The Iso-Stasis Experiment (The Experiments)

by Jacqueline Druga

  Still wearing only the tee shirt she wore to bed, a large shirt that hung to her thighs covering her underwear, Cal leaned against her just closed room door. “Yes.” She looked at the book. Her inner self really longed to peek in that book before Jake. But they were a team in this. He’d be mad enough at her for getting one step ahead of his master plan. She didn’t want to chance his getting even angrier, not today, not today of all days. Cal was filled with a certain feeling of sadness. She just wanted to keep busy to work through it and Jake wasn’t helping. Why was he still sleeping?

  ^^^^

  The warm water beat down with a soothing rush on the center of Jake’s chest. He lifted a pool of it, splashed it on his face, and then ran his wet hands through his short hair. His head lifted slightly when he heard the slow slide of the shower door opening. He felt the coolness of the outside air hit against his back, and then he felt her presence. He didn’t have to turn around to know it was Cal. He felt her body slowly press up against him from behind and looking down saw her hands, hands he knew, roam and feel and move through the soapy hair on his chest. ‘This has got to be the coolest dream.’ Jake smiled, grabbing her right hand, bringing her fingers sensuously to his lips. He had to see her; he had to turn around. Slowly he did, wanting so much to see her body in his dream, but all he saw was her face. With his wet hands he grabbed her head and pulled her close, bringing his mouth down on hers. Cal pulled her mouth away, placing her lips to his neck. Her mouth and the water from the shower glided across the nape of his neck and onto his chest. Feeling the skin of her body touch his caused an overwhelming feeling of arousal to surge through him, and he wanted more. “I’ve never made love with anyone in a shower,” he told her softly as her lips moved past the center of his chest.

  “Who says we’re making love?”

  ‘This has got to be the coolest dream.’ An exciting intensity filled him as her mouth moved slowly lower and lower. Jake found himself releasing her hair. His right hand reached slightly up, gripping the top of the shower doors so tightly he could feel the edging of it. His other hand was flush against the wall as he flung his head back.

  “Jake.”

  Jake’s eyes popped open from his deep slumber into a semi-reality. He had the most confused look on his face.

  “Jake, are you all right?”

  Still breathing deeply, and still feeling like a part of him was in the dream—in fact his mind and his body still felt like they were—Jake stared at Cal. Fuck. “Cal? What are you doing in here?” His eyes shifted downward and he hurriedly pulled his sheet closer over his body.

  “I’m waking you up. You look really baffled. Are you feeling OK?”

  God, if she knew. Jake rubbed his eyes lifting his head up slightly. “What . . . why?”

  “Look.” She held up the book. “It’s Jennifer’s. I heard her leave her room and took the opportunity. Don’t be mad. I mean, you weren’t getting up. Jake, it’s seven-thirty.”

  “Fuck.” He started to spring up, and then caught himself, realizing he would be embarrassed if he did. “I haven’t slept this late in years.”

  “We don’t have much time to look at this. Move over.”

  “Cal, I . . .” He saw her moving to sit on the bed and shifted his body to give her room, hoping there would be enough that she wouldn’t touch him. “I don’t think . . .” Jake lifted himself slightly off the bed, still staying on his side and still staying covered. He then noticed the somber look on her face. “Is something wrong?”

  Cal shook her head. “Let’s just look at this.” She lifted up her leg up and rested the book on it.

  Her thigh, her bare thigh creeping from the bottom of her shirt stared Jake smack in the face. He scooted back a bit more, mouth hanging open. “Cal?” Bringing his hand to the edge of her shirt, he lifted it just a little. “Cal, do you realize you’re only wearing underwear?” He placed his hand on her leg and pushed it down.

  “Don’t look if it bothers you.” Cal began to leaf through the pages, reading.

  Jake couldn’t concentrate, especially as he watched her subconsciously moved her leg a little up, then down, then outward. He began to panic when it brushed against his thigh and moved upward as she got more comfortable. “Cal.” He pulled the sheet all the way up to his chin. “I’m naked in this bed and I have to go to the bathroom. Can you?” He waved his hand for her to turn away.

  “I thought you weren’t modest?”

