by A. Petrov
Michelle slumped down. She wasn’t sure what it all meant but she wasn’t a possession, she wasn’t just a thing. She was a human being with feelings, emotions, a soul, not to mention a tiny life that was beginning to form inside of her.
The Earth Army had thought they owned her once. Branding and tagging her like cattle and prodding her through the gates to Redex. Yet, she wouldn’t let them lead her to the slaughterhouse. Amy and Eric thought they owned her now but soon they would relinquish her to Mansfield.
She looked to the window and thought about just running for it but before she could they escorted her to her room for the night. She lay awake on her thin mattress as thoughts spun around her head. She decided she would have to play along. It was always easier when you let them believe they were winning anyway.
She would be free one way or another.
Chapter Fifty-one
“Come on.” Eric called.
Michelle reluctantly followed his lead. She wondered to herself how she could get out of whatever he was taking her to do. How would she get away from them? All she knew was that she was on New Earth II. She had no weapon, no money, no shuttle, and no allies. She felt very much alone. She prayed; it was what she did when she didn’t know what to do.
She looked up to see a government building. She recognized it from her time in the Earth Army. It was a clinic.
Michelle crossed her arms as a nervous wave of energy swept through her entire body. She hadn’t expected it but it all made sense. That’s what Eric meant last night when he said he would take her in the morning to get checked out.
“Ah, Officer, welcome. Is this your sister-in-law?” a nurse greeted them.
He nodded.
“She’s here to get her testing done,” he informed.
“OK, if you will come with me,” the nurse instructed.
Michelle wanted to run but she knew she wouldn’t get very far. She looked back only to see Eric’s angry face. Since she had no other choice, she turned and followed the nurse.
“Officer, I’m sorry but only patients are allowed back here,” the nurse said in a no nonsense tone.
“But,” Eric began.
“It’s against protocol,” the nurse added.
He nodded and took a seat.
“I’ll be waiting out here,” Eric called.
The nurse entered a code on a doorway and led Michelle to another smaller waiting room.
“I’ll be back in a second, we’re a little short staffed, and the satellites aren’t back up yet,” she said warmly as she motioned for her to sit.
Michelle nodded and took a seat. She waited for the nurse to disappear before she looked around for another door, a fire escape anything. She wasn’t sure where she would go but she had to leave. She quickly sat back down as she watched as another girl was led in soon after that. For a moment, her own world slowed down when she saw the girl’s tear stained face.
Michelle swallowed hard as the lights shut off. She could hear the beeping of what could possibly be a generator. They came back on and the flickered off and on for a few minutes. Michelle didn’t know why but she went to the girl. It was as though she was being called to her.
“What’s happening here?” Michelle asked the other girl as she motioned up to the lights.
The girl sniffled and looked up to her. Before she could reply they went off again.
“You’re new here?” she said softly. With the lights off it was dark. Michelle could barely make out her figure.
“I am,” Michelle replied in a hushed tone. “What is this place? Where are we?” Michelle desperately tried to get information.
“If I don’t have a baby they will kill me,” she whispered hoarsely.
Michelle swallowed hard at the girl’s unpleasant words.
“They are going to kill mine,” Michelle whispered back. If they did, if that really happened Michelle wondered if she would be able to go on. No, she told herself. No, I won’t let that happen.
“Switch with me,” Michelle whispered. “You have to be and I can’t be.”
The girl looked at Michelle through the dark with sudden hope in her eyes.
“My baby will die if I don’t. You might die if you don’t. It’s not the solution but it will buy us both some more time.”
“I’ve been here before. Take this,” she whispered as she put a metal bracelet on Michelle’s wrist. Her hands felt cool to the touch as she fastened on her wrist.
“What is this?” Michelle asked.
“My citizenship bracelet,” she replied. “Do you have one you can give me?”
Michelle shook her head. “No, I was Earth Army. I just got here. I’m Michelle.”
“I’m Jessica,” she whispered and smiled warmly. “You really think this will work?”
Michelle shrugged her shoulders. “It’s the only shot we’ve got. We’ve got to take it.”
The girl grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “With the power grid coming up and coming down they won’t have your file. They’ll have to write your chart by hand. I think…” she paused. “I think we can.”
“Jessica?” a nurse called breaking their quiet conversation.
Michelle stood up. Jessica nodded and gave her a weak smile.
“Let’s get you checked in. The backup generator should kick in shortly,” the nurse said. Michelle followed her down the dark and winding hall. She didn’t know where it went but she prayed her plan would work.
