As I finished setting up my sleeping area in Tiff's room, much to my displeasure, but she did have the biggest room. I made my way back down the hall to the living room to grab some stuff that I left in there. Upon entering, I found the room empty except for Nathan who seemed to be upset, clawing angrily at the corner of the room. Should I ask him what he's so upset about? I thought as I grabbed my backpack the group gave me. Thinking that it wouldn't hurt to be sociable, I slung the pack over my shoulder and headed over to my comrade.
As I neared, he stopped his antics to face me, a noticeable frown plastered on his face. "Everything alright? You seem to be upset." He must be mad that Victoria isn't here, and speaking of which, Pooky isn't here either. Ah, I can still remember the time in training where Marcelo called me Pooky to make fun of me. Ha, joke's on him, since I call him that every now and again just to upset him. I nodded my head towards the scratched up wall.
"...Just...girl problems." Oh, so Victoria must be wearing him down. Heh, yeah, she seems like she can be a handful. Feeling pity for the guy, I reached down and put my hand to his shoulder as a way to comfort him. "I feel yea man, I may have lost the only girl on my squad but Marcelo is a girl of his own. So I feel you, in a way." Straightening up, I waved to him as I said my "good night" to him and Ashley, since she was quietly reading in the corner.
I made my way down the hall and as I pasted David and Tyler's room, overhearing David yelling at Tyler. Poor Tyler was trying to tell David that he actually loves him. Shaking my head at the broken couple, I opened the door to the room Tiff and I share.
"AHHHHHHHH GET OUT!" I lazily dodged the piece of cloth that was thrown at me. Tiff was apparently changing into her sleep wear. Still standing at the doorway, I stared at her as she tried to cover her body. "You do know theres a lock on the door right? And lacy was so two years ago, not that you have anything to show off-"
Tiff flung another clothing article at my head, but I swung away before it hit me. I made my way to the corner of the room, where I would be sleeping for the next few days. The room itself was in pretty bad shape, but it was livable. The room smelled of mold and the ceiling was dripping water, signifying a possibly broken water pipe. The room was also damp in a disgusting way, making your skin clammy the moment you walk in. It was so clammy, that my uniform was my clothes was sticking to my skin. The urge of wanting to rip of the material was there, but I pushed that down since it was a unneeded urge.
I propped up against the wall in the far back corner, bringing one knee to my chest so I could rest my right arm on it. The condition of the arm was messing up with my fake arm making it slightly hard to move, making squeaking noises here and there. I looked up to Tiff to find her brushing her teeth with a water bottle in hand. I guess the last time I brushed my teeth was back at the dome, and now that I think about it, my teeth feel slimy. I'll try to find something the next time I go out I guess.
I closed my eyes forcing myself to sleep, blocking out the noise that Tiff was making, blocking out the yelling from David's room, and blocking out the sound of Nathan leaving the house. I forced my body to shut down and rest, ready for the recurring dreams that come with sleep.
The sounds of anguished screams, along with a high frequency sound, echoed throughout the metal walls would make any sane person cringe. But if you were actually participating in the E Tests, those sounds and screams were like birds chirping on a nice sunny day. The day that the E Test chambers go silent is the day that funds for such testing stops, and when such testing stops they unplug all their subjects. We need to be useful to them, that is what we are taught the first two weeks we are commissioned into the E Tests ward.
"You are needed, that is why you are alive. When you are no longer needed you die."
That is what was crammed into our heads those first two weeks, and even now, every hour we hear that through the speakers of the building. No matter what you are doing or what they are doing to you, you hear it.
When they inject liquids into your body, you scream, feeling the substance begin to change your DNA. When you feel the thick liquid slosh through your veins, the veins bulging out of your skin- all you want to do is just pull them out, but yet you are tied down. You hear it.
When they break half of your bones in your body, telling you what they are and how they are used just so you can inflict the same pain onto your enemy. You hear it.
