Chapter one: The Journal
The screeching sound of my alarm clock woke me, groaning I reached over to press the snooze button. Hand still placed over the annoying object, I fell back into my pillow and closed my eyes hoping for a few more moments of peaceful shut eye.
"Lilly," A voice came from outside my rooms door. "Time to get up." I shoved the pillow over my ears hoping to drown out the knocker at my door. "Now Lilly or do I have to get one of the guards to come drag you out?"
"No," I groaned at the person on the other. "I'm getting up,"
"Don't be late for breakfast," Cautioned the annoying person, before they walked away satisfied.
I sighed rolling out of bed, barley catching myself on my feet. I heaved my half asleep self over to my closet, stripping out of my silk pyjama's and into the first shirt and pants that my fingers found in my over stuffed closet. Next was the bathroom, washing my face woke me up a little but when I saw my reflection as I passed my full length mirror I was shocked awake. My appearance was dreadful. My straight, dark chocolate hair looked like a tangled birds nest, dark heavy bags had settled underneath my emerald green eyes, and the outfit I so randomly picked earlier consisted of an orange and green tie-die shirt I didn't know I owned and a pair of greenish-brown sweats. I heaved another sigh and went back to my wardrobe to pick out a more suitable attire, which consisted of a plain black tee-shirt, and dark acid washed jeans. After my outfit was attended to I headed into my bathroom to tame my wild locks and put on some make-up to hide the caliginous circles that grew under my eyes after several nights of bad sleep. Once I looked presentable I looked at the obnoxious alarm clock on my nightstand to check the time.
"Shit!" I cursed under my breath, I had barley had one minute to make the three minute walk to the dinning hall. If I was late for breakfast again they were going to send me talk to Dr. Davidoff about the rudeness of being late.
Not paying mind to whether or not my bedroom door had closed, I sprinted down the hall. I live at an orphanage run by a man named Dr. Davidoff; I have been here since my mother passed when I was five. The visions of the charcoal remains of my house and of my mothers face have plagued my dreams for years now making it hard to wake up in time to follow the military strict morning schedule. Around here everything is one a schedule and if you deviate from the schedule - without Davidoff's permission - three times you get a punishment that is worse then you could imagine.
My breaths come in huffs as I slid into the doors of the dinning hall. All the others turned to look at me. I paid them no mind; instead I took a glance at the watch around my wrist and nearly screamed out in joy at seeing the time just change.
"Cutting it close today aren't we Miss Saunders?" I turned to see Geoffrey my guard approach me, he didn't wear anything fancy like a suit and tie, just the gray, loose fitting, janitor style company uniform, but he always brought me my meals and walked me to and from my classes. Now not everyone - no one but me - has a guard here at the orphanage and as a result the other kids have always stared; But I was the first kid here and, all the doctors say I've got talents that make me more special then any of the others. I don't know what talents they are talking about and whenever I asked my question is ignored, but I'll never complain about getting the special treatment exceptionally when I don't have to stand in line and eat the nauseating gray slop like the rest of them.
"Sorry Geoffrey but at least I wasn't late again." I smiled at the man in the company uniform. I was one strike way from being sent down to see the head man for morning tardiness and receive punishment. "So what didn't I miss for breakfast since I made it in on time?" I asked as he led me over my usual table and pulling out my chair as I sat down.
"Two eggs scrambled two pancakes, and two slices of bacon." He said placing the plate he was holding down in front of me. Some times I wish it was like the butlers in the movies with the silver domes on top, with intricate designs along the edges accompanied with stainless steel utensils but, I'm not in some rich mansion so I guess the pre-packaged food, Dixie plate and plastic fork will have to-do.
"Thanks Geo," I say using the pet name he doesn't like, he gives me a playful glare before going back over to the door to wait for me finish. Geoffrey has been assigned to follow me around since my first week here and as a result we've become close. Although I won't go as far as to call us friends we do get along.
I have a different schedule then the other kids here; I have to go through training and more regular medical check ups. Geoffrey's job is to lead me to and from all of my classes, training, meals, check ups, and anywhere else I go. It's the high price I pay for getting special meals and one hour of down time.
When my classes finished and I was glad, not because I dislike school - I love to learn- but because it is boring. Always the same thing, learn something new, do a worksheet, next day review. Stuck in the melancholy of an average day I blindly followed Geoffrey as we left my last class of the day; it wasn't until the third wrong turn that I realized we weren't heading toward my room. Taking a better look at the hall around me I realized we were heading toward Dr. Davidoff's office. Fear slammed into me, and my heart beat began to race. Why was Geoffrey taking me to see Davidoff? Had I gotten into trouble for something? Was I caught running in the halls on my way to breakfast? I tried to control my panic as all these questions bounced about in me head.
