwork for the man getting the physical.

  I wave my hand toward Kev and he walks a few feet behind me. His breath caresses my neck and I cringe. His germs are all over me now.

  As he sits down, I take an antibacterial wipe and run it over my neck, washing my hands as a precaution. “Let me take your temperature.” I point the noncontact thermometer near his head. He’s well over one hundred degrees.

  “You’ve got the flu,” I say, washing my hands with more hand sanitizer. “Spark, what should I do?”

  Spark casually looks up from his book with raised eyebrows. “We have to flush out his system. I have a couple of antivirals here. Let me bring them out to you. Until then, get him some water and monitor his vitals for the next few days.”

  “Few days?” Kev picks his head up from the table. “I can’t stay here for days.”

  “Why? You have somewhere to be?” I ask sarcastically. My answer quiets him as I walk into the kitchen to get him a bottle of water.

  When I return, I hook him up to a heart monitor. “What symptoms do you have?”

  “I woke up really dizzy, and I’ve been feeling run down the last couple days. I thought it was just the weather, but now I’m not so sure. My throat’s also bothering me a little bit.”

  Blair and I exchange concerned glances. “How long did you say you’ve had these symptoms?”

  He coughs into his hand. I tug the face mask around my mouth but fear it’s not strong enough. I wash my hands with antibacterial soap again.

  “For about three days.”

  That’s enough time to infect all ten of us. Even being within a few feet of us could’ve exposed any one of us to the flu.

  “Kev, we’re going to have to keep you in the exam room until your symptoms improve. Would you like
some tea? Peppermint tea can help with your throat and lower your body’s temperature.”

  As I adjust the pillow behind his warm head, a woman throws open the clinic door and vomits all over our sterile tile floors. I want to run to the back, but my heart won’t let me.

  “Miss, stay right where you are. I’ll get you some water—”

  The married couple follows close behind her, choking on heavy phlegm. “We need help,” they moan in unison.

  Spark emerges from the kitchen. “I’ll take care of them. You finish up with Kev. Blair, get the woman some water and a bucket. We need to prepare the exam room.”

  We spend the rest of the day cleaning up messes from the flu, announcing to the whole Community that everyone should keep their distance from others until the people who have been sick are cured. We don’t want to expose the others to the flu to have us all pass it to each other.

  Good thing I didn’t shower this morning.

  “Okay, we have to protect ourselves,” Spark says, rinsing off his hands. “Blair, Lin, good call on the face masks. Keep your hands washed and avoid breathing in direct air from the patients.”

  I try not to think about Kev breathing on my neck, the only exposed part of my body. And the time I walked past him after breakfast. But I shake those thoughts away and replace them with the people in front of me who need help. I need to save them, so we can all survive.

  While setting up our patients to spend the night, I think about how long I survived on my own. Tobi brought me through most of it, but Tobi wasn’t a person. He was never alive. I’ve been here on my own. I survived on my own, but now I realize how selfish that was.

  Kev coughs up blood. Images of my father cloud my mind.

  I can do this. I can do this. I find a towel from the back and wipe up her mess. Coughing up blood isn’t a symptom of the flu.

  It could be something much worse.

  “Spark, could you come over here, please?” I leave him with the towel and rinse my hands.

  “What’s wrong?” Spark wheels in one of the members of the couple.

  “Kev’s coughing up blood.” Dizziness overtakes me. I grab hold of the bed before falling over.