When they strip you down bare and string you up with wires to suspend, just so they can quiz you. When you get the answer wrong they send volts of electricity down those wires into those open wounds, expecting you to answer still. You hear it.
Or like me right now...where you are shirtless sitting in a splintery chair, your hands in a metal trap where sharp rusty nails will scratch you with the slightest movement. As you are expected to not move as they lash at your back with various things- whips to hot irons to belts. They make you used to pain, so you can handle it- don't flinch, don't make a sound, just stay still and endure.
Endure.
Endure.
You are needed, that is why you are alive. When you are no longer needed you die.
Endure.
You are needed- you are alive.
Endure.
No longer needed you die.
Endure.
Endure.
Endure.
You are needed- no longer needed.
Endure.
With each lash, I clench my fist, as the hours go by the nails dig deeper into the skin. But I have to endure so I can be useful. As three hours ticked by, they have to bring in the medical squad to cut my skin loose form the nails. Like a fly wrapped in a spiderweb. Like how I hear the sound of things breaking and the screams of my comrades calling my name.
Wait...that's outside of this dream.
Forcing my dream to end I found that I was in the same position when I fell into slumber, yet my body was heavy like weights weighed down on my body, unabling me to move a muscle. The room was fogged over in a grey cloud, the smell, nonexistent. Must be a paralyzed- The sound of gunshots and screaming came from outside the bedroom door.
It seems that we are under attack.
My ear communication turned on, the sound of gunshots making the connection staticy before I head David's voice through the headset. By the way he was speaking it seemed like he didn't know that I was listening in.
"What the hell is the stats over there Marcelo?!" Some more static turns on before my teammates voice echoed through. "The stats say I need to move away from here! Can I switch with Jacob?"
"Jake has paralyzing gas in his room, why do you want- oh shit! FIRE IN THE HOLE!...to switch with him?!"
"So I don't have to fight."
I rolled my eyes at his response, it was a typical response from him, as per usual. My thoughts got turned away when the door to the bedroom was kicked open, almost making it fly off it's hinges. I strained to look up, but I was unable to since my head had dropped onto my chest from the lack of working muscles. From what I could see it was a three people-
"You grab the girl, Jose and I will take the ringleader." Ah, they must of seen the red marking on my arm signaling that I am indeed an Elite capitan. I felt two pairs of strong arms grip my arms trying to yank me to my feet.
If they keep yanking, my right arm will-
Within another yank my fake arm detached sending the guy stumbling backwards eyes grew wide within the gas mask. He yelled out throwing my arm to his partner who just swatted my fake away.
"Don't throw that shit at me!"
"S-sorry, I was just surprised- but that's fucking gross man." They yanked me up, but this time by my feet and dragged me out of the room. I watched my arm move by my face and I gave a goodbye to my old friend as I passed the doorway. Well, this sucks.
?
They dragged me into the living room where the rest were. I saw David's team all tied up with a gag in theirs mouths, making drool leak down their chin. They were all glaring at the kidnappers, but stayed where they were.
Ashley was heavily guarded, they blindfolded her they put some sort of metal contraption around her hands to avoid being scratched. Around her body were heavy looking chains with multiple padlocks. This seemed to be highly unreasonable because if she really wanted to, she could break out of those within a few seconds. Yet, why isn't she trying to break out?
?
I strained my eyes to see Ashley, since she was right below me, leaning against the wall. When I saw finally got to see her eyes it clicked. Ah, I see so thats how it is. I internally sighed, knowing that she wasn't going to be any help anytime soon.
They dropped Tiff beside me, giving me an unearthly view of her face. The girl didn't even have the decency to try to stop the droll that was rolling down her cheek, she just kept trying to pronounce words that would come out as sounds. Stubborn, I give her that.
It seems that Marcelo and Victoria are still not back yet, and it also seems that Nathan disappeared. The sound of the butts of guns slamming down on people took me away from my thoughts. I looked up in time to see the butt coming