Forma Brigade

Chapter 4: Welcome to Awkward Hallways

It felt like years since Anita was done with the pokes and prods from the scientists, each test being horrendous and more oddly invasive than the next. With woozy feet and a feeling of deep regret in the pit of her stomach she dragged herself towards the Forma living area, a section of the lab pointed out to her by one of the lab coats after the several hour long session where Nora had her way with the poor young woman. They told her a room had been set up the instant her father learned of her development, assuring her that it would be comfortable and definitely to her liking. Comfort sounded perfect right about now, though it was questionable if there even existed a pillow that could ease the emotional distress she was feeling.

Much like a hospital directory, bright and friendly colored lines were etched out across the floors of the living area, guiding people with efficiency to where they needed to be. Anita followed the deeply calming navy blue with "FORMA LIVING QUARTERS,' carved into its surface every five feet, imagining it as a little helper repeatedly cheering her on to her destination that she remembered was mapped out to her by hundreds of scientists who decided her fate from now on.

The living areas were like college dorms in a way, sectioned off in units with a single spacious room for each person. The only difference was the metallic doorway entrance operated by a keypad, used for the utmost privacy by a Forma and their belongings; or as an instant locking prison if the necessity were to arise. Anita now stood before her own personal grey cube, staring at it with exhaustion and hoping she could move it with the force of her apathy.

A soft ping noise echoed above her after she finally mustered enough strength to lift a tired finger and trace the plastic button to her door, thus lifting the metal plate of her door to reveal her room. It was funny to add all of these "hers" to something she had never seen or claimed before until today, giving a feeling of homesickness she didn't expect would hit her so quickly.

"This little area of the hall now belongs to me," the words escaped from between her lips on their own. Her own voice felt distant like it was the one thing that actually didn't belong to her. Her ears weren't used to this melancholic hollow ring in tone. With a mumble, she dragged herself into the room greeted by fluorescent bulbs which automatically lit up with her presence. Too bright and too happy. She hissed at them. How dare they stop her from being dark and brooding.

The room itself was very much like the one she had left behind but simply brighter and clearly brand new. Every little knic-knac she owned before had a new place here on new equipment, brought in by the workers of the lab while she was busy being probed alien abductee-style. The old punching bag with a wayward tear haphazardly patched down the middle, now just a shiny new bag for her to ruin all over again. Even all her posters had been meticulously peeled from their original spots back home and displayed carefully on the walls and with a quick snap she tore down a certain flyer for a boy band she knew she wouldn't be listening to in a long time. Regardless, with so much to remind her of home, it was easy to choke up on old memories.

Just as she was about to ruminate on the constant negatives that seemed to be forcing their way into her life, a heavy knock sounded on her door. She forgot when exactly the door had closed but it must have been on its own due to crazy science reasons she didn't want to bother thinking about.

A deep breath and a cough to clear her throat.

"Who's tha-. . .Ahh, who is it?" Maybe if she pretended to be actually sure of herself, all the crap in her life would eventually find someone else to bother.

"Hey Anita. It's Jack, from before." Jack from before was the young man she was told earlier who was going to be her leader of sorts. The bronze skinned fit gentleman that seemed to wipe away every insecurity about this crazy new lifestyle off the face of the Earth with a dazzling smile only talked about in prophecies and legends. She'd known him for about half an hour but he already seemed like a dear old friend.