They were now being treated and examined again and again, but none of them had shown any improvement. So they were still here after months. And the disease changed you. It turned a funny, cheerful and completely motivated person like my brother into a person who would regularly lash out at others for no reason in fits of rage, calling them horrible things and attacking them. They were no longer contagious, which was always within about two months. But they showed no improvement either and so no one really knew what to do with them. I felt a tear running down my cheek and I quickly wiped it away. I knew that if my brother had been sane, he would have told me not to worry, that he was proud of me and would always support me. Sometimes I felt like he was the big brother and not me. I also blamed myself terribly for not being able to protect him from the virus, even though Caleb had already set me straight several times with the argument that you can't really protect anyone from a virus. Because a virus looks for its own way and will find it.

I sighed and watched him for a short while until he eventually put the book aside and put it down. At such moments he seemed completely normal, human and like he used to be. But I had experienced it often enough that it could be deceptive and he could have attacked me in the next moment. I saw his light curls and found myself wishing just to stroke his head, like I used to when he was scared at home. I took one last look around his room, then back at him, and then I went back. I put my visitor's card on the counter, but the young man didn't pay any attention to me. I was lost in thought when I heard voices. It came from one of the labs. I knew I shouldn't do that, but I was naturally curious, so I walked quietly towards the voices and discovered two men in white coats standing in front of a microscope, taking turns looking into it and apparently discussing quietly. I could barely hear what they were saying, but if I tried hard I could make out a little of it. "No that is not correct. This is a sample from the patient, how can it be that it reacts to the drug?” The other guy said something about the drug that I didn't understand. “And do you really think that could help? Did the patient’s cells respond well?” The other nodded. “I think this substance could really help with therapy. There’s just one problem.” The other looked up. “This funding is very difficult to obtain and I don't think they will allow us to continue producing it. The patients are actually unimportant to them. There aren’t many, so they won’t care whether it helps them or not.” “But what do we do with the information now?” asked the other and looked into the microscope again. “We can’t guess, we just carry on as before and don’t tell anyone what we discovered.” “So are we lying?” “No, but we just don’t say it. If we inform the chairmen and they then do nothing, then we are involved. This could cost us our jobs and everything else. Do you really want to be thrown out the door? You know what happens when you become useless. Think of Paul.” The other person said something I didn't understand. I pulled back and leaned against the wall, trying to understand what I had just heard. Who were they two? What had they discovered and were they talking about the patients with the disease? Who was Paul and why would they lose their jobs? My head was spinning and I noticed that the feeling in my mind that I had before was not there. I felt sick. I quickly ran to the stairs, staggered up and looked for the nearest toilet. I then vomited several times and sank exhausted onto the tiled floor next to the toilet. It was all just too much. With so much going on, how could I wrap my head around it all? I leaned my head against the tiled wall and closed my eyes. That was good. The room stopped moving and my stomach settled as well.

I sat there for a while until I was sure I wasn't going to throw up again and then went back to the hallways. I still had no idea how to interpret what I had just heard, but first I had to go to my room and block out everything else. I just wanted my head to be quiet for a while, even for a short time. I had no idea how everyone else was handling all of it but it did not surprise me one bit that some people fell ill from exhaustion because of everything.

Later that evening, Henry came and brought me something from the dining room. This wasn't allowed, but they made an exception when he told them I wasn't feeling well. I looked at the plate and there was a slice of pizza on it. I was surprised, things like pizza, or gluten in general, were really rare. "Thank you," I said and continued lying there. He put it on the nightstand for me and then sat down on his bed. "How are you?" he asked.

