The Turned [Book #1 Turned Trilogy]

Untimely Death

            |Erik|

            The fluorescent lighting hums above our heads like a beehives nest. A pestering sound of fingers tapping on a keyboard echo through the vents and the lab coat man works briskly. Lifting my head up from the floor, I glance over at Pete. He is sitting, melancholy and holding a smug appearance. I want to walk over and slap him, or shake him senseless. Tia is staring over at me and I catch her; she looks away quickly.

            “What?” I ask questioningly.

            She glances back at me. “You are so…calm. Don’t you feel sadness still?”

            I shake my head. “Nah, nothing matters anymore. Whoever I was, that is gone forever.” The hair growing above my upper lip trickles with sweat, I wipe it with the back of my hand. I proceed to reach around my neck and scratch at the metal triangular device.

            She walks over and slides down the wall to sit next to me. I look over at her and decide that I want her to leave me alone. It is useless being friends when we are about to die. Putting distance between us two; I slide to the left. She cracks a smile and tilts her chin to the ceiling, letting out a sigh.

            “Anymore memories?” she questions me some more.

            “Nope,” I plainly answer back. “Honestly, I would rather I didn’t get any more flashbacks. It will make it easier to –” I cut myself off.

            “Die?” Tia finishes my sentence and I nod in agreement. She reaches over and leans her body more to the left; reaching out, she grabs my sweaty palm. I flinch at her touch and then calmly take her small hand into mine. Why the hell not? I think to myself.

            Pete glares over at us, thinking he is witnessing an intimate moment. I want to knock some sense into him and tell him she is just being…friendly. Tia interrupts as I think of ways to bludgeon Pete to death. My emotions are still out of control. I let the steam forming inside me dissipate.

            “Lara, this girl you see in your thoughts, is she pretty?” she continues prying into my personal business. I feel annoyed and yet a sense of calmness with the mention of Lara.

            I lick my lips and swallow hard, “Her face is always hazy, but I notice she has jet black hair.” I motion my hand up to my shaven head. “Why are you asking me this? Are you trying to make this ordeal harder on me?” I scratch at a vampire bite that is now healing on my neck.

            She sneezes into her hand and rubs the end of her petite nose. “No, I just wish I had a flashback. I envy –” I stop her short of her final sentence.

            “Don’t ever envy me…” I glare at her and she quickly looks away towards Pete. “Don’t ever wish to remember things you will never experience again.” I shift my body and curl my legs up to my chest. Finding it hard to maintain them, I wrap my muscular forearms around them and pull tightly.

            Before she could say another word, I charge in once more. “If anything, I should envy your ability to feel again.” I wait to feel a pang in my gut. Some sign of uneasiness and despair. I cannot seem to conjure it up and take hold of it, never letting it go.

            She lets out a small chuckle, “Erik, I mean, sir…” Her face turns a shade of pink at the mentioning of my real name. It’s nice to hear it again and I suppose I don’t mind to feel somewhat myself before I die.

            “It’s okay, you can call me Erik.” I say back to her in a reassuring way.

            “Erik.” She grins from ear to ear. “Why do you think our military or government is corrupt? I cannot understand or begin to guess why they would do this to us.” Her eyes begin to water and I become uncomfortable with her easiness to cry.