Dead But Alive

chapter four: history

The lab is big. I recognize it from when I was younger, the large white, chrome and glass structure with CryoLabs Science Industries written in heavy silver block letters by the sliding glass doors. Dad told me that one of the researchers would be waiting for me at the front gate, since the whole building is very securely closed off by tall wire gates and cameras and stuff. So when I approach the gate, I'm relieved to see a tall mid-thirties guy with a red polo shirt, khakis, and a nametag that reads Dr. Aidan. He unlocks the gate, hands me a lanyard, and holds out his hand. "I'm Aidan Daniels. Call me whatever. I run the cryonics department. You're Reid Roland?"

"Reid Ridley," I correct him, shaking his hand and slipping the lanyard around my neck. It's a guest pass, with my name printed on it (correctly, too!). "Nice to meet you."

"Oh, sorry, my bad. I worked with a Reid Roland five years ago, the name just slipped out." He flashes a friendly smile, with bright teeth. "So, you ready to come check this out? Dr. Terrance is waiting for you. He's very excited about the opportunity to work with you."

For some reason I'm curious about this Reid Roland, but stuff is happening fast and I'm not willing to interrupt. I nod. "Of course! I'm excited to work with him."

"Do you know what you'll be doing?" Dr. Aidan asks me as he leads me across the sidewalk and to the building. The plexiglass door requires a fingerprint scan and an ID card, and after he swipes both he holds the door and gestures inside. "Elevator to the right."

I step inside, and a breath of chemicals and fragrance wafts over me. I glance down at the short coffee-with-cream-colored carpet, and my black out-of-place Nike tennis shoes. "No, I wasn't informed." I almost give myself a pat on the back for this biggish word. But that would be embarrassing, so I just turn to the right and step into the small alcove for the elevators.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that," Dr. Aidan says, though I get the feeling he already knew. "We'll be sure to brief you before you begin any projects. We're going to have you helping out in the cryonics department. You know what that is, right?

I do, down to the exact definition. "Deep-freezing bodies of recently dead people, in the hope that scientific advances will allow them to be revived in the future."

"Exactly. You're very intelligent, from what I've heard, Reid. I believe you will bring a lot to our research."

"Thank you, sir," I say dismissively, trying hard not to stare at the elevator. We're supposed to be in a hurry, right? At least that's what I thought.

Dr. Aidan senses me shifting my weight, and he chuckles. "Are you in a hurry?"

I'm thoroughly embarrassed, but I'm not one to blush, thank goodness. I look straight at him, smile, and say calmly, "Oh, no, not at all." My tone innocently suggests Why would you think that?

He seems to retract his theory that I'm impatient, shrugging and turning to the elevator. "Well, we should hurry. Dr. Terrance is probably waiting." He punches the up button, and the elevator doors immediately slide open. It's a good-sized elevator, rather upscale too. There's quiet jazz music, and tiny earth-toned mosaic tiles in a six-inch band about eye level. I count seven different types of stones, then realize I probably look like I'm extremely bored, and stand up straight, channeling as much maturity as possible. "So how long have you worked with CLSI?"

"Fifteen years," he says proudly. "I was an intern at twenty-two years old, and I worked in the general cryogenics department for ten years before switching to specifically cryonics."

The elevator dings, and he gestures for me to step out. He's pressed floor seven, and it's bright white and smells like a laboratory. Clean and sharp, like antiseptic and bleach. There is a long corridor with multiple doors off of it. Dr. Aidan leads me down the hall and turns the corner, then scans his ID and thumb and opens the first door on the right, but he motions for me to just look and not enter.

It's huge.

Stark white, bright with artificial lighting. It's full of scientists, either on computers or working with beakers and petri dishes or conversing quietly. There's tons of shiny instruments and apparatuses, colored chemicals and tables of tools and jars of specimens.

A middle-aged man with short gray hair and dark brown eyes glances up, wearing a long white lab coat over turqouise scrubs. He has a sharp jawline, which makes him seem determined and very serious, yet his eyes are kind. He sets down his tray of beakers and comes to the door, removing his mask and gloves. "Hello there! I'm Dr. Terrance. Thank you so much for coming."

I shake his hand firmly, flashing him a confident smile. "My pleasure, sir. I'm Reid Ridley."

"Ah. And you are seventeen, are you not?"

I'm ​turning seventeen in a week, so I quickly debate what to say, and settle with, "Nearly."

He smiles. "Wonderful. Well, Reid, let me show you what we want you here for. Did Aidan explain?"

"A little, sir. Only that it would be in the cryonics department."

"Ah, that's right. Reid, come with me, and we'll talk." He points down the hall to another room, which turns out to be an empty lab. It's full of shiny expensive looking shelves and equipment, but all of the technology is powered down, and the shelves empty. It seems abandoned.

He pulls another chair up to the opposite side of a metal table and motions for me to have a seat. "I'll be back shortly. I just have to gather some files." He leaves, and I sit still, taking this all in and wanting to text Hayden.

Two minutes later, Dr. Terrance returns, two manila envelopes in his left hand and a pen in his right. He shrugs off his lab coat and hangs it on a hook by the door.

"All right, Reid," he says, taking a seat and opening the envelopes. "Can I get you a glass of water?"

I stare at him. What is this, a conference?

"No thank you, sir, I'm fine."

He spreads the papers across the table. "Do you recognize anything about this information, Reid?"

I lean across the table, scanning for any significant information. The first thing I notice is something startling, printed across the top of the page.

Ridley, Reid Eugene

I look up at Dr. Terrance, surprised. "Um, that's my name."

"Indeed it is." He nods. "Were you wondering why we chose you for this project?"

I'm not, actually. To be brutally honest, I'm wondering what I'm supposed to do here and when I can go home because I should probably hit the gym before bed.

But because I am in fact Reid Eugene Ridley, I nod politely.

"Reid, we brought you here on account of of your medical records," Dr. Terrance says quietly. "Not specifically because of your intelligence or past interest in cryogenics, though those did aid in our decision to bring you here. But no, CLSI chose Reid Ridley because of his medical history."

I kind of kind of just stare at him. "How do you have my medical history?" And what does that have to do with anything?

He just looks at me, looking surprised. "Reid, do you not recall your history with CLSI?"

I notice his strange affinity for the word 'history'. But I am too confused about what's he's saying to say anything about it. "Wait, what? What history?"

He stares at me, both of us thoroughly confused. Then he says, "Reid, you're ​a snowflake child. You do know you were made in a petri dish?"

The photo above is similar to a part of the lab Dr. Terrance works in. I'm still deciding whether I'll do a cast for all my characters, but so far I've only decided on Dr. Terrance and Aidan. Please vote if you like it, and comment!! Thanks for reading! ☺