  “I am at this moment.”

  “Oh, OK.” Cal got up from the bed. “Come in my room when you’re ready. Do you want coffee?”

  “Um . . .” Jake started to get out of bed, had to stop, keeping himself covered when she turned back around. “Yeah,” he nervously ran his hand across the top of his head. “Coffee would be great.”

  Giving him a half smile Cal left his room.

  ^^^^

  He didn’t say anything when he walked into Cal’s room. He stood in the doorway looking awkward, wearing his workout shorts and a black baseball cap turned backwards on his head.

  “Here.” She handed him a mug of coffee. “Come on, we have little time, and for your benefit, I got dressed.” She lifted her shirt to show him her shorts. “I know you feel uncomfortable around me.”

  “Cal, that is not . . .”

  “Come on, sit down.” Looking sad, she moved to the bed to sit. “I shouldn’t have done that, I apologize. I wasn’t thinking.”

  “No-No.” Jake, being careful not to splash his coffee, moved to the chair and sat down. “I had just woken up. I was half out of it. Trust me. You can lay in my bed with me half naked anytime you want.”

  Cal only lifted her eyes from the book that she spread across her legs that were folded Indian style. She didn’t smile. “All right, here’s Jennifer. Now John’s book said nothing about Jess . . .” she cleared her throat “. . . Jessie but Jennifer’s does. What else?” Her sad eyes skimmed the pages.

  Jake inched his chair closer and laid his hand flat on the page she was about to read. “What’s wrong? Did I do something?”

  Cal released a breath as she raised her head and answered him softly. “No.”

  “Then what . . .”

  “Bingo.” She turned the open book to Jake. “Read.”

  “Where?” Jake took it and looked where her finger pointed. “A diagnosed schizophrenic? Holy shit.”

  “Explains her mood swings. Look at the next line. It says she used to hear voices.”

  “Eight of them. Multiple personalities?” Jake started to laugh. “Oh, this is funny.”

  “Jake, this is serious. Does it mention what her personalities were?”

  “Nope.” He shook his head bringing his fingers to his eye and rubbing it. “Unless one of these is a murderer, she’s pretty harmless, easy to control. Just say something to her and pretend you didn’t.”

  “Jake.” Cal snatched the book back. “Doesn’t this strike you as odd? Out of eight of us, two are mentally unstable.”

  “And I’m going to say two more probably are. Balance of wits, Cal. Half sane, half insane. See how they balance out in the end, a comparison. There’s a control, a constant, in every experiment.”

  “I didn’t know that.”

  “Sure, there has to be a constant.” He closed the book. “And out of the five books we’ve viewed, only yours and mine are the exact same . . . I’d even go so far as to say,” Jake said as he raised his eyebrows, “that we’re it.”

  ^^^^

  The etchings on the beads of his wooden rosary could have been worn off for as hard as Fr. Dan ran them through his fingers in prayer. How many times did he pray? How long had he knelt bedside, head down, begging, weeping? It was a routine he had begun years earlier, too many years to count. A routine of inner penance that he thought he had long since put behind him, that is until the events of the night before.

  The urge to empty his bladder woke him just after midnight. He recalled not hearing any sounds coming from Rickie’s room, an odd occur
rence for a young man who usually blasted music all hours of the night.

  Hoping the sound of flushing didn’t awaken Rickie since he wasn’t in the mood to talk, Fr. Dan made it back into his room. It was when he flicked on the light to grab a snack that he saw it. A photograph, one he hadn’t seen in years.

  Two altar boys, no older than fourteen, stood side by side with him in that picture. All three of them were smiling. And it would have been a perfect photograph had it not been for the bright red letters handwritten on the picture. Words that read, ‘they trusted you.’

  He could have thrown it away, but Fr. Dan chose not to. He had placed it right in front of him in full view causing him to increase the intensity in which he said his rosary.

  ^^^^

  Taking one more look at her face in the mirror, Cal brushed her bangs from her eyes and knocked once before opening Jake’s bathroom door. “Jake?” She peeked in. “I’m done with my shower; it’s all yours.”

  “Thanks.” Jake turned his eyes and smiled. He sat on his bed with a rifle in his hand that he appeared to be checking.

