Sorry the first chapter was so short. Went kind of brain-dead. Hope this one is better!
Disclaimer: you look smart, you figure it out.
"Again." The doctor commanded. I reached out and healed the cut on his hand. He recorded the results and started the interrogation again.
" Does it hurt you to heal me?"
"No, I feel just fine." I stated flatly. –Just the way I felt the other 600 times you asked me. –I thought bitterly.
" Do you feel nauseous, tired, depressed-"
"Try bored." I interrupted
He glanced at me quickly, then turned away. "It's standard procedure, Andrea. You know I have to do this every day," he stated calmly.
"Doesn't mean I have to like it." I muttered under my breath.
"What?"
"Nothing Dr. Worthy" I sighed.
I knew if I kept this up, I'd sooner or later get slapped. The doctors didn't usually care for my sarcastic attitude. That's the way the rest of my day went. At lunch I got to eat alone, all by myself, in my room. I usually hated lunch, but I was sort of happy for the solitude this time. I looked at the ugly pea green walls, the small lumpy bed, and the thousands of magazines I had collected over the years. I had been in the medical research center for physically or mentally deformed children for as long as I could remember (which would be for about three years.) I don't know why I couldn't find memories beyond when I was twelve, and even then I only remember when I came to this horrid place. I realized in my second year here that I don't really belong in this center. I had no physical or mental deformity. If you could see me now, you would think I was a normal kid. But something about me is very different. I am able to heal almost any bodily wound. It started as soon as I was twelve, though I don't remember how I discovered it. I can't remember what my parents look like, or my two brothers. I can only remember their names.
The only reason I remember their names is because the doctors told me. I find it terribly odd that I can't remember anything of my past life. I started to wonder if the doctors had done something to me, but why would they do something like that? I heard the boy in the room next to mine enter the door.
"What'cha doin'?" he asked.
"Trying to get some quiet in this hellhole," I replied.
"Oh. Why? Isn't it quiet enough the rest of the time?" he said
"No, not with you around. Now leave me alone!" I snapped.
"Groooouuuuchy!" he answered in a singsong voice.
I growled under my breath and tried to ignore him. It wasn't an easy task. I concentrated on trying to remember my past. Just like all of the other times I tried, nothing came to me. I had tried asking the doctors once, only to have the subject changed. I knew then that they were trying to hide something from me. But what could it be? Did I have no parents? Did they steal me from my parents? Could I have any more ludicrous ideas? I chuckled at myself. –I have been watching waaaaaaaay too much TV – But despite, or because, of that thought, I turned on my TV, hoping something good was one my 20 channels. I flipped, bored. Soap operas and talk shows like Jerry Springer and Ricki Lake flashed by. Nope, nothing interesting. I turned the TV off, and went to my huge stack of magazines, and pulled out one of my favorite. It was a Teen magazine, and was dedicated to all of the readers. I scanned the worn pages, looking for an interesting article.
I heard Nurse Ellie walking down the hall. She was a plump black woman, in her early 50's I'd say. She was kind and honest, and never treated me like the other doctors. She was my only connection to the outside world. She brought me new Magazines, clothes, make-up, whatever. She also brought the smell of the outside with her. She was the oldest of the staff I knew of, and thought it a shame that we kids were always cooped up in our rooms. She came closer, and I noticed she wasn't whistling like usual. I was a bit worried, because she only didn't whistle when she had bad news. She stopped right outside my door, put the card in the scanner, and pushed the door open. She had a grim expression on her face.
"What's wrong?" I asked, concerned.
"Well, I've got some bad news and some good news. Bad news first. Head of the Center wants all of the children out. Funding for the experiments from the government has stopped." She said slowly
"Why?" I asked. This was very, very strange.
She sighed, "The Center has no results to show that any of our experiments on disabled children have been successful. We have no reason as to why children are born this way, and no cure to stop it."
There was something she wasn't telling me. I thought about whether I should probe or not. I decided to probe.
"Where will all the children go?" I asked slowly. I didn't know if I wanted to hear the answer.
She looked long and hard at me. She stared hard, as though she was trying to peer into my mind, my soul. I looked away quickly. I hated it when she did that. I knew she was wondering whether to tell me or not. I knew she was thinking 'should I tell her? What if she can't handle it?' I hated it when people left me in the dark. I glared at her, my eyes demanding an answer. It was her turn to look away and say "Some, the ones who have homes to go to, will go back to their parents. Others, such as in your case, will go to another school until their parents can get contacted."
I stared at her. "You can't find my parents?"
" No. We think that they have just moved, so finding them will be really hard until they get settled."
"Well, where am I staying until then? I can't live at the school you know." I replied sarcastically.
She smiled. That's another thing about her I loved. She never hated it when I got smart. She always told me that when I did that, I was just showing personality. Sometimes she called it spunk. The doctors don't like her to encourage me to do this, but she said it's just a normal teenage thing to do.
"That's the good news," She grinned, "You get to stay with me until we find your parents. Now you're the only one who gets this opportunity, so don't go blabbing it to the other patients. You'll upset them. They have to stay in an orphanage until their parents are found. And also, you owe me BIG for this! I was feeling gracious today, so I volunteered to do this."
I grinned too. I knew that she would have done it even if she weren't feeling gracious today. She's just that kind of person. –Thank goodness I made friends with her! – I thought. I also had an excited feeling inside of me. This would be the first time I left the Center, which I could remember. I could feel a strange feeling slowly envelop me. It filled every fiber of my being. Could this be true, complete happiness? If so, it was a wonderful feeling. I was about to start the biggest adventure of my life. Little did I know what the twists and turns would be.
Okay peeps. What'cha think? R&R please. I'll post more as soon as I can!