by Elsy Green
“And the boy?”
“We’ve had a little more trouble calming him, but we are certain we will be able to start his process within the same time frame.”
“You’ve had trouble?” She quirks an eyebrow at the man’s explanation.
“He’s a fighter, he didn’t go willingly.”
“I didn’t expect any of them to. All I expected was for you to do your job. All of you.” She turns to the room with a disgusted look waiting for someone to challenge her.
“And we have, Ma’am, everything is in place.” A young woman steps up from behind a screen to assure her.
“Good, at least someone knows what they are doing here. And what of the glitch we saw this morning?”
“It has been resolved. The system is online and ready to go. They will subconsciously choose their own paths once inside, just as you intended.”
The beautiful blonde woman smiles a radiantly devilish smile. “Well, unfortunately the system will choose for them. It’s not their fault, it’s just their DNA. Soon we will have a new world, free from any plagues such as these.” Her cold long finger strokes my cheek admiringly.
My breathing hitches and suddenly I’m overwhelmed with a desire to break free of these restraints and tackle her, but I can’t respond, I can’t even blink. I’m a comatose with my eyes wide open.
Blondie sighs and grabs her iPad studying the screen with deep concentration. “What is this?” She points to something on the screen.
“Her brain activity.”
“Why does it look like that?”
“She’s listening to us.”
Blondie frowns and looks over at me. “So, I’m to assume she can see us too?”
“Yes, she is only paralyzed. All her senses work just fine, it’s her muscles that are confused.”
“Hmm…and can she comprehend what we are saying?”
“Perfectly.”
Blondie moves closer to me with a twisted smile. “Hi Riella, pleasure to see you as always. I’m going to miss these little tete-a-tetes. What with you going on this little trip you won’t be around much, one way or the other. Anyways, I do hope it treats you well. As for us, we’ll be just fine. Everything will continue on schedule, just as it was intended. And don’t worry about your little boy toy, we’ll take such good care of him.”
She lets out a vile chuckle and moves to get up. Fueled with a rage I didn’t know I had, I concentrate everything I have on grabbing onto her wrist and dragging her back to me. My fingers twitch at my command and I lurch forward getting a fistful of her sleeve. She lets out an ugly scream and the team of white coats quickly descend on me.
I growl and thrash as I try to get them off of me, my eyes trained on blondie as I seethe at her. My teeth gnashing, my body squirming under them as I think about nothing else then jumping from this bed and wringing her pretty little neck between my bare hands. She slowly backs away towards the exit horrified. The white coats hold me down and inject something into my leg. My head immediately falls back against the table and darkness takes me.
I suck in a deep breath and open my eyes. I’m back in my own room in Greenville, a wide-eyed Sophie watching me intently as she sips another can of lemonade.
“What did you see?” She moves in closer. I take in a few deep ragged breaths and gather all the air I can into my lungs. I always feel breathless after the memories, I don’t know why. It’s like I’m holding my breath the entire time, waking up in desperate need of air.
“Allie, what did you see?”
“I’m not sure. I was in a facility. I think it was some sort of hospital. Maybe the same one I saw the other day. And they were, they were—.” I swallow down as I replay the images in my head.
“They were what?” Sophie moves even closer literally on the edge of her seat to know what I saw.
“I don’t know.” I stand up abruptly unable to handle her questions any longer. I don’t want to talk about this anymore. I don’t want to think about what I just saw, what that could mean.
“Allie? What happened.” I stare down at my shaking hands swallowing down a lump in my throat as I try to figure out what I just happened. Who were those people and what were they doing to me? Why was I strapped down? What did the blonde woman mean by a trip? Was Riella a good person? I mean she wanted to kill that blonde woman. I felt it, her rage, her anger, her blood lust. She was going to kill her if she had the chance. What if Riella was a criminal and that was some sort of facility within the prison?
“Allie.” Sophie places a hand on my shoulder. “Are you okay?”
I turn to face her hiding my hands behind my back and nod. “Fine. It was just…weird that’s all. I’ve never had a memory like that.”
“Like what?”
“I felt like I was actually feeling what Riella was feeling.”
“Oh? Well that might be good.”
“Yeah, maybe.” I clamp one hand on top of the other trying to stop them from shaking.
“I mean it could be progress. You are finally thinking of yourself as your ancestor, thus getting closer to her and her memories. It might help you process everything better, maybe even figure out whatever it is your subconscious is trying to tell you!”
Sophie hurries over to my desk to grab a pen and paper to take notes. She’s been doing that recently, taking notes on what I see and mumble when I sleep.
“This is good news! We are doing it, we are solving the puzzle, Allie.” She smiles over shoulder at me. I force a smile and nod before she turns back to her notes.
Once I’m sure she’s occupied I bring my hands out from behind my back and stare down at them as they shake violently in front of me. Sophie’s right again, we are definitely getting closer to something.
C.05
My skin tingles with ominous restlessness as I walk down the main hall at school. It’s like that feeling you get when you know something bad is about to happen. The dreed you feel when you realize you’ve forgotten to do your hair, or put on pants. It’s like your subconscious knows something is up well before your consciousness catches up.