  Cal leaned against the archway and folded her arms. “Where did you get the rifle? Storage?”

  “Nah, it’s mine.” Jake said proudly. He lifted it, checked the scope and put it back down. “They said three things right? Besides the beer and the fridge, I wanted a small arsenal.”

  “I didn’t think of that. So why are you checking your rifle?”

  “I thought . . .” Jake stood up, laying the rifle on his bed, “. . . we, meaning you and me, might take a long walk and get some target practice in. It’ll kill time.”

  “You go on. I’m not up for doing much.”

  “What about we just work on our city?”

  “Sounds good.” Cal lowered her head and walked into the bathroom. “Meet you in my room.”

  “Cal.” Jake stepped forward gently taking hold of her arms. “You’ve barely spoken to me. We ate breakfast and you didn’t talk. We worked out and you beat me in the climb, but you didn’t gloat. I’m getting a complex here. If something is wrong, if I did something, you have to tell me.”

  “Jake.” Cal lifted her hand and placed it on his face, sliding it down slowly across the cheek that was in dire need of a shave. “It’s not you. I think it’s just a female thing today. You heard Jennifer. She said the guys from the movie SPEED were in her room last night.”

  “Jennifer has seven people living in her head. I’m surprised Barney the Dinosaur wasn’t there as well.”

  Cal gently smiled. “Thanks.”

  “What is it, Cal? Tell me.”

  “Did you ever have one of those days when you are just flooded with memories? Memories so painful and seem so real? I’m having one of those days.” She turned away from him. “I’ll see you at our city.” Cal moved from the bathroom into her room, closing the door behind her. She took a deep breath. She hated acting so weird. Many a day back home was spent in missing Jessie, moody days, just like the one she was in today.

  Cal glanced at the platform that sat in the corner of her room where she and Jake were starting their city of twigs. It was fun, intricate, and a big time passer. Jake was so anal about it, but wouldn’t let the city sit in his neat room.

  Feeling a little tired, Cal moved to her bed. Just as she did, she heard it.

  “Mommy?”

  Cal looked to the corner. Jessie was there again, wearing the blue dress. It made her heart jump, but it also made her angry. Looking up at the smoke detector where Jake had found the hidden camera in her room, Cal lifted her hand, extended her middle finger, and then turned and walked out. Jake would have to find her. She wasn’t going to wait here in this room, not with what they were doing to her.

  ^^^^

  Carlos tightened his lips as he glanced up to the ceiling. He sat in a chair across from Cal, his guitar across his lap. “Um . . . yeah, I think I know that. Give me a minute.” He began to fiddle, playing three or four false starts trying to jumpstart his memory to play the song Cal requested.

  “You’re close.” She smiled. “Take your time. I’m enjoying watching you play.”

  “So . . . can I take this as a sign you’re getting rid of the big guy?’

  Cal let out a single huff of a laugh. “No. Jake’s my buddy. I just needed a little bit of home right now. And you’re a little bit of home to me.”

  “Are we possibly missing David?” Carlos asked.

  “Yeah.” Cal sadly nodded. “Today I am. Broke up or not, we always remained friends. And he always knew what to say . . . or play.”

  “This is the song, right?” Carlos began to pick the strings.

  “Yes,” Cal whispered out in awe, closing her eyes. “That’s the song.”

  Every question Jake asked of Cal concerning her demeanor was answered in the sight and sounds before him. Cal was sitting in front of Carlos, listening to him play the guitar and sing. There would be no interruption from Jake. Not until there was some indication from Cal. The song he played put a peaceful and yet sad look on Cal’s face. The words, ‘I would give everything I own, just to have you back again. Just to touch you . . .’ told Jake exactly where Cal’s mind and heart were.

  “Attention!” Rickie shouted as he snuck up behind Jake. He saluted when he saw the camouflage pants and shirt that Jake wore.

  Jake turned around. “That has got to be the lamest salute I have ever seen in my entire career.” He grabbed Rickie’s forearm. “Straighten this, goddamn it.”

  “Sarge, man, you are going to have to teach me all this shit.”

