I waited for about five minutes before it was my turn.
Once I entered, I was immediately hit with the suffocating stench of bleach. The sterile room was too pristine, too barren. It had fancy equipment that I had never seen in the Oak Hollow infirmary. There were two physicians in white lab coats gesturing for me to sit in a reclined chair.
The male physician stood holding a chart, while the woman sat in a chair opposite mine and smiled at me.
“What’s your full name?” She asked while putting on gloves.
“Mavis Emmaline Ashbone.”
The man scribbled the information down on his chart. The woman picked up a thin needle and tube from a tray on top of the side table.
“It is nice to meet you, Mavis. My name is Dr. Sinters, and this is Dr. Holcrum. Today, we will just be taking a few blood samples to analyze. We want to see how healthy you are right now and what we might need to work on.” She cleaned my arm with a wet wipe that smelled of alcohol. “We will also give you a vitamin booster shot today,” she said as I felt the sting of the needle going in, “because we know participants arrive rather malnourished.”
Dizziness threatened to overwhelm me. I had never been good with needles.
A few more seconds, which felt like minutes, passed by before the needle was finally removed and a bandage placed over the entry site. Dr. Sinters placed the four vials of blood she had taken on the side table and grabbed another, much larger, needle.
“You may notice a heavier appetite. That is one effect of the booster. We need you to gain more weight to strengthen your body’s resilience.”
Without warning, she stabbed into the same arm with the new needle. I flinched back, but she had already administered the dose. She stuck another bandage over the fresh wound, which was truly a wound since it bled. Dr. Holcrum then walked over to a device and used his fingers to input information onto its surface. A few moments later, there was a beeping noise, and he returned holding a bracelet, which he then handed to Dr. Sinters.
“This is your identification bracelet. Your name and information have been recorded in our database. Now, each time you visit, we can scan your bracelet, and all your previous results will appear for us to view. Please do not remove it.”
“Do you keep a log of all past participants?” Hope fluttered in my chest.
“Not here in the infirmary, but there should be a record in the facility’s library. You are free to go, Ms. Ashbone. I will see you in exactly one week. If you forget, someone will remind you.”
That last line was phrased in a neutral tone, but I understood it for the threat it was. If I didn’t show up, then I would get dragged back.
I made my way back to my room and stopped in the doorway. On my bed were new articles of clothing. Tunics and pants. I sorted through the new clothing, wondering who knew I hated wearing dresses.
That was an odd coincidence. Or was it? Did they look into my past?
I got undressed until all I wore was my underthings, and then I slipped under the bed’s warm blanket.
Tomorrow, I planned to go to the library. But tonight? Tonight I’d sleep knowing they already had a piece of me—and wondering what parts they’d take next.
Chapter 26
“Self-sacrifice is either the most altruistic or selfish act that one can partake in.
The soul chooses which, so make your intention clear.”
- The Old Book
The Facility - Day 3
The moment I stepped out of the dining hall, I headed down the corridor that led to the library. As I rounded one corner, a hand latched onto my arm and yanked me sideways. I stumbled into a darkened room, and the door clicked closed behind me. My eyes quickly adapted to the darkness, and I whipped my head toward my kidnapper.
I exhaled sharply and forced my shoulders to relax.
Renata.
“Is this the part where you finally kill me?” I muttered, half-taunt, half-truth.
We weren’t friends, not by any stretch of the imagination. But I didn’t truly think that she wanted me dead.
Renata scoffed, arms crossed over her chest. “Don’t be ridiculous. You know what this is about.”
