Page 20

My mom brought me some books to read while I “heal” in this room I’ve been confined in.

I’ve been healed for days.

The chewed up skin on my arms, neck, legs, and back is now smooth as a baby’s bottom.

I had a few broken ribs, but even those are feeling like a distant memory.

Until the assembly of leaders has agreed on what to do with me, I must remain here in this room.

Not a prisoner though.

I understand their concerns.

I would hesitate trusting a stranger no matter what state the world is in.

A post-apocalyptic world?

Trust no one. Yet I can’t help but trust Amos when he promised me I am not a prisoner.

He hasn’t stopped by since the interrogation.

Why would he? But my mom visits me frequently throughout the day.

Anna has also stopped by a few times with some food, and Jeremy has come in to check on me too.

They seem…nice. Civil.

Eyes full of curiosity.

My own eyes are sure to return that sentiment.

I want to know more about this place, about Dr. Gabriel Tuwile, about me.

What did Doctore do to me?

I won’t be getting my answers anytime soon, so I lie in bed and read.

Or I sit in the chair by the window and read.

Or I wander around the room and read.

In the before, I used to read all kinds of books as an escape, to send my mind to an unrealistic world full of unrealistic possibilities.

Now I read dystopian fiction to learn.

Because this is my new reality.

A world where a scientist can kidnap a girl and turn her into a super soldier.

Fight. Survive. Live.

That’s what all these characters strive to do in these books.

Through all the challenges they are thrown into, they fight to live another day.

They survive not just for themselves but for their family.

Heroes are people who have something greater than themselves to fight for.

I wouldn’t put myself in that same category, but I’d like to believe that I would fight for something important.

Maybe this is my chance.

I am uniquely qualified to fight the zombies contaminating this world.

I knew something was different about me and not just my immunity or fast healing.

I’m strong. I’m fast.

When I think back about my state of mind a few months ago, I’m ashamed that I gave up.

I hate myself for it.

I hate that I let Doctore win.

Did I kill him? The spear I threw landed in his stomach.

I saw the blood pouring out of him.

I saw him fall to the ground as the zombies that were once little orphans surrounded me and tore into my skin like it was the food I used to sneak to them.

If I killed Doctore, does that mean his experiment is over?

Are there others like me?

More gladiators? I have so many questions bouncing around my head I can’t concentrate on the book in front of me.

As I slam the book shut, I notice movement in the doorway.

Amos is staring at me with a curious smile, like he was about to open me up like a book and devour every single page of my mind.

I shiver at his stare and ask, “How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough. Can I come in?”

“If I say no, will you come in anyway?” I cross my arms in defiance.

“I don’t wish to bother you. But I thought you would like some company besides the fictional characters you’ve been surrounding yourself with.”

“I like my fictional characters,” I say stubbornly.

“Hmmm. Then why did you slam your book closed? Did your characters upset you?”

“Oh, they upset me all the time. But I still love them.”

Amos smiles brightly and I swear something inside of me comes to life as if I am a budding flower and he the sun.

“I’ll leave you guys alone then.” Amos slowly turns around as if waiting for me to stop him, and I do.

“Wait. You can stay. Don’t tell them I said this, but I could use some real life company.”

His laugh is like a sun shower, warm and refreshing.

A nice change from the quiet, cold life I’d been living.

Amos waltzes into my room with ease, dropping his body into the armchair by the window.

We remain in a comfortable silence for a while, the both of us staring out the window.

I roll out of bed, placing my bare feet on the ground and stretch my arms up.

My sudden movement has Amos’ attention immediately.

He’s staring again.

“What?” I ask.

“It’s just…incredible. You’re incredible. A week ago, your skin was in shreds, your body bruised, ribs broken. Now you are standing in front of me with not a single blemish on your skin. How is this possible?”

“Apparently, all you have to do is get kidnapped by a mad scientist.”

Amos shakes his head before letting it fall into his hands.

He drags his fingers through his wavy hair, leaving a path in its wake.

“Norman wants to do tests on you, Copperhead. He wants to replicate the mutation in your DNA. Your mom is against it and the others are unsure what they think about any of this.”

“And you?” My voice shakes at the idea of becoming a science experiment again.

“We need to understand what Dr. Tuwile did to you. Norman and Gabriel used to work together, so Norman is familiar with his work. He is the one who gave me the intel which led me to finding you.”

I take a step back from Amos, my thighs pressing into the hospital bed.

“So you came looking for me then? A prize to steal away from one scientist and give to another?”

“No, Lori. Nothing like that. Only…”

Why did I trust him?

He’s going to use me like any other person who finds out what I am.

I close myself up as I sit back down on the bed, curling my legs to my chest.

Amos walks over to me and places a hand on my arm.

I pull away from him.

“Don’t touch me,” I snap.

“I’m sorry.” Amos steps away, slipping his hands in the pockets of his pants to show me he won’t try to touch me again.

“I’m telling you all this because the leaders won’t let you leave this room if you don’t provide us with more answers. And your mother is trying to protect you from Norman. He can be vile, but he’s a brilliant scientist. I won’t let him hurt you. I promise.”

My eyes squint up at him in anger.

“You also promised that I wouldn’t be imprisoned here, but now you tell me I can’t leave this room. I’ve been stuck here for a week trying to convince myself that you were being honest. That I’m not a prisoner.”

“You have a choice, Lori. Stay here where you can be monitored and agree to testing, or you leave The Valley.”

The Valley.

My mom used that phrase before when talking about this college campus turned safe zone.

The Valley. It has a nice ring to it.

Way better than Novus Seclorum.

But it feels the same, even with the idyllic view from my window.

Walls are suffocating when you aren’t allowed the freedom to choose to leave them.

But I have a choice.

I don’t want to stay here in this room for the rest of my life.

I don’t want to leave when I know my mom is here and I wouldn’t make her choose me over the safety this place can provide her.

Closing my eyes, I replay all the words Amos said to me.

He’s giving me a choice.

Giving me the illusion of a choice.

I mean, really, there is no choice here.

If I want to survive, if I want answers, if I want to stay with my mom, I have to agree to their terms. I have to let them perform their tests.

A tear escapes from behind my eyelids even through my attempts to banish it.

When I take a slow breath in, the air rattles inside my windpipe.

“Lori. Please think about it.” Amos’ voice is so soft with a tone of kindness.

My heart wants to trust him, but everything inside me wants to run away.

And then the waterworks burst.

“I can’t do it. So much pain. I…I…” Tremors of fear wash over my body and I can’t shake them away.

Memories invade my mind, threatening to paralyze me.

Then I feel two solid arms around my waist, pressing me against something warm.

Home. It feels like home.

I fall into the haven of Amos’ body, not caring that I was pissed off at him moments ago.

My mind goes blank, forcing the unwanted memories back into the black abyss where they belong.

Amos’ arms wrap tighter around me.

“We’ll find another way, Copperhead. I promise.”