not a monster (a stranger things 001 fanfic)

chapter two: Morning

I wake up, feeling as stiff and disorientated as I did the previous day. Is this my life now?

I sit up, hoping to god that yesterday was just a bad dream. The room is white, like the rest of this fucking facility. My bed is small, with a firm mattress and a thin blanket. The walls are bare save for two doors, a wardrobe and a blinking camera. I glare at the lense, wondering if Papa is watching me.

There's a knock on the door. "Be ready to leave in fifteen minutes!" a worker's voice calls.

I hastily get out of bed and examine the room. Obviously, one of the doors leads to the corridor. The other one... I open it and find a small bathroom.
Quickly I go inside, turn on the tap in the sink and splash cold water on my face to wake myself up. Letting out a deep sigh, I look in the mirror. My hair is long and tangled from sleep, but thick and glossy nonetheless, in big dark waves that fall down my back. My eyes are big and easily my best feature, doe-like with long lashes and a strange colour somewhere between brown and orange.

I turn on the shower, gather my hair on top of my head to keep it dry, and step under the flow of warm water, allowing it to relax my tense body slightly. I stay in as long as I can, until I have to make my way back to my bedroom. I open the closet, hoping to find some proper clothes. My wardrobe holds both hospital gowns like the one I'm wearing, and grey sweatsuits like One was wearing yesterday. I opt for the gown, not out of preference, but simply because I don't want One to think I'm copying him. I finish getting ready by putting on the slipper-like shoes from the bottom of the wardrobe, running my hands through my hair to de-tangle it.

The door opens, revealing a male member of staff, and behind him, One. One stares at my bed, which is still warm and rumpled from me sleeping in it, the shape of my body visible on the blanket and pillow. Stupidly, I blush, and make a mental note to make the bed every morning from now on.

"Time to go." announces the man.

I nod and follow him out of my room and down the corridor. One hangs back and walks behind me; I can feel his gaze burning into my back. I remember the small size of the beds and wonder if he sleeps in the same sort of bed as I do. Unwillingly, an image of him lying in bed, his long body splayed on the mattress, appears in my mind. I wonder if his sheets are still warm right now.

One coughs. "Get your mind out of the gutter."

I stare at him, horrified, only just remembering that he can read my mind. A fresh wave of shame crashes over me.

"Get your mind out of my mind!" I hiss at him.

We reach the rainbow room and I turn away from him, but I notice him trying not to laugh, ducking his head to hide his smug smile. My cheeks are burning.

We part ways in the room as he heads for the bookshelves. I stand alone, taking in the scene.

To my surprise, the rainbow room already holds five children, all of them varying in age from around ten to nineteen. All of them are wearing sweatsuits or gowns, and their heads are all shaved. Automatically, I touch my own hair in a panic, as if it's going to suddenly fall out. I hear someone laugh slightly at that.

I turn around to find a boy standing behind me. He's taller than me, with pale eyes and a squarish face. I notice he has a tattoo on his wrist: 002.

"Don't worry, they're not going to cut off your hair," he reassures me. "Although, you'd still be gorgeous, with or without it."

I smile at that.

"I'm Two." he says holding out his hand for me to shake.

"Arabella." I say. His eyes widen.