𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐅 𝐀 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 - 𝘋𝘌𝘈𝘛𝘏 𝘊𝘜𝘙𝘌

4 ~ the girl with the white coat

Newt

The girl in white had to be the most beautiful girl I had ever seen.

Granted, I hadn't seen many girls. Only the ones in my elementary school classes, and I was too young to notice any of them in that way. But this girl glowed like none of the rest did. Her white lab coat stood in contrast to her dark hair and eyes. When she looked at me, her face was blank, like a marble figure. She stood behind the adults, looking up at them in admiration as they spoke.

It was a shame I would force myself to hate her.

I was seated on a chair in a hospital gown; a position I had been in countless times before. In fact, I still had the Band-Aid on my arm from when the same group of doctors that stood before me now had run tests on me yesterday. The only difference between then and now was the girl.

I'd noticed her around the facility sometimes, but this is the only time I've seen her up close. Whenever I did see her, it was only glimpses, because she was always flanked by massive men in black jumpsuits, escorting her around like she was some celebrity. Before today, the only features I knew of her were her brown hair and white coat.

"Just a few tests today, Newt," said one of the doctors. Her name was Sophie. She was one of the only kind doctors here, and the only one I bothered to learn the name of. "It will only take a few minutes, don't worry." Sophie smiled warmly.

I appreciated Sophie for her warmth, but I'd practically memorized her words. They were the same ones every day. Telling me that they only needed to run a few tests, it won't take long. She lied every time. I think the doctors would run tests from dawn till dusk if they were allowed.

Alas, all I did was smile tiredly back at Sophie, and settle myself deeper into the chair. What was I supposed to do? I couldn't escape; I was in a room full of capable adults and there were guards outside the door. I learned that the hard way, when I tried to fight my way out a few weeks ago. Besides, the needles didn't even hurt that bad anymore. I had become immune to the pinch.

Sophie's team set to work, bustling around me and clinking vials. I knew their faces. There was that ugly woman with the hooked nose and massive mole on her chin. I used to think she was a witch. There was that short man with round glasses. He always looked so sad to me. The younger lady with warm cheeks but cold eyes. I wondered what had happened to her to make her so chilled so young. But I knew them. I was familiar with them. I memorized their movements, their voices... I just didn't know their names, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to.

I closed my eyes when I felt the first prick on my arm. The first of many, today. Inhaling, I caught a whiff of a familiar scent. One that I always seemed to come across when I sat in this chair. It was a mixture of smells. A sharp, metallic one that could be nothing but blood. A heavy, musky one of sweat. A fresher scent, like laundry detergent. And then a sort of forest-y smell that would be someone's body wash or shampoo.

And then there was the general feel of the chair. Something about it felt very lived-in. It was sticky with sweat and tears, most likely. And one day, I came in to find that the seat was still warm from someone who had sat in it just minutes before me.

The smells and feel of the chair were what made the whole experience bearable. I knew that it wasn't just me this was happening to. And these people had cried and sweat and bled, just like me. The one thing that kept me going was the possibility that I may someday meet them.

"Are you asleep?"

A soft voice interrupted my thoughts and my eyelids fluttered open. I jumped. Not three inches from my face was a pair of chocolate brown eyes and a freckled nose. It was the beautiful girl. She had been standing silently in the corner this whole time, but now she was standing in front of my chair, leaning forward.