A Visitor
"What are you doing here?" I was going to make it short; no way was I in the mood for warm greetings. Though Hannah was honest with me from the beginning, I didn't want anything to do with anyone who weren't my friends.
"You look so much older," she smiled warmly as she set her tea-cup down. "It feels like yesterday that you were out in the front yard-"
"Hannah," I interrupted. She shifted a bit in her seat before making eye contact with me.
"You've become just like him," she said under her breath, "Even have the same look in your eye." I stared in confusion. The room was lit warmly by the ceiling light, the night air drifting in through the open window behind her.
"Who?" She knew about Handley's and revealed to me a while back that she was a former patient. But, I hadn't a clue of what the place really was then, however I was told of its danger.
"You know who," she grinned again, "I bet he misses you."
"Don't act like you know him," I shook my head. The last thing I needed was to be given false hope. "Why are you at Ian's house anyway?"
"Ms. Hecox was listed as an emergency contact by your father. I'm here on my free will, Phil; in fact, I'm not even supposed to be here. I just heard what happened, and you deserve to know the truth."
"Like I said, I doubt you can tell me anything I don't already know. Besides, what were you told?" I saw Ian peek by the slightly opened door, but Anthony pulled him along.
"That Mr. Handley sent you back here after he found you with two boys and you-know-who." she replied, sipping her tea quickly. I shut the door and raised a brow.
"Why are we avoiding his name?"
Her glance fell to the floor, her handing fidgeting with the hems of her dress. "It's not easy for me to talk about Dan either," I motioned for her to continue. "Remember when I told you that I knew him back in Handley's? He was in the room across from me for a long time. I was intrigued by him as he never came out, but soon found out that he wasn't allowed to. Nurses were always in and out of his room."
"Nurses?"
"Not the kind you think of. The days they didn't come would be the best. Nurses would come in with these pills the scientists would make; messed with brain waves or something. They weren't too bad - caused hallucinations and things like that."
"But why? I don't understand?" I asked, "Dan is perfectly normal."
"That's why I'm here. Phil, I need you to listen to me; hell, if you had listened to me the first time none of this would have happened. Dan was important to the scientists. I would often hear the nurses talking about this miracle kid where they think the tests were working best on him. He kept this journal and, of course, I had never thought much of it. One day when the nurses took him out of his room, I snuck in and read a bit of it."
"Well…? What did it say?"
The hum of the ceiling fan increased the tension in the room as she took a folded piece of paper from the pocket of her dress. The page was now worn and a yellowish color. Hesitantly, she handed it to me.
Journal,
I now know why they've kept me alive so long. All this time I thought it was because deep down, past all of the rubber suits and gloves, these people were human. They've not only taken me from a home, from a best friend, from a family, but they've taken me from a life that I would have lived. These bleak, dull walls block out much more than you can fathom.
Yesterday I overheard one of the nurses talking. He spoke of a boy that holds a chromosome inside him that contains something very special; he spoke of immortality. Never did I believe in such a thing. Who would want to live forever, journal? This world is unfair and cruel and a place I don't want to live in to begin with! And then there's some sick joke of immortality?
All the while I thought, what's the point in keeping me alive? There's Sophie of course. She's the closest thing to a sister I've ever had. But seeing her in such conditions–filth and disease, a fake hospital where they work the main lot of us to death, or you're a victim of human testing–how can she stay so happy all of the god damn time? I…I envy it. She doesn't remember anything before this place.
But I'm forced to stay alive. I don't know how long they've kept me in this room for, though I suppose it's not too bad compared to the others. Just as you're thinking, journal, yes. The chromosome does lie within me. After all of these tests and substances, I actually contain the root of immortality.
According to the man, it's something a human heart holds deep, deep inside of it. Ever since birth, it's our instinct to survive, to keep going. It's pure will. But mix that will with chemical substances and, well, you can produce a chemical of immortality.
That's all I am to them now. Not Dan, rather 'the immortal kid'. I don't get to be immortal myself–not that I want to to begin with–but soon enough, they will surely kill me and take the chemical once it is complete. It's a matter of waiting.
I think they'll allow me to start going outside soon, journal. That'll be nice, won't it? Maybe sitting and watching the sky for a while is just what I need.
More than anything, I need to get out of here.
"You took this?" I clenched the page Hannah had torn from the journal. "You fucking took this from him!" I yelled, my throat raw from the sobs I withheld. The tears streamed down my face. There was no care towards my language at the moment. "Who, just who in the hell do you think you are? Meddling in others business… that's not your place! You don't know the first thing about Dan, Hannah! This isn't him… this can't be him… oh, please tell me this isn't his…" My voice fell to soft cries as I buried my face in my hands, the page now crinkled.
I head Hannah exhale a shaky breath before getting up and sitting besides me. "Philip, dear, I know this is hard. This is why I wanted you to stay far from that place. Some people are just from two different worlds though we live in the same one."
I sniffled and shook my head. "That's where you're wrong. That fence doesn't separate us anymore and it never will again. I won't let them kill him, Hannah. They'd have to kill me first–"
"Don't say things like that!" she pleaded. "Everyone has a purpose of living and this is his."
"How can you be so god damn selfish!" I cried out. "This can't be his purpose! And if it is, he and I will change it completely!" My sobs made my body ache and breathing difficult. I just couldn't stop.
"Philip…"
"Is this why you came here, Hannah?" My tone was cold. "Is that all you have to say?"
She paused. "I know where they are."
I raised my stare up to her. "Are they safe? How is Dan? Have you talked to him? What about Chris' dad?"
She smiled. "They're all safe in Fayetteville. The election has been put on hold because of Chris' father. But they're plotting something against Handley's…something that is far too dangerous."
"What is it?"
She shook her head. "They plan on freeing all of the victims and killing anyone who stops in their way. They've lost clear sight of everything, Philip. Chris is besides himself because of his father, Pj wants to see Flora again and free all those who were taken from Gaia, and Dan, well, Philip he's a wreck. He wants the whole place burned to the ground."
"They wouldn't murder anyone…they're my friends, Hannah, they wouldn't do that!"
"For you and the sake of revenge they would. And that's why you need to stop them. They wouldn't survive against those who guard Handley's. They're merciless and Dan would go right to them, making it easier to kill him for what he has. It's careless."
"What can I do?"
"Depart for Fayetteville soon. I'm leaving late tomorrow night. I can take you halfway there because your father and mother will begin to wonder where I am soon. Don't worry, I'll tell them you're doing great here and there is no trouble at all. Though, please know that the HHR men are all on high alert for your friends. They're beginning to increase everywhere, so please, be careful."
"Hannah…I'm scared. I couldn't protect my friends then. How can I protect them now?"
She pulled me into a warm hug and sighed. "It's all in the power of will. I believe in you, Philip."