---
"Can you read me another one doctor?"
"I'm afraid not little one-"
"Pleeaaase?"
"Come now 858, Dr. Wright should be done with your lab work by now."
"But you promised me you would read me the one with the troll! And the goats!"
"Did I now? I believe I said when you get a bit older, perhaps a bit taller I would read that one."
"But I am older! It's my birthday! I'm taller too! Look, see!"
"Oh was that today? I must have forgot, silly me."
"Doctor!"
"Alright, alright you. Come closer now. Once upon a time…"
---
"858!" Came a cold voice.
Knock, knock, knock!
"858! Wake up!" came the voice far more harshly.
Pulling the thin sheet over my head I flip over onto my other side and try to filter out that pest of a woman. Those cheapskates never heated the room enough during the night. Didn't they realize how cold it was in here?
"I'm coming in!"
Just keep pretending you are sleeping and she will go away…
Sharp clacking heels signaled her rapid approach. By the sound of her footsteps something was clearly wrong.
I feel the muscles in my core tighten as I double down on my lie. My breathing shallow as I pretend to sleep. Rather, until the chill of the room overwhelms me as my wonderful cover is pulled off.
"Ah, good morning Subject 858. How nice of you to join the world of the living today."
"Mmm. Good morning to you too Mrs. Santos." Following after a deep yawn, "My alarm hasn't gone off yet."
Taking a look up at her, she was in her blue scrubs, nothing new there. Same with her crabby, overworked expression. She was carrying a clipboard that she was anxiously clicking a pen against.
"It's 8:15 Subject 858. Your assignment was scheduled fifteen minutes ago?"
"That can't be right," I say with a slow, sleepy voice. "Look the alarm- Oh Mrs. Santos I'm so sorry, it must not have went off!"
Thwak!
"Ow! Okay, okay! I'm up!"
"Honestly 858," the old bat says while shaking her head side to side. "What are we to do with you. Just hurry up and get dressed. They are expecting you in 108D. Newman here will escort you there."
"Wait, not 401C?, what am I going to do there? Should I bring anything?"
"No, that won't be necessary," came her short reply, practically cutting me off.
"Okay… I can get cleaned up first though, right?"
"Absolutely not 858, you are to report to 108D at once, you are late enough as it is. The doctor will be furious with you."
"Yes Mrs. Santos." Before I can get another word in she is already leaving the room. Just moments later she is already holding her ID card up to the door to let herself out. And just like that, the door thuds behind her leaving me alone in my room. Or at least that is what I thought until I finally noticed the 'nurse' she was talking about. If it didn't come from her, I would have never pegged him as one. The man was a massive, easily 6'4" at the least. On his hip was some sort of firearm holstered in dark black leather. There were many other questionable items on his person but the firearm was the most eye-catching. Why was a nurse of all people armed so heavily?
"Um, Nurse… Newman was it?" I stammer as I strain to read his name tag. "What's going on in room 108D?"
The nurse stares me down, continuing to keep his hands behind his back. "I have been instructed to guide you to room 108D. That is all you need to know"
"Right, but I haven't been to that floor in years, are they going to do another checkup?"
"You are to head to room 108D," he repeats in his cold professional tone.
Does this guy say anything else? I still don't know what's going on in this room, this whole thing is giving me bad vibes. Hopefully they aren't leaving me in the detention ward again. Would really like to avoid that.
"I'm not in trouble am I?" I ask, this time focusing on his facial cues
No response.
Great. I'm definitely in trouble.
"Nothing on 108, got it. Just give me a minute to get into my clothes."
After an extremely uncomfortable two minutes with my new friend we leave the room. Around the corner are some men with a cleaning cart, apparently waiting for us to leave. I turn my head around as I'm walking with Nurse Dandy and watch the group head into my room as soon as we leave. I may not be a neat freak but I like to think I did a good job keeping my room in check, never disciplined at least for having a messy room. They wouldn't be here unless I'm going to be gone for a while… Crap I must have really done it. Are they really that mad about me sleeping in? Come on, seriously?"
"Keep going," the nurse booms down to me the second I slow down to think. It sure enough jolts me back to my senses to keep pace again. Thinking about it too much isn't going to do me any good anyways.
We continue to pass by the several other rooms inhabited by my fellow subjects. Of course all of them are probably being good boys and girls, waking up at the right time to get to their appointments. But then again, why are all their doors open? Inside each room we pass, more of those cleaning crews can be seen working away. The heavy smell of chemicals is notably potent as we pass 842's room in particular.
