Chapter 6
I shifted uncomfortably in the wooden chair across from Williams. Of coarse, he had he big, comfy leather chair, but this was his office so he could have whatever chair he wanted. As well, this was his hospital. On my left sat Jake, and on his left sat Meme. On my right was Alicia, Chris and then Shawn.
"This chair is old," said Chris.
"Well, I'm it isn't that ancient," said Williams with a slight smile.
"It was made in 1956," said Chris. It was crazy how he went from being someone who was…well, stupid, to someone who know everything about something just by touching it.
"Okay, maybe it has been around for some time," said Williams.
"Maybe you should just tell us why we're here," said Jake. I could tell he was growing impatient.
"Of coarse," Williams cleared his throat. "We have a set rules that I haven't not mentioned to you yet, and for that I apologize. I'm not usually a man who is disorganized."
"Every hospital has rules," I said. "No visiting after certain hours, no cell phones and such in the building. But what did I do that made you throw me into a closet?"
"Firstly, this isn't a hospital," said Williams.
"Then what is this place?" Jake asked loudly.
"I was about to get to that," said Williams, "please, no more interruptions. I guess you could say, this was a hospital, but it closed down few years ago. Now it is just a huge laboratory that scientist all over the world come to, in search for work. Many of them are just starting off, and come here for experience."
"Experience for what?" asked Meme. She never listened to instructions.
"Uh...different things I suppose. We work on everything here."
"Like humans," Jake said dryly.
"You were the first humans we experienced on."
"So, it still doesn't make it right," said Alicia. Why don't these guys understand the concept of "no interruptions"?
"There five rules that you have to follow," continued Williams. "Do as you're told, do not try to escape, never tell anyone any information of this place or what happens here, do not assault the staff and do not damage our property. If you break any of these rules, you will be punished."
"By throwing us into a closet?" asked Chris.
"For starters, but you will be in there longer with no food or water."
"That's cruel," frowned Alicia.
"Those are the rules. Follow them if you value your life," I shivered at Williams statement.
"So, we're just suppose to live here the rest of our lives?" asked Shawn.
"Yes," Williams replied simply.
"You're going to give us close to change into right?" asked Shawn. He tugged at his shirt. "I've been in these clothes for days it seems."
"Only forty-eight hours," said Williams.
"That's gross," said Shawn. I swear this guy changed his clothes every twelve hours at the most.
"No it's not,"
said Chris. "I once spent a whole two weeks in the same clothes. I was at summer camp," he smiled at a memory as Shawn gave him a disgusted look.
"As if the only thing you're worried about clothes," said Alicia. "What about our families, school or our lives for that matter. You can't just take us away from that like you're God or something!"
"Well I did, so you better get used to it," said Williams. "You each get your own rooms. They aren't much, but after a while you can fix it to your liking."
"Or you can just send us home to be in our own rooms," said Meme.
"Your guardians think you are dead, what do you think it will do t them if you just waltz in their homes one day and say 'I'm home!'?"
"You shouldn't have told them we were dead!" said Meme.
"What did you tell them about our bodies?" asked Shawn.
"We told them you got burned up and gave them each a jar of ashes."
"Ashes from where?" asked Jake.
"From the bodies that have died here. Not all experiments were successful."
"I thought you said we were the first humans you experimented on?" I spoke for the first time in a while.
"You were the first who survived."
I stared at him. "You are a very sick man."
"I have a question," said Shawn. Williams turned to face him. "Will I ever be able to eat again without tasting every single particle of food?"
"That will come in time. Soon you will learn to have more control over it and you can taste, smell, hear or see only the things you want to."
"What about me?" asked Chris. "I feel like a walking encyclopedia with all the facts I am picking up from touching things."
"Yes, soon you can learn to shut those facts out if you don't want to learn them. Or you can focus in on what you want to know."
"What do you mean by that last part?"
"For example, when you touched that chair, you only got the year it was made in. But, if you concentrate, you can figure out the type of wood used, the name of the company, heck, even the name of the poor son of a gun who made it!" Williams was getting a little excited.
"What about me? What do I have to with any of this?" I asked quietly.
"Everything," he said simply.
Oh my goodness! He was the voice I heard! But before I could say
anything, we were escorted out by a few security guards. They didn't
hold us this time. They just walked beside us, leading us to our
rooms. Our rooms were on the top floor. On one side of the hallway
was Alicia, my, and then Mem's room, and across from us was Chris,
Shawn and Jake's room.
For a while, they locked us in our rooms. They waned to give us some time to let everything soak in. To give us time to think about what was going on here. To practice our new gift. But what was mine? In frustration, I kicked my door.
Why don't you get some rest, Chase? You'll think more clearly after getting some sleep, I heard the voice say. Doctor Williams' voice.
"What's going on? How come I can here you and no one else can?"
Silence. Then…get some sleep.
I flopped down on my bed and closed my eyes. Do as your told, right?