I stare intently at the hall as I slowly walk towards my locker trying to pinpoint where this feeling is originating from. Maybe there’s some event I missed. Something I’m excited for. Or worse maybe I’ve forgotten about a test and my brain is misinterpreting my anxiety for excitement due to lack of sleep. Or maybe I have forgotten my pants. I stare down at my legs and shake my head, that’s ridiculous. I’m fully dressed.
No. It’s not my clothes or my appearance, it’s something else. Something I’ve missed. I look around the halls sure I’m forgetting something, but I can’t find anything that sticks out to me. I’m in the same boring hallway I walk down every school day. The one with the boring compartments and my boring books and some of my boring sessions. Nothing is new, nothing has changed, yet my body still hums with grim anticipation with each step I take. At least that’s what I think it is. I’m all sorts of confused after last night.
My skin is flushed, my nerve endings on fire and my senses are annoying hyperactive. Something feels different. Something is different, I just don’t know what. I look around at the people crowding the hall. It’s the same groups of people I see every day, the same drab collection of teenagers that couldn’t care less about anything other than themselves. It’s all the same. Everything is exactly the same as it was yesterday.
“Riella, what are you staring at?” Sophie’s puzzled face comes to view in front of me. Except it’s not Sophie at least I don’t think it is. They look identical, same auburn hair, same big blue eyes and same critiquing attitude. Yet, this girl is younger, way younger and wearing an all blue jumpsuit with a fancy logo on the breast. She even has her hair done up in a sophisticated braid. Sophie doesn’t know how to braid and even if she did, she would never give up an opportunity to show off her long, silky locks.
I blink in confusion not sure why I’m analyzing her, of course it’s
Sophie. “Riella, are you okay?” She waves a hand in front of my face, her frown deepening with concern. Why is she calling me Riella?
“I’m fine.” I shake off the weird fog I’m stuck in and brush passed her to my compartment, which is just like a locker, but fancier.
“Did you get any sleep after I left last night?”
“Was I supposed to?” I ask sarcastically. She crosses her arms over her chest and stares me down. “What? I’m just stating the facts.”
“She’ll come around. She’s just jealous.”
“She’s not jealous, she’s in pain. Neither of us asked for this. Neither of us asked for our respective lives. They were chosen for us and now she’s reaping the consequences simply because her DNA is different.”
“It’s not your fault though.”
“I know.”
Sophie reaches over and pats my shoulder comfortingly. “Nadia and Theo are good to both of you.”
“She doesn’t see that. She only sees what she doesn’t have. It’s like it consumes her. Even Nadia is worried it will overtake her.”
“She’ll be fine. She’s just a teenager.”
“We all are, yet you don’t see me blowing up the way she did last night.”
“She’s not like us.”
“Yeah, I guess.” I shut my compartment and head in the direction of my next class. “Did I miss something? I feel like something is different today, like I’m missing an event or test.”
“Hmm.” Sophie squints one eye and swishes her lips as she thinks. “We have weaponry today; did you bring your athletic equipment?”
“I did, that’s not it. I wouldn’t forget a session. Are you sure there isn’t something going on today? I can feel it; something is wrong or different. I’m missing something, I know it.”
Sophie shrugs. “Not that I know of, but if you keep walking at this pace, we won’t make it to first session.”
Pace. That’s it. The measurements were all wrong! I stop in my tracks my heart racing at a million beats per minute, thundering inside my chest as I realize what it is.
“Ri?”
“I have to go!” I drop my books and race from the campus without an explanation, Sophie calling after me in confusion. I force my body to go faster, to move quicker, dodging through throngs of people and officials as I make my way to the house. I can’t let anything slow me down, not now. I have to warn them; I have to tell them what I missed in the chaos of last night.
Our quaint home comes into view within minutes and I race to the front door not even worrying about using the OCR, I need to get their attention now! I bang on the door screaming their names as I try to use force to open the door. No one answers and my stomach twists in knots as I hold a shaky hand up to the OCR scanner waiting impatiently for it to confirm my identity. An eternity later it dings and the screen turns green unlocking the door in front of me.
I rip it open and race through the house taking the stairs two at a time hoping I’m not too late. Maybe they stayed out of their lab today, maybe they went for a walk instead of working on their new project. The one I was helping with. Maybe they aren’t here and I’ll be able to fix everything.
I place my hand on the OCR outside their lab door placing my ear to the door as I wait for access hoping I’ll hear their voices. Begging to hear one of Theo’s witty jokes, or Nadia’s carefree laugh. Or possibly nothing at all because their out. They went on a walk and haven’t returned, but I know that’s not like them at all. I rip open the door as it grants me access and race into the room yelling their names in the silence. Tears fill my eyes as I move through the room, I’m too late. I can smell it; I can feel it.
I race around the corner searching the room for their smiling faces, instead I’m stopped by something large and heavy on the ground. I cry out in agony as I realize it’s Nadia. She’s on her belly, her head bloody and bashed in. I kneel down beside her and check her pulse.