Before I can give it any more thought, we arrive at the elevator, and Nurse Newman is holding up his credentials to the scanner. One robotic ding later and the wide metalic doors give way.
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
This cannot be anymore awkward. The two of us stand there in morbid silence as the elevator heads towards the deepest floor of the facility. Right when I work up the courage to ask him something, the elevator dings and the doors open up once more.
As we step out, there's a group of several workers that takes our place. More than just that, there are nurses and doctors in swarms down here. Their pristine white coats flashing past us along with the echoing of their hurried conversations. I can't remember the last time I've seen it so busy. Not that my escort gives me any time to take in my surroundings. Before long we make it to our first checkpoint.
Two men stand on either side of the glass doors, each the spitting image of Nurse Newman. Big, brawny, and stoic. Except these two are dressed in all black. It's been a while since I have seen guys like this, I must have been what. Twelve? Now that I think about it, I think it was the last time I was on this floor. The man on the right nods to Newman and he holds up his ID card to be scanned. Ding. The two men stand aside and let us through.
My gut sinks lower and lower as we continue. Those men in black are all over the place now, each armed with enough firepower to take down damn near any threat. I stare at each one we pass, and none of them could be bothered to even look at us.
"Nurse I don't like this. Look if this is about me missing my appointments, I'm sorry. Please! I promise I won't wake up late anymore-"
"Keep going"
"But I-"
"Keep moving Subject 858."
"Yes Nurse Newman," I say as civil as possible while simultaneously hiding how scared I'm feeling. There's just something wrong about this whole situation.
At last we get to our destination, room 108D. A white door with two of those heavily armed men on either side. Practiced many times before, Newman flashes his credentials to the two men, and with a nod they open the door. This time however, Newman doesn't usher me forward, rather he stands there, looking down at me with a cold expression.
"You're coming too right?"
"This is room 108D, please head inside."
"Ah yes. Thank you Nurse Newman."
If he was recognizing my courtesy, it clearly didn't show on his face. He just continued to look down at me the same way he stared at me throughout our entire trip. Well at least I can be rid of his company. Without taking another look back, I work up the courage to step into the new threshold.
Behind me the door shuts quick and sharp, but that could hardly matter. Inside sitting on some uncomfortable looking chairs are others like me. My fellow subjects! 863, a short boy with wide cheeks and ginger hair waves me over.
"858 you made it!" he grins excitedly.
Seeing his goofy face causes the building weight on my chest to slowly release. If this goody-two-shoe is down here, then there's now way I'm down here because I'm in trouble. 863 was always like a puppy, obedient and perpetually cheerful.
I try to take stock of the rest of us that were gathered, "Do you know why they got us all down here? I thought the guy that brought me here was going to eat me alive! Man I thought I was in so much trouble."
"Did you mess with the vents again?" he asks without skipping a beat.
"What? No! Come on man, I haven't done that since we were kids. Actually I figured out how to turn off those alarms in our rooms so I could try and get some more shut-eye."
His innocent eyes lit up like giant saucers at my story, "No! 858 you can't be doing stuff like that! You know that's why Santos gets mad at you, right?"
"Pfft, she has nothing better to do. If she wasn't getting on my case I think she would die of boredom."
"if you say so 858," he says clearly concerned. "And about what you asked, none of us are really sure. They're calling us in groups of 10. I think we're next by the way."
"863, come on, have I ever been wrong before?"
"-Yes," comes a voice from behind me.
With short brown hair and shiny green eyes, 859 comes into view, "Want me to list off every time you have?" She stares at me waiting for a response, an upset expression on her face.
"No, only because I know you will," I say with a hint of spite
The tension in the air thickens between 859 and myself, meanwhile 863 is holding his hands up trying to hide his child-like laughter.
"Hey remember when 858 figured out how to get into your room?"
Without skipping a beat, I turned to see 859's expression and in real-time, watched her cheeks turn three shades redder.
"Only a barbarian like yourself would sneak into a lady's room!" she blurts in fury.
Ah that was a classic. "Not my fault Baxter always loses his ID."
At this she was positively fuming, "Why can't you be like 863! You're such an impossible brat sometimes!"
"Guys it's time," comes a new voice. Another fellow by the name of Subject 855. Behind him is standing a doctor I don't recognize with several of our group behind him.