Chapter 7
Lynne Riley hastily mixed together the pancake mix she was making for her six year old daughter. She was late, but it wasn't her fault. Her daughter had her up all night because she was sick with the flu. Without wanting to, she had slept in and now she was late for everything.
Her sleepy six year old shuffled into the kitchen where pancake mix was being splattered all over. It was getting all over Lynne's hair, clothes, face, and on the counter and floor. "Hi honey, did you get any sleep?" she asked as she poured the mix into the frying pan. Without realizing it, she poured more than she wanted to and the entire pan was filled with pancake mix to the rim.
"Yeah," said the six year old.
Well I didn't, Lynne thought to herself selfishly.
"Mommy, my tummy still hurts," she complained.
"I know, Chase. We're going to the doctors today after you eat your breakfast."
"I'm not hungry,"
"You have to eat, honey," Lynne said too sternly then she meant to.
Her husband, Blake, came into the kitchen and put his suitcase on the floor beside his daughter. "Good morning honey bunch," he kissed the top of Chase's golden hair.
"Hi daddy," she smiled wearily.
"Blake, why didn't you wake me up?" Lynne pointed the spatula at him.
"I'm sorry, I just figured you wanted more sleep after staying up so late last night."
"Well, now my whole schedule is thrown off because of it!"
"Calm down, Lynne," Blake placed his hands on his wife's shoulders.
She pushed him away. "DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN! I AM CALM! I AM VERY CALM!"
"Sweet heart, did you take your medicine this morning?" he dared to ask.
"Stop that!"
"Stop what?"
"Stop trying to be my doctor! I know I have take medicine and I will! I just don't have time! I don't have time! I can't do this! I can't do this anymore!"
"Lynne, relax. Let's not argue in front of Chase."
"We're not arguing!"
"Stop it, stop it," Chase cried as she plugged her ears.
"Oh, honey bunch," Blake scooped up his daughter. "I'm so sorry."
"Why do you always take her side?" demanded Lynne.
"What are you talking about? I'm not taking sides. You're being ridiculous," Blake started to walk away.
"Don't walk away from me!" she picked screamed. Then she picked up the steaming pan of bubbling pancake mix and through it at Blake. But she missed and hit Chase instead.
I jolt awake screaming. I could still feel the hot yellow mix pouring down my face. I reached up and touched my face and felt that it was fine.
Alicia bolted into my room and turned on the lights. It was dark in the room, so the sudden lights burned my tear stained eyes. "Chase, are you okay?" she sat on my bed.
I looked around, trying to remember where I was. When I did, I nodded. "Yeah, just another nightmare from the past."
"I'm worried about you, Chase," said Ali as she sat down beside me. I was sitting on my bed, against the wall and I was hugging my legs. I seemed to be favouring that position lately. "You haven't been yourself since the accident," continued Alicia.
"You think I don't know that?" I snapped. "I'm an emotional nut-case!"
"You're not crazy, Chase," said Ali sternly.
"I don't get it, Ali," I said. "I've been remembering things that I haven't thought of for at least ten years. Earlier today my mind brought me back to….to when I was six. I actually thought I was six years old, Ali. What scares me most is that I don't get it! Why now? Wow is this happening? I have never snapped like that before. I don't get it. I don't understand what is happening to me."
Alicia stroked my back. "Maybe you never really got over the past. Maybe you just pushed it aside and decided to never deal with it again."
"Then why is it coming back? Why am I remembering it all now?"
"Maybe part of you doesn't
want to forget," she said solemnly.
Just then Jake walked into
the room. "Everything okay?" he whispered. His hair was all
messed up and he squinted his hazel eyes at me. I must have woke him
up.
"Everything is as fine as it can be under the present circumstances," said Alicia.
"I couldn't help but overhear your conversation," said Jake sarcastically. "But maybe there's a reason why you are remembering things now. Maybe it's this place. The fact that it's a like a hospital could be triggering your memory to remember certain things."
"Are you talking about repressed memories?" I asked. "because I haven't repressed anything. I remember everything," I said silently.
"Maybe you don't realize that you blocked out things. Have you been remembering things that don't seem familiar to you?"
"Everything is familiar, but they never bothered me so much before. I don't understand why they are having such a dramatic effect on me now, after eleven years."
It will come in time, Chase. Soon it will make sense. "Why can't you just give me a straight answer?" I yelled.
"Excuse me?" asked Jake, He seemed hurt.
"Not you, the voice," I said.
"What voice?" asked Alicia.
"I think it's Doctor Williams.
"Then why can't we hear him? Why can't I hear him?" asked Jake.
"I don't know, he won't tell me,"
It will all make sense soon enough. Just try to think about it. Analyses it. The mind is a powerful tool, Chase. Learn to use it.
Chapter 8
It was the next morning now, and the six of us all sat around the same table s the day before. I had slept the whole day and missed lunch and dinner. I felt my stomach roll around as it longingly waiting for food.
Today, ironically, pancakes were on the menu. I tried not to laugh at Shawn's facial expressions as he tried not to taste the individual flavors of the pancake mix. He wasn't getting much success. "I hate egg yolk," he shuddered.