***
Michelle had been pocked, prodded, and inspected for what seemed like hours. The lights continuously went on and off again. Many of the tests had to be redone because of it. She tried to remain confident that her charade would work. She prayed that Jessica wouldn’t give them away. She was trusting her baby’s life with her, a relative stranger. The nurse had frowned at her high heart rate.
Michelle didn’t know how but she mustered up all the charm she possibly could. She smiled sweetly. “I’m just nervous about these results.”
“Understandable. It’s your fifth and final try.”
Michelle nodded. She didn’t want to know what that really meant. She took a deep breath as her heart rate lowered itself. She thought back to Aaron, Kate, and Bryce. They had made life bearable while being stuck on Redex. She didn’t want to get close to anyone at first but despite her best efforts she did. Without out them would she have survived? She wasn’t sure. She reminded herself having someone to count on was important. You couldn’t do everything on your own, even if you wanted to.
The nurse gave her hand a sympathetic squeeze. “The doctor will be right in.”
Michelle watched as the nurse left the room. She was alone. She wondered if she should rummage through the cabinets for some sort of weapon. What good would that do, she realized. I’m outnumbered. I don’t even know where I’m at.
Michelle heard a soft knocking. She heard the door creak open.
“Must have gotten mixed up in all the commotion,” the doctor said to an unknown party as he scratched his head and entered the room.
Michelle thanked God for fallen Earth Army satellites and faulty power grids.
“Well, congratulations,” he looked down at the chart for her name. “Jessica, you’re having a baby boy.”
He looked down at the chart he was holding without even making eye contact.
“Doctor?” the nurse poked her head in the room.
“Yes nurse?” he replied turning his attention to her.
“We’re on lock down,” she replied.
“Lock down?” Michelle asked.
They both nodded to confirm. Michelle didn’t know what that meant either. The nurse whispered into his ear and the doctor set his files down.
“I’ll be back in a few minutes to check on you. I have an emergency to attend to,” he said in a grave tone.
Michelle took a deep breath as he closed the door. She calmed her beating heart and stood up from the exam table.
She pressed her ear against the door. She hear
d what she thought were screams down the hallway. She slowly opened the door and quietly stepped into the hallway. To her relief it was empty. She shuddered as she heard the screams again. They were far away and they were muffled. They reminded her of the screams she heard after the molcos hund attack. She swallowed the lump in her throat and moved forward. She crept along the empty hallway and made her way to the next open door.
Upon entering she saw that it was an office. She quietly shut the door behind her. It had to be the doctor’s office. It was nice enough but there were files and papers everywhere. She shook her head; the only person who could get away with that kind of disorganization in a place like this would have to be a doctor.
She fumbled through the things on the desk. She shifted some papers and saw a small handheld viewscreen lying beneath them. With a renewed sense of confidence she dialed Serik’s ship number that the IS had located for her.
What if he’s not on the ship? she panicked. It was the only form of communication she knew how to use.
She swallowed hard. Her eyes widened as she saw Serik’s image appear.
“Serik?” she called out softly.
“Oh, God. Michelle I was so worried,” Serik replied.
“Serik, I love you and I didn’t want to leave. They made me,” she explained quietly hoping they wouldn’t hear her.
“I never thought that, baby,” he reassured his mate
“Serik, they took me,” she said.
“Where are you, baby? Do you know where you are? Who took you?” he asked. His voice was angry.
“I’m on New Earth II, I don’t have long they will be back soon. They rarely leave me alone. I’m at the doctor now… I don’t have time to explain,” Michelle frowned.
“Shit, can you get out of there?” Serik balled his hands into fists. His knuckles went white.
“I’m going to try,” she replied.
“I’ve been on my way. I’m coming for you, just get out of there. Run,” he said.
“But where do I go? I don’t even know this planet?” she asked.
“Ask your IS to take you as close to the docking zone as possible,” he instructed.
“But…” Michelle stammered.
“I’ll find you. I’m real close. Just run,” Serik assured her.
Michelle heard a commotion in the hallway and flipped the viewscreen off. She was thankful that she had the chance to tell Serik she loved him because she wasn’t sure she would be able to make it anywhere. If she died, at least he would know that she loved him.
She pressed her ear against the door and listened.
“Doctor, come quick!” she heard a nurse call. She heard the shuffling of footsteps in the hallway. She put her back against the door thinking the doctor may run back in at anytime. Quiet moments passed as she continued to listen for any other commotion. It was eerily silent as the lights flickered again. She gained enough courage to start moving again.
Michelle slowly opened the door and peaked out. The hallway was clear again.
Michelle slunk out of the room and through the hallway until she found what seemed to be an exit. It had to be the staff doorway.