"Guys, come on, lets go!" 863 chimes in. Don't you think this is exciting?"
859 and I just look at each other, in a rare situation where we find ourselves agreeing with one another. Neither of us can be mad at 863 though, no one can. He's practically an angel.
"If subjects 855 through 865 would please follow me this way," the doctor asks with the most courtesy I've seen all morning.
Without much choice, we all line up into two columns and follow behind the unfamiliar doctor.
"Can you tell us what we're doing here yet?" comes the voice of 865.
The doctor turns around and faces the 10 of us in an empty hallway. "Everything is quite fine, Dr. Flamel is going to take some readings and you will all be on your way to your next assignment."
Flamel? Warm memories flood in at the mere mention of his name. Clearly from the reaction of the others, they must feel the same.
"Why hasn't Dr. Flamel come to see us?"
"Are we really going to see Dr. Flamel?"
"Yes, yes, he will see you all shortly. For now I need you all to go inside and follow instructions as they're given, alright?" He holds his hands out to a doorway, beckoning for our group to enter.
863 leans towards me, excitement plastered all over his face. "Can you believe it? We're finally going to see Dr. Flamel again!"
"I'll be honest, I thought he retired or something. It's been so long."
"No way! I told you he was still here. I always knew it!" His smile is from ear to ear, the positivity he's radiating practically infectious.
"Okay, I'll admit it, I'm a bit excited too," I sheepishly admit. 863 beams brightly in response to my admitted guilt, and I can't help but feel warm on the inside. That kid, he never fails to brighten anyone's mood. I wrap an arm around his shoulder and use my other hand to ruffle up his unruly hair. For my efforts, he lets out some genuine laughter, causing even 859 to cheer up a bit. "Come on bud, lets go see the good doctor."
The last of us finally cross the threshold and the opaque door slides back into place. Ahead is a pristine white hallway, no doubt as clean and sterile as the rest of the facilities. On the far end of the expanse is yet another door, this time flanked by two workers dressed in protective suits as bland as the room we find ourselves in. Something else is odd.
"You guys feel… I don't know, jittery?"
"A little bit," 863 replies while scratching his arm. "Maybe it's just cooler in here or something."
859 brushes past him and sticks a finger in my chest. Her previous good mood gone like the wind. "Don't you start that nonsense! I think that serum they put in our food is starting to react," she says sarcastically. "Grow up!"
"Yeah okay, so maybe I lied about that one, but seriously, you don't feel a bit weird?"
If looks could kill, then there would be nothing but ashes. She barrels forward past me without another word, leaving 863 and myself in the back. He just gives me a helpless look and chases after her. Whatever, it was always like him to be the peaceful mediator. Not sure how he has remained tame as a puppy living here. Could only imagine the day he goes absolutely feral. A smile creeps it's way on my face thinking about it, awarding me strange looks from the other members of my group.
"Sorry, was just thinking about something funny was all," I say innocently
"By the way, what you said earlier. I think you're right," chimes in 860. Twirling a finger nervously through her black curls, "Something is off about 857. His palms started getting all sweaty and then his eyes became all dilated. 861 started twitching too. See?" she gestures with her face towards him mid-twitch. "I know we always say it, but I really do think something weird is going on this time."
"You think that's why those two guys are in the plastic suits? They don't look bothered at all"
"A bit, yeah."
"Hey I noticed something weird too when I came here late."
"Surprised the bat hasn't hung you to dry yet." she says catching on immediately.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Anyways I saw a bunch of workers cleaning our rooms on the way here."
"And what's so weird about that?" she asks, appearing perplexed by my last statement.
"Not much, just how thorough they were being. Not to mention how it seemed like they were cleaning them all at once while we're down here."
Seems she was half-listening to what as I was saying. Her focus was towards the other end of the space. I didn't realize it while talking to her, but at some point the next section opened up and some of the others were already heading inside.
"Well whatever they have planned for us today, we're about to find out. Looks like it's showtime," she says with some added bravado.
I don't think I need to see the others to guess what their expressions are like.
All around us now are red paved stones with yellow channels carved throughout them that form into several layers of interlocking circles. In the center is small stone pedestal that some of the others are investigating. My attention however is towards the glass wall where I finally see him.
Even after fifteen years it's just the same as I remembered. That warm nostalgic smile.
FWOOOOOOSH!!!!!