Jake was sitting beside Shawn who sat across from me. He was rubbing his temples with his fingers in a slow circle. "What's wrong, Jake?" I asked.
"Shh! Not so loud, I have a splitting headache," he mumbled.
"I wasn't talking loud," I whispered.
"To me you were."
"Sorry."
"Hey Jake," whispered Meme. She sat on my left and Chris sat on my right. "Does it hurt if I talk like this!" she yelled.
"Ah!" Jake screamed and threw a piece of chopped up kiwi at Meme who sat there laughing.
"Mem, cut him some slack," said Ali, who sat beside Shawn.
Meme peeled the kiwi off her forehead and tossed it to the ground just as the door opened. Good morning everyone. I trust you slept well," said Dr. Williams as he took a seat at the end of the table between Alicia and Chris.
"Yeah right," I said to myself.
"Eat up, we have a big day ahead of us," he said as a woman dressed in black came in and placed a plate of food in front of him.
"Don't you have anything better to do than sit and eat breakfast with a group of ticked off teenagers?" asked Meme.
"You're training begins at ten o'clock," he ignored Meme's statement. He seemed to do that to us a lot.
"Training for what?" asked Chris.
"Well, it wouldn't be very responsible of me to give you power and not show you how to use them."
"It wasn't responsible of you to give them to us in the first place," said Jake dryly.
"As well, we will train you to fight," he ignored Jake.
"Fight? Why would we have to fight?" asked Ali.
"Ali, come on," said Chris. 'You're the biggest x men fan, who is a girl, that I know."
"So?" she seemed a little offended.
"So, they were always having to fight for their lives," he was interrupted by Meme.
"And
now we're the freaks who won't be excepted by society," she
said.
"Mem, you've always been a freak that was never
excepted by society," said Jake sarcastically.
Meme glared at Jake. Then, at the top of her lungs, she said "Shut-up Jake!" and started making really loud and strange noises and shrieks. She sounded like nails on a chalkboard.
"AGH!" Jake bent over and covered his ears with his hands.
"Mem, stop it!" I yelled. Even for someone with normal hearing, she was being loud and obnoxious.
A small and evil smile of satisfaction danced across her lips. "Well then," said Williams. He was probably regretting the decision of choosing siblings for specimens. Serves him right for tampering with our lives! As if they weren't messed up enough as it is.
Chase sat up in her bed with
the covers pulled up against her stomach. Her father sat beside her
on the bed. He was holding a small package. "You've been a very
good girl, Chase. I just want you to know how proud I am of you."
"What's that, Daddy?" Chase pointed to the
heart shape box that her father held.
"It's a
present."
"For me?" Chase's eyes were wide
with excitement.
"Yes my honey bunch. It's for
you," smiled Blake. Then h opened the small parcel for his daughter
and pulled out a chain. It was a locket. Blake put it round Chase's
neck.
"It's so pretty, Daddy," she whispered.
"Open it," he said.
Chase
reached up and opened the small heart attached to the silver chain.
She gasped when she saw the picture inside. "It's you and me,"
she smiled.
"Yes, we'll always be together, as
long as you wear this necklace."
"Where are you
going, daddy?" Chase asked sadly.
"Daddy has to
go away for a while" he said quietly.
"Why? Can
I come with you?"
"I'm sorry, Chase. But
daddy has to go alone for now."
"But I don't
want you to go," Chase's bottom lip trembled.
"I
know honey bunch," he stroked Chase's hair. "But I have to."
"But you'll be with me all the time. You said
if I wore the necklace, you'll always be with me?"
"That's
right dear. Never let go of the necklace. Always keep safe."
"I
won't let go, daddy. I will never let you go," she started to
cry.
Blake wrapped his strong arms around his
trembling daughter. He didn't want to leave her, but he had to.
"Chase?" asked Alicia.
I snapped out of my daze and stared at her. "Yeah?"
"Are you okay?"
I nodded as I held on to my necklace. "I'm fine."
"Here we go," said Jake quietly.
We were walking down a long white hallway towards the "training room". We had now reached the doors, and one of the men wearing black opened the doors for us. I doubt he was trying to be polite. We stepped inside and my eyes and mouth grew big. The room was like a huge gymnasium. There was all sorts of equipment everywhere from all sorts of weight systems, to treadmills, to ropes hanging from the ceiling. In one corner there was a fencing area and in another there was a boxing ring of some sort.
"What exactly are they training us for?" I asked.
"I was hoping it was just to defend ourselves if the occasion calls for it," said Jake. "But now I'm not so sure."
"Alright!" a man dressed in black windbreaker pants and a white muscle shirt said as he clapped his hands together. "Everyone take a treadmill, and we'll start from there!"
For a few seconds everyone just stood around, not quite sure with what was going on. "Let's move!" he barked. It made me jump, but it got us moving. I'll spare you the details of the long and painful workout. But I will tell you that I wasn't looking forward to doing that everyday.