  “Rickie!” Jake placed his face close to his. “I am not a Sergeant, I am a Major.”

  “Dude, chill. Think of it like I gave you a promotion.”

  Grunting loudly Jake returned to stare at the scene in the gathering room.

  “Explains the pissy mood you’re in, huh?” Rickie peeked around Jake’s big body. “I’m in the same boat pal. Jennifer’s diggin’ on John now. Says she needs intellectual stimulation. Are you having the same prob-lem-o, Sarge?”

  “No, I am not having the same problem,” Jake snarled.

  “Whoa.” Rickie held up his hands. “The little green eyed monster is creeping out . . . wait!” Rickie started to laugh. “Hey, you’re wearing green.”

  No, Jake, don’t kill him. He’s just a boy. Shave his head while he’s sleeping, yeah, that would do it. Jake lowered his eyes to get a closer look at Rickie and then leaned in and sniffed him. “Rickie, are you high?”

  “Yeah.” Rickie laughed. “Why? Do you get high? Want to join me, got some . . .?”

  “Do I look like the type of person who gets high?”

  “Well . . .” Rickie shrugged. “You never know. I thought maybe you got that scar on your eye in a binge or something. I knew this dude who had the same one. He walked into a wall. Did you walk into a wall?”

  Jake began to feel himself lose it with Rickie. He didn’t want to so he tried to remain calm. “No, Rickie, I did not walk into a wall. I got smashed in the fuckin’ head with a rifle.”

  “Ouch.” Rickie grabbed his temple. “A rifle’s pretty big. Couldn’t you duck?”

  “Duck?” Jake shook his head and when he turned back around he saw Cal was standing there.

  “Jake, I’m sorry,” Cal said, “I should have told you I left.”

  “No, that’s . . .”

  Rickie laughed. “He was jealous, babe. Getting all upset because Don Juan was moving on you.”

  Cal broke a smile at Rickie and looked up to Jake. “I’m ready.”

  “Let’s go.” Jake took hold of her arm.

  “Hey!” Rickie called out to them. “Can I hang with you two for a while?”

  Jake saw Cal getting ready to answer and he interrupted. “No!”

  “Let me hang with you. It’s like all boring.” Rickie pleaded. “Come on Marine guy. I won’t say a word.”

  Jake released Cal’s arm and whispered to her. “Go on ahead, I’ll be right there.”
/>   “You won’t hurt him will you?”

  “Nah.” Taking a breath Jake marched back to Rickie. “You cannot come with us.”

  “But . . .”

  “And if you ever call me a marine again, I will sneak into your room, flush your drugs, rip up your magazines and cut off every fuckin’ strand of your hair. You got that?”

  “Yes, I do.” Rickie stepped back from him. “And you know what? I don’t think I like you anymore, wanting to mess with my do.” He protected his ponytail. “And I’m chatting to Carlos about stealing your babe.” Snickering first just to irritate Jake, Rickie then turned and ran as fast as he could into the gathering room.

  ^^^^

  Rickie was in a socializing mood, besides feeling really good at the moment, he was still shaking off a bit of the fear he acquired from irking Jake. Running into the gathering room, his squeaky high top tennis shoes coming to a stop caused everyone to look up from what they were doing. “Hey.” Rickie raised one hand, snickering, while rubbing his boney bare chest with the other. He lifted his baggy Levi Jeans which were unbuttoned and almost falling off of his body. “What’s going on?”

  No one responded.

  “OK.” He shrugged, stalking out the participants of the experiment like prey. One at a time, hoping to get someone to—as Rickie would put it—chill with him. Carlos. “Hey, dude.” Rickie took the seat that Cal had been sitting in a few minutes earlier. “How’s the playing going? Dude,” Rickie sniffed. “Guess what. I think that Cal-babe likes you.”

  “Rickie?” Carlos stopped playing. “Why are you telling me this? If Cal’s with Jake . . .”

  “No, no.” Rickie held up his hand. “I don’t think she is. I think he’s keeping her prisoner. I think like, you should go in there and rescue her from the guy.” Rickie nodded. “And not to mention, he’s not very nice, not at all. You know he told me that he was going to cut off my do.”