She fumbled with the handle but it was lock. She wanted to cry. She had come so far to only find a locked door, but she did. Where would she go now? It had seemed as though she had run out of dumb luck.
She bit her lip and looked around. It seemed as though there was nowhere else to go. She stood perfectly still for what seemed like several minutes. She didn’t know what else to do.
The lights flickered again before everything went completely dark. She heard the generator trying to come back on. In the darkness and she tried again. She nearly cried tears of joys as the door gave way. Technology was a double-edged sword; the new locks wouldn’t work without any electricity. She hesitantly made her way through the hallway, her fingertips guiding her path in almost pitch black. Terror gripped her as she stumbled forward in complete darkness. With every tiny movement, she felt the terror grow. She didn’t know where she was or where she was going. It was the only door she could find and she figured it would have to lead out. She began to doubt herself as she lurched forward surrounded by darkness.
She almost lost her balance when she realized she was on the edge of a step. Her stomach clenched at her near fall. She stooped down in the darkness and reached out in front of her. It was a stairwell.
Alone in the darkness, she thought she would become hysterical. The darkness seemed absolute and unwavering. She put a protective hand over her belly. She would crawl down. She couldn’t risk a fall.
She stooped down and in a crawl she pushed forward faster as best she could. Her hands became coated from dust on the dirty floor.
She wiped the sweat from her brow. It was becoming hot without the central air-conditioning the big building had been equipped with. She swallowed worrying that any minute they could come for her. The electricity could come back on at any moment and they could burst through the door and find her. They would then realize she wasn’t who she said she was. They would take away her baby.
No, that’s not an option, she reminded herself.
Instead of fighting the darkness she welcomed it instead. She clung to the darkness as she crawled down the stairs like a small child. It was hard and laboring going down flight after flight. She wasn’t even sure how far up they were. She persisted until she could finally see it. It was so tiny in the contrast of the darkness, but it was there. It was the light coming from the street outside of the door. She quickly got to her feet and slowly opened the door.
She could see others walking but they didn’t seem to notice her. She began moving forward and tapped her IS. She heard it beep as it turned on.
“IS direct me to the docking zone on New Earth II,” she whispered.
Its mechanical tone began to direct her position. As soon as she began to head in the right direction she picked up speed and ran. She ran as fast as she could as heads turned but she picked up speed anyway.
She was free but she was yet to feel relief.
Chapter Fifty-two
Michelle had ran and walked for hours. She was closer to the docking zone but still very far away. She worried that they would be after her soon. She wanted to stop, she wanted to rest but she was too frightened.
If they found her they would surely know.
She looked to a heavily wooded area that she was approaching. The plants and trees were exactly like those of Earth, it was New Earth II after all. It had been designed to be exactly like Earth.
She quickly made her way towards the dense bush. It would be safe; she could hide if they tried to track her since the Earth Army satellites were down. She would wait for him. She knew it had only been a few hours since she had spoken to Serik but it felt like a lifetime. She sat down and rested. She didn’t want to hurt her unborn child. Her boy, she realized. Their boy.
Michelle apprehensively looked around. She could hear rustling.
Shit, I should have got some sort of weapon. I’m sitting here in the middle of the forest.
She quickly grabbed a large tree branch. She knew it wasn’t much but it was something.
“Michelle?” she heard a familiar voice call out.
“Oh God, Serik is that you,” she cried as he appeared from the vegetation. Relief swept over her body like never before.
“Yeah, baby it’s me,” he said running to her and gathering her in his arms.
“I love you, I was so afraid I was going to lose you,” Michelle cried as she buried her face into his chest and inhaled his soothing scent.
“Michelle, I would go to the end of the universe to find you,” he said as he relished having her back in his arms.
“I was so afraid,” she said as she looked into his face, into his eyes, feeling comforted and secure.
“It’s OK. I’m here now,” he soothed her.
“Serik, I’m pregnant,” she blurted out.
He grinned. He hunched down to place a gentle kiss
on her lips.
“Damn, that makes me happy. Hurry let’s go, let’s get on the ship and get you out of this fucked up place,” he said quickly.
“Well, well, well,” a voice boomed.
Michelle and Serik turned around to see Officer Mansfield.
“Leave us alone, Mansfield,” Michelle stated calmly.
“I can’t believe it’s true, Michelle. I can’t believe you willingly gave yourself to a Baat. Hmm, and you’re carrying his baby. We’ll have to clean your womb of that filth and fill you up with a nice human baby from my seed. Oh, how I’ll enjoy taking you over and over,” he mused with a sinister grin.