“Nadia?” I whisper her name. “Nadia?” Nothing. Turning her around I start chest compressions on her, blowing my breath into her lungs willing her to open her eyes.
“It’s no use.” Theo’s raspy voice startles me. I look up to find him on the other side of the lab watching me with tears in his eyes as we both realize the truth, she’s gone.
“Theo.” I race to him and kneel down in front of him, holding his heavy head in my hands as he tries to raise it. He cringes in pain as I do so, the act too much for him in his state. He’s badly burned and beaten himself. His body a terrifying image of singed skin and bloody open wounds. “What happened? We need to get you help; we need to get you to the bay.”
He lets out a hideous deep cough and shakes his head. “No. No. There is no time. I will be joining my sweet Nadia soon enough.”
I let out a terrified sob, “no. No. We can help you; we can heal you. You’ll be fine, you’ll be alright.”
He reaches up and cups my face with his rough, big hands. “Riella. We both know that isn’t true. It’s the risk of a scientist. Our work is more dangerous than most would believe.”
I grab onto his hand and hold it tightly as I sob. “Theo, you can’t go.”
“It is not up to me, my dear, but I am glad you are here with me in the end. I wouldn’t have it any other way. You need to know the truth. You need to know that there are things we kept from you, to protect you.” He breaths in a shaky, feeble breath. “You are more than a number, all of you are.”
“I know that, Theo. You and Nadia have given me much more than that.”
“No.” He shakes his head and coughs. “That’s not…I’m trying to tell you’re…you’re my…” he struggles to get breath into his lungs, his entire body struggling to fighting to stay here.
“Shhh…it’s okay.” Tears spill down my face and land on his charred lab coat. He wipes away a stray tear with his thumb a sad smile on his lips.
“Help her, help her, Ri. She needs you, we all do.” His hand falls from my cheek and his head slumps to the ground as his eyes flutter closed and he takes his last breath. I collapse on top of him my body racking with uncontrollable sobs as I beg him to come back.
“Theo, please, please don’t leave me. I can’t do this without you.”
“What did you do?” I hear the shrill terror in her voice as she stares at the scene in front of her.
“Ryss—”
“What did you do Riella? What did you do?” she grows hysterical as she moves to her mother and tries to revive her just as I did. Her hands moving rapidly over her chest as she counts out the compressions and then breaths air into her lung.
“Ryss.” I get up on shaky legs and move to her side. She ignores me continuing to press down on her mother’s fragile chest at a steady pace. “Ryss.” I place my hand on her shoulder. “They’re gone. They’ re both gone.” My voice cracks as more tears stream down my face and I fall to on my knees at Ryss’ side.
She takes in a deep ragged breath and rips her shoulder away from my hand. She stands in front of me, her eyes burning with a rage I’d never seen before as she stares down at me with a deep hatred.
“You did this to them. You killed them!”
“No, I—”
MURDERER!” I fall onto my butt, thrown back by her accusation, my entire being trembling at the thought. How could she think that? How could she turn on me so easily?
“I didn’t. Ryss, please—"
“They were doing this stupid experiment because of you!” She lunges for me her eyes a shade of ice-cold blue I’d never seen before. I scoot away from her somehow managing to get on my feet and put some distance between us.
“No. They were doing it because that’s what they did, they loved science, they loved improving the world.”
“No! They loved you! Look were that got them! DEAD! They are dead because of you Riella! Olta, call the authorities! Riella has murdered my parents!”
“Yes Ma’am the authorities have been alerted and are in route,
” Olta, our in house AI responds.
“Ryss, don’t do this. We’re family.”
“We are nothing.” Her words come out like a poisonous venom as she seethes at me.
“You don’t mean that, you’re just hurt, you’re in pain.”
“You know nothing about me! You are nothing to me!”
Men in white uniform rush up the stairs and into the lab, stopping in their tracks as they find Ryss and I in a standoff over Nadia and Theo’s bodies. One of the men gets in between us holding out his hands to calm us.
“What’s happened here?”
“She killed them.” Ryss lifts her bony finger and points it directly at me. All the air leaves my lungs like she’s just hit be with a baseball bat. Her accusation in front of these men cutting me deeper than I expected it to.
“I…” I shake my head still in shock from her betrayal. I don’t know what to say. I loved them. I loved them just as much as she did. The man looks back and forth between Ryss and I and then at his men who are examining the bodies. Minutes pass before one of the examiners shakes his head at the mediator between us. He lets out a sigh and lifts his hand to give the go ahead. Two more men step forward and clamp restraints on both of Ryss’ wrists.
“What are you doing?” she shrieks.
“I’m sorry Ms. Ledi. We are going to have to take you into custody.”
“Wait. You can’t do that.” I step towards them. More men enter the room forming a barrier in between Ryss and I, stopping me from interfering. “Wait, this isn’t right. We need more time, you can’t take her!” They hold me back as they drag a terrified Ryss out of the lab. She looks over at me and for a split second I see a scared, vulnerable young girl she is. The one Theo told me to help, to take care of. And then in a split second she’s transformed into a cold, vindictive woman her hate filled eyes piercing me to my very core.