I groaned. My stomach felt better and my head wasn't pounding as much anymore. But I was so exhausted it felt like I had been hit by a truck. “I'm just dead tired. I would like to take a vacation from my life, maybe three weeks?” He laughed quietly. I didn't hear him laugh often, but when he did, he must have found it really funny. “Well, I think some food will definitely make you feel a little better.” I just grumbled. “I just hope I didn’t catch a cold.” Henry snorted. “That would be something. The world is going to hell and you catch the flu. Nobody believes that.” I also had to smile slightly. “It's just a bit much,” I mumbled, not thinking he could have heard me. But he had. "What do you think? Work?" I just made a sound of agreement. “Work, my brother, my new job.” “What new task?” he asked with interest and I could hear in his voice that he was now paying attention. “Well,” I pressed. “I guess we should go outside and do some exploring.” There was a moment of silence. Then Henry was on top of me, grabbing me by the collar and shaking me gently. "What? "You haven't told me that yet?" he sounded enthusiastic and shocked at the same time, which didn't fit with his otherwise calm and calm demeanor. I protested loudly and slapped his hands away. “I still feel sick.” “Sorry,” he mumbled and pulled back a little. But he sat down on one of the two chairs in our room and moved it in front of my bed. His eyes made a silent request to tell you more. I sighed and slowly sat up. Then, when I saw the plate of food, my stomach actually growled. I shook my head but picked up the plate and took a bite of the bread and cheese he had brought me. Hmm sweet, a rare commodity. “So?” Henry urged, watching me closely.

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“You can’t tell anyone, okay?” I said, chewing. “I don’t know how top secret this is, but I don’t want to test it.” This urgency left Henry nodding eagerly. It amused me. I didn't know him at all and I enjoyed a little bit of upsetting Henry, who was otherwise so controlled. “So,” I began, building up the tension a little further. I told him almost everything, from the meetings with Caleb and the idea he had told me, about the meeting with the other participants and the tasks that awaited us. He listened intently, his lips sometimes forming an O or his eyes growing larger. When I mentioned Leon, he was surprised, but not too surprised. “He’s pretty good in his area in the division. I’ve heard that a few times.” He said it so easily, but it made me feel a little inferior. “I feel like everyone on the team is an expert in their field. I ask why Caleb suggested me of all people. I mean, the others all seemed so experienced.” Henry thought. “Did Caleb tell you why he chose you?” “He just said it was because of my position in the hospital and that it was because of my experience in combat training. But since we’ll be training for the next few weeks anyway, this argument doesn’t really count.” Henry nodded thoughtfully. “I think he sees something in you that maybe you don't. That’s why,” he punched me lightly in the shoulders, “don’t let it get you down.” “Thank you,” I said, taken aback. That didn't look like him either. What was wrong with Henry, why did he suddenly show so many emotions? He got up and warmed me up my jacket. “Come on, let’s go.” I looked at him skeptically. "Where are we going? I'm still sick." He waved his hand. “You said you would like a little break from your life. Unfortunately I can't give you that, but I can tell you that "Back to the Future" is in the cinema tonight and you definitely want to see it, right? I mean, it’s one of your favorite movies for a reason, right?” He grinned as my eyes lit up with excitement. “I haven’t seen him in ages, you’re the best!” "I know."

The chairmen of the board had decided to set up a so-called film evening for everyone once a month. This would take place in the “cinema”. It wasn't a real movie theater, but it was a large room that could be used for multiple activities and was converted into a movie theater with a big screen and lots of couches and pillows and bean bags. Normally you couldn't use the cinema outside of the official cinema evening, but there were exceptions. Since you had to register in advance to use the seats, Henry must have registered us online. "Thanks!"; I said as we were picking out our seats. There weren't too many there yet, so we were able to choose some further ahead. “Marty McFly really has a taste for fashion,” said a voice behind us and when I turned around I saw Hollow and Caleb sitting down on beanbags behind us. I grinned at her. “These pants are really flattering,” I joked back and she laughed. I could also spot Francis, who gave me a quick wave. “Who is that?” Henry asked, nodding at her. “Francis is a colleague at work.” He nodded and continued to look at her. Surely he must have seen her before, right? After the hall was completely full and even some people were sitting on the floor, the room darkened and the screen was brightly lit. The room cheered briefly, a tradition to express our gratitude for being able to do such activities, and then the film began. Even though it had never happened to me before, especially with this movie, I actually fell asleep. Marty had just met his father for the first time at the diner when my eyes closed.

“Hey you,” a soft voice greeted me.