When we finally entered Davidoff's office he was sitting behind a large, polished, dark cherry wood desk. Files and loose papers sat in straight, organized piles on either side the desk, the center work space was clear besides a small dark leather bound book, with gold lettering on the cover and an oddly shaped lock.
Davidoff was an older gentleman, with grey balding hair. Heavy prescription glasses at on the end of his nose in front of eyes with irises so dark the pupils were indistinguishable. He was holding a thin cell phone up to his ear when he spotted us. With his free hand Davidoff gestured for me to take a seat in the chair in front of his desk.
"How are you this afternoon, Miss Saunders?" He said as he placed his phone down on the desk beside the book.
"Fine sir," I said. "And you?" I asked more to be polite then with actual interest.
"That's good." He replied ignoring me question, "I'm a busy man so I'll get to the point. Dr. Fellows has been holding on to a safety deposit box that was recovered from your house after the fire. Recently she found that it had a false bottom, in the bottom was a journal that had your name on it unfortunately it's locked and without a key but we thought you would want it anyway." I was disturbed that they had been keeping something of my mothers from me without my knowledge or consent, but that feeling was pushed aside as he picked up and handed me the dark book from his desk and handed it to me.
"Thank you." I said as I reached out to take it from him. Davidoff watched me as I inspected the gold inscripted cover. "You don't know what it means to me to have something that belonged to my mother." I looked up from the book, hugging it to my chest.
"You're very welcome," He replied a smile growing on his face. "You may return to your rooms now, you should have a few minutes before dinner." He dismissed me. Geoffrey who had gone to stand at the back of the room was by my side again and he escorted me to my room.
When we reached my room I closed the door and dropped onto my bed still grasping the book to my chest. I began to fiddle with the necklace that my mother had given me the day she died; I felt click in my brain. I took off the necklace looking at the heart shape that was encrusted with emeralds. I turned it over reading the inscription that lay across my throat. Love you, Always it read. With my thumb I opened the clasp looking at the pictures of my mom that were inside. Her baby blue eyes stared out at me from the picture, her strawberry blond hair was blowing in some breeze, her happy smile made me miss her even more then I did everyday. Taking a shaky breath I pushed back the tears that wanted to fall and turned to the journal. I placed my necklace over the double heart lock and it fit. I smiled and pressed down, the lock clicked and I pulled the strap - which was keeping it closed - away. Inside in clear ink was my mother's handwriting. I flipped through the pages only the first few were written on. My smile grew impossible bigger as I flipped to the first page and began to read;
My Dearest Lilly,
There is so much you don't yet know about yourself and about the world around you. The world is full of nasty secrets and unbelievable truths. I've always thought that I would be able to shield you, keep you safe, but it seems that that was very naïve of me. It is my dearest wish that you never have to read this letter, that my writing this is simply a paranoid action. If you are reading this then my fears have become reality and I am no longer with you. I'm sorry flower. You are so young; I haven't wanted to burden you with my troubles. Now they have become yours and I fear that they have multiplied.
I need you to listen very carefully to this next part and believe what I have to say, even if it makes little sense to you right now. Everything will be clear soon, but for now you are in danger. As a result of things from my childhood people have sought after me. They are dangerous people, and view me as an experiment. Up till now they have been tracking me, trying to bring me back but I believe their plans have changed. I write this letter to you because I believe that you have became the target of these people. You'll become their next experiment if they get your hands on you and I can't bear for that to happen.
I hope that this letter hasn't reached you too late. I hope that they have yet to get their hands on you. Your very special Lilly and you need to hide. You need to run from these people, hide from them. Please my flower keep yourself safe, they may show up when you lest expect them. They appear to be regular people, but they are dangerous. Don't agree to stay or go anywhere with anyone, there are few you can trust.
I'm truly sorry,
Mom
I didn't even get time to process what I read when a knock came at my door. Quickly I re-locked the journal and hung the necklace back on my neck.
"Come on in," I called to the person on the other side of the door.
Slowly the door opened revealing Dr. Fellows. She was the doctor that I got check ups with every month. She was old enough to be my grandmother with long thin hair that looked like it might have once been golden. She was always super friendly; she watched out for me the most out of the staff. We had been close since I got here when I was little. I used to have check-ups every day, they would poke me with all sorts of needles and run all kinds of scans. These check up used to scare me, but Dr. Fellows always did her best cheer me up.
"Hello Lilly, I heard Dr. Davidoff gave you a journal." She said coming to sit next to me on my bed.
"Yeah, he did." I opened my mouth to tell her about what I had found within the pages, but my tongue tied and my gut clenched. I told her about everything but it felt wrong to talk to her about this. "It's nice to have something that belonged to my mother." I followed my gut, and kept my mouth shut.
"Yes I found it among her things, I have tried to find a key but there was none. Davidoff thought that perhaps you would have an idea of how to unlock it." She said smiling as she looked at the journal I held clutched to my chest. Again warning bells began to chime in my mind, I couldn't tell her I had the key to the lock.
"He told me you found it. Thanking for giving it to me, locked or not it still makes me feel close to her again." Knowing I sucked at lying, I skipped over answering her directly.
She nodded her face fell a bit, but she managed to hold her friendly smile in place. "Your welcome my dear. If I find the key I'll be sure to give it to you."
I gave her the warmest smile I could mange without feeling like it looked too fake and said "This has been such an emotional day I hope you can understand that I'd like to get in some extra Z's."
Getting up Dr. Fellows gave me a little pat on the shoulder, "I do." she said as she headed out the door letting it close behind her.
I waited till I could no longer hear her footsteps leave my door to reopen the journal. I read over my mother's handwriting several times, trying to process everything she had wrote. The second paragraph confused me the most. Experiment? What was she talking about? What kind of experiment? Questions buzzed around my mind in circles with no answers. Who where these dangerous people? Why do I have to hide? Why couldn't I tell Dr. Fellows about the message in the journal?
"Lilly?" a voice called from outside the door. I hid under the bed, as the door opened and the person entered the room. Fear coursed through me making my heart beat so fast it hurt. I desperately tried to control my breathing; I couldn't let them find me. A shadow feel across the floor beside the bed, and dread filled my stomach. "Lilly," The voice called again. "Come on little girl, now's not the time for a game of hide and seek."
"Hurry up man; you know how the doctor is when you keep him waiting." Another voice came from outside.
"Yea, yea, I know. Help me find her or shut up." The man inside my room snarled at his partner. A sigh came in response, followed by a set of footsteps entering the room. I could hear them shuffling around through the closest and bathroom area. I had to escape now, or they would find me. I couldn't see the doctor again, his dingy lab coat that always smelt funny and those eyes that looked at me like some sort of experimental subject. He scared me.
My fear crowded my senses, leaving the men's presence unknown under they were lifting the bed sheet to look under. I scooted as far back as I could in the cramped space as the hazel eyes of the guard landed on me. "Greg I found her," He said calling to his companion. "Help me lift the bed, while I grab her."
Greg moved lifted the bed and light hit my previously dark hiding space. No! I screamed in my mind as I tried to kick at the man reaching for me. My little kicks did no good, and a strong grip grabbed my ankle pulling me toward the man with hazel eyes. "Let me go!" I cried, still struggling desperately to escape his grasp.
"Sorry kid, no can do. Doc wants to see you." Fear overwhelmed me at his words and my struggling became frantic flailing as I was carried from my small, cement room.
"No, let me go! Please!" I cried, "Help!" I yelled at the people we encountered in the hall. I got some looks of pity from them, but no one lifted a finger to help me. Why? Why wouldn't they help me? Didn't they understand? "Help me! Please!" I called out again at the people. Again everyone turned away form my screaming. Tears ran in hot streaks down my cheeks, as we rounded a corner and toward a short, older man in a dingy lab coat.
"Took you boys long enough, get her strapped onto the table." He commanded as he took in my flailing form. The hard I fought, the harder they held onto me. Their grip hurt my arms and legs. My limbs were tired from all my struggling and I laid there sobbing in fear as the doctor came toward me. "How are we today little one?" He asked, a weird little of curiosity filling his eyes. I flinched away from him, only to see a hint of anger run across his features. I whimpered as a nurse handed over one of the many needles which sat lined on a table next to him. The light returned to his eye as he drove the needle into my arm.
The liquid he injected into my arm burned in my veins, and I screamed.
My eyes snapped open as I bolted out of my dream. No not dream, memory, I corrected myself. I was drenched in sweat, and my breathing was shallow. The fear still lingered in my system as I tried to calm myself. I didn't remember falling asleep, but my nap had taken up the majority of my free time before dinner. I sighed, pulling myself from my bed. I looked one last time at my journal before placing it into my dresser drawer and walking to the washroom to clean up before dinner.