TRIS:
I let out a muffled moan. I feel my stomach clench, and I wriggle with discomfort. I lean my head over the side of the bed and puke. It relieves some of the pressure, but I'm still nauseous. David approaches, avoiding the vomit on the ground, and standing over me with a clipboard.
"Good morning, Tris. How are you feeling today?" he chuckles.
I let out a grunt, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.
"Don't worry, that was believed to be one of the side effects of the protein injection. And, I'm sorry to have to start you so early, but I need to begin observations on the after effects as soon as you woke up. Can you move your fingers and toes for me?"
I try. "They're really stiff."
"The more you move, the better you'll feel, I promise," he says.
I lift my arms up over my head and stretch them, along with my back. I can feel my muscles waking up. I stretch out my legs and bend them at the knees and roll my ankles. It feels good. I sit myself up, each creak releasing new muscular capabilities.
"Very good, Tris. Now, Evelyn will be in shortly with breakfast and I need you to eat everything on the plate. You need the electrolytes." I groan. My stomach is not in the mood. "I'll tell her to clean up your little accident, as well."
David leaves the room. I immediately flop onto the mattress and reach my hand underneath it to feel for the gun Four gave me. It's still there. I pull myself up, jolting to an upright position just as Evelyn enters.
"What happened in here?" she scolds.
"David's shot worked," I respond, sarcastically.
She sighs and places the tray onto my lap, "I'll get a mop." I smile at her to show that I'm grateful. When she comes back into the room, she sweeps the mop back and forth, trying to soak up the brownish liquid. The smell disperses through the air, making me gag as I eat. She leaves the room to dump the soapy water, only to return again, this time with a towel to dry the leftover moisture.
When she's done, she sits down next to me on the bed, wiping her brow with her arm. Her face becomes serious. In a hushed tone, she says, "I need to say this quickly, but you're being released tomorrow afternoon. Caleb is picking you up."
"What about Tobias?" I hiss.
"David has made these arrangements for you. You can see Tobias later. Now listen, David wants to erase your memory, but Caleb is going to switch the serums. You need to pretend to forget who you are, okay?"
I nod. "I can do that." I can pretend to forget. Sometimes I think it would be a blessing to forget about my parents, about Will, about all the skeletons in my closet. But then I remember Four, and he outweighs all of the bad memories I hold inside, and I know I do the same for him.
Evelyn stands. "What do they have planned for me today?" I ask.
"They want to run you through the simulation tests again to compare scores." My eyes open wide. "No shot today, I promise." She pauses. "Unless your scores are low again." I sigh a breath of relief. I'm stronger today than I have been in a long time. I can feel it.
