Freak of Nature

Chapter Two

Before she had unlocked the door and turned the doorknob, Kaitlyn had heard Quess plodding down the hall. The poor girl had to spend her summers with her grandparents—Professor Adams and his wife. As punishment for some act of teenage belligerence, Quess had to clean this wing of the compound, which included Kaitlyn’s room. Not that she minded, because it gave her more time with Quess. 

Kaitlyn clicked off the television and leaned back on her pillow, her legs crossed in front of her at the ankles. She had already seen the movie Munich several times. She really enjoyed the movie, but welcomed the interruption. Recently, Professor Adams had a TV installed at Lucas’s request. He thought she could learn about human interaction through watching movies. For some reason, reality shows and the news were off-limits, which made no sense. Wouldn’t she learn more from a reality show than make believe? 

She peeked her head around the door. “Ms. Kaitlyn, may I come in?”

“Yes.” The blinking red light in the corner of the room was an ever-present reminder that her room was monitored, so she had to watch what she said and did, which usually wasn’t much anyway. To say her life was monotonous was an understatement.

Quess dropped her bucket down on the floor—breaking the silence—and pulled out an old rag. She started dusting around Kaitlyn’s room, but since the room was sparse, there wasn’t much to dust. Kaitlyn watched as Quess’s small, pale hand efficiently wiped down the white dresser, and then moved over to the windowsill. Her unruly copper hair looked like fire in the sunlight. 

Neither spoke a word. Kaitlyn wondered if the way she stared—robotic, silent, almost as if she were a statue—bothered Quess. Kaitlyn could sit for hours on end, unblinking and with nothing to do except stare at the four walls around her. However, Quess never complained. 

After Quess finished dry mopping the tile floor, she turned and looked at Kaitlyn with a mischievous glint in her hazel eyes. “Ms. Kaitlyn, would you like to walk the grounds with me? Grandpa Adams suggested you might want some fresh air.” 

Walking the grounds was Kaitlyn’s favorite thing to do, but she kept her face stoic, not wanting to show any emotions to the camera. They’ve already taken so much from her, she wouldn’t allow them to take anything more. “If Professor Adams thinks I need fresh air, then I will go.” 

“I thought you might.” Quess picked up her bucket and waited for Kaitlyn to follow. 

Anything to get out of this white, stuffy little room and away from the endless testing, Kaitlyn thought. She gracefully stood from her bed, smoothed down the front of her dress, and followed behind the young girl. 

She remained silent throughout the maze of hallways, past the dark, quiet labs and the even darker cafeteria. Cameras were everywhere: posted in high, shadowed corners, hidden behind black-glass windows. Kaitlyn lived her entire new life—or half-life, as it were—under scrutiny, like the science experiment she was. Except on the rare occasion she went out with Quess, but even then they didn’t have much privacy.

Stopping by the supply closet, they stowed Quess’s bucket before Kaitlyn pushed through the heavy metal door that led outside into the afternoon sunshine. The cool air against her skin was a nice sensation. Being locked away made her appreciate the little things. 

Where the lab and dorm were sterile and white, outside was a mini paradise. Kaitlyn believed the compound was remote, being surrounded on all sides by thick forest and absent of any sounds beyond that of nature. A glance toward the distant front gate—topped with barbed wire and electronically locked—showed it was being patrolled by its usual armed guards. 

As they made their way down the stone path flanked by dogwood trees leading to the woods, she scanned the area, relieved to see the courtyard was empty. Sometimes staff members would sit at the picnic tables for lunch or dinner, or gather around the back door for a smoke break. Kaitlyn always felt awkward on the rare occasion she crossed paths with staff members who were not assigned to her. They either gawked at her like she was a freak, or avoided eye contact completely.