Heater

Chapter 01

Heater

Chapter 01

Temperature in Degrees: 93

Heat. heat/hit/ Show Spelled [heet] :noun 1. the state of a body perceived as having or generating a relatively high degree of warmth.

All I felt was heat. The smothering air was thick against me and it felt hard to breathe even though I was deep in slumber. I imagined my cheeks flushed and my hair stuck to my neck. I wasn't dreaming of anything in particular, which was a disapointment, because I desperately needed something to take my mind away from the fact that the temperature was slowely rising. Even though I was unconcious, my mind was set in the habit of acknowledging the enormous thermostat that was bolted into the wall across the room. Actually, 'room' wasn't the correct term. I should have been calling it a cell. That was what is was.

I had memorized every inch of the cell--not that there was much to memorize--yet everytime I looked around, I would force myself to skip over the big digital hunk of metal that seemed to get bigger by each day. Oh, and thats another thing. I hadn't a clue as to if it was day or night, so my sleeping patterns were all over the place. That, and the fact that they wont let me sleep for more than a certain amount of hours.

I was being minitored. Every movement I made was being watched from some hidden camera I had yet to discover. I was fed little food a day--just enough so that my body kept working and I wouldn't pass out--and meager amounts of water, which was warm, as if they let it sit out in the sun for a while. If I were to look into a mirror, I imagined that my reflection would have had hollowed, colorless eyes; bones extruding in places they shouldn't. I knew they shouldn't because I had seen the guards with round arms and calfs, not angles.

They were testing me. They watched the way I reacted to the slow temperature changes and how I was loosing more wight everytime they checked up on me. The first moment I realized that I was only here to be tortured I vowed to myself three things.

1. I would keep my facial features in check. 

2. Think cool thoughts. 

3. Don't interact with any soul.

Those vows weren't too hard to keep, apart from being surrounded in only warmth.

My clothes were in the running for the worst part I think. They were in second place. They put me in cloth that was wrapped around my entire body so that I somewhat resembled a mummy. I was just greatful that it only stopped at my neck. The sole reason I knew that I was loosing weight on a daily basis was that my garments grew bigger and bigger. Maybe that, or that they were stretching out. I wanted to believe the second one.

I had been in the same attire for who knew how long and the seams were starting to rip in patches along my knees and elbows. Pretty soon they would be no good and I would be stripped and given new ones.

My hygiene, well. My hygiene wasn't the best. I couldn't even rememeber the last time I was given the privilage of a shower. Did I even know what a shower was?

My bunk was bare of any sheet or blanket, which I would never need, and was the only thing in the cell. The room itself was white--no windows and only one door. Convienently, it had a pad lock sealing it shut. A small frame was incorporated in the center and I would have had to squint my eyes to see through the foggy glass. I tried breaking it once; that was a mistake. All that got me was a sore wrist and a threat to turn the heat in my room up a degree. I knew that seemed minimal at the time, but I couldn't afford to loose what could have kept my life going for a little while longer.

I heard a loud buzz that was so obnocious, it jolted me from my sleeping state and my eyes went straight for the thermostat. My heart thuddered in my ears but saw with relief that it was still the same number.  'Still' I thought, 'not low enough.' I had the sudden urge to weep, but I wouldn't have had time anyway, for the door busted open and three men in white biohazard suits swept in and grabbed hold of my arms.

I struggled for a minute--then again, I always did--but was restrained firmly and escorted out into the cold cemented hallway. It was dark and dreary and it just felt cold. It was like a hard smack in the face, but it felt nice. They only let me out of my cell right before the temperature rose. It could take hours, days, and as long as months, or so it felt like it. With a bright side always comes a bad side. I took the liberty of rearranging that little saying since it was never the other way around for me.

We walked fast down the hall and turned sharply to the right. It went on like this for a while, but as we drew closer and closer to the dreaded destination, I began to hyper-ventalate. It was always like this. I'd phsyc myself out and get my adrenaline going while I prepared myself for what would come next.

By the time we came to a halt in front of a glass door, my throat was dry but was ready to face the test.

The guard that had a hold on my right arm stepped forward and drew off one of his gloves.  His hand was sweaty as it went for the hand scanner on the wall.  With his hand placed onto the screen, the three of us watched in silence as we waited for the click.  A few moments later, I was led through the door.  At the end of the hall was a small rectangular chamber with a door hanging ajar.  My guards walked me towards it and both their grips tightened for an instant then let go, pushing me through.  My palms landed on the cool glass wall; my body fighting to stay upright.

I didn't dare look back as the door slid shout, cutting me out of the heavy air. I could breath better now, yet I still felt my heart pounding, my chest heaving, my collarbones lifting and receding.  Suddenly, the chamber was being lifted up from the room.  It made a whoosh sound and I was being carried upwards.  That was when I vaguely felt a tingle at my left ankle.  I glanced down at the thing that was attached to me.  A metal cuff clung to my skin; there wasn't a latch anywhere on it, a permanent thing to remind me of why I'm here in this place, in this chamber, about to exhaust myself entirely to please the people holding me prisoner.

The chamber came to a jolting halt.  All but one side of the chamber was stone, and through the clear side I could make out the words that were on a panel on the other side.

Sect. 14. M. 223. 7:09

The chamber door slid open.

I took a deep breath and plunged into the wide space.  Before me was a maze that stretched up so high that I wasn't even sure that it had an end. 

I had to beat 7:09.