Blood of My Death

Blood of My Death: The Ancient Earthscrapper - Chapter Eleven

"That hurt!" I shouted.

"I'm sorry. It was only momentary as the suit powered up. Now I am going to guide you to where we will work," Dr. King explained as he tapped several more times on the device.

My legs walked on their own, and the pain that shot through my body was tremendous.

"AAAAHHHHHHHHHH! That hurts!" I screamed in excruciating pain.

As Dr. Warren rushed over to me, she checked my heart rate, then glared at Dr. King.

"You're hurting her, dammit!" Dr. Warren yelled.

"I am sorry, but she will have to endure until we reach our destination. It's right behind this station," Dr. King replied with even more eagerness in his eyes.

"She can't do whatever test you want her to do if she is in too much pain to do your test," Dr. Warren yelled again.

Dr. King tapped his glass device again, ignoring us, and I began moving again. My pain was unbearable, and I did not know why it was so bad. I wobbled behind the station in slow motion and stopped at the track. Dr. Warren held my hand as he and his two assistants walked on the track.

"Now, we will begin the Physical Resistance Test. Walk this track using parallel poles, and you must complete the entire track length," Dr. King said as he eyed me eagerly.

He tapped on his glass device, and parallel bars lifted from beneath the tracks in one lane in the tracks. There was an opening that would allow me to walk between the bars, and before I knew it, I was walking again. I painfully walked uncontrollably into the parallel bars.

"From this point on, you must move your legs. I will set the exoskeleton to free mode so you can move your legs. However, there are rules you must follow for this test," Dr. King said with a grin.

"What rules?" Dr. Warren demanded.

"Kristen must walk the entire track length without stopping," Dr. King stated.

"You know that is unreasonable. Kristen can't possibly walk the entire track length; it's too far," Dr. Warren pleaded.

"Yes, I understand, and the track is one hundred yards, to be exact," Dr. King replied with even more eager eyes.

It was like he was enjoying my pain and taking pleasure from it.

"She can't do that, I'm telling you. If you read her medical files, you would comprehend her physical abilities," Dr. Warren retorted.

"I am aware of her physical limitations, and my job is to push her past those limitations. Now, if she does not walk the entire length of the track, then the pads inside her resistance knee braces will expand, similar to a blood pressure cuff. I am sure Test Subject Kristen Howel would not want to endure that kind of pressure on her legs. So, causing the least pain, she must walk the entire track without stopping. We will be here until she finishes this task, regardless of how long it takes," Dr. King explained professionally.

Rachel looked back at me with worried eyes, and for the first time, I could tell she was afraid of what was about to happen. I was about to tear up from realizing how much pain this would cause me.

"Kristen, I can't stop them!" Dr. Warren said, shaking her head.

"I know. I will try to do what the Doctor is asking," I replied in a weakened voice.

"Yes, you will because if you don't, there is always the alternative," Dr. King said, raising the tablet in his hand.

"You're a bastard. I hope you know that," Dr. Warren declared, glaring out